The following contains spoilers for The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 5, "Chapter 21: The Pirate," streaming now on Disney+.
When The Mandalorian began, it was a massive experiment. It was the first series that Disney+ released, and it was the first live-action Star Wars series. Additionally, The Mandalorian starred an original character: Din Djarin. Even though Baby Yoda propelled the series to stardom, Din was always the protagonist. But that has changed over time. Now, many fans think that Grogu is actually the titular Mandalorian because he will be able to unite the Jedi and the Mandalorian ways.
However, that opinion might be changing again. While Grogu is officially a Mandalorian foundling, it looks like Bo-Katan is developing into The Mandalorian's headline character. It's too early to tell, but Season 3 has positioned her to unite the scattered clans of her people. If she can accomplish that, she would qualify to be the Mandalorian on The Mandalorian.
Bo-Katan Is a Complicated Character
During the Clone Wars, Bo-Katan Kryze was part of the lethal terrorist group that Darth Maul took over. Eventually, Bo-Katan decided that she had enough. So, she decided to play nice and capture Maul. That was only one of many decisions that Bo-Katan made to preserve herself and gain power. She was also the one that took the Darksaber against the Creed's laws and cursed her people, causing most of them to be annihilated during the Fall of Mandalore.
Because of her self-serving attitude, many fans assumed that Bo-Katan would be Season 3's antagonist. Yet that hasn't been the case. She spent the opener moping on Kalevala, but in Chapter 18, she started to take a turn. She rescued Din from a terrifying monster and helped him find the Mines of Mandalore. After that, she could have disappeared again, choosing to serve her own goals -- but she didn't. She's joined the Children of the Watch, and The Armorer (the spiritual leader of The Tribe) has big plans for her.
Bo-Katan Is Becoming an Infinitely Important Character
Near the end of "Chapter 21: The Pirate," The Armorer wanted to speak to Bo-Katan in private. She told Bo-Katan that all Mandalorians needed to walk by the Creed, but many of them didn't because it was too extreme. However, The Armorer had an idea. Bo-Katan had walked both paths -- with her helmet on and without it. Having seen both sides, she would be able to recruit other Mandalorians to the Children of the Watch's set of beliefs. So, The Armorer gave her permission to remove her helmet.
The Armorer's idea wasn't just about recruiting people to her clan's set of beliefs. She wanted something grander. She wanted all of Mandalore to be reunited under one banner, and Bo-Katan was the perfect person to make that happen. According to Mandalorian prophecies, a new age of Mandalore was supposed to begin when someone appeared and tamed the legendary Mythosaur. The beast only existed in legends, but somehow, Bo-Katan actually saw one. That was a sign that she had what it takes to be in charge, which could lead to a showdown with Din.
Of course, Bo-Katan is not a leader, but she could be. The Armorer believes that Bo-Katan will define the future of Mandalore and bring the clans together. If she can do that, she will safely have become the series titular Mandalorian. Despite Mando's Darksaber and Grogu's cuteness, bringing a whole culture together would earn Bo-Katan the right to headline the series. So, as Season 3 continues, it will be interesting to see Bo-Katan's growth and how the Mythosaur sighting shapes her future.
New episodes of The Mandalorian are available to stream every Wednesday on Disney+.