Baby Yoda theory could explain a new twist in Palpatine’s evil plan in 'Star Wars 9'

At the end of The Mandalorian’s first episode came the surprise appearance of Baby Yoda. The adorable little creature stole the hearts of many a Star Wars fan. Some even joked online that they were immediately willing to “die for” him. Cuteness aside, it seems there’s far more to Baby Yoda than meets the eye. A new fan theory suggests the creature’s biology might factor into Emperor Palpatine’s evil plan in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Warning! Speculative spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and The Mandalorian.

It’s no coincidence that Disney+ launched its streaming service with a Star Wars series ahead of the highly-anticipated conclusion to the Skywalker Saga. Jon Favreau’s live-action series gives fans a lot to speculate about, and it seems Baby Yoda might actually be the key to solving one of The Rise of Skywalker’s biggest mysteries: the Sith Troopers.

Fans have long speculated that the Sith Troopers might be under the command of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren or report directly to Emperor Palpatine. While the Sith Troopers’ allegiances remain uncertain, Baby Yoda’s biology might offer clues to how they grew so strong in the Force.

Reddit user moitiemort suggests the Sith Troopers were already Force sensitive. After all, their name alone implies that they have a Force connection. The official Star Wars site describes the Sith as “an ancient order of Force-wielders devoted to the Dark side,” so there’s automatically a spiritual connotation here. Otherwise, they would have been regular old stormtroopers. But, what does poor Baby Yoda have to do with these new evil soldiers?

The theorist suggests creatures like Baby Yoda are rare because “they have either biological or other Force related properties other Force sensitive species lack, such as the ability to help non-Force sensitive beings become at least somewhat or a little more Force sensitive.”

This might explain why the precious Baby Yoda is being targeted, even at such a young age. If the sweet creature has the power to mold and influence others in the Force, then it’s possible the Sith Troopers have been training to become more powerful by exploiting his physiology.

Additionally, many have speculated that Emperor Palpatine had been preparing a squad of Sith Troopers prior to his death. Perhaps he needed a secret ingredient. Enter Baby Yoda, whose extracted Force powers may have helped transform them into some of the strongest fighters in the galaxy.

After all, the Sith Troopers are described as “elite stormtroopers” who draw their power from the Dark side, but they may not have always been as powerful as we thought. Like with any Force user, it takes time and patience to master the Force. The Sith Troopers are no different.

We know that The Mandalorian is set five years after The Return of the Jedi, but before the rise of the First Order. It’s very possible that the Sith Troopers were created during three-decade interval period. The goal of capturing Baby Yoda may be to speed up the process of attaining such immense Force power.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters December 20.