The Mandalorian has proven to be incredibly popular with fans and has drawn in a lot of numbers for Disney's new streaming service. In this show, we follow Mando and Baby Yoda in their adventures across the galaxy as they try to outrun the remnants of the Imperials and The Guild. What's really intriguing is just how much of Legends Favreau and Filoni are bringing back.
Legends, for those who aren't aware, is all the canon content prior to Disney purchasing Star Wars that was subsequently made non-canon, made into 'legends.' Mandalorian content, as such, is fairly limited in the new lore, with most of the mythos coming from The Clone Wars and Rebels, but there's a lot that might be brought back with The Mandalorian. So, here are ten things you may not have known about the Mandalorian people.
11 They Speak Mando'a
The Mandalorian people have been mostly seen speaking English or, as it's known in Star Wars, 'Basic.' However, they do have their own language, and it's called Mando'a, or sometimes just 'Mandalorian.'
In Legends, Mando'a originated from the language of the Taung, and over the centuries, it changed very little. It drew next-to-nothing from other languages and, if they did need a new word to describe something, they would base this new word on existing Mando'a. There are exceptions, as there always are. For example, the Mando'a word for 'Jedi' is 'Jetti.'
10 There's An Entire Mandalore Sector
Many know that the Mandalorians live on Mandalore, hence their name, but what you might not know is that the actual sector that they live within is also called 'Mandalore' as they took over the entire region. This is because they are far more expansive than other races because of their warrior roots.
This sector is home to other planetary bodies such as Concord Dawn, and it all finds itself wedged between Coruscant and the Outer Rim. It remained independent for many years, staying mostly out of conflict during the Clone Wars, until the rise of Palpatine's Empire.
9 Mandalorians Once Had An Empire
The Mandalorians are a warrior race of people and it is rooted into their very identity, which is clear from the Death Watch in The Clone Wars, who are upset by the pacifism of the current government. As mentioned earlier, they were expansive people due to this, which led them to form their very own Empire.
They began as Crusaders, attacking other colonies, taking entire systems under their wing, but things took a sour turn when they eventually clashed with the Jedi Order and The Old Republic, as they had never seen such powerful Force users before. This caused a surge in their technological advancement, bolstering their growth. However, over time, as the Republic grew and took over the galaxy, they became isolated, contained to their sector, and, as such, they turned their sights onto each other, and civil wars raged, ending their empire.
8 Baby Yoda Might Be A Foundling
This might be a somewhat bold claim, and it hasn't been officially stated just yet, but Baby Yoda may very well be a Foundling. For those who do not know, a 'Foundling' in Mandalorian culture is an orphan who, because they show a willingness to fight and persevere, are brought into the fold. Mando himself, the protagonist of Disney+'s The Mandalorian, is a foundling.
Baby Yoda, an orphan who shows a willingness to fend for himself and who has defended Mando, was brought in by a Mandalorian. He fits the definition to a T, and hopefully, it'll be made official one day so that we can see a Mandalorian Yoda.
7 Their Crest Comes From The Mythosaur
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You may be familiar with the Mandalorian crest, a skull shape with tusks, resembling what appears to be a mammoth. However, the beast that the skull is from is actually a Mythosaur, a native animal to the Mandalorians world, Mandalore. They were the dominant species until the Taung came along, led by Mandalore the First.
These beasts were slain as the Taung claimed the world for themselves and, to remember this important event, the Taung took the skull to be the emblem of their people and a symbol of the Mand'alor. A lot of this is Legends now, but in The Mandalorian, traces of this lore is being trickled back into canon, as Kuill told Mando that his people used to ride Mythosaurs and Blurrgs.
5 They Fought The Jedi
The Mandalorian Empire was desperate to expand and grow, and as such, they ended up in direct conflict with The Old Republic, and they were winning the fight. However, the Jedi Council refused to interfere, as they did not see themselves as warriors, which lead to Revan splintering off with Malak to fight the Mandalorians directly.
This new group of Jedi, known as the Revanchists, joined the Republic in fighting the Mandalorians, and they began to push back their Empire, reclaiming stolen land. Revan defeated the leader of the Mandalorians and hid their mask, which was a key symbol of their leadership. This is all Legends now, but who knows? When the Old Republic lore begins to resurface, perhaps this key part of Mandalorian history will too.
4 The First Mandalorian Jedi And The Darksaber
Lightsabers come in all assortments of colors, from red to blue to green to yellow to purple and otherwise. However, there is an alternative, the antithesis to the lightsaber itself - the Darksaber. What you may not know is that this blade's origins are rooted in Mandalorian history, as its creator was Tarre Vizsla, the very first Mandalorian Jedi.
This weapon was kept in the Jedi Temple following his death, but members of his house embarked on a heist to steal their family heirloom and they succeeded. Eventually, Darth Maul himself ripped the blade from the Vizsla house and wielded it for a brief time. Where it is now is uncertain, but wouldn't it be a sight for sore eyes to see it appear in The Mandalorian, for the first time in live-action?
3 The Idea Began In Empire Strikes Back
Boba Fett was the first glimpse at Mandalorian culture, in Empire Strikes Back. However, in pre-production, the idea was, at first, for a group of "supercommandos" from the Mandalore system who were armed to the teeth, wearing white suits. Perhaps the white suits were too close to Stormtroopers, but the concept of the Mandalorian is something that survived through Boba.
In the novelization from Donald F. Glut, Mandalorians were described as evil warriors who battled the Jedi in the Clone Wars, and so the idea was there right from the beginning, even if what they were originally intended to be changed in subsequent years.
2 Clans Ruled Mandalore After The Clone Wars
Following The Clone Wars, the Mandalorians were fractured. There were elements of this divide in the show named after these wars, with Death Watch fighting back against the pacifist ways of the new leadership of the Mandalorian people, but when the Empire rose from the ashes of the Republic, things changed.
Imperials occupied Mandalore, establishing a base on the third moon of Concord Dawn, but various other clans were gaining a foothold of power. This led to a civil war, with Clan Wren and various others facing back against the Imperials. Eventually, they were all united under Lady Bo-Katan who wielded the Darksaber, with the Vizslas, Wrens, Kryzes, Rooks, Eldars, and others pledging allegiance to new Mand'alor.
1 They Originated From The Taung
In Legends, it was revealed that the Mandalorians originated from the Taung, an ancient species from Coruscant. They were a proud people with a rich history of warrior culture, as they spent hundreds of years at war against their enemies. However, they were eventually pushed from Coruscant by the Zhell, which led them to flee to Roon.
After centuries past, Mandalore the First led the Taung to conquer a new world which was named after this hero to honor his prowess. Following this claim over their new home, they branded themselves as Mandalorians, or Mando'ade, which translates to "Sons and Daughters of Mandalore."