Mandalorian
Encyclopedia
Mandalorians are a fictional group of warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...

s from several races in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

universe. They commonly act as mercenaries or bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...

s. According to Star Wars Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...

 material, they are the cultural descendants of an extinct race called the Taung. The leader of the Mandalorians typically takes on the title of "Mand'alor," the name of their first leader, whose planet was named after him in honor. They have been portrayed in various media, including the novel, Triple Zero by Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss is a science fiction author, and full-time novelist from Wiltshire, England. Originally from the Portsmouth area, Traviss worked as both a journalist and defence correspondent before turning her attention to writing fiction. She also served in both the Territorial Army and the Royal...

 and Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...

's Star Wars Elite Forces action figure sets Mandalorians & Omega Squad and Republic Mandalorians & Clone Troopers. Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss is a science fiction author, and full-time novelist from Wiltshire, England. Originally from the Portsmouth area, Traviss worked as both a journalist and defence correspondent before turning her attention to writing fiction. She also served in both the Territorial Army and the Royal...

, author of Hard Contact, expanded Mandalorian culture in the novel, as explained in Star Wars on Trial. Mandalorians are most commonly portrayed as audacious and dangerous.

History

Originally, the Mandalorian clans were led by the general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....

 Vistar "Mand'alor the First" and were ranked among the best fighters in the galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy may mean:* Star Wars Galaxies, a Star Wars themed MMORPG platform for Microsoft Windows* Star Wars galaxy, the fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs...

, thriving on battle. They are known for their cutting-edge weaponry and strict code of honor. These Mandalorians wear crusader armor that differs from one soldier to the next.

Mandalore itself is a temperate, albeit desolate, world located in a rather overlooked and inconspicuous area at the edge of the Outer Rim Territories. Making a living on its surface requires one to constantly battle for survival, and thus the Mandalorians know no other way of success. Most importantly, however, is the rare metal that is only found on this planet to date. It is called Mandalorian Iron, or beskar in the Mandalorian language. It is one of the few known substances that can resist the focused energy output of a weapon such as a lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...

. The other few exceptions include cortosis ore, as well as vibro and phrik alloy.

The original mention of Mandalorian Iron is invariably from Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith is a six-part story arc in the Tales of the Jedi series of comic books written by Kevin J. Anderson. The first issue was published on 1 February 1996 by Dark Horse Comics. The story is set in the Star Wars galaxy 3,997 BBY years before the Battle of Yavin...

. In the series, The Sith Lord
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...

 Exar Kun goes to the tomb of Freedon Nadd on Onderon's moon, Dxun. Nadd's grave is said to be made of Mandalorian Iron and Exar Kun attempts to pierce the metal at first and it is noted that his lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...

's blow barely even scorches the surface. Kun is then possessed by the power of the Dark Side of the Force and succeeds in breaking through and entering Nadd's tomb.

The Mandalorians play a large role in the Great Sith War, which is portrayed in the Tales of the Jedi
Tales of the Jedi
Tales of the Jedi is a series of comic books that are published by Dark Horse Comics and are part of the fictional Star Wars Expanded Universe. They cover the Great Sith War and the Great Hyperspace War and remain the earliest chronological Star Wars stories.The first books released covered the...

series. During the war between the Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...

 and the Republic, Mandalore and its forces attack and raid the Empress Teta system, drawing the attention of Ulic Qel-Droma. After being defeated in single combat by Ulic, the Mandalore pledges complete loyalty to the Sith apprentice. He and his warriors participate in many devastating raids and attacks on the Republic, including an attempted invasion of Coruscant
Coruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...

. However, Mandalore is finally defeated at Onderon by local military forces and Republic reinforcements. With his mighty army defeated and shattered, Mandalore flees to Dxun but is killed by one of the many monsters that inhabit Onderon's moon. A Mandalorian warrior finds his fallen mask and inherits the position of Mandalore. The new Mandalore is manipulated by an unknown Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...

 faction into attacking the Republic, triggering the Mandalorian Wars.

After their defeat in the Mandalorian Wars at the hands of the Jedi Revan
Darth Revan
Revan, voiced by Rino Romano, is the player's character in BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game. The character may be either male or female, though Revan is canonically male and follows the game's light-side path...

 and Malak, the Mandalorians as a united culture are destroyed, their weapons and armor taken and destroyed. Their dissolution is completed when Revan hid the mask of Mandalore, preventing a new leader from rising. They gradually evolve and change into a culture of wandering mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...

, rather than conquerors. Revan later tells his friend Canderous Ordo to unite the Mandalorians after he leaves for the Unknown Regions and tells him where to find the mask. Ordo then takes the mantle of "Mandalore" and gathers a new Mandalorian army on Dxun. These events are covered in detail in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is a role playing video game released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows. The Xbox version of this sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was released on December 6, 2004, while the Windows version was released on February 8, 2005...

, where Mandalore recruits and trains Mandalorians across the Galaxy
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

, eventually encountering the Jedi Exile, with whom he begins travel. During this time, the Jedi Exile's group visits Malachor V, a planet bearing scars of the most atrocious battle of the Mandalorian Wars. Malachor V is the site of the single largest loss of life during the Mandalorian Wars, after the majority of Mandalorian and Republic soldiers were killed, due to an Iridonian technician, Bao-Dur, who creates and deploys a weapon called the Mass Shadow Generator. While attempting to enter Malachor V, the party's ship is downed due to Malachor's unusual gravity and vicious storms. Although they aren't seen again in the game, it is possible in conversation to make Darth Traya reveal their futures to you. She reveals that none of them die there, including Mandalore.

The Treaty of Coruscant

For centuries afterwards, the Mandalorians remained unaligned and lacked leadership, until the rise of a young gladiator in the Geonosian arenas, calling himself the New Mand'alor. He rallied his people for a new challenge against the galactic order, and allied his forces with the Sith Empire. United once more, the Mandalorians worked to blockade the Hydian Way, threatening to choke the primary route for republic military aid to the outer rim, as well as the main route for bringing raw goods to the core worlds. The Jedi Order attacked the blockade, but was defeated profoundly. So effective was the mandalorian blockade that even as long standing republic holdouts in the outer rim began folding to the empire, supply shortages lead to planet-wide rioting on Coruscant and talk in the senate turned towards surrender to the sith. It was only once Hylo Visz led an intrepid group of smugglers against the blockade, with republic support, that the blockade was broken, and the republic granted a vital reprieve.

Mandalorian Civil War

Shortly before the fall of the Republic, the Mandalorians became split and they began fighting among themselves. The cause was a man named Tor Vizsla. Jaster Mereel, a reformed murderer, who said that the Mandalorians were high-priced mercenaries, formed the True Mandalorians faction, while those loyal to Vizsla, who believed the Mandalorians should conquer the galaxy, formed the Death Watch. During a battle on Concord Dawn, Jaster Mereel's forces were retreating and were hidden by the local "police officer", a man named Fett. For helping Jaster's men, the Death Watch kills the entire family, except the youngest son, Jango Fett, who while running from Death Watch, bumps into Mereel and his men. Mereel kills the two pursuing members of Death Watch, and, after escaping a fire, takes pity on Jango for being the fault of his families death. Later they find out that Jango's sister, Arla Fett, also survived. Jango Fett becomes Mereel's protege, and arguable adopted son. On Jango's first mission with a squad many years later, Vizsla ambushes the Mandalorians. Jaster gives the order to evacuate to avoid more deaths. While saving his second in command he falls behind and is trapped with the other Mandalorian. Jango runs back to save Jaster, but arrives too late and was witness to Mereel's death at the hands of Vizsla shortly after the betrayal of his second-in-command, Montross, who escaped because he had a jetpack at the time. Jango took command of the remaining True Mandalorians, but unknowingly led them into a trap at the Battle of Galidraan, where they were framed for murder, resulting in the complete destruction of the True Mandalorians at the hands of the Jedi. Jango is the only survivor, and before being captured, slays half of the members of the Jedi Council as well as a few Jedi Knights single-handedly. This massacre of both sides is also what causes Count Dooku to leave the order. This greatly reduced the number of Mandalorians active in the galaxy. Fett escapes and becomes a bounty hunter, eventually making such a name for himself that he was chosen by Tyranus
Count Dooku
Count Dooku is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. Dooku is one of the main antagonists of both Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and the events of the Clone Wars and is a supporting villain in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Count Dooku plays a substantial role...

 as the genetic source for the clone army being created on Kamino
Kamino
Kamino is an ocean planet, in the fictional Star Wars universe, similar to Mon Calamari and Manaan. It was here that the Army of the Republic was generated. It is inhabited by a race of tall, elegant, long-necked creatures, called Kaminoans, who keep to themselves and are known for their cloning...

. It is revealed in Republic Commando: Order 66, that Fett was possibly motivated to serve as the genetic template for this army and later train some elite units in an effort to create a "Mandalorian army" capable of one day annihilating the Jedi Order in revenge for Galidraan. Moreover, clone "trooper armor and equipment is based in part on the battle gear of the Mandalorian..." and a large section of the clone army special forces units were trained by Mandalorian mercenaries such as Kal Skirata, Walon Vau,and Rav Bralor.

Post-Imperial Times

Twenty-three years after the Battle of Yavin, Boba Fett
Boba Fett
Boba Fett is a character in Star Wars. A bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon, he is a minor villain in both Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi....

 became Mand'alor after Fenn Shysa's death on the planet Shogun and continues the tradition of leading the Mandalorian Protectors. During the Yuuzhan Vong War
Yuuzhan Vong
The Yuuzhan Vong are a group of fictional characters from the Star Wars Expanded Universe. They rise as a threat to the New Republic in the New Jedi Order series of novels....

, Fett led the Mandalorians in the defense of Mandalore and liberated numerous planets like Tholatin and Gyndine; however, this effort came at a huge cost to the Mandalorians. The Yuuzhan Vong retaliated and attacked Mandalore, damaging the capital city of Keldabe severely in the process. Though the Vong are eventually defeated, the attack permanently scarred Mandalore and leaves over a million Mandalorians dead, nearly a third of the population of Mandalore.

During the peak of Mandalorian culture, one of their production factories, MandalMotors, spawned branch plants on a few other planets, and this corporation continued to operate in limited capacity. Only two known examples of the Mandalorian battle armor existed, worn by the bounty hunters Boba Fett and Jodo Kast. Fett killed Kast for imitating him and soiling his name. Fett inherited his armor from his father's
Jango Fett
Jango Fett is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He first appeared as one of the main antagonists in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and later served as the protagonist of the LucasArts video game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, played by Temuera Morrison.Jango Fett serves as...

 mentor, Jaster Mereel, and placed his father's into storage. Jodo Kast procured his armor when he killed the Mandalorian bounty hunter Feskitt Bobb, whose suit of Mandalorian armor made Kast initially mistake him for Fett.

Nevertheless, as revealed in the Legacy of the Force
Legacy of the Force
The Legacy of the Force is a series of nine science fiction novels set in the Star Wars fictional universe, taking place approximately 40 years after the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope...

series, the Mandalorians still exist and maintain a presence in the galaxy. There are numerous small communities and clans scattered around the galaxy, with the majority centered around Mandalore. Also, the ending of the second book in the series, Bloodlines
Bloodlines (novel)
Bloodlines is the second book in the Legacy of the Force series. The book is written by Karen Traviss and was released August 29, 2006. The book takes place in the fictional Star Wars Expanded Universe, about 35 years after Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...

, implies that Boba Fett will use his position as Mandalore to restore the power and glory of the Mandalorians.

After returning to Keldabe, Boba Fett immediately begins instituting reforms to rebuild Mandalore. He begins by recalling all Mandalorians to return to Keldabe. As a result, one of the returnees, a geologist, discovers a huge vein of Beskar. Ironically, this vein was revealed after the vicious Yuuzhan Vong attack. Fett quickly exploits the situation, using the Beskar to rearm the Mandalorians and increase their economic power. Currently, Mandalmotors can now produce the Bes'uliik, a heavy fighter that outclasses the X-Wing
X-wing
X-wings are fictional starfighters from the original Star Wars trilogy and the expanded universe. They are depicted as the primary interceptor and dogfighter of the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic...

. Fett has also forged a mutual defense and technology deal with Roche, a major Verpine technology corporation. The Mandalorians have now become an economic and military powerhouse that could destabilize both the Galactic Alliance and Confederation. Though as a result of attacks on Roche by the Imperials and the Mandalorian retaliation, the Imperial Remnant moffs create a nano weapon that targets the Fett genetic code
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...

 only. For this reason Boba Fett, the current Mand'alor, and his granddaughter Mirta Gev were forced to abandon their homeworld.

Language

The Mandalorian language (Mando’a) was being developed into a working language by Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss is a science fiction author, and full-time novelist from Wiltshire, England. Originally from the Portsmouth area, Traviss worked as both a journalist and defence correspondent before turning her attention to writing fiction. She also served in both the Territorial Army and the Royal...

 however this has ceased since she ceased writing the Republic/Imperial commando series due to "creative differences" with the publisher.

Portions exist in the its spin-off books, Republic Commando: Hard Contact
Star Wars Republic Commando: Hard Contact
Republic Commando: Hard Contact is the tie-in novel to the video game Republic Commando, written by Karen Traviss.-Plot:The story begins during the Battle of Geonosis with Clone Commando Darman and his team assaulting a Separatist position. However, the entire squad is massacred in the attack, with...

 , Republic Commando: Triple Zero
Star Wars Republic Commando: Triple Zero
Star Wars Republic Commando: Triple Zero, by Karen Traviss, is the second novel in the Star Wars Republic Commando series. The title comes from the galactic coordinates of the planet Coruscant .-Plot:...

, Republic Commando: True Colors, and Republic Commando: Order 66
Star Wars Republic Commando: Order 66
Star Wars Republic Commando: Order 66 is the fourth novel in the Republic Commando series, written by Karen Traviss. It is a sequel to Hard Contact, Triple Zero, and True Colors; it continues the story of Omega Squad's actions during the Clone Wars...

. Order 66 recently added new words to the list which are found at the link: http://www.karentraviss.com/page20/page26/downloads/index.html. A recent article in Star Wars Insider
Star Wars Insider
Star Wars Insider is the official Star Wars magazine. Its contents include stories, articles relating to the Star Wars universe, letters, and the fan newsletter "Bantha Tracks". It began in 1987 as the official magazine of The Lucasfilm Fan Club...

contained a guide to the language, and online audio clips have been released as well.

The language started in the video game Star Wars: Republic Commando as a song heard in the main menu of the game has lyrics by Jesse Harlin at LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...

, and it is from that that Traviss had begun developing the language.

External links

- Contains grammar and information on how to speak the language
  • Mando'a Language - Contains Mandalorian words with pronunciation and translations
  • Mando'a Grammar - Contains information about the original Taung/Mandalorian alien race
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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