Every universe has its share of prejudice. In the Star Wars universe, organic beings discriminate against artificial ones, also known as droids. Although anti-droid sentiment has cropped up in Star Wars before, it is especially prevalent in The Mandalorian. Throughout Season 1, Din Djarin, the show's protagonist, maintains a strict "no droids" policy. But where does his resentment come from?
Anti-droid sentiment has always existed, but it rose significantly with the Clone Wars. During this time, the Confederacy of Independent Systems fought the Republic with an entire army of battle droids. This led many to mistrust and actively oppress all droids. While anti-droid sentiment did fade over the years, some parts of the galaxy continue to be weary of the artificial beings.
The Mandalorian's companions may think that his anti-droid sentiments is just typical prejudice, but his hatred runs deeper than most. In the very first episode, he refuses to ride in a speeder that's being piloted by a droid. While he does briefly team up with the bounty-hunter droid IG-11 in the same episode, he also doesn't hesitate to shoot it in the head later. In Episode 6, he vehemently opposes letting a droid, Zero, pilot his ship. Later on, he single-handedly takes out a hallway full of security droids and rips the arm off of one droid to escape. In Episode 7, he doesn't trust IG-11 to watch over the Child despite Kuiil's reassurances that he reprogrammed it himself. To say that Mando doesn't like droids is quite the understatement.
Although he has never explicitly said why he hates droids, Mando's anti-droid sentiment most likely stems from his personal history with them. When he was a child, Din Djarin's home was attacked by Separatist battle droids. His parents died in an explosion and Din himself was almost killed by a droid. Luckily, he was saved by a Mandalorian who was part of the Death Watch. He was then taken in as a foundling and raised by the Mandalorians. As a result, he maintains a deep mistrust of droids even as an adult. One could say that anti-droid sentiment is almost as ingrained in Din Djarin as the Mandalorian creed.
Despite his deep hatred for droids, the Mandalorian does make some progress in learning to accept them in Episode 8. After Kuiil's death, Din is surprised to learn that, true to his new programming, IG-11 has rescued the Child. In the same episode, he allows IG-11 to take off his helmet and heal his head wound, saving his life. This is a huge step for Din since according to the Mandalorian creed, he isn't allowed to take his helmet off in front of others. IG-11 may have found a loophole since it isn't technically a living thing, but Din wouldn't have allowed the droid to see him without his helmet even an episode earlier. When IG-11 sacrifices himself for the Child, Din won't admit it but he is sad to lose the droid.
The Mandalorian may have warmed up to one droid but it remains to be seen whether his experiences with IG-11 will change Din's opinion of droids as a whole. Even though he has been defined by his childhood trauma, Din now knows that there was at least one droid he could trust with his life as well as the Child's. Perhaps he won't be quite as quick to dismiss them in future seasons.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Taika Waititi and Emily Swallow. Season 2 premieres Oct. 30 on Disney+.