Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters today but if you haven't already seen an early showing, there are still so many questions about how the Skywalker Saga will end--how will director JJ Abrams will wrap up the nine-movie franchise? (Check out our Rise of Skywalker review for our reviewer's verdict.)
One of those mysteries, thanks to Disney+'s The Mandalorian, is no doubt whether or not lovable scamp Baby Yoda appears in the film. As the titular Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) finds himself in the middle of a surprising number of fights, battles, and near-death scenarios, the real breakout star of the series is the toy green puppet that looks an awful lot like the late Jedi Master we all know and love.
Given that The Mandalorian is set after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, it seemed entirely possible that Baby Yoda could appear, even in a cameo role. What's more, given that he was born the same year as Anakin Skywalker, it seemed perfectly logical that he would have a tie to the bigger story of Star Wars--right?
Well, the movie is out now, so we have the answer. Unfortunately for fans of adorable puppets that also have magical powers, the answer is no. Baby Yoda is nowhere to be seen in the new film, which isn't exactly a surprise. After all, the show was filmed at the same time as the movie in different locations. (But if you want to see all the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Easter eggs that did make it into the movie, check out our roundup.)
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That said, it's entirely possible Baby Yoda--or other characters from The Mandalorian--could show up in future Star Wars films. At this point, we don't know what the next movies in the franchise will be about. All that's clear is that a second season of The Mandalorian is shooting now, while the animated series Clone Wars is returning, and an Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone series is being developed.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters today. In his review of Episode IX, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau said the movie feels "empty."
"It should never be so clear to audiences that something in the filmmaking process has gone so terribly wrong--that the people who made the first film in a trilogy apparently didn't bother to sketch out a plan for the second and third, and that the movies' directors had visions for the series' future that were so fundamentally at odds," he wrote.
