To speak or not to speak: Grogu's first words shouldn't be rushed

Grogu is by far the most expressive character in Star Wars, and the credit for that goes to the amazing puppeteers who handle him and The Mandalorian's directors. However, Season 3 of the series teased Grogu's potential first words, but does this mean he needs to talk in the upcoming Mando movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu?

According to ScreenRant, Grogu's ability to talk may become an important storyline in the movie, but one that takes attention away from the movie's plot and reduces Grogu's "cuteness factor" among fans. While this is a valid concern, it's jumping the gun to assume the movie will take Grogu from cooing and babbling to speaking properly. While I can see the movie ending with Grogu's first word, I don't think Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni will take it beyond this. They understand the appeal Grogu has without saying a single word, so why fix something that isn't broken?

There is the matter of character development. Still, Grogu expresses so well without saying a single word that his character development doesn't hinge on what he says. His expressions say it all, which is a credit to the crew behind the scenes that works with him. Furthermore, the most crucial aspect of Grogu's characterization is his relationship with his father and the Force, which he can build upon without speaking in proper sentences. He can use the Force without saying anything and express his love for his father through gestures, something he's learning to do. We all remember how he hugged Din when they reunited in The Book of Boba Fett, a scene where he expressed his happiness without uttering a word.

However, this doesn't mean Grogu shouldn't speak at all. In fact, from the start of the series, most fans have been waiting to hear him referring to Din Djarin as "Dad" or some other word for "father." It's a moment that will be worth it for fans and Din to finally hear what Grogu calls his one and only family member and parental figure. The Mandalorian Season 3 toyed with Grogu expressing himself monosyllabically, which is the best way to take him forward as he grows. It's best if he doesn't speak in sentences or uses multisyllabic words, but instead, replies with simple words like "No", "Yes", or "Da".

Grogu already showed that he knows the difference between 'yes' and 'no' and understands when to use each, thanks to the IG-11 mech-suit he used in Mando Season 3. Perhaps that was a precursor of what's to come in The Mandalorian & Grogu. As Grogu is from the Yoda species and likely to be as old as, or even older than, Yoda, he has plenty of time left to talk. Given this, the makers don't have to force Grogu into speaking in complete sentences when a limited vocabulary would suffice.

Jon Favreau will probably opt to take things slowly, which he expressed in interviews during the promotion for Season 3, so there's probably no need to worry about him suddenly speaking in complete sentences. As for Grogu's ability to talk taking away from his "cuteness factor," I believe that will only be an issue if he starts speaking too fluently and uses speech all the time. If he says a word or two here and there and refers to Din as "Dada", it'll only make him cuter than he already is.

The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+ and The Mandalorian & Grogu premieres May 22, 2026.