Who Should Rule Mandalore?

Star Wars

Jul 1

The Mandalorian artwork — Image Source: HDQwalls.com

Ah…looking at the picture of rest, we left Din Djarin sitting on his porch, watching his adopted son and protege Din Grogu playing happily with the frogs in the front yard. Emerging victorious in the final battle with Moff Gideon and seeing the Mandalorians restored to their native planet, Mando can now rest easy.

But will he? We know that Jon Favreau stated that he has already written Season Four of The Mandalorian to fit with what will be going on in the upcoming Star Wars Universe series Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, so it makes sense that we will be able to see what Mandalore is becoming and the society that is being rebuilt there. And when we do go back, just who will be in charge? Here, we will take a look at the candidates.

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5. Ragnar Vizsla

As the youngest member of Clan Vizsla, Ragnar carries on his Clan’s storied history. His ancestor, Tarre Vizsla, was the Force-sensitive Mandalorian Jedi who created the Darksaber. It was handed down in his family after the fall of the Old Republic and the fall of the Jedi Temple and was the symbol that the Mandalorians rallied around. It was eventually in possession of Pre Vizsla, leader of Death Watch, the faction of Mandalorians who felt that they were the “true” keepers of the Mandalore ways, but was defeated by Darth Maul. The surviving member of Clan Vizsla, Paz Vizsla, a member of the Children of the Watch, recognizes the Darksaber’s significance and wants it back in their Clan. Paz Vizsla is the adopted father of Ragnar.

Pros: Family history and influence.

Cons: His adopted father was never able to regain the Darksaber. As a foundling, some might question his lineage and, therefore, his legitimacy to rule. And he is very young and inexperienced.

4. The Armorer

The Armorer is the leader of the Children of the Watch. She has kept the old ways of their faith and passed them down to the next generation of followers. She gathers the beskar and fashions it into the armor of the next generation of Mandalorians. In the true Mandalorian fashion, she proves herself very capable in her fighting techniques, using her forger’s tongs and hammer to defeat her enemies, not once, but twice. Although she can handle herself in combat, The Armorer has excellent diplomacy skills: she allows Din Djarin and Paz Vizsla to scuffle with one another, but she tells them when enough is enough. She creates two coverts, one on Nevarro and the other on Glavis Ringworld.

Pros: Knowledge of the ways of Mandalore, diplomacy, and leadership skills.

Cons: Many Mandalorians are skeptical of the Children of the Watch and do not share their zeal for the old ways. They would most likely not rally around her.

3. Din Djarin

From the first time we see him in The Mandalorian, Din Djarin proves himself with his independence, personal code of ethics, and his fierce fighting skills, all of which are character traits that are admired by Mandalorians. A foundling member of the Children of the Watch, he wholeheartedly embraces the Creed and does what he needs to do to be fully accepted by this faction. This enthusiasm leads him to discover for all Mandalorians that their home planet is indeed inhabitable. Din Djarin also defeats the much-hated Moff Gideon and wins the Darksaber from him.

Pros: His ethical code and willingness to work with other factions of Mandalorians and non-Mandalorians alike. Din Djarin has excellent communication skills with other humans and species. He is very determined, has excellent combat skills, and people listen to him. He has also won the Darksaber in combat.

Cons: Din Djarin is currently living off-world to take care of Din Grogu. He is also a member of the Children of the Watch, and while in the past he was willing to break the teachings of the sect, he is no longer as flexible. The other Mandalorians might not rally around him. He is also a foundling, so some might want to find fault with his lineage.

2. Sabine Wren

Sabine Wren is the daughter of Ursa and Alrich Wren, whose clan aligned themselves with Death Watch and the Empire. Sabine was rejected by her family when she renounced the Empire and so went into exile, met up with the Ghost crew, and became part of the Rebellion. As part of a mission, she went to Dathomir, where she discovered where Darth Maul had kept the Darksaber in the Nightsisters’ lair. Urged by Kanan and Fenn Rau, Sabine trained with the Darksaber, vanquishing her inner demons as she did so. Fenn Rau, impressed with her determination and skills, gives her Mandalorian vambraces as a gift and muses that she could be the one to finally lead Mandalore.

Sabine eventually returns to Mandalore, frees her family and everyone from the rule of Gar Saxon’s Empire-aligned Death Watch, and reunites her family. With the help of Bo-Katan Kryze, she destroys The Duchess, a weapon Sabine made while in the Imperial Academy that was used against fellow Mandalorians and stays to help her family in the upcoming Mandalorian Civil War. She is also humble and realizes that Bo-Katan should be the leader of Mandalore, gives her the Darksaber and has everyone vow allegiance to her.

Pros: She is trained in how to use the Darksaber, has excellent weapons techniques, has a family history and influence, and has leadership skills.

Cons: Because of the past rift she had with her family calling her a traitor because she deserted the Empire, other Mandalorians could be skeptical of Sabine. On the contrary, because she developed The Duchess for the Empire, which the Empire then used against the Mandalorians, she could also still be looked upon with suspicion. Sabine also gifts the Darksaber to Bo-Katan without having her win in battle, which could be considered a sign of weakness.

1. Bo-Katan Kryze

Bo-Katan Kryze is the sister of the Duchess, Satine Kryze, who was the leader of Mandalore during the Clone Wars, as hers is the Royal Family. Many of the Mandalorian clans followed the Duchess through the Clone Wars; Bo-Katan herself was opposed to her sister’s diplomacy and joined Death Watch as a means to promote the Mandalorians’ historically paramilitary way of life. This came to an end when Darth Maul came to Mandalore, defeated Pre Vizsla in combat, and declared himself the ruler of Mandalore. Bo-Katan refuses to recognize Maul as Mandalore’s leader, as he is not a Mandalorian, and goes off-world to bring the Republic to get rid of him. When the Republic transitions into the Empire, Bo-Katan is the regent ruler of Mandalore, as per the Jedi, and she refuses to recognize the Empire’s rule as well, and the Saxon Clan rises against her house. Years later, she meets Sabine Wren, and they fight against the Empire’s puppet government, destroy The Duchess weapon, and save Sabine’s father and the rest of her family. Sabine gives Bo-Katan the Darksaber, hoping she will be the one that finally unites Mandalore.

Unfortunately, sometime after this episode, the Empire came down in full force on Mandalore, enacting the Great Purge and “The Night of a Thousand Tears”. Bo-Katan goes into exile after she loses the Darksaber to Moff Gideon when he betrays her. When Din Djarin wins the Darksaber from Moff Gideon, he tries to give it to Bo-Katan, who refuses to take it as she did not win it in combat; however, when she takes the Darksaber from Din Djarin while he is incapacitated and uses it to save him, he considers it as though she won it from him in combat, and other Mandalorians agree. Bo-Katan also sees an actual Mythosaur swimming in the Living Waters of Mandalore, which is a sign of leadership. She is also told by the Armorer that it is acceptable for her to remove her helmet as she has walked both paths and can unite the Mandalorians. Unfortunately, in the last battle with Moff Gideon, he crushes the Darksaber in her hand. In the ultimate victory, Gideon is defeated, and Bo-Katan lights the Great Forge of Mandalore.

Pros: Royal lineage, last affirmed ruler of Mandalore before the Imperial take-over, last owner of the Darksaber, the first person to see the Mythosaur in centuries, and acknowledged by the Armorer as one who can unite the Mandalorians.

Cons: Could argue that the Darksaber was not won in combat, had the Darksaber destroyed by the person she had already given it to in the past as part of a betrayal. Her past with Death Watch could be considered traitorous, and she does not believe in the old ways. Aside from telling the Armorer about her Mythosaur sighting, she doesn’t go hunting for it or try to do anything with it.

So, who should rule Mandalore? Perhaps the destruction of the Darksaber in the Season Three finale of The Mandalorian symbolizes that just like Mandalore is being rebuilt, the old ways of determining leadership should also be reexamined. Perhaps now, with this contentious emblem gone, power can truly come from the people in a democratic society, without those in charge having to worry about being stabbed in the back, figuratively or literally, and those who follow the old ways and the new ways can be represented equally.

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