The extreme level of secrecy behind the big reveal in the first season of Star Wars: The Mandalorian meant that the public’s immediate thirst for Baby Yoda merchandise went unquenched for a long time. Disney’s not making that mistake with season two, and ahead of the series’ return, Mattel has just revealed an RC version of the Child that can adorably waddle around your home.
Available this fall for $70, the Star Wars: The Mandalorian the Child “Real Moves Plush” stands 11 inches tall, so it’s slightly smaller than the animatronic figure used in the series. Mattel still managed to stuff it full of electronics, including authentic sound effects and motors to bring it to life.
The Child’s head can turn from side to side, and look up and down while it’s giant ears wiggle, and all the mechanisms are hidden under a flexible outer skin, which makes sense when you say it, but out of context feels like a horrifying thing to say about a baby. His tiny, snuggly robes can also be further adorned with an included Mythosaur skull pendant, like the one gifted to him by Din Djarin at the end of the first season.
The animatronics aren’t just restricted to Baby Yoda’s head though—his arms can move up and down as he attempts to use the Force, or reach for a control knob to use as a play toy.
It’s far from the first animatronic Baby Yoda toy we’ve seen; Hasbro beat everyone to the punch back at Toy Fair 2020 in February. But what sets Mattel’s creation apart is that it doesn’t need your help (or a floating bassinet) to get around your home.
Using an included wearable remote designed to look like the tracking fobs the bounty hunters in the series use to locate their targets, Mattel’s newest Baby Yoda can walk around your home with a subtle side-to-side shuffle that manages to recreate the movements of the character without the need for a million-dollar special effects budget.
Disney’s not going to dump the animatronic Legacy Effects created to film its hit series and swap it for this, but Mattel’s managed to create a convincing enough substitute for those of us who have no intention of ever returning Baby Yoda to his people.
For more, make sure you’re following us on our Instagram @io9dotcom.