Both in-universe and in fans' minds, Mandalorians are an outstanding character group in the Star Wars lore. The legendary warriors have been adored by fans both in legends and in canon through their various incarnations through the many forms of media they have appeared in.
an absolute hit with both critics and audiences. So it seems a good time to take a look at the natives of Mandalore and some facts about them. Here are 10 facts that you probably did not know about Mandalorians.
WHERE THE IDEA CAME FROM
Mandalorians and those formerly considered Mandalorian in Legends (see Boba Fett) have allowed for some brilliant stories over the year. From The Mandalorian to the comics and books depicting Mandalorians and their wars and even the neo-crusaders role in Knights Of The Old Republic, but where did the idea for these fear-inducing warriors come from.
The original base for Mandalorians can be traced back to Joe Johnstone and Ralph McQuarrie armor designs intended to be worn by a team of super-commandos, shown in the worn by Boba Fett which, in turn, was the inception of what became Mandalorians.
FIRST APPEARANCE(S)
In Legends, the first official appearance of Mandalorians came in Star Wars Holiday Special.
Today though, Boba is not a Mandalorian, nor are any pre-Disney comics canon. Which makes the first canonical appearance of Mandalorians their debut appearance on Star Wars: The Clone Wars season two episode twelve, the kick-off of the events of the second Mandalorian civil war.
THE FORGED METAL USED FOR THEIR ARMOR
Mandalorians are famous not only for their brilliant skills in combat and love for it but also for their usually gorgeous, and always cool, armor. Every Star Wars fan recognizes Mandalorian armor, even if only identifiable by looking at Boba Fett. However, not all fans know what it is made of - maybe except for those in the U.S who have been lucky enough to watch The Mandalorian.
Beskar, otherwise known as Mandalorian iron, is one of the toughest metals in the Star Wars galaxy. It can resist blaster fire and also had the durability to withstand a lightsaber strike. It has been used by Mandalorians - along with Durasteel - from where we are now in the timeline back to neo-crusaders and can be forged and reshaped to its owner's liking, making it useful in more ways than one.
OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR TRADITIONAL ARMOR
Feared and revered across the galaxy, the Mandalorian armor is more than just cool looking with a brilliant alloy, it is strategic, deliberate and practical - but also really cool.
Speaking in general , Mandalorian armor consists of the helmet with its T-shaped visor, a comlink and an antenna containing a rangefinder (used to enhance imagery), as well as plating in the torso, with kneepads, shin guards, magnetized boots, a jet-pack (favoring a Z-6) and last but not least vambraces, computer-controlled weaponry, used to combat Jedi. These vambraces could include any number of weapons such as repulsors, wrist rockets, and flamethrowers.
THEIR TYPICAL CLASS OF FIGHTER
While not necessarily limited to using one ship, there was a typical Mandalorian fighter they use, the Kom'rk-class fighter/transport otherwise known as the gauntlet starfighter. A bigger starfighter with the ability to accommodate a crew or engers up to the number of twenty-four.
The ship is seen throughout The Clone Wars and Rebels, used by Death Watch and various Mandalorians. They contain a class one hyperdrive, and are between fifty-two and sixty-eight meters long, with the Mandalorian protectors using a similar ship known as the Fang fighter. There is also a modified Kom'rk fighter seen throughout Rebels, that being the Nightbrother, the ship used by Maul throughout the show.
THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE
Fans who paid attention to Rebels will know about the native language of Mandalore, that language being Mando'a. Mando'a was not first mentioned by name in Rebels though, but rather in the book Sabine: My Rebel Sketchbook.
However, Mando'a in its written form - which is known as Mandalorian - has been seen through Attack Of The Clones, The Clone Wars, and Rebels. A notable appearance of its written form come in Mauls return to Rebels in Visions And Voices, wherein a Nightsister lair he spells out "Kenobi".
WHERE THEY LIVE
Most fans know Mandalorians reside in Mandalore or its accompanying moon Concordia. However, Mandalore is not just the name of the planet, but also the system in which the planet resides, but not only that, that system resides in the sector known also as the Mandalore sector.
The Mandalore system is a star system that contains Mandalore, its moon and also the planet Kalevala - the homeworld of Duchess Satine Kryze. As for the sector, which lies on the outer rim, it contains (alongside the Mandalore system) the Concord Dawn system, the New Kleyman system, and the Phindar system.
THE PYRAMID STRUCTURE OF MANDALORIAN SOCIETY
In the Mandalorian society, there is a clear pyramid structure of how it all functions concerning the people of Mandalore, from the one at the top to the multiple at the bottom.
At the top, there is Mand'alor, ruler of the people of Mandalore, alongside, but below this ruler is the protectors, a group who reside on Concordia and keep peace by enforcing the rule of Mand'alor. Below these powers in society are the political factions, better known as houses, that appear throughout The Clone Wars and Rebels. Theses houses themselves consist of clans, an example being House Vizsla which was made up of Clan Saxon, Clan Vizsla, and Clan Wren, with all their .
THE ORIGIN OF THEIR COMBAT STYLE
Fans adore while of the galaxy fear Mandalorians due to their combat capabilities. They are feared as one of the best groups of fighters in the history of Star Wars, which they live up to with their style of combat.
This style - as well as the armor donned by the Mandalorians - is a direct effect of the Jedi-Mandalorian war. The war resulted in Mandalorians developing their armor to resist the force s as well as developing. The combat style they mastered was one which utilized ranged, melee and hand-to-hand combat as well as the vambraces and other technology at their disposal to finish off a Jedi, and anyone else who got in their way.
CUBISM
Mandalorians may be known for their combat and war, but something only showed through Sabine Wren's love for it, is the popularity of an art movement called cubism, first identified in Sabine's Rebel Sketchbook but seen throughout the animated shows.
The art gained newfound popularity during the events of the Clone Wars and were both loved in composition but disgusted by their use by Sabine Wren who loved the look of the art but hated how in a post-war Mandalore it was used by the powerful to promote the glory, while in her mind it should have had the opposite purpose. The art would be found in the Mandalorian Art Gallery and also on Dathomir where Maul kept a stolen piece of cubism art, from when he murdered Satine.
