Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from Season 3, Episode 5 of The Mandalorian.Disney+’s The Mandalorian has always followed Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in his quest to protect his force-sensitive foundling Grogu. The father-son duo traversed the galaxy before Season 3 brought them back to the Mandalorian homeworld, which the Empire ravaged. Along the way, they’ve met many faces familiar to Star Wars fans, but one fits into the story better than others. The Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) appeared first in Season 2, but in the new season, her role has grown exponentially. With the Mandalorian sect of the Children of the Watch hoping to re-establish their society, the warriors need a leader, and both Din and Bo-Katan are options. The two may have started as unlikely allies, but despite their different beliefs, they are friendly. Though they have been in competition before as Bo-Katan searched for the darksaber that Din now wields, they resolved it amicably. Yet, it seems as the show goes on, Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze will be pitted against one another for a leadership role in the new Mandalorian society. Either would be a good option — each shows leadership potential as they head missions for the Mandalorians, but only one can win. Both have a legendary sign of Mandalorian leadership to back their claims, but they have drastically different relationships with those surrounding them. Season 3, Episode 5, “The Pirate,” saw Bo-Katan set out to unite the remaining fragments of Mandalorians while Din established a new home for them of Navarro. But with both playing integral roles in the founding of this new society, how long will it be until they come into conflict?
The seeming hypocrisy of the Armorer (Emily Swallow) certainly will not help the situation. Season 3 began with Din banished from the Children of the Watch for removing his helmet. The radical group of Mandalorians follow a strict creed, which Din has always lived by, but for Grogu, he compromised that ideal and was exiled. According to the creed, the only way to get forgiveness is to bathe in the Living Waters of the Mandalorian mines, but the planet was said to be destroyed. Din traveled to Mandalore anyway in a desperate attempt to regain the Children of the Watch’s favor.
Bo-Katan, however, lives her life very differently. Once a member of the Death Watch herself, Bo-Katan split from them. She sees no harm in removing her helmet and often chastises Din for his belief in the old Mandalorian ways. Yet she comes to save Din on Mandalore, and both swim in the Living Waters. With the sin of removing her helmet washed away, Bo-Katan keeps it on in accordance with the other’s belief system. Now accepted into the Children of the Watch, Bo-Katan quickly gains the respect of the others for her military prowess and courage in saving a foundling. At the end of Episode 5, the Armorer tells Bo-Katan to remove her helmet, claiming she can unite the Mandalorians despite their different beliefs. But she is readily given permission to do the very thing that Din was punished for. Bo-Katan has a history of leading Mandalore, whereas Din doesn’t, but he has shown that he is able to negotiate with people who disagree with him. So, why is Bo-Katan the Armorer’s choice?
The Darksaber and the Mythosaur Mean Din and Bo-Katan Both Have Claim to Mandalore
Mandalorians have many legends, most notably the darksaber and the Mythosaur. Both are used to signify leaders of Mandalore. During her dive into the Living Waters, Bo-Katan spotted a Mythosaur, tying her to the ancient beast. The Mythosaur skull has long been a symbol for the Mandalorian people. Legend says the ancient beast will rise, bringing a new age. Based on her connection to the Mythosaur, the Armorer seems to believe that Bo-Katan will be responsible for this new age, which is why she was given the freedom to take off her helmet.
Yet another way to claim the Mandalorian throne is the darksaber, as Din does. Created by Tarre Vizla hundreds of years ago, the darksaber is a relic of both the Jedi and the Mandalorians. As a force-sensitive Mandalorian, Tarre Vizla made the unique weapon and became the leader of his world, and the darksaber has been tied to ruling Mandalore since. The blade must be won in combat to give a valid claim to its wielder, which Din did. Possessing the darksaber gave Bo-Katan the job before, but after she lost it to Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), most of her followers deserted her. While Din holds the darksaber, he has a valid claim to lead Mandalore, and no one can deny it.
Will Bo-Katan and Din Fight It Out in ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3?
Din is undoubtedly a driving force in The Mandalorian as the show’s lead and representative of what the Children of the Watch stand for. With the Mandalorians scattered across the galaxy, the Watch makes up most of their remaining number, and Din follows their creed to the letter. An ardent believer in everything they stand for, Din is a good representative for them. He’s earned the trust of the others, despite the trouble he caused. The Watch revealed themselves to protect him, and, more recently, Din proved his leadership capabilities in resettling the Mandos on Navarro. It was Din who braved returning to Mandalore in the first place. Through his travels, Din has learned of other worlds and worked with Mandalorians who don’t follow the creed, including Bo-Katan and Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison), putting him in a position to unite the remaining Mandalorians.
However, Bo-Katan has a lengthy history with the Death Watch and other Mandalorians as well. Taking up the position in a time of turmoil, Bo-Katan was in charge when Mandalore was destroyed, and some blamed her for what happened. But she has more experience leading and a more diverse knowledge of Mandalorian culture than Din. If it comes down to these two, there is no clear answer as to who should lead. While Bo-Katan has the Mythosaur and experience, Din has the darksaber and a clean slate. If both feel they should lead, it could easily come down to a fight. The Mandalorians are a race of warriors, so a decision by combat seems on brand. Bo-Katan didn’t fight Din for the darksaber before, but she does want to rule Mandalore, so her mind may change. Din hasn’t actively pursued a leadership position but has taken one up almost without realizing it. With them now framed as competitors, will the once-allies have to fight for the title? And if it comes down to a fight, will others choose sides, causing the already diminished Mandalorians to endure another civil war?
New episodes of The Mandalorian Season 3 come to Disney+ every Wednesday.
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