Spoilers ahead for The Mandalorian. With his sweet coos and expressive eyes, Baby Yoda is a creature anyone — even a tough Mandalorian — can love. Yet, the tiny child's actions with Cara Dune in Chapter 7 could be a sign that Baby Yoda is evil on The Mandalorian. While this is controversial due to Baby Yoda's beloved status in a galaxy far, far away and right here on Earth, a major theme of Star Wars has always been the light and dark sides of the Force. With the season finale airing on Dec. 27 right after he tried to strangle Cara with the Force choke, the theory demands some discussion — even if the possibility of Baby Yoda being evil is never, ever, ever going to happen on The Mandalorian.
Baby Yoda was distressed in Chapter 7 when Mando was arm wrestling with Cara Dune. Wanting to protect his father, the 50-year-old baby used the Force to choke Cara. This act of aggression was most likely done out of love for Mando since Baby Yoda clearly wanted to protect his new papa from any pain. But the Force choke has been utilized throughout the franchise by Force users who are on the Dark Side. So while Baby Yoda is the same species as the Jedi master Yoda, is it possible that he could become a Sith Lord?
After Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith, he used the Force choke on his wife Padmé when he believed she had betrayed him. But fans already knew that Vader was a fan of this form of violence from the original movies. For instance, he killed Lorth Needa via Force choke in The Empire Strikes Back after the captain failed to capture the Millennium Falcon. Kylo Ren also utilized the Force choke in The Last Jedi on General Hux.
Members on the light side of the Force have also used the choking method, like Luke Skywalker when he went to save Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. But overall, the past sinister uses of the Force choke don't bode well for proving that Baby Yoda isn't evil.
Even before he tried to incapacitate or kill Cara Dune, some fans were questioning Baby Yoda's innocence and use of the Force. Reddit user -DVTD- thought that Baby Yoda could be using the Force to manipulate people into caring for him as a means of survival. While sexyelderado wondered if Baby Yoda's babyness is all an act and he's a fully-aware adult. And Fishy1701 believed after Chapter 4 that Baby Yoda was a dark Force user. So perhaps Baby Yoda's propensity for the dark side that makes him so coveted by the fallen Galactic Empire and people like Moff Gideon.
However, the reason Baby Yoda used violence against Cara Dune could be a case of nature vs. nurture. Baby Yoda's origins are still a mystery and viewers only know is that he can use the Force and is seemingly the same species as Yoda. But with Mando, all that Baby Yoda sees is violence — from Mando killing the Mudhorn to steal its egg in Chapter 2 to Mando killing the droid Zero after it attempted to hurt Baby Yoda in Chapter 6. After watching Mando in action for months, an impressionable baby might have thought he needed to use deadly Force with a capital "F" to protect his adoptive dad and it was an honest mistake.
It seems rather unfathomable that Jon Favreau and Disney would bring a being as precious as Baby Yoda into the world just to make him evil. Instead, it's more likely that Baby Yoda's Force choke will make Mando reevaluate how he must care for the Child. Mando has only known violence and so he acts in violence, but maybe he'll break the Mandalorian mold and help Baby Yoda find the light side of the Force. But first, Mando will have to get the Child back from Moff Gideon, so expect plenty of more violence on The Mandalorian before the good side can prevail.
