Mandalorians have been a source of much interest and speculation from Star Wars fans long before Disney created a TV show about one. We can attribute most of this popularity to Boba Fett, the stylish bounty hunter who endeared himself to millions of fans despite only having four lines in the 1980s The Empire Strikes Back (and a really embarrassing “demise” in that film’s sequel). Thankfully, Mandalorians have returned to respectability thanks in large part to Pedro Pascal’s lead performance as the unnamed protagonist in The Mandalorian. Even if he’s been largely overshadowed by a certain adorable green co-star, Pascal’s “Mando” is a fascinating character, in part because there’s an aura of mystery surrounding him.
Bit by bit, The Mandalorian has revealed aspects from Mando’s past and how the Mandalorian people fit into the Star Wars universe following the fall of the Galactic Empire. However, there are still quite a few questions the show hasn’t answered. So if you love the show but wish it would divulge a bit more information about Mandalorian history and culture, we’ve got you covered.
Here are 11 things you probably didn’t know about these legendary warriors.
11. They Once Had a Vast Empire
By the time we meet them in the Disney Plus series, the Mandalorians are a nomadic tribe of displaced refugees. But at the height of their power, the Mandalorian Empire controlled a large pocket of the galaxy that extended well beyond their home planet of Mandalore. In fact, nearly a thousand worlds were part of Mandalorian Space, a strategic position that lay between Coruscant and the Outer Rim Territories.
Their warmongering also drew some unwanted attention from the Jedi, leading to an all-out war that would prove costly in the long run. Much like the real-life Roman Empire, overexpansion and constant warfare eventually led to the Mandalorian Empire’s fall, punctuated by a cataclysmic event that devastated their home planet Mandalore and turned it into a lifeless desert.
Source: Screenshot via Lucasfilm/Disney