Baby Yoda 'Mandalorian' theory could reveal a sinister new Force power

Plenty of people on the internet have loudly proclaimed that they would “die for Baby Yoda.” Even science can explain why we’re all programmed to love him. But a sinister new fan theory wonders if “the Child” is actually using a sinister Jedi mind trick that helps Yoda’s species survive in its vulnerable infancy.

Could Baby Yoda be mind-controlling us all?

On Tuesday, redditor u/-DVTD- posted a theory to the r/StarWarsSpeculation subreddit.

“He is adorable, but his secret … Force skill is mind-control as a means for survival,” they write. “He makes his would-be captors … protect him during his state of severe vulnerability.”

As radical and sinister as it may seem to say the adorable Baby Yoda is mind-controlling everyone he encounters in the Star Wars galaxy, based on all of the evidence provided on the show thus far, there’s nothing that would prove otherwise.

The Mandalorian — a man who previously said his weapons are part of his religion — broke the sacred code of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild because he was concerned about a baby? He also jeopardized the safety of the Mandalorian community in hiding. The Mandalorian sells all of this really well as character development for Mando, but on paper, it doesn’t quite add up.

Despite nobody having any idea what Baby Yoda’s species is, everyone accepts the critter with open arms.

Even the Jawas, who often freak out at the sight of any sentient beings, were passive around the small creature. The ever-neutral Kuiil seemed amicable towards Baby Yoda, even amused. The krill farmers on Sorgan were positively enamored with Baby Yoda. Even Amy Sedaris’ grumpy mechanic in Episode 5 chastises Mando but is immediately taken with Baby Yoda, treating it like her own child.

Every single sentient being who comes into close contact with Baby Yoda over an extended period of time falls in love with the little guy with one exception: Werner Herzog’s character, “the Client.” Even the evil-ish scientist ordered to kill Baby Yoda if he necessary disobeys those orders and tries to save it.

You know who doesn’t like Baby Yoda? Droids. Do you know what droids are immune to? Jedi mind tricks. Droids are immune to any kind of Force-based mind control, which would explain why a droid was the perfect assassin for Baby Yoda. IG-11 would have killed the Child without hesitation if Mando hadn’t been there to stop him. Was Baby Yoda already exercising this power even then?

It’s highly unlikely Baby Yoda is willfully exerting mind control using the Force constantly, but it seems theoretically possible that his species could possess an innate, passive ability to pacify would-be predators. How else would a helpless baby survive for 50 years? Members of this species might passively exhibit this small measure of mind control, compelling other sentient creatures in its orbit to go out of their way to protect it. It even makes sense from an evolution standpoint. Otherwise, they wouldn’t survive at all.

Yoda may have been one of the most powerful Jedi we’ve ever seen in the history of Star Wars, but if this theory turns out to be true, it might also explain how he was better equipped to avoid Order 66 and survive for all those years. Maybe his passive powers slowed down the clone soldiers ordered to kill him in Episode III.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter thematically whether or not Baby Yoda is compelling Mando to protect him using the Force; It’s still happening. What might happen the next time tries to kill Baby Yoda? Maybe that’ll be when we see this Force power for real.

New episodes of The Mandalorian arrive on Disney+ Friday mornings.