1 Main Reason Many Mandalorians Become Bounty Hunters in ‘Star Wars’ Galaxy
The Mandalorian was the first live-action series to come to Disney+, and also one of the first Disney+ original series to hit the platform when it debuted in 2019. It’s been a hit ever since, and it’s not just because of Baby Yoda, although he is a major part of it. Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin is a major reason why The Mandalorian is doing so well, of course, along with the great writing and storytelling that’s fusing it to other parts of the Star Wars universe.
After Mando was introduced in the first episode, it became clear that he’s the third famous Mandalorian that fans have met that’s also a bounty hunter. It might make one wonder why that is. While there’s not an explicit answer just yet, it’s clear that Mandalorians make good hunters. [Spoiler alert: Some spoilers ahead for The Mandalorian Season 2 ahead].
‘The Mandalorian’ started off with Din Djarin as a bounty hunter
When audiences first met Mando in Season 1, he was a hardened bounty hunter who had no ties to anyone and was working with Greef Karga, specifically, in the guild. He’d get his targets from him and then go collect them. Then, he’d bring them back and collect his bounty. That’s how the first episode started, and it ended with Mando coming in contact with Baby Yoda, who fans now know is named Grogu.
At first, Din did return the baby to the man he was hired him: The Client, an ex-Imperialist. It was clear that Grogu was a part of some type of experiment, but it wasn’t clear, at the time, what exactly that was.
However, Mando was already getting soft for the baby and was protective of him against these Empire officers. So, he stole him back, and the rest of that first season consisted of Din dodging those ex-Imperials.
Many of the most-famous Mandalorians are bounty hunters, too
Even though Season 2 has sort of ditched Mando’s bounty hunter ways in favor of a new mission with his foundling — deliver him to the Jedi — he still was one and still is one, for all intents and purposes. And before him, the two most famous Mandalorians outside of the animated series were Jango Fett and Boba Fett. And they were also bounty hunters.
Boba Fett didn’t have much of a backstory when he first appeared in the original trilogy, before being eaten by the Sarlac pit. Although, now fans know that — SPOILER — he didn’t die. And is far more interesting than he was able to show, of course.
And Jango Fett appeared in Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones, first as an unknown, masked bounty hunter out to kill Senator Padmé Amidala. Then, it’s revealed that he’s the DNA donor for the whole Clone army on Kamino, which Obi-Wan Kenobi finds out after following the bullet he left behind on Coruscant. That’s why, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, all the Clones end up sounding and taking on the resemblance of Jango Fett.
It’s also explained in Season 2 of The Mandalorian that Jango Fett was a foundling, just like Din, and that’s how Jango had his armor and his skills (similar to Mando) in the first place. He even fought in the Mandalorian Civil War.
Mandalorians come from a long line of warriors with the perfect skills to be bounty hunters
So, with all of that backstory, it’s becoming a bit more clear why Mandalorians make good bounty hunters. The main reason so many go on to make that their profession is because they are born warriors. Even foundlings are taught the ways of the Mandalore, which stems from ancient warrior teachings.
They’re quick, skilled at combat, and strike fear into anyone who knows who a Mandalorian is. Many want to steal their armor or enlist them to do their bidding because they know how valuable and durable beskar is and also how formidable a fighter Mandalorians are.
So even if a Mandalorian isn’t a bounty hunter by trade, someone might try to pay them for their bidding, just by being a part of that culture. Now, not all Mandalorians are mercenaries of that sort, like Bo-Katan. However, she was a part of Death Watch during the Clone Wars and mostly preoccupied with taking back her homeworld of Mandalore after that. Other Mandalorians, like the ones that took Mando in or even Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels, aren’t interested in that “cursed” planet, as Mando calls it.
So, with their skills, their weapons, and their history — along with the galaxy’s intense supply and demand for bounty hunters — Mandalorians make great merc. Only time will tell if Din Djarin will stay one after the Grogu situation is resolved.
