The Mandalorian and Grogu is absolutely packed with Star Wars Easter eggs and references. Star Wars has returned to the big screen, but this is the first film without a single lightsaber blade. That doesn’t mean The Mandalorian and Grogu is lacking in Easter eggs, though.
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Lucasfilm’s Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau often liken writing Star Wars to getting their favorite toys out of the toybox and playing with them. Given that’s the case, it’s really no surprise this film is absolutely full of references.
38. The Mandalorian & Grogu May Be Heading to a Familiar Planet
Trailers for The Mandalorian and Grogu had focused largely on the opening scenes, which see Din Djarin take on Imperial forces on a snow planet. Many speculated it was Hoth, and some suggest it is Grand Moff Tarkin’s homeworld of Eriadu. That said, the views correspond with Pagodon – the ice planet Din Djarin visited in The Mandalorian premiere, in the show’s opening scenes. It’s a nice bit of symmetry.
37. The Imperial Shadow Council
The Mandalorian Season 3 revealed the Imperial Remnant forces were secretly coordinated in a so-called “Shadow Council.” Din Djarin deals with two members of this Shadow Council in The Mandalorian and Grogu, now named as Commanders Coin (played by Jonny Coyne) and Barro (played by Hemky Madera).
36. An Imperial Snowtrooper At Last
Imperial Snowtroopers were last seen in The Empire Strikes Back, but we’d never seen their full helmets before; there, the lower part was covered by white cloth. The Mandalorian and Grogu finally shows the full Imperial Snowtrooper design.
35. Sam Witwer Voices a Snowtrooper
Sam Witwer is a phenomenal voice-actor, best known for playing the resurrected Maul in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Maul – Shadow Lord. He also has a habit of turning up in live-action, and here he plays an Imperial Snowtrooper. Attentive viewers will recognize his tone.
34. Mouse Droids
Mouse droids are pretty ubiquitous in Star Wars. Surprisingly, it took Star Wars until 2024 to explain what they do; The Mandalorian Season 3 revealed they’re mainly used for security. Appropriately, then, one is sent to pass on an alert and call in Imperial reinforcements. It’s intercepted by Grogu.
33. AT-ATs and AT-RTs
The AT-ATs are back, and even in a snowy environment – a perfect homage to The Empire Strikes Back. Din Djarin successfully takes out three of them in short order, after pursuing Commander Barro in an AT-RT. This is vintage Clone Wars equipment, introduced in Revenge of the Sith.
32. Commander Barro’s INT-4 Escape
Commander Barro makes his escape in a very familiar ship: an INT-4 Interceptor, an incredibly deep cut in Star Wars lore. These were created by Kenner Toys in 1984, where they were described as recon scouts, and they’d only ever appeared as an Easter egg in a mobile game and a single comic book issue. Now we’ve seen one in live-action.
31. All Three Din Djarin Actors Are Credited At Last
The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s opening credits begin by recognizing three actors who all play Din Djarin: Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, and Lateef Crowder. It’s a delight to see them all get equal billing, coming before the rest of the cast.
30. BD Droids at Adelphi Base
The Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor games featured BD-1, Cal Kestis’ delightful droid companion. The Mandalorian and Grogu reveals BD-X droids at Adelphi Base. You can see real-life versions at Galaxy’s Edge, or alternatively pick them up on Fortnite.
29. Anthony Daniels Makes His Traditional Star Wars Cameo
Anthony Daniels is best known for playing C-3PO, and he’s appeared in every Star Wars film to date (he played an escaped slave called Tak in Solo: A Star Wars Story). He plays the air traffic control droid on Nal Hutta, continuing his streak as the Stan Lee cameo of Star Wars.
28. The Ace of Staves
Din Djarin is working for the New Republic, hunting Imperial warlords. Amusingly, the New Republic is circulating a deck of Sabacc cards where the traditional designs have been replaced by warlords; Commander Coin is the missing “Ace of Staves.” This idea was first mentioned in Chuck Wendig’s “Aftermath” trilogy, which is set shortly after the original trilogy and leads up to the Battle of Jakku – at least four years before The Mandalorian and Grogu. Clearly, the cards are still being used.
27. Din Djarin Gets a New Razor Crest
Din Djarin is gifted a new Razor Crest by Colonel Ward, a down-payment for future missions. Din’s old Razor Crest was destroyed in The Mandalorian Season 2; although he still has his N-1 starfighter, he now has a Razor Crest as well. These ships predate the Clone Wars, and are ideal for black ops because their transponder codes aren’t recorded.
26. The Twins
The two Hutt crime lords known as the Twins were introduced in The Book of Boba Fett, where they sought to claim Jabba’s palace on Tatooine. They’re playing a similar role in The Mandalorian and Grogu, and remain unnamed. Surprisingly, the credits don’t even confirm who voiced them.
25. Zeb Orrelios
Steve Blum returns as Zeb Orrelios; the iconic rebel hero he originally voiced in Star Wars Rebels, and who he played in live-action in The Mandalorian Season 3. Now, he’s back – and this time it’s not a cameo. Zeb will return in Ahsoka Season 2, which is expected to feature a reunion of all the (now live-action) Rebels stars.
24. Nal Hutta
Situated on the Outer Rim, Nal Hutta is the homeworld of the Hutts. Hailing from the classic Star Wars Expanded Universe, Nal Hutta has rarely been seen – either in Legends or canon. The swamp-like world was designed by George Lucas himself for The Clone Wars, and it makes its live-action debut. Amusingly, Star Wars fans figured it out from an official tie-in for The Mandalorian and Grogu.
23. The Hutt Stronghold & the Droid Gotra
The Hutt stronghold on Nal Hutta is home to many Easter eggs, including the familiar crest of Jabba’s family. The Twins have hired a group called the Droid Gotra to guard them; a group who support droid rights, and who served as hired muscles for the Hutts and the Crymorah Syndicate during the Dark Times of the Empire’s reign. Most “members” of the Droid Gotra hail back to the Clone Wars, using familiar Clone Wars-era tech such as the HH-87 starfighters.
22. Rotta the Hutt
Jeremy Allen White voices Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba, last seen in the Clone Wars animated movie. Amusingly, Lucasfilm even paid homage to his debut with a model of the original; the Twins present a holographic image of the young Rotta (nicknamed “Stinky” by Ahsoka).
21. Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese plays Hugo Durant, an Ardennian fry cook on Shakari. Introduced in Solo, Ardennians have become a Star Wars mainstay. Attentive viewers may spot some familiar foodstuffs in Hugo’s establishment, most notably a mudhorn egg from The Mandalorian Season 1.
20. Some Classic Star Wars Creatures Have Become Hunting Prizes
Attentive viewers will spot some very familiar trophies among Lord Janu’s prizes. His wall is decorated with the head of creatures such as the wampa from The Empire Strikes Back, as well as a nexu and reek from Attack of the Clones‘ arena battle.
19. Din Djarin Gets His Luke Skywalker Moment – & Rotta is His Leia
One of the most entertaining Star Wars references is played for laughs; the moment when Din tells Rotta he’s there to rescue her, dialogue mirroring Luke’s in A New Hope. Rotta’s body language is wonderfully reminiscent of Leia’s in that particular scene, a delightful gag.
18. Some Familiar Names on Shakari – Including a Tribute to Carl Weathers
The late Carl Weathers played Din Djarin’s close ally Greef Karga, who became magistrate of Nevarro. The Mandalorian and Grogu pays homage to Weathers in its arena fight, because this is apparently the “Weathers Apollo.” Eagle-eyed viewers have also spotted signs to the Batuu bar on Shakari, the remote planet that serves as home to the Galaxy’s Edge theme parks.
17. The Dejarik Monsters
Dejarik has been part of Star Wars since 1977 (it’s the Star Wars equivalent of chess, with C-3PO and Chewbacca playing a game on the Millennium Falcon). The Mandalorian and Grogu finally gives us the live-action versions of the Dejarik monsters:
- A Kintan Strider
- A Mantellian Savrip
- A K’Lor’Slug
- A Molator
- A Monnok
- A Houjix
- A Ghhhk
- A Ng’ok
16. Din Djarin’s Catchphrase
“I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold,” Din Djarin tells Lord Janu. It’s pretty much his catchphrase, debuting in the show’s 2019 premiere.
15. A Surprising Reference to The Acolyte
Din Djarin tells Zeb to make some heat-of-the-moment adjustments to the Razor Crest as the group flee Shakari, and he protests he’s not a “meknek.” This is one of the more surprising Easter eggs in The Mandalorian and Grogu, because mekneks – Star Wars’ version of space mechanics – were introduced in The Acolyte, the ill-fated TV show helmed by Leslye Headland. The character of Osha was introduced as a meknek, someone who scrambled over the surface of starship hulls. We’d previously assumed the job was phased out after the development of Astromech droids, but Zeb’s comment suggests it still exists.
14. Coin Will “Sing Like a Yuzzem”
According to Din Djarin, Commander Coin will “sing like a Yuzzem.” That’s the first canon mention of the Yuzzem, a Wookiee-like race introduced all the way back in Alan Dean Foster’s 1978 novel, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye.
13. Din Djarin Keeps Two Blurrg
Din Djarin learned to ride a Blurrg in The Mandalorian Season 1. Now, it seems, he keeps two Blurrg at his homestead on Nevarro.
12. Return of the Anzellans
Introduced in The Rise of Skywalker, the Anzellans are a great bunch – adding real comedy to The Mandalorian and Grogu, plus a lot of opportunities to refer to Grogu as “Baby.” All are voiced by Shirley Henderson, who previously voiced Babu Frik. Amusingly, one of the Anzellans is named “Minch,” the name originally given to Yoda in the first draft of The Empire Strikes Back.
11. Embo from The Clone Wars
Din Djarin is successfully captured by Embo, a Kyuzo bounty hunter who was a frequent antagonist in The Clone Wars. He typically works with a pet anooba, although the film features a different animal to the one seen in the series; Marrok was killed, and this is a new creature called Keibu. Embo’s starship, the Guillotine, has previously only been seen in comics.
10. The Mandalorian Creed
The Hutts apparently have a deep knowledge of Mandalorians. They’re aware of the Mandalorian creed that Din should never allow someone to see his face; he clarifies, however, that the creed simply means he needs to kill them now they have done. It’s a smart revision to the creed from the TV show, and it means the story doesn’t drift into a repetitive redemption plot.
9. The Hutt Trapdoor Trick & the Dragonsnake
The Twins have claimed Jabba’s old base, and it makes sense they’d have a similar trapdoor trick to the one Jabba enjoyed in Return of the Jedi. Theirs leads to a dragonsnake, a creature already known to be found on swamp-worlds like Dagobah and Nal Hutta.
8. The Amani
The Amani have been an established part of Star Wars lore since Return of the Jedi, but they’ve never been developed quite like this before. The Mandalorian and Grogu draws on deep lore from the Expanded Universe, even featuring a scene where one rolls along the ground.
7. Grogu’s Force Powers
Many Force-sensitives have their own trademark Force powers, and Grogu appears to have three specialties: telekinesis, an ability to put animals to sleep, and a Force Heal power that Anakin Skywalker would envy. Pleasingly, The Mandalorian and Grogu establishes clear limits for Grogu’s powers; he can heal wounds but not remove poisons.
6. Grogu Becomes a True Baby Yoda
While on Nal Hutta, Grogu imitates Yoda in some delightful ways; in a meditation pose straight out of Dagobah, and in another scene where he crafts a stick to help himself walk on uneven ground. He really is Baby Yoda.
5. Din Djarin Gets His Trademark Weapon Back
Din Djarin finds the wreckage of a crashed gunrunner’s ship in the Nal Hutta swamps. It’s rather convenient, because it means he’s soon stocked up with enough weapons to equip a small army. Even better, he gets one of his familiar Amban phase-pulse rifles – a weapon he loved, but lost when the first Razor Crest was destroyed.
4. Colonel Ward is Blue Leader
Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward leads New Republic forces to the rescue, apparently heading up “Adelphi Squadron.” Her own personal callsign, though, is “Blue Leader” – a familiar designation. Blue Squadron was part of pretty much every major battle in the Galactic Civil War, often taking some of the worst casualties. This clearly means Ward is a veteran of that conflict, and it makes sense for her to be leading a mission in the field; Blue Squadron is traditionally a mixed-fighter squadron consisting of X-Wings and U-Wings, both of which are seen here.
3. Colonel Ward’s Pilots Include Familiar Faces
Adelphi’s New Republic rangers include some very familiar faces, including major Lucasfilm stars and some key directors from The Mandalorian – all of whom are reprising prior roles. They include:
- Dave Filoni as Trapper Wolf (who appears twice)
- Deborah Chow as Sash Ketter
- Rick Famuyiwa as Jib Dodger
- Lee Isaac Chung as Garrett Sal
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee also reprises the role of Carson Teva.
2. Red Jammer
The Mandalorian and Grogu features a piece of Star Wars history. This was a model for the original 1977 film, and it never made it into the movies. Now, 49 years later, the Y-Wing Red Jammer finally makes its live-action debut.
1. George Lucas Gets a Story Credit
George Lucas himself gets a story credit for The Mandalorian and Grogu. Lucas’ exact involvement is still unknown, but this is quite unusual. Hopefully, more details will be revealed with time.
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