The Mandalorian And Grogu's Merch May Have Revealed A Major Villain (And I Love This For Pedro Pascal's Character)

The Mandalorian and Grogu's release date is still a few months away, but hype seems to be building, thanks to the recent release of the Mando movie's latest trailer. I know my interest in the upcoming Star Wars movie has increased, especially after a preview of the upcoming toy line. What's particularly intriguing is that this new merchandise may have revealed a major villain, who could be relevant to the journey of Din Djarin (who's played by Pedro Pascal).

While Disney held off on "Baby Yoda" merchandise before Grogu was introduced in The Mandalorian, all bets seem to be off for the previously mentioned 2026 movie release. The recent Toy Fair in New York showed off action figures for the upcoming movie, and there's an interesting Droid that has a look that spans different eras.

A New Toy Suggests A Unique Mercenary Droid Will Play A Big Part In The Mandalorian And Grogu

A new toy, currently called "Mercenary Guard Droid," is making waves with Star Wars fans, as pictures of the figure make the rounds on the internet. The most unique thing about this Droid, as ScreenRant reported, is that it has the head of a Separatist-era B1 Battle or Commando Droid. It also rides a STAP from the Prequel series (or the vehicles that looked like brown and bulky floating pogo sticks).

While this character could end up meaning as much to The Mandalorian and Grogu as the Sith Trooper did to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it does seem to have quite a few variants and even a Funko Pop planned for the merch rollout. As such, some believe it will be a central figure in the story and, based on Din Djarin's history, an antagonist to the hero.

This Enemy Would Be A Callback To A Key Piece Of Din's Characterization

From the start of The Mandalorian, Din has made it clear he's not a fan of Droids. He doesn't like working with them, he doesn't like them repairing his ship and tends to avoid them whenever he can.

The Mandalorian later revealed the reason for that prejudice, as Din's family was killed by a Separatist attack during the Clone Wars when he was a child. It was during that invasion that Din was taken in by the Mandalorians as a Foundling, and the rest is history.

Imagine now, how traumatizing it could be for Mando to go up against a Droid who shares the same face as the types of Droids that killed his parents? That's the kind of storytelling the Star Wars franchise traditionally hits on but, again, nothing is confirmed.

Still, there are plenty of potential baddies in this movie, including Jabba the Hutt's incredibly buff son, Rotta. Two additional Hutts are also featured in the trailer, and there's a brief appearance by dangerous bounty hunter Embo. All this to say that Mando and Grogu might have their hands full but, based on their past adventures, I'm sure they can handle it.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to be released in theaters on May 22nd. I'm so excited to finally see this movie, and I'm hoping this won't be the last time we see the eponymous duo in a feature together.