A Grogu (Baby Yoda) Adventure - Happy May the Fourth Be With You
(WAY too long for email so be sure to tap/click through to see/read the whole)
So, I was in a bit of a cranky mood when I got up this morning. It was largely due to staying up late to watch the Colorado Avalanche hockey team cough up a 2 goal lead in the latter part of the 3rd period to lose their playoff series. It was one of those games that makes me wonder why I am a sports fan. Anyway, on my way out (because it is Star Wars day), I grabbed one of our Lego minifigures (Baby Yoda / Grogu) to take a few funny photos to send to our kids. Well, something else emerged... a new Baby Yoga / Grogu adventure. Note that this has nothing to do with the Psalms...Also note that the original opening has changed due to a stupid that I did this afternoon in our kitchen...
Grogu and Mando thought they had gotten away from the pirates on Ord Mandell. They had made the jump to lightspeed when suddenly there was a loud explosion from somewhere deep in the hull of the ship they had “borrowed.” It was in a tight area of the ship and so Grogu volunteered to go and inspect it. As he arrived he found that the damage wasn’t from a laser blast but likely sabotage.
They knew that they were not going to be able to jump back into lightspeed as the motivators had been damaged. But luckily they were in a system with a planet called Wintara- a watery planet with only a single land mass. This small continent was also known to have a giant creature known as a Sk’uut. The Sk’uut was the thing of legends - no photos or videos had ever been recorded but the rumors were that it was enormous, four-legged, and covered in black and white fur. Stories were told of this enormous creature with gigantic teeth being able to sudue even the most fearsome hunter. Little else was known about this creature but Mando and Grogu felt that they could handle whatever would come their way. Not that they had any choice in the matter.
They circled the small land mass and saw one section that looked to have been a landing platform at one time. All around the platform were strange yellow ships and a large, ominous looking tower. Communications? Surveillance? Something more nefarious? As Mando scanned the area, there were no signs of activity - electrical, radio, or otherwise. They set down and began to formulate their plan.
As they exited the ship, Grogu noted the consistent mist, the cool temperatures, and the lush plants beyond the landing platform. The platform was also a clean black surface that, combined with the mist, made it almost like a black mirror reflecting back on them
Before they would begin the repairs, they decided to check the area around, especially for any signs of this Sk’uut creature. Grogu insisted on Mando being the photographer to be able to document their journey and for Grogu to share them in his social media feed. He had followers to impress after all.
As they left the platform, they came to the shoreline. No beach to be found - just rocky surfaces that fed into the water. Grogu, always a fan of the water, felt a quick splash was necessary.
Knowing that the water covered the rest of the planet, they turned and started to head inland where they saw enourmous plants that grew from the waters’ edge.
Grogu was in awe of these plants whose leaves were as big as he was. Mando’s camera was unable to resolve the height that this plant went up to but they felt they needed to continue to explore their surroundings rather than just gape at the tree tops.
As they came to a grassy area, they saw flowers unlike any they had seen before. Like the plants near the shore, the blooms were enormous and the stems towered over tiny Grogu.
Crossing through this grassy field, they came to what looked to be an enourmous bridge crossing over the water and reaching to another part of the land. But as Grogu stood at the beginning of the bridge, he marveled at the fact that it was so long that he couldn’t see the ending. How could such a structure have been built? Who could have done this feat of engineering? And what happened to them?
As they began their crossing, the ever curious Grogu began to drift closer and closer to the edge of the bridge and walked underneath the railing to look down from the dizzying heights of this bridge. Mando looked around only to see that Grogu had disappeared. Fearing for whatever might have gotten his small companion, Mando began to search. He didn’t have to look long, however, to see Grogu standing at the edge peering down to the depths.
Continuing across, Grogu decided that he wanted to have a better vantage spot and so he climed up on the railing, ignoring Mando’s suggestions that he just stay on the surface. He came towards the top and found a perfect vantage spot for someone of his stature.
After some time they finally reached the other side and continued along the path. To this point, other than the plants, they had not seen any signs of life. Until they found what looked to be the fresh remnants of a hatched egg.
Recognizing that this was only part of the shell, they began to be on alert for whatever had once been inside that shell and wondering how much it had grown. Going some distance further, they came across a feather that had fallen. They both wondered whether this was from the same creature and they began to scan not only the surface surroundings but now also the skies for whatever winged creature might have left such a huge feather.
Sounds began to alert them that this creature may be close. Could this be the Sk’uut? Maybe it wasn’t a four-legged creature after all but instead a giant bird of some kind. Mando was likely safe from such a huge creature but Grogu seemed to be the perfect size for a creature to swoop down and snatch up for a meal. Mando kept his hand on his blaster while Grogu continued to swivel his small head and trust his maturing Force-aware instincts.
But then ahead - some distance away, they saw it. The winged creature was standing on the top of a wooden post of some kind. Grogu wanted a photo with the creature since it didn’t seem to have noticed them. Mando agreed but had the focus off so the bird is not easily made out in the final photo but it is there at the top of the image directly above Grogu’s right ear. It was actually not fearsome at all - it chirped and sang and then eventually flew off.
Relieved, they continued their journey until they saw another fearsome sight. A gigantic organic ball of some kind covered in spikes. And this was not the only one - there were hundreds in this area. What were they? Were they dangerous? Sentient?
Carefully they journed through this dangerous field being careful not to touch any of the spikey balls and to just make it to the other side.
Shortly thereafter they saw something in the middle of the path. It looked to be a sign of some kind. However, their translator couldn’t determine what language it was. As they journed further they came across another one. The words looked the same except for the larger one in the middle of the sign. They wondered whether it was a countdown of some kind. But a countdown to what? Or to whom?
Their fears grew even more as they came across a gigantic sign with what looked to be abstract images of life forms on the planet. As with the previous they couldn’t read the words but these creatures looked nothing like any they had seen before. Bugs the size of birds? Was the black and white one in the middle an image of the legendary Sk’uut? Were there other creatures the size of the Sk’uut?
The road ahead contained still more unusual markings - these in yellow and white. The white formed a figure of some kind but they had no idea what to make of it. But once again, they wondered what size of creature or life-form had made such enormous markings. What was ahead for them?
The yellow continued ahead as if it was pointing the way to something or someone. Undaunted and fearless, yet cautious and curious, they continued.
They came to a place that looked to be a shrine of some kind. Gigantic sculptures that resembled some of the creatures on the sign towered over Grogu. A plaque sat in the middle with words they couldn’t read - were they instructions for worship? A warning of danger? One of the creatures looked to have legs that reached to the sky and another with what looked to be enormous horns.
What was this place?
As they looked around this area they saw benches surrounding the area. Were these places for a congregation to gather? A place for meeting?
And finally they saw what looked to be buildings of some kind. One brown and the other blue. The brown one had a door that could swing inwards while the blue had a opening that, when Grogu peeked in, looked to go down into a bottomless depth. The opening almost looked like the shape of a starship of some kind. Were these hangers for ships? Was the blue one for everyday ships while the brown one’s swinging door was secured and only opened for special vessels?
Knowing they needed to return to their ship to begin repairs they started to retrace their steps. But something looked different. They must have gotten turned around in some way because they came across vegetation that looked unlike anything else to that point. They looked like enormous fungi but the first ones they came across looked like they had been munched upon quite recently. But by what? Or who?
Trying to figure their way back, they found a new path. Was this their way back? Or just another route taking them further away from their ship?
A giant sign had some kind of message - was it a warning?
Choosing to stay on the path they left it behind trusting their instincts that the path was not a safe one to traverse. But even as they stayed on the path, they heard something ahead of them. This sound was unlike any they had heard to this point. It was a low growl followed by what seemed to be loud sniffing. Were they being hunted?
As they went around a bend on the path, there it was. It had to be the Sk’uut. It was enormous. Four legged. Furry. Black and white. The sounds were coming from it. To Grogu it looked to be the size of an Imperial AT-AT. Had it noticed them?
They crept closer. The Sk’uut hadn’t seemed to see them yet.
Now they saw that the Sk’uut had a tail that was like an enormous whip. It waved back and forth and looked to have a power all its own. As it swung, Grogu felt that if he was hit by the tail he would have been sent sprawling. But still this creature seemed to not notice them or didn’t care that they were there.
Inching still closer, the Sk’uut noticed them. But rather than being agressive, it seemed curious. It looked curiously at tiny Grogu and lowered its gigantic snoot to sniff.
The legends about the Sk’uut were true in some respects but it was not dangerous. Instead it was sweet and gentle. It pointed its snoot indicating it would like Grogu to climb onto its back which Grogu happily did.
As Grogu stood on this creature’s back, it opened its mouth exposing its gigantic teeth and long tongue. But instead of a deafening howl, it seemed to be just stretching its jaws and showing off. This was an unusual creature indeed!
Sk’uut closed its mouth and turned its head to the right and began to move ahead in that direction. Sk’uut seemed to know where Grogu and Mando needed to go. It was almost as if she wanted to not only help them but go with them. This was a sweet and kind creature - nothing like what the legends seemed to indicate.
As they reached their ship and the door was opened, Sk’uut happily jumped in and seemed to find her perfect spot to look out one of the rear windows. Grogu looked to Mando with hopeful expectation and pleading eyes. He wanted a companion for their journeys. Mando wasn’t sure at first but eventually relented as he often did when Grogu used his power of cute persuasion.
As Mando finished the repairs, Grogu and Sk’uut continued to bond. They played together, went on short excursions, and loved being with one another. Mando, who usually got nervous when Grogu was out of sight, felt much more comfortable that Sk’uut was with Grogu not only for protection but also to help Grogu stay out of trouble.
Repairs completed, they took off from the surface and made the jump to lightspeed, heading home. As they traveled through the mesmerizing patterns of lightspeed that moved around them, Mando walked back to the sleeping quarters to find that Grogu had found a new, warm place to sleep.
Sk’uut was going to be a wonderful part of the team.
This whole thing emerged as Scout (Sk’uut) and I walked. Starting out cranky and annoyed, I was grateful that I let imagination and fun take over and to allow this story to emerge. Imagination is so powerful and so beautiful for what it can do for us as individuals and for communities as a whole. I hope you enjoyed this.
Grace, Peace, Love, and Joy,
Ed
PS - May the Force be with you!
O Boy. Guess I wasn't the only one stuck in May the Fourth be with you. Live your sense of humor 😀🖖
🤣🤣🤣💞