Baby Yoda’s Early Designs Were Less Cute, More Nightmare Fuel
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Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian has provided fans with weekly behind-the-scenes content for the hit Disney+ series, not least of which was the discussion around Baby Yoda in the latest episode. The fan-favorite creature, referred to as “The Child” during production, underwent many different designs before its final big-headed, baby-doll look.
The Mandalorian took Star Wars fans by storm when the series arrived on Disney+ in November 2019. It focuses on a previously unknown Mandalorian, viewing the bounty hunter’s galactic adventures through the lens of the Western gunslinger. While a bit spoiler-y for the first episode, most of the internet is now aware of the existence of another character central to the show: a tiny, adorable, and seemingly much-younger member of the same species as Yoda. Lovingly nicknamed “Baby Yoda,” the cute tyke quickly found his way into countless memes, fan art, and merchandise.
![](https://theculturednerd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/baby-yoda-final.png)
Part of Baby Yoda’s undeniable charm is an aspect also credited for the unique spirit of the original trilogy: practical effects. Most of what performs onscreen is an animatronic puppet, reportedly costing around $5 million to create. Some CGI is supplied to fully bring Baby Yoda to life, but more often than not, a physical prop was used on set. Scenes were shot both with and without the puppet, in case the character needed to be completely animated. This led to a humorous confrontation with the iconic Werner Herzog, who said, “You are cowards. Leave it.” The actor later told Variety, “It’s a phenomenal technological achievement but, beyond the technological achievement, it’s heartbreaking.” The extremely detailed puppet lends a powerful tangibility to Baby Yoda that may have been impossible with CGI alone.
But, as series creator Jon Favreau and executive produce Dave Filoni revealed on Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian this week, Baby Yoda was not always so precious. The show introduced several other early designs for the wee one, which you can see below, ranging from near-exact recreations of Yoda to downright nightmare fuel. Baby Yoda’s final iteration was chosen for its specific blend of sweetness and intrigue.
![](https://theculturednerd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/baby-yoda-3.png)
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![](https://theculturednerd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/baby-yoda-1-.png)
You can see more cute Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian on Disney+. Season 1 is streaming now, with Season 2 set to come out this fall. New episodes of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian are being released on Disney+ every Friday.
What do you think about Baby Yoda’s final design? Would you have been happy with a fully CGI Baby Yoda? What do you think his real name is? Let us know in the comments!