The MandalorianSeason 3 is set to air February 2023 on Disney+ with the trailer hinting to a much anticipated live-action visit to Mandalore. Seen before in flashbacks, supportingStar Warscontent and the various animated series, Mandalorian culture holds a rich history that only continues to build.
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SinceThe Empire Strikes Back, fans were enamored by the mysterious bounty hunter, Boba Fett, a single armored costume that inspired the culture of the Mandalorians.Star WarsLegends continuity ran with the character design and crafted backstories and traditions for a fierce warrior based society, while aspects of Mandalorian history have been gradually adapted into canon.
The Mandalore Plot
The Clone Wars,Season 2, Episode 12 “The Mandalore Plot”, takes fans to the capital planet of Mandalore, traveling to hermetically sealed dome cities scattered on the scorched planet landscape caused by years of warfare. As Legends would have it Mandalore was a warrior society, however this arc isGeorge Lucas' first canon explanation of the Mandalorian people and introduces the new pacifist government known as the New Mandalorians, lead by Duchess Satine Kryze (Anna Graves).
Investigating hostile Mandalorian-armored threats, like Jango Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) discovers a clan known as the Death Watch. The Death Watch are ruled by Pre Vizsla, voiced byThe MandaloraincreatorJon Favreau,who looks to reinstate Mandalore’s warrior tradition and overthrow the pacifist society. This would also bethe first appearance of the Darksaberas Mandalore’s violent history resurfaces.
The Lawless
When audiences first met the Death Watch they were collaborating with the Separatists, but they would find a new ally with Maul (Sam Witwer), inThe Clone Wars,Season 5, episodes 14 through 16. Concocting a ruse with Maul and crime syndicates the Death Watch attempted to trick the people of Mandalore into abandoning their pacifist ideals and accept protection from the warrior clan.
However, Maul manipulates the Death Watch to exploit Kenobi’s link to Duchess Satine, while further connections are discovered with the inclusion of another notable Mandalorian, Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff). Matters only get worse when Maul challenges Vizsla to single combat, an ancient tradition that gives the victor the right to rule Mandalore with the Darksaber.
The Siege of Mandalore
Starting off the final arc of the animated seriesThe Clone Warsis episodes 9 and 10 whichdepicts the battle known as The Siege of Mandalore. After the events in Season 5 Maul regained power of Mandalore, but fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) is recruited to help liberate the planet.
This arc also includes Gar Saxon (Ray Stevenson), a Mandalorian who willingly served Maul during his reign. Rivaling Saxon was Bo-Katan, who lead a resistance group against Maul’s Shadow Collective. The Siege would take place in the final days of the Republic, resulting in the appointment of Bo-Katan as leader, however with the rise of the Empire, this stability was short-lived.
The Protector of Concord Dawn
Star Wars Rebelsfeatures a rag tag team of freedom fighters that spark the Rebellion against the Empire, with one such member being a Mandalorian named Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar). While Sabine keeps her past a mystery for some time the series slowly reveals her history and subsequently more insight into Mandalorian culture.
In Season 2, Episode 7 “The Protector of Concord Dawn” the Rebels are hoping to gain passage through Mandalorian space when they are attacked by Fenn Rau (Kevin McKidd), a Mandalorain clan leader of The Protectors who serve the Empire. However, Rau’s allegiance is to Mandalore first and the Rebels hope to win his favor. Rau reveals Sabine is of the historic House Vizsla which provides more insight on Mandalorian’s societal structure.
Imperial Super Commandos
RebelsSeason 2, Episode 13 sees the return of the villainous Gar Saxon now acting as Viceroy of Mandalore for the Empire. The Rebels continue to witness atrocities as the Empire cracks down across the galaxy and eliminates any Mandalorian threats. Among the moons of Concord Dawn, a planet ravaged by Mandalorian fighting, even more destruction plagues their people during the time of the Empire.
The all-white Mandalorian armor to symbol service to the Empire is a homage to the original designs' intent. During production ofEmpire Strikes Backthis all white armor was intended to be masses of essentially Super-Stormtroopers, however production restraints limited them to one costume and a paint job. This re-purpose resulted in the iconic look of Boba Fett that would inspire the backstory of Mandalorians to come.
Trials of the Darksaber
Previously inStar Warscanon Pre Vizsla mentioned his ancestors stole the Darksaber back from the Jedi Temple, andRebelsSeason 3, Episode 15 gives fans another history lesson. After the Rebels recover the Darksaber from Maul in a previous episode, Fenn Rau explains its origin; the blade being crafted by the first known Mandalorian-Jedi, Tarre Vizsla.
This moment in history would see a brief lapse in conflict between Mandalorians and Jedi, however after the fall of the Old Republic the saber was reclaimed by House Vizsla. There the legacy of the saber acting as the symbol of the Mandalorian ruler was engrained in their culture and a suitable reason for Sabine’s reluctance to claim the blade.
Heroes of Mandalore
RebelsSeason 3, Episode 16 sees Sabine return home, but faces ridicule for defaming her family and putting a target on their backs in the eyes of the Empire. Returning to her home on the planet Krownest, even speaking the Mando’a language, gives fans more insight on the various clan systems that make up the Mandalorian sector of the galaxy.
Viceroy Saxon interjects on her family reunion to take the Darksaber as his own before Sabine wins it right back in combat. In the Season 4 two episode premiere “The Heroes of Mandalore” Sabine fights alongside Bo-Katan as the Mandalorians slowly reunite, and Sabine gifts the Darksaber to Bo-Katan as their ruler once again.
This is the Way
The Mandalorian,follows a bounty hunter in a galaxy that has seen the numbers of this once mighty people vastly diminished. The Mandalorain, or Din Djarin (Pablo Pascal) is somewhat detached from the culture he so loyally follows, isolated within an extremist clan of Mandalorians guided by The Armorer (Emily Swallow), who vow to preserve Mandalore’s ancient ways.
In Chapter 3 titled “The Sin” and Chapter 8 “Redemption” fans were given more insight into Mandalorian culture, including their coveted Beskar alloy, their long-standing wars with the Jedi going back to Mandalore the Great, and their eventual destruction at the hands of the Empire, also called the Great Purge and the Night of a Thousand Tears. Another notable reveal was the backstory of Din Djarin as a foundling which confirmed Mandalorian is not a race but a creed. This was revealed through flashbacks showing Djarin saved as a child by none other than the Death Watch.
The Heiress
BeforeThe Mandalorianseries premiered the Darksaber was last seen in the hands of Bo-Katan, so it was much to fans surprise at the end of Season 1 to witness Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) emerge with the iconic black glowing blade. So how did Bo-Katan lose the Darksaber? Chapter 11 of Season 2 sees thefirst live-action appearance of Bo-Katan, played again byKatee Sackhoff, whose hunting Gideon down in order reclaim the Darksaber, and thus Mandalore.
After being saved by Bo-Katan, Djarin is appalled to find her team removing their helmets, a dishonor in Djarin’s mind, further fueling the disjointed state of the Mandalorian people. Once more audiences are given evidence of various clans and sects and houses of Mandalorians that just don’t get along. Djarin is seen as an extremist cult, but Bo-Katan knows her people are far better off united and hopes to recover the Darksaber and find a new ruler of Mandalore.
The Return of the Mandalorian
The finale of Season 2 ofThe Mandalorianpits Djarin in a duel with Moff Gideon, successfully winning the right to claim the Darksaber. Not interested in the throne, Djarin attempts to give the saber to Bo-Katan, but she knows it can only be won in combat, already failing to rule after it was gifted to her by Sabine. With the Darksaber in hand, Djarin tracks down the Armorer in Chapter 5 ofThe Book of Boba Fett, who explains the significance of the blade and how to rightfully claim it; through a duel.
Challenged by the heavily armored Paz Vizsla (Jon Favreau), Djarin battles for the right to the blade, andby the looks of Season 3’s journey to Mandalore, this won’t be the last time the blade is fought over. One last blow to Djarin is his exile from the Armorer’s clan after removing his helmet for Grogu, told he can only redeem himself beneath the living waters of the Mines of Mandalore, so a trip to the battle-torn planet is imminent.
