As The Mandalorian season 2 approaches, Mando is chasing clues that might help him discover Baby Yoda’s origin. And of course, the Child is along for the ride in the cockpit of the Razor Crest, pressing buttons he’s not supposed to.
The trailer for the second season teases that the search for Baby Yoda’s home will be the focus of the season and that the journey might lead to the “sorcerers called Jedi.” At one point, the Armorer mentions the name of Mandalore the Great, a powerful Mandalorian leader who fought Jedi in ancient galactic wars.
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If you’re wondering who Mandalore the Great is, how his history might play into the second season, and the Legends character Mandalore the Great is likely based on, we have some answers below…
Who is Mandalore the Great?
Culture is immensely important to Din Djarin, the man behind the mask. He adheres closely to the tenets of the people who raised him. And throughout Star Wars history, Mandalorians have always been about culture and family, often related more by vow and circumstance than blood. But the Mandalorians are now scattered and broken, reduced to, as far as the Disney+ show is concerned, small groups hiding in coverts.
We don’t know for sure who Mandalore the Great is. The Armorer says they were a leader who fought against Jedi years ago. Now, they are immortalized in ancient songs, but their exact role in history is unknown. But if had to guess, the character is likely a Disney canon version of an infamous character from the non-canon Legends continuity: Mandalore the Ultimate, who led his people in a war of conquest against the Republic and Jedi almost 4,000 years before The Phantom Menace.
Mandalore the Ultimate was originally an amalgamation of two different figures from the Old Republic era. In the Tales of the Jedi comics we meet an anonymous heir to the Mandalorian throne after the death of the Sith-aligned Mandalore the Indomitable, while the Knights of the Old Republic video game introduced the Mandalore the Ultimate as the warrior race’s leader during the Mandalorian Wars. An issue of Star Wars Insider later established that both characters were the same person.
Mandalore the Ultimate was a physically powerful warrior and tended to fight with overwhelming force and war droids. Part of an alien species known as Taung, he was trained for war from a very young age. He was one of the last of the Taungs to hold the title of Mandalore.
Whether Mandalore the Great is actually based on Mandalore the Ultimate remains unclear, but it’s possible that introducing this bit of history to the show is a way to bring back a few things from Legends’ Old Republic to the Disney canon. We’d certainly love to hear more about the show’s version of the ancient Mandalorian Wars this season.
“Sorcerers” in Space
Since the Mandalorians are strictly neither a light nor dark faction, their warrior culture as focused on family as it is on weaponry, they were been both allies and enemies with the Jedi in Legends. This is true in canon too, with different factions of Mandalorians fighting with and against the Jedi in The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series.
One thing the Mandalorians usually don’t do is use the Force. Focused on the technology that makes their signature armor, they’re not at all invested in the spiritual side of things. The image of a Mandalorian and Jedi evokes the classic fantasy silhouettes of knight and monk. Thematically, knowing that the Mandalorians of Din Djarin’s time remember Force users as an ancient enemy makes his bond with the Child stand out even more. If they’re supposed to be enemies, what’s going to happen if Din finds another Jedi? He might be expecting an army, but get something less looming but more desperate: beloved hero Ahsoka Tano, an Order 66 survivor who sees Baby Yoda as their chance to carry on the Jedi legacy. After all, Ahsoka (and Mandalorian rebel Sabine Wren) are reportedly set to appear in the new season and may have a direct connection to the Child.
Mandalore the Great’s history with the Jedi could inform the events of The Mandalorian season 2, especially if Din comes face to face with these “sorcerers.” Or, perhaps that history will remain a mystery for another spin-off or tie-in nove. One thing is for sure: the establishment of the Jedi as enemies to the Mandalorians will color Din’s behavior around whoever he finds who might know more about Baby Yoda’s Force-using heritage.
