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The Mandalorian and Grogu features splashy AT-AT action, a gaggle of adorable Anzellans, and sci-fi legend Sigourney Weaver – along with all the loveable father/son antics we've come to expect from our titular duo.
So, I was pretty surprised when, as the credits rolled on the first Star Wars film in seven years, I realized my favorite part of the movie was none other than Rotta the Hutt.
Rotta is introduced as a gladiatorial fighter in crime lord and ex-Imperial Janu Coin's fighting ring, but those who have seen the 2008 Clone Wars movie know him better as Stinky. Baby Stinky was kidnapped by Count Dooku years ago on the Star Wars timeline, and Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano were dispatched on a mission to rescue him. The film plays out like a kind of proto-Mandalorian, with Anakin and Ahsoka escorting the baby through galactic dangers and back to the (relative) safety of his papa Jabba the Hutt. 18 years later, that baby is all grown up.
Comeback kid
I honestly had no idea what to expect of Rotta going into The Mandalorian and Grogu. Not only is he now a seriously ripped adult, he's also voiced by Jeremy Allen White, and director Jon Favreau had somewhat cryptically teased that the movie would explore the psychological weight of being Jabba the Hutt's son.
But, from the moment Rotta is introduced in the film, it's obvious he's going to be a ton of fun. Ludwig Göransson's score is consistently excellent, but the composer goes beast mode for Rotta's grand introduction with a thumping, pulsing, heavy electronic sound that perfectly establishes Rotta as a formidable fighting force. Rotta rolls his big, slug-like body around the arena with terrifying speed, then completely overpowers his opponent with a bone-crunching smack of his considerable weight. What an intro.
Rotta's fun physicality (he complains he can't fit in the Razor Crest's cockpit when Mando asks for help, leaving Grogu to navigate the complicated controls to expectedly chaotic conclusions, and gets strung up like a ham to prevent escape) isn't the only standout for the Hutt, though. He also has an unexpectedly deep storyline, which does, as Favreau promised, deal with the reality of being the son of one of the galaxy's most notorious and ruthless crime lords.
Jabba's shadow
When Mando tracks Rotta down to the cell he sleeps in between fights, Rotta – mid-massage – tells Din Djarin that fighting is his way of escaping the toxic legacy of Jabba the Hutt. Grogu, lured by the promise of snacks, slips between the bars, and Rotta reassures a panicked Mando, "Don't worry, I'm not my father."
Later, Rotta explains that, when the crowd heard he was Jabba's son, they booed him, but gradually those boos became cheers as the crowd accepted Rotta was no Jabba. That's what makes it especially sad when Mando, after being forced into the fighting pit opposite Rotta, gets the upper hand against the Hutt, and the crowd cheers uproariously. Rotta's face falling when Lord Janu, who owns Rotta's contract, announces he'll be dying, and the realization that nobody on Shakari really cares about him sinks in, is especially upsetting.
Eventually, Mando takes Rotta into custody, though Rotta argues that the Hutt Twins want him dead, as he's Jabba's heir. Even free of the fighting pits, Rotta still can't escape this terrible legacy. Of course, Din Djarin has always hidden a heart of gold beneath the Beskar, so he ultimately changes his mind and lets Rotta go.
Here, Rotta ties into the still-flourishing father/son bond between Mando and Grogu beautifully. Din Djarin watches on as Rotta and Grogu play in the ocean at sunset together, in a lovely little moment that harkens back to the quiet character beats The Mandalorian show is so adept at (like Mando and Grogu sipping their soup in unison in season 2). This is a glimpse at the quiet, happy life both Rotta and Grogu could have without the galaxy's villains, a sentiment which is surely not lost on Mando, who strove to protect Grogu from bad guys like Moff Gideon for three seasons of the Disney Plus show.
This is emphasized when Rotta reassures Mando that Grogu is "lucky" to have him, because, when Rotta was the same age, he had to fend for himself: as anyone who has seen The Mandalorian knows, Din Djarin would never willingly leave Grogu alone. At the end of the film, Rotta similarly shares some wisdom with Grogu, telling him: "Your dad's one of the good ones." No one could argue with that. The moment also caps off a sweet friendship that blossoms between Grogu and Rotta, beginning with Rotta offering up his snacks and culminating with the duo saving each other from the Hutt Twins in the movie's climactic action sequence.
So, while I had no idea what to expect from Rotta the Hutt, I'm very glad he has such a large role in the film, both literally and figuratively (seriously, he is ripped). Who knew Stinky had such a bright future ahead of him?
The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. You can keep up with everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows, or see our roundup of how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.
