Summary

• Beskar is a vital part of Mandalorian culture as it is crucial for armor and weaponry.
• Beskar's ability to resist lightsabers makes the element invaluable to Mandalorians.
• Major Mandalorian characters across all Star Wars media are synonymous with beskar armor.

Star Wars movies, with Din Djarin coming to the big screen thanks to the story of The Mandalorian & Grogu.

New Republic timeline of Star Wars has given several Mandalorian characters a spotlight, meaning their armor will be as ever-present as they will be. With Mandalorians, their culture, planet, and, most importantly, their armor becoming such integral parts of every era on the Star Wars timeline, questions are naturally raised about beskar given its unique properties. In both Star Wars Legends and canon, beskar has an extensive history that stretches almost all the way back to the franchise's inception.

Beskar Is A Crucial Part Of Mandalorian Culture

Beskar Is Integral To The Way Of The Mandalore

In Star Wars, Mandalorians are distinguishable by their iconic armor. This armor is often made of beskar, given that the mineral can be mined on the planet of Mandalore. Since the early days of the Republic, beskar has been vital to Mandalorians. This stems back to the days of the Mandalorian-Jedi War, where the former group came up with various ways to combat the Force-centric powers of the Jedi. One of these ways was beskar armor, along with several other pieces of weaponry made from beskar.

Any Mandalorian who receives armor or weaponry made from the mineral is now viewed as a true Mandalorian...

In the Skywalker Saga, beskar was first introduced in The Empire Strikes Back concerning the Star Wars movies in release order. In chronological order, beskar was first seen in the prequel trilogy thanks to the character of Jango Fett. The armor worn by Mandalorians was retconned to be made out of beskar when the term was first used in Star Wars Rebels. Throughout the Skywalker Saga, beskar has received more development. Any Mandalorian who receives armor or weaponry made from the mineral is now viewed as a true Mandalorian, as evidenced by Din Djarin's armor upgrades in The Mandalorian.

Beskar is such an integral part of Mandalorian culture that tyrannical organizations like the Empire sought ways to counteract the material. In Star Wars Rebels, the Empire developed a weapon - named The Duchess - that could latch onto the beskar alloy in Mandalorian armor and superheat it, disintegrating the wearer. This proved to be the only way the Empire could control Mandalore and its warrior inhabitants during the Dark Times, the stretch of time between Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

Sabine Wren was integral to helping the Empire create the weapon as she was unaware of what it would be used for, before returning to free her people and destroy The Duchess.

How Beskar Can Resist Lightsabers

Beskar's Resistance To Jedi Weapons Makes It Invaluable

As has been established in several Star Wars stories, beskar can resist lightsabers. This explains why it was such a crucial element during the Mandalorian-Jedi War, as it gave the former the ability to directly combat the former's greatest weapons. It is worth noting that no story in Star Wars canon or Legends has outlined exactly why beskar can resist lightsabers, but several hints and context clues have been provided over the years that an informed guess can be made.

On its own, beskar is an incredibly durable material. The armor crafted by the Mandalorians can withstand various normal weapons like blasters, spears, and regular swords, unlike other armor like that of clone troopers or stormtroopers. Where lightsabers are concerned, it is likely the Jedi weapons cannot cut through beskar as the melting point of the latter is higher than the temperature the former produces. Interestingly, if a lightsaber was held against beskar armor continuously, the beskar would eventually give way, providing for the melting point theory.

Who Wears Beskar Armor In Star Wars

Every Major Mandalorian Character Wears Beskar Armor

Across the three Star Wars trilogies, the many TV shows, countless books and novels, and the handful of video games in the franchise, many Mandalorians have worn beskar. Naturally, given that Star Wars is such a wide-reaching franchise, it would be impossible to name every single one of them. That said, there are several main characters in Star Wars stories that are synonymous with beskar either due to their Mandalorian heritage or how the people of Mandalore have influenced them.