Summary
The Mandalorianpremiered on Disney+ to much applause in 2019, giving fans a new character to follow in the rich galaxy ofStar Wars. This kind of character has obviously existed inStar Warsbefore, but never had a bounty hunter Mandalorian been the primary focus of a cinematic project. More importantly, it’s a character who doesn’t use the Force, which is appealing on its own. Fans expected the series to delve deeper into the Mandalorian culture, and it didn’t disappoint.
Now, three seasons in, along with an impactful appearance inThe Book of Boba Fett,The Mandalorianhas given its audience more than they could have imagined. It has featured an appearance of the Darksaber, multiple significant run-ins with the Imperial remnant, and the inclusion ofrenowned Mandalorians like Bo-Katan Kryze. Din Djarin has been a great addition to theStar Warsuniverse, but it might be time for Bo-Katan to step up as the titular Mandalorian of the series.
Bo-Katan is a More Interesting Mandalorian
Bo-Katan is a former lieutenant of Death Watch, an extremist terrorist group of Mandalorians that didn’t agree with Mandalore’s shift to pacifism. She was also ruler of Mandalore before it fell to the Empire. She faced off against her sister,Duchess Satine Kryze. Those who only met Bo-Katan inThe Mandalorianmight have a hard time believing she was a villain, but that’s because she’s an effectively nuanced character who has undergone a great deal of development. One has to only look at her complete 180 inThe Mandalorianseason three to get a hint of the kind of growth she’s undergone.
Bo-Katan derided the Children of the Watch as a cult in her live-action introduction, only to rely on them throughout the third season. She’s a character capable of identifying her flaws and adjusting accordingly. Not only does she accept the Armorer’s help, but she also ventures out to unite the other Mandalorian clans in the hopes that she can bring them back to Mandalore and rebuild the once great culture that they had. That’s not to say that Din Djarin isn’t three-dimensional, but he always goes where the plot needs him to go. His own decisions do not guide him the way that Bo-Katan’s guide her.
Bo-Katan’s History is More Compelling
It’s not really fair to compare Din Djarin and Bo-Katan’s history, because Bo has been around significantly longer than Din Djarin. However, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. She debuted inThe Clone Wars,where fans got an in-depth look at the Mandalorian culture and the domed cities of Mandalore. She even appeared inStar Wars: Rebels,whereSabine Wren passed the Darksaberonto her. Bo-Katan Kryze is a flawed character who struggles with her past, including the death of her estranged sister, in which she had a hand.
The Death Watch had hatched a plan with Darth Maul to fabricate a conflict with Maul’s men, which would paint the dissenting Mandalorians as saviors in the end. This would, in turn, oust Duchess Satine from her seat of power. Bo-Katan’s part was simple: Capture Maul’s syndicate goons and bring them to justice. Pre Vizsla (voiced byThe Mandalorianshowrunner Jon Favreau), leader of the Death Watch, goes on to capture the Duchess and force her to announce him as Mandalore’s Prime Minister. Once named leader of Mandalore, Maul challenges Pre Viszla to a duel for the right to rule the planet and its people, which Vizsla accepts and promptly loses his head. Maul subsequently kills Satine in front of Bo-Katan after Bo refuses to accept Maul as Mandalore’s leader.
Bo-Katan and her compatriots got into bed with the devil, and lived to regret their actions. Maul gained control of both the Darksaber and Mandalore that day. Luckily, his rule didn’t last long, as Ahsoka eventually joined Bo-Katan’s efforts to take back the planet and apprehend Maul. But, the wounds the Sith lord left were deep. Katee Sackhoff masterfully relays that pain to the audience in all of her scenes onThe Mandalorian.
Bo-Katan Has a Deeper Character Arc
Bo-Katan might have begun her tenure inStar Warsas a villain, but that didn’t last. She goes on a bit of a hero’s journey, in which Satine’s death serves as the catalyst that changes her perspective and sets her future in motion. The amount of character growth she exhibited inThe Clone Warsimpressedaudiences and made her the fan-favorite that she is today.
Fast-forward toThe Mandalorian,and audiences again see growth and development in her character. Din Djarin doesn’t exhibit the same kind of character development. In fact, he’s not too different from who he was at the start of the series. He has accepted his role as a father, but he’s still mostly a loner of few words who does as he’s told. He showed signs of turning his back on “the way” when he willingly removed his helmet in the season two finale. Unfortunately, that didn’t stick, as he fell back in line with theArmorer and her teachings. The main character needs to evolve and learn from their experiences.
Looking back at the Skywalker family, Luke and Anakin both ended up in different places from where they started. Luke started out as a younger farmhand who knew little about the galaxy. By the end of his trilogy, he’s a wise Jedi master who sees good in the second most evil man in the universe. Bo-Katan Kryze is not anywhere near where she started as a character. She’s gone from a closed-minded terrorist, to a remorseful leader, to the only Mandalorian to see aMythosaur and potential savior of the Mandalorians. She’s not even close to done evolving, either. Unfortunately, Din Djarin might be in a developmental dead end, but Bo-Katan could continue pushing the series forward as a dynamic protagonist.
