Grogu was a great gimmick. Perfect balance against steely, silent type to humanize him.
But I wouldn't say it affected Star Wars as a whole; it didn't reinvent the storytelling or its style or what we expect as an audience. I think RO did that more than any other Disney SW... and I think this show will ultimately do that too -- thanks to Gilroy.
Not attributed to Gilroy, but even the look of RO has redefined how Star Wars looks now. It was too late to affect the ST, but Solo, Mando, Book and OWK all had that dreary, muted, cluttered style that started with RO.
Can you imagine a Mando season with Gilroy at the helm? I hope the Repeat/Goof period is over. I hope this inspires more writers and creatives to see the potential in the Star Wars universe for interesting storytelling beyond repeating riffs, redefining old characters and selling toys.