Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, we met a Jedi Knight named Yoda. So when we first meet The Child in Disney+’s The Mandalorian, which the internet has dubbed Baby Yoda, many people mistake him for a younger Yoda. However, he’s really another of Yoda’s rare species. As we follow the Mandalorian Din Djarin on his adventures protecting and caring for Baby Yoda, they encounter fellow bounty hunters, evil mercenaries, and worst of all, the remnants and rebuilding of the Empire. While Jedi Knight Yoda was known for his wise teachings and insane light-saber skills, there are definitely a few things we can learn from Baby Yoda.
Episode 1: Curiosity always drives us. When Mando is given the bounty for this asset, it is different than the numerous ones he’s delivered before. There is only a tracking fob and the last four digits of a chain code to help him track it down. Although the payment he is offered is great, the risk of chasing down the unknown is also immense. Yet the combination of mystery and payment entice the Mandalorian into taking the job.The Mando’s curiosity about the child is what actually drives the series.
Episode 2: Don’t be unwilling to ask for help. When Baby Yoda tries to heal the Mandalorian after they are attacked by other bounty hunters, the Mandalorian doesn’t realize the child’s intention. He is used to taking care of himself and only later in this episode does he learn to ask for help when he needs it. When his ship is stripped by the Jawas, Mando has to return to the Ugnaught Kuiil’s abode to ask for help in getting the pieces back. While Mando attempts to retrieve the Mudhorn egg the Jawas require for a trade, the child realizes Mando once again needs help and this is how the Mandalorian discovers the child’s true power.
Episode 3: Trust your gut. Just like in Episode 3, how Baby Yoda doesn’t have to save the Mandalorian from the Mudhorn, in Episode 4, Mando doesn’t have to liberate the child from the Empire. But even after he’s started his ship’s engines to leave, Mando realizes he knows it’s what he needs to do, so he trusts his instincts and defies the odds (and the Empire) to rescue the Child. The hidden Mandalorians also trust their instinctual loyalty by coming out of hiding to save Mando. Their intuition tells them that this is bigger than just themselves, so they must take action.
Episode 4: Never give up. When the Child and Mando seek sanctuary from the Empire, they learn to never give up from a small group of villagers defending their krill farms. Their farms are under attack from a violent band of invaders with a big walking gun. Even though initially, the farmers are terrible warriors, Mando and his newfound companion Cara Dune, are able to train them and lead them to an unlikely victory. However at the end of this episode, we learn that the bad guys don’t give up either, and Mando and the child have to leave the peaceful village they were hoping to make a home in order to keep Baby Yoda and the villagers safe from the Empire.
Episode 5: Parenting is a learned skill and it isn’t easy. From having to keep Baby Yoda from eating shiny things on his ship, to putting it down to nap, the Mandalorian has to learn how to be a parent. When he lands in Mos Eisley for ship repairs, the Mandalorian ignorantly leaves the baby alone. The mechanic Peli is quick to fill him in on that, as well as charge him more for babysitting while he’s hunting down a bounty. The learning curve for parenting and what it means to care for someone continues throughout the series.
Episode 6: Sometimes you have to kick ass and take names. The Mandalorian’s fighting skills are nearly unmatched and Episode 6 showcases that. When Mando teams up with evil mercenaries who obviously betray him, he handily turns the tables. Baby Yoda is the one to learn the lesson that sometimes you must take action as Mando saves the child from a scary killer droid.
Episode 7: People are not born evil. The returned droid IG-11 from Episode 1 symbolizes the idea that we are shaped in our environment as we develop; basically we are wired through our experiences. He returns from his original quest of killing Baby Yoda to one of innocent servitude and protection for Kuill. Baby Yoda also symbolizes this idea because he has great power, but only uses it to protect or help heal, like in the instance of healing Greef Karga’s arm. Humans are not inherently evil.
Episode 8: Powerful things can come in small packages. IG-11 once again helps prove this by rescuing Baby Yoda and taking on a whole town of stormtroopers by himself. Then, just when all seems lost, Baby Yoda reveals his true powers and teaches us that you don’t have to be the biggest and the strongest to be the most powerful. Even the Mandalorian’s actions at the end of this episode – climbing on top of a TIE fighter to defeat Moff Gideon – prove that sometimes it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that matters.
Extra Lesson 1: Enjoy the little moments. The character of Baby Yoda teaches us to enjoy the small moments of life. Embrace each adventure with a positive attitude. Take on each challenge with a winning expression. The tiny green creature who has crawled his way into my heart has me hoping for a second season of life lessons from Baby Yoda.
Extra Lesson 2: Everything’s connected in the end, or everything happens for a reason. Throughout the beginning of the season, each episode brought on new thoughts and characters that all seemed random. Until the final episodes, when all return and unite to help one thing: Baby Yoda. If there’s one thing Star Wars teaches fans, it’s that everything in life is connected. Remember these lessons and may the Force be with you.
Inspiring the Works of Valerie Jean 