Even though the Mandalorians have a special place in the Star Wars universe, there is still much to learn about them.
By now, much is clear — they are not as straightforward as some of the other heroes and villains we know. They don’t strike fans as wholeheartedly light nor succumb to the darkness.
The Mandalorians fought with the Jedi, who we know to be Lighsiders. Still, they also stood out for good deeds, including their capture of Darth Maul and their neutral status during the Clone Wars.
Thus, here is a question we want to pose and answer today: Are the Mandalorians villains or heroes?
How Are the Mandalorians Good?
Let’s start by enumerating all the good things that the Mandalorians have done.
There were quite a few protagonists amongst them!
Grogu and Din Djarin
No discussion about the Mandalorians can be complete without Din Djarin and the Child — Grogu.
This famous pair bonded over the need to belong, run away from their past and find a connection to someone.
Even though the Jedi are forbidden to seek attachments, little Grogu was quick to choose Din’s side.
There must be a reason why such a powerful being forgone his training for the Mandalorian!
Din can symbolise the Mandalorian way, its importance and devotion.
In The Mandalorian show, we saw time and time again how Din rescued his companion. Other Mandalorians follow suit, standing at his side.
Although Din was taught differently than many other Mandalorians like Bo-Katan Kryze, it does not make him any less of a Mandalorian.
Even the Mandalorian’s name speaks volumes of his devotion to the Mandalorian way!
Interesting fact: In Arabic, “Din” means: religion, faith, and way of life. Quite fitting for the protagonist.
The way of the Mandalorians was an ethical compass that allowed them to stay strong even when all hope was lost. They gained a reputation as ruthless yet admirable and honourable warriors.
Can we say the same about other antagonists in the franchise?
Brutality can be deemed as goodness under certain circumstances and good intentions.
Saving a tiny Jedi is one such example!
Satine Kryze, Duchess of Mandalore and Her Policies
Satine Kryze and her policies can be deemed as both good and evil. Let us explain.
There’s no denying that Satine was a beloved ruler (rest in peace). She was a breath of fresh air for Mandalore and its people.
That said, she leaned towards an extreme — pacifism.
The Mandalorians are many things, yet definitely not the ones to avoid conflicts.
Even if admirable and fitting for a better time, her policies left Mandalore vulnerable. They also led to Satine’s own downfall and the birth of the Death Watch.
This extreme had both positive and negative consequences. As such, we can’t deny that it symbolised what Mandalore could have become.
If this planet and its people were evil, they could never harbour someone like Satine. She had the biggest heart and loved her system to the very end.
Mandalorian Civil War
The Mandalorian Civil War is yet another point we can link to Satine.
Even though this conflict cost thousands of lives, it was a necessary measure to create a peaceful society. Satine was one of the leaders who knew that Mandalore had to evolve past their barbaric way.
Was the actual war a good thing?
Everything here depends on your point of view. There is no evolution and change without drastic actions. Because of the war, we saw Mandalore evolve and become neutral. It was a big step for a planet that initiated many conflicts and conquered worlds.
Darth Maul’s Capture
Even though the Mandalorians and the Jedi rarely got along, the Mandalorians did help to capture Darth Maul.
During the final season of the Clone Wars, the Jedi masters and the Mandalorians faced a dilemma: go after Darth Maul or save Palpatine.
As we also know, the Jedi were bound by their duty to the Republic, which eventually led to horrible consequences.
All the same, we’re not here to talk about Order 66. This wound will never heal.
Unlike the Jedi, the Mandalorians were the ones to capture Darth Maul. Even though they didn’t technically do it to help the Republic, they still managed to keep a mighty Sith Lord at bay.
Thank the Force! At least someone had enough brain cells to go after Maul instead of saving the Chancellor!
In any case, the Mandalorians worked with Ahsoka Tano to capture the Sith. Technically, it was done to save Mandalore, yet the impact of this action can’t be underestimated.
If capturing a Sith Lord is not a definition of being heroes, we don’t know what is.
How Are the Mandalorians Bad?
Like any society or religion, the Mandalorians can hardly be perfect. With that said, even though we consider the following actions to be “bad,” there are two sides to every coin.
Even Mandalorian antagonists had their reasons!
Supporting the Empire (Clan Saxon)
The Galactic Empire can be considered one of the primary sources of evil in Star Wars. Not only was it created by a Sith Lord, but it caused nothing but destruction and the fall of Democracy.
For all that, every person who willingly accepted the Imperial rule can be deemed an antagonist.
Clan Saxon is one such example!
The Saxon clan was a Mandalorian clan of House Vizsla. It controlled the planet Mandalore with the support of the Galactic Empire and was led by Gar Saxon.
Sabine Wren, amongst many other Mandalorians, decided to leave their planet because of the Galactic Empire. They believed that Clan Saxon sold their home to the Empire and made false promises.
They were right, though… It’s not like the Empire honoured its alliances.
Even serving the Empire didn’t save Mandalore from the Great Purge of Mandalore that almost wiped out all its warriors!
The Mandalorian-Jedi War
The Mandalorian-Jedi War is often brought up to prove that the Mandalorians are indeed villains.
After all, we often associate the Jedi with goodness and the Light side of not only the Force but the galaxy as a whole.
We can’t deny that the Mandalorian-Jedi War took many lives of the Mandalorians and the Jedi.
The Mandalorians were also the ones to start the conflict. They feared the Force and what the Jedi could do with it.
“History Lesson! The Jedi won the war with Mandalore!”
―Kanan to Sabine (From Star Wars Rebels – “Trials of the Darksaber“)
Their failure to win the war taught Mandalore an important lesson.
All the same, we can’t justify the fight against the Jedi. Fearing the new or the unknown and using brutal force to destroy it is a sure way to become villains.
The Jedi were not perfect, yet here the fault lies on Mandalore!
You can find out more about how a Mandalorian would fare against a Jedi here.
Bounty Hunters and Mercenaries
The Mandalorians make the best bounty hunters. It was proven by many like Din Djarin and Boba Fett.
Even though mercenaries usually have a code — they are driven mainly by greed and profit. Money is a common denominator.
Some of such bounty hunters threatened our beloved protagonists like Padmé Amidala, the Senator of Naboo.
She survived several attempts on her life orchestrated by Palpatine and Jango Fett.
Jango was a Mandalorian, taken as a clone material for the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). All the same, he caused many problems for our protagonists.
“As my first act with this new authority, I will create a Grand Army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the Separatists.”
―Sheev Palpatine from Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
As such, he hired Zam Wesell, a bounty hunter who tried to kill Padmé and succeeded in assassinating her handmaiden Cordé.
Not to mention Jango’s involvement in the plan to execute Order 66 and the slaughter on Geonosis.
You can find out more about if the Clone Troopers who were modelled after Jango were considered as Mandalorians here.
Death Watch
The last point that we wanted to bring up concerns the Death Watch.
As we mentioned before, there are extremists in every society. The Death Watch happens to be the opposite of Satine and pacifism.
They were a radical group that wanted to bring back the old Mandalore.
“We are the Death Watch, descendants of the true warrior faith all Mandalorians once knew. Now my people are living in exile because we will not abandon our heritage. Our people were warriors. Strong. Feared! Now they’re ruled by the New Mandalorians, who think that being a pacifist is a good thing. They’ve given away our honour and tradition for peace. Duchess Satine and her corrupt leadership are crushing our souls, destroying our identity. That is our struggle.”
―Pre Vizsla from Star Wars: The Clone Wars – “Eminence“
The Death Watch did not only become a part of Maul’s Shadow Collective but tried to take over Mandalore.
Did we mention that they worked with Maul, who killed Satine Kryze? Not to sound biassed, yet Satine didn’t deserve this fate. Not to mention how hard her death hit Mandalore and Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master who harboured feelings for the Duchess.
Some here may argue that the Death Watch had good points. Yes, we agree that Satine’s pacifism was often misplaced and would better suit peaceful times. Still, the Death Watch justified their terrorism, claiming they were saving Mandalore.
Instead, they were killing it piece by piece!
The Death Watch only became what it should have been when it was transformed into the Mandalore resistance. The former was led by Bo-Katan Kryze.
Verdict
Like any group of people, the Mandalorians can be both good and evil. As we also know, only a Sith deals in absolutes. Thus, we will not repeat the same mistakes and sort someone as a good guy or a bad guy.
The Mandalorians are honourable and skilled warriors. Still, they were not without extremes that often made them antagonists.
As such, we would consider the Mandalorians grey or neutral – able to serve both sides of the conflicts. Not without valid reasons, if we may add.
Nevertheless, here’s a quick summary to make your own conclusion:
| Heroes | Villains |
|---|---|
| Din Djarin helped to save the Child, Grogu | Clan Saxon supported the Galactic Empire and fueled the Great Purge of Mandalore |
| Satine Kryze and her attempts to make Mandalore a peaceful territory | The Mandalorian-Jedi War that killed many Jedi and Mandalorians alike |
| The Mandalorian Civil War helped Mandalore to grow (can be both a good and a bad thing though) | The Mandalorian bounty hunters played their role in making the protagonists’ lives miserable. For example, assassination attempts on Senator Amidala |
| The Mandalorians captured Darth Maul | The Death Watch worked with Darth Maul (who killed Satine) and terrorised Mandalore |
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