If you don't watch the Star Wars Disney+ shows, you're probably familiar with Baby Yoda, one of the most effective merchandising tools of the past 10 years. With the reveal of the greatest Baby Yoda collectible to date at Comic-Con, I hope we can finally move on and let Grogu rest.
When Grogu was first revealed at the end of the first episode of The Mandalorian, it turned a Star Wars series with a unique take on the saga into something new for Star Wars fans to obsess over. If the Jedi Master and Grogu both came from the same planet, he would finally be able to shed some light on the mysterious origins of the Jedi Master. Two seasons later, Grogu's and Yoda's back stories are still shrouded in mystery, while the world is over-saturation in Baby Yoda merchandise. We need a Grogu collectible to end all Grogu collectibles and this could be it.
Norman Chan from Adam Savage's Tested had a chance to chat with EFX Collectibles, who created a next-level animatronic version of Baby Yoda that looks almost as realistic as the puppet used for filming The Mandalorian. There are two reasons it's convincing. The visual effects company who created the screen-used Grogu puppet collaborated with EFX to make this collectible. Legacy Effects shared everything from patterns for Baby Yoda's head, ears, hands, and clothing, to fabric samples, to even how to paint the eyes to make them look more realistic. This will be one of the most authentic Grogu replicas on the market.
We have featured the company before for its impressive creations used in theme parks and casinos. If you've watched videos of an eerily realistic Abraham Lincoln robot, you've also seen the work of Garner Holt. The Grogu replica was built using the company's expertise in building animatronics. The Baby Yoda prop used to film The Mandalorian has a giant off-screen team of technicians to keep the puppet running and looking perfect, where as this collectible needed to be much more durable and fun for years without showing any performance issues or physical degradation.
The basic version of Baby Yoda comes in a hover pram that hides a lot of electronics that bring life to its ears, eyes, head, and arms. Since this collectible is a one-of-a-kind product that is built to order every time, it is possible to get even more versions with even more servos inside, as well as a fun trick where the child passes a shifter knob between its hands.
Like a custom built sports car, EFX Collectibles left out how much this baby will cost. You won't be able to afford it if you have to ask.
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