Did Padme Amidala Rescue Grogu From Order 66? An Investigation

This article contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" season 3, episode 4, "The Foundling."

While the latest installment of "The Mandalorian" focuses on a Children of the Watch rescue mission, the episode also takes a detour pivot to the fateful night of Order 66 on Coruscant, showcasing how Grogu was rescued from the Jedi Temple. This segue occurs in a rather organic way when Grogu relives his past while the Armorer (Emily Swallow) forges a new beskar rondel for the child. Jar Jar Binks voice-actor Ahmed Best returns in his first full-fledged live-action appearance as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, having previously played the character in the kids' game show "Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge." Needless to say, it is thrilling to see Best return, especially in a pivotal role where his character saves Grogu's life.

The Order 66 segment is one of the most crucial aspects of this episode, as it adds greater context to the events of "The Mandalorian" and fills some gaps in Jedi history. Although many Jedi attempt to shield Grogu, Beq is the one who manages to guide the child to safety after evading clone troopers. After Beq dismounts from his vehicle, he is greeted by a group of guards wearing the uniform of the Royal Naboo Security Forces.

Although Naboo and Coruscant were on good terms, it is rather odd that they would risk so much to help save a Jedi youngling during Order 66. This points to the probable involvement of someone who wielded power on Naboo and held some amount of authority in Coruscant. I'm talking about Padmé Amidala, the former elected ruler of the Royal House of Naboo and a member of the Galactic Senate right up till Order 66. 

"Star Wars" canon dictates that the siege of the Jedi Temple was one of the most ruthless attacks in the history of the galaxy, with the elite 501st Legion marching inside under Darth Vader's command. Anakin, who had turned to the dark side by that point, carried out the heinous act of slaughtering the younglings himself, and almost all the children had died with the known exceptions of Reva Sevander (Moses Ingram) and Grogu himself.

This marked the beginning of the Jedi Purge, and the surviving Jedi were quick to prioritize any younglings that were still alive, which explains the urgency with which Grogu is guided out of the site of the attack. While they're pursued mid-air, Beq comforts Grogu by saying that he will guide him to folks he can trust, who will help him escape to safety.

The soldiers who meet Beq are clearly wearing Nubian uniforms, and really the only person who might have dispatched them is Padmé herself, who had Naboo security forces offering her protection even after her term as monarch had ceased. Moreover, the captain of this group is listed in the credits as Senate Guard Captain (Juan Javier Cardenas); since Padmé was a senator at the time and Senate Guard uniforms look way different than the ones here, they were most likely sent by her to help save the youngling. 

Another hint that might reinforce this theory is the jet that the Naboo troops prep for Beq and Grogu. It's an H-type Nubian Yacht, whose signature sleek, silver finish was a mark of Padmé's monarchical past. The H-type was first introduced in "Attack of the Clones," where it was used by Padmé and Anakin, and Grogu's rescue yacht might even be the very same vessel.

Padmé Amidala is undoubtedly one of the most complex, intriguing characters in "Star Wars." She admirably rescued her people, did her best to resolve the Separatist Crisis as a senator, and battled the Trade Federation head-on for years. Since "Revenge of the Sith" focuses almost exclusively on Anakin's turn to the dark side, Padmé's arc regrettably takes a back seat, as she is given the least to do in the final prequel installment. This character anachronism is heightened by her sudden death after her final confrontation with Anakin on Mustafar; it has always been rather difficult to believe that she might have died due to a "broken heart" right after birthing two healthy children.

Padmé and Anakin's heartbreaking conversation on Mustafar definitely underlines the tragedy of their doomed romance, along with the death of the man she had fallen in love with. However, the latest episode of "The Mandalorian" indicates that she might have done a lot more than just worrying about Anakin and attempting to redeem him. Considering the kind of person Padmé is, the logical conclusion is that she used her last vestiges of power to help aid Beq — something only she could have done in direct defiance to the Emperor.

As the Jedi Temple at Coruscant was eventually set ablaze, with any remaining Jedi being personally killed by Vader, it is both heartbreaking and endearing to think that Padmé's final act of resistance might have been the safe keeping of a certain green youngling, whom we have grown to love in "The Mandalorian."

New episodes of "The Mandalorian" season 3 air every Wednesday on Disney+.