Star Wars: What Kind Of Mandalorian Is Mando?
For decades after "Star Wars" fans first saw the bounty hunter Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) in "Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back," Mandalorians went largely unexplored in live action. Then, in 2019, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) appeared with Grogu in tow, and "The Mandalorian" has since spent three seasons deep-diving into the state of Mandalorian affairs. Set after the events of the original trilogy, the series follows Djarin — lovingly nicknamed Mando—as he travels the galaxy, raising "Baby Yoda" and trying to hold on to his faith.
Mandalorians originate from the planet Mandalore, which was besieged and razed to rubble by the Empire when they refused to swear fealty to the Emperor. Their society is divided into clans, each with its own traditions and practices. Din Djarin belongs to the Children of the Watch-affiliated clan the Tribe, who follow the Way of the Mandalore, the ancient religion of their home world. While they are considered extreme and even cultlike to others, members of the Children of the Watch take their time-honored traditions seriously, and breaking the rules can result in expulsion from the group.
Members of the Children of the Watch have to follow a strict set of rules
The Tribe, led by the somewhat suspicious Armorer (Emily Swallow), hews closely to the tenets of the Way of the Mandalore, with foundlings, such as Grogu, either cared for and returned to their people or inducted into the Way when they come of age. Adherents consider it their duty to protect other Mandalorians and always honor their word.
As a member of the Tribe, one of the biggest rules the Mandalorian has to follow is to never remove his helmet in the presence of another sentient being, which is why he is so reluctant to ever pop off that high-tech hotbox of his. When he finally does so in Season 2, he is not accepted back into the group until he bathes in the ancient Living Waters beneath the surface of Mandalore as a penance.
Until the end of "The Mandalorian" Season 3, only one member of the clan at a time is allowed to leave their covert since they do not want to be discovered. However, after Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) uses the Darksaber to unite the disparate Mandalorian clans, the Tribe begins to work alongside those they had previously considered to be apostates.