RANDOM QUESTION SUNDAY 014
"Who is Bo-Katan? And why does she look so grumpy?"
Hello all! The Corellian Korean here. It has been a while since I posted my last RANDOM QUESTION SUNDAY question. But I'm back now and I have a question from my wife, Mrs. CK. And the question is:
Who is Bo-Katan? And why does she look so grumpy?
WARNING! Spoilers ahead for MANDALORIAN season 2 and 3. Also potential spoilers ahead for the CLONE WARS and REBELS.
With the third season of THE MANDALORIAN out, my wife and I saw the first episode "The Apostate" (aka the 12th episode) together with the kids like a big event. It was a magical moment for the family as we gathered around the livingroom TV to enjoy Star Wars. #37 and I were pumped to see what Din Djarin and Grogu were up to since THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT. But Mrs. CK and my daughter didn't know what to expect from the season premier. While watching, my wife posed some questions to me. More specifically, she had questions about Bo-Katan. She didn't know Bo-Katan's background so she inquired about the blue Mandalorian's sour disposition as Din Djarin approached her throne. Mrs. CK was curious about lady Kryze as she sat chillax upon her solitary throne. My wife wondered about Bo-Katan's motivations... she gravitated to Kryze.
I explained that Bo-Katan is upset that all of her Mandalorian followers abandoned her since she could not produce the Darksaber at the end of season 2. She failed to get the sword to be accepted as the rightful ruler of Mandalore and unite her people under her leadership. Instead Din Djarin became the reluctant owner of the Darksaber through a series of unforeseeable circumstances. Din Djarin fought against the previous owner, Moff Gideon to rescue Grogu then became the victor in righteous combat. As a result, Din Djarin unintentionally won ownership of the Darksaber.
Mrs. CK digested and pondered my response then asked,
"If Din Djarin doesn't want the Darksaber, why not give the sword to Bo-Katan?"
I was pleased by her curiosity and tried to reward her by further elaborating.
The Mandalorian Way
Mandalorians had a code of honor that states if there is opposition for ownership of the Darksaber, parties involved must fight for the sword. Din Djarin cannot simply give Bo-Katan the Darksaber. To freely give away the saber without righteous combat would be dishonorable in the eyes of all Mandalorian. Mandalorians do not mess around with their sacred martial codes of honor. This explains why Bo-Katan would not be accepted as the rightful owner of the Darksaber if she just took it from Din. Bo-Katan wanted to win the saber from Moff Gideon during season two but missed her opportunity. She even told Din Djarin not to engage Gideon in combat, that Kryze wanted the honor of fighting the imperial Moff for herself. And you know how that turned out.
The Curse of the Darksaber
During the Clone Wars, Bo-Katan Kryze was originally from a radical faction of Mandalorians called "Death Watch". This faction of Mandalorians favored the old ways of the Mandalorian warrior culture which included wearing specialized armor and a strict devotion to martial prowess. Death Watch managed to unite the people of Mandalore with the leadership always in possession of the Darksaber. At some point, the Darksaber became a symbolic representation of Mandalorian leadership. Some time after the Clone Wars, Bo-Katan was given ownership of the Darksaber by another Mandalorian, Sabine Wren, without ritualistic combat. Henceforth, Bo-Katan was unanimously accepted as the ruler of Mandalore. But under Kryze's rule, the Mandalorian people suffered from imperial oppression. The Empire initiated the Great Purge of Mandalore, almost eradicating all of the Mandalorian population during the Night of a Thousand Tears. At this juncture, Kryze lost the Darksaber to Moff Gideon. A tribe of religious Mandalorians called the "Children of the Watch" believed that this disaster befell the Mandalorains because Bo-Katan did not rightfully earn the Darksaber and role of ruler. That Kryze's unholy union with the legendary saber resulted in a curse on the Mandalorain people.
So after hearing all this, my wife asked the next logical question, "Will Bo-Katan challenge Din Djarin in a fight for the Darksaber?"
Bo-Katan's Redemption
This is a good question and I'm sure many have asked this same question. Four episodes into the season, Bo-Katan shows no attempt or desire to claim the Darksaber from Din Djarin. Instead, she joins Din Djarin for a journey of redemption and transformation that explores Bo-Katan's role as a Mandalorian that has lost her faith in the old ways and in her ability to lead. On this journey, the faithful Din Djarin is there to be her parallel. Bo-Katan is an encyclopedia of Mandalorian lore but she refers to the old stories and rituals as superstition and spectacle. She shares her knowledge with Din to help him with his religious pilgrimage to find the Living Waters of Mandalore. Through Din, Bo-Katan's cynical nature is being peeled away revealing a side to Bo that wants to believe. This is the way.
That's all the time I for this RANDOM QUESTION SUNDAY. I hope you enjoyed #14. If you did enjoy this post then please consider subscribing to receive notifications for future content. Also leave a like and comment and tell us what you think or if you want to share your thoughts. All of your support and viewership is greatly appreciated. Thank you once again for being patient. More content is on the horizon. Until next time, may the Force be with you. Always!
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