Baby Yoda & George Lucas’ First Meeting Will Warm Your Heart This Winter
Lucasfilm had a rocky end of 2019. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was controversial. The Mandalorian started with a bang, but then slowed down and turned into a planet-of-the-week show, upsetting some fans who wanted more story arc. But there was one part of the galaxy everyone could agree on: The Child, aka Baby Yoda. The adorable green tyke was the breakout star of the debut season and the Baby Yoda memes and merch were just about everywhere. But the character isn't done yet. This photo of George Lucas and Baby Yoda meeting for the first time took the internet by storm on a cold and snowy weekend.
George Lucas may have created the galaxy far, far away when he launched Star Wars in 1977, but Yoda, who was invented for The Empire Strikes Back, might have been his most enigmatic creation. Created by the Jim Henson Creature Shop, the Jedi Master puppet has long been a puzzle, one where Lucas refused to give details. He insisted, for instance, that Yoda was the love child of Kermit and Miss Piggy. He refused to allow the expanded universe to create a backstory for the character.
This refusal to even give Yoda's race a name meant that there was never a Baby Yoda for Lucas to work with, until now.
During a set visit to The Mandalorian, Lucas got to meet the character taking the world by storm. It's not clear if this was from the current filming of Season 2, which is underway, or a throwback to Season 1 when Baby Yoda was still held under wraps for fear of spoilers. Either way, showrunner Jon Favreau snapped a picture of this seminal moment and posted it to Twitter.
All together now: Awwwwwwwwwwww.
What do you suppose Lucas said to Baby Yoda? "Child, I am your father"?
On a more serious note, the photo went instantly viral, dominating twitter all weekend and into what is known as "Blue Monday." It was as if an image like this was exactly what everyone needed to help get through this time of the year.
Both Mando and The Child will return in The Mandalorian Season 2. No date for the show's return has been set. But cast member Carl Weathers has indicated that it won't be back until the fall of 2020.
Until then, fans have this picture to help keep them warm for the winter.
