I Was Confused By Star Wars’ Muscular Hutt In The Mandalorian And Grogu Trailer, But After Looking Into It, It Makes Total Sense

by

I was thrilled to learn when *The Mandalorian* and Grogu will be released, particularly after seeing the trailer for the new *Star Wars* film. Beyond being happy to see Din Djarin and Grogu reunited, I was completely surprised by a particularly muscular Hutt character!

I was surprised when Jeremy Allen White was announced to play Rotta, Jabba the Hutt’s son, because it seemed odd to cast a well-known actor for a character that’s usually just a creature. Seeing his incredibly muscular build was confusing, but after looking into it, the casting choice actually makes a lot of sense.

Jabba The Hutt Was Not In Shape, But That’s Not True Of All Hutts

Hutts are known as one of the strongest species in the *Star Wars* universe, but Jabba the Hutt, as seen in *Return of the Jedi*, didn’t seem to reflect that. He was overweight and inactive, and Leia ultimately defeated him by suffocating him on his spaceship while it was over the Sarlacc Pit.

Jabba is basically a fantasy version of a pampered Roman emperor. Because he faced few challenges, he became overweight and complacent, and his defenses weakened. While he showcased the cunning and power the Hutt species were capable of, he wasn’t exactly a picture of their physical strength.

Rotta Will Show The True Physical Prowess Of The Hutts That Helped The Rise To Power

The specifics of what a physically fit Hutt can do are muddled in between the Legends continuity and actual Star Wars canon, but here’s a quick rundown. They are immune to Jedi mind tricks, and their thick skin makes them resistant to blasters and poison. Additionally, they can move quickly in short bursts, and even at one point developed armor in order to move faster than they typically could (via Eckhart’s Ladder). They’re also remarkably strong, and it’s not at all uncommon to see a Hutt with a build such as Rotta if they aren’t in a position of power.

More On Star Wars

13 Star Wars Movie Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

It’s interesting to think about Guillermo Del Toro’s planned take on Jabba the Hutt, and looking into Hutt history makes it clear why his vision might have been compelling. Hutts are a very long-lived, originally warlike species who gained power by conquering others. Eventually, they had so many subjects that they relied on them to fight for them, leading to the more relaxed lifestyle we often see with powerful Hutts.

The Hutt Syndicate was incredibly powerful – even the Empire preferred to negotiate with them rather than risk a fight. This established power is part of the official *Star Wars* story, which is why I think the movies didn’t portray the Hutts very well.

Putting aside how Jabba died, George Lucas included a really awkward scene in *A New Hope* where Han accidentally steps on Jabba’s tail. It makes Han look foolish, which doesn’t fit with the established story where he’s shown to be a tough character who’s killed people for much smaller offenses. That’s why I’m so glad the removed version of the movie exists and hope it gets released more widely. I also hope Rotta’s appearance in *The Mandalorian and Grogu* helps restore some of the dignity to Jabba’s species within the *Star Wars* universe.

A new movie featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu is scheduled for release in 2026. That gives fans who cosplay as Hutts plenty of time to prepare their costumes, especially those planning to portray Rotta. I’m eager to see how the movie handles the Hutt species and hope it lives up to expectations, as previous depictions have been underwhelming.

Read More

2025-09-25 21:38