Who is Rotta the Hutt? The seriously swole fighter is making his live-action debut in The Mandalorian and Grogu, but, if you're not well versed on your Star Wars animation, you might not realize this gladiator has crossed paths with some of the most important people in galactic history.
Below, we've broken down exactly who Rotta the Hutt is, as well as his role in The Mandalorian and Grogu. That means you'll be up to speed on this Hutt in no time, so you can fully appreciate one of the most exciting of the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows.
So, for all your questions answered, head to the below. The following is totally spoiler free, too, so you can read it ahead of watching the movie.
Who is Rotta the Hutt in Star Wars: The Clone Wars?
Rotta is none other than Jabba the Hutt's son. You might be surprised to learn the notorious gangster has a son, since that detail is not in any of the live-action movies. Rotta was actually introduced in the 2008 animated Clone Wars movie, in an adventure involving Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano.
In the film, Rotta is kidnapped by Count Dooku as part of a plot to turn the Hutts against the Jedi and ally them to the Separatist cause. Anakin and Ahsoka go on a mission to rescue Rotta and return him safely to Jabba, and all's well that ends well. Rotta earns the somewhat affectionate nickname of Stinky from Ahsoka, on account of being, well, stinky.
What is Rotta the Hutt doing in The Mandalorian and Grogu?
In The Mandalorian and Grogu, Rotta is all grown up, and now he's a seriously buff gladiator fighter. The plot of the new film is somewhat similar to The Clone Wars: Din Djarin and Grogu are tasked with rescuing Rotta in exchange for information from the Hutt Twins, who are Rotta's aunt and uncle (introduced in The Book of Boba Fett).
As you might expect from the son of a crime lord, though, Rotta seems to have some complicated feelings about his father. "With Rotta, you start to ask what it's like to be Jabba's son? How does that affect a character?" director Jon Favreau told SFX magazine.
"I remember it was really cool in Creed, when they were asking what it was like to be Apollo Creed's son, to be in the shadow of such an iconic cultural figure," he added. "I think there’s room for exploring what that really means, because at the end of the day, as much as Star Wars is about visuals, locations and vehicles, it's also about relationships and it's about families."
The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives this May 22. In the meantime, check out our rundown of how to watch the Star Wars movies in order or how to watch The Clone Wars in order.
