Mandalorian

(Mandalorian history) The Mandalorians—known in Mando'a as the Mando'ade ("Children of Mandalore")—were a clan-based culture composed of members from multiple species and bound by a common creed, language, and code. Known primarily as highly-effective mercenaries and bounty hunters, Mandalorians as a socio-cultural group have at various points in galactic history played a major role as legendary warriors and conquerors.

Originating around the year 9991 BBY on the planet of Mandalore in the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories, the Mandalorians' way of life revolved around honor and war, being led by a sole ruler known as the Mand'alor, whose Protectors maintained a relative state of peace and unity between their people's warrior clans. As a result of their warrior culture, the Mandalorians launched several wars of expansion by the time of the Old Republic-era, colonizing nearby worlds such as Krownest, Ordo, and Concord Dawn, leading the sector surrounding their homeworld to be known as Mandalorian Space.

Throughout their history, several prominent groups of Mandalorian warriors came into existence, such as Mandalorian crusaders, rally masters, and Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, all of whom waged war on the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order. According to legends, many of these conflicts involved a Mand'alor who went by the name of Mandalore the Great.

In spite of this, relations between the Mandalorians and the Jedi were not always hostile, as Tarre Vizsla, a human Mandalorian, was inducted into the Jedi Order as a child, creating a lightsaber known as the Darksaber around the year 1050 BBY. Tarre eventually founded House Vizsla, claiming the position of Mand'alor, with the Darksaber becoming a symbol of leadership for both House Vizsla and the Mandalorian people as a whole.

However, after Vizsla's death, members of his house raided the Jedi Temple during the fall of the Old Republic, stealing the Darksaber and using it to reunify the Mandalorian people, waging war once more on the Jedi Order. Unfortunately, the final conflict between the Mandalorian warlords and the Jedi at the planet Mandalore led to a cataclysm that turned much of its surface into a lifeless white desert, rendering it uninhabitable outside of hermetically sealed dome cities. After their defeat, the Mandalorians remained isolated in their sector well into the High Republic Era, not attempting to wage another war on either the Jedi or the Republic, with which they coexisted through treaties. However, the Mandalorians' warrior ways and desire for conquest remained alive, eventually leading to infighting and civil wars.

However, although Mandalore was still under control of traditional Mandalorian warriors, much of the planet's population had become part of a pacifist movement known as the New Mandalorians, led by the young Duchess Satine Kryze of House Kryze, with the traditionalist warriors being forced to use violence to hold on to power. Eventually, around the year 42 BBY, a civil war broke out between the pacifist New Mandalorian movement and the martial traditionalists, who wished to maintain their warrior heritage. Mandalore's capital of Keldabe was destroyed during the Mandalorian Civil War, and many perished during the conflict, including Duke Adonai Kryze, Satine's father. Satine herself had to remain under protection from the Jedi Order, as the traditionalists sent bounty hunters after her. However, Mandalore's traditionalist minority was eventually defeated during the war, being exiled to Mandalore's moon of Concordia. While the Death Watch, a traditionalist group under Mand'alor Pre Vizsla, wished to retake their homeworld, the Old Mandalorians scattered across the galaxy as mercenaries.

During the Clone Wars, members of the warrior culture would align themselves with both sides of the conflict, which was secretly orchestrated by the Sith Order, who hired the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett to become the clone template for the Grand Army of the Republic, with Fett's clones being trained by the Mandalorian Protectors, while the Death Watch briefly joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, in hopes of reclaiming Mandalore. Under the New Mandalorian government, Mandalore remained neutral and participated in the Council of Neutral Systems as a leading member. However thanks to being backed up by the criminal conglomerate known as the Shadow Collective, Death Watch was able to topple the ruling New Mandalorian regime, but the machinations of Maul, leader of the Collective, led to another civil war among the Death Watch, which split into the Collective-backed Mandalorian super commandos, and the Mandalore resistance, which was supported by the Republic. However, the conflict culminated in the occupation of Mandalore by the Galactic Republic and its subsequent government, the Galactic Empire, while Concord Dawn, the Protectors' headquarters, was transformed into a protectorate.

Following the rise of the Empire, Bo-Katan Kryze was made Regent of Mandalore, but she refused to follow Emperor Sheev Palpatine. As a result, she was replaced with Gar Saxon, a former Mandalorian super commando, who was installed as Viceroy over Mandalore, his rule enforced by the Imperial Super Commandos. As with many worlds in the galaxy, Mandalore was oppressed under Imperial rule, with weapons such as the Arc Pulse Generator being developed to pacify and rein in the war-like civilization, while the Mandalorian Protectors under Fenn Rau were forced to serve the Empire on Concord Dawn. However, during the Galactic Civil War, the Empire's rule on Mandalore was opposed by the Mandalorian resistance, which was supported by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, and was also joined by Fenn Rau after the Protectors' destruction. After the deaths of Gar Saxon and his brother and successor, Governor Tiber Saxon, Bo-Katan Kryze, after receiving the Darksaber from Sabine Wren of Clan Wren, assumed the position of Mand'alor. Kryze united the Mandalorian resistance as another civil war erupted on Mandalore, a part of the galaxy-wide struggle against Imperial rule. Kryze's reign as Mand'alor was short lived, however, and the Empire started the Great Purge of Mandalore, killing millions of Mandalorians during the Night of a Thousand Tears, while Kryze lost the Darksaber to Moff Gideon.

After the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, and following the Empire's Great Purge of Mandalore, the surviving Mandalorians went into hiding. One such group, the Tribe, hid in a covert on Nevarro. The Tribe, which was secretly part of the Children of the Watch, followed the Way of the Mandalore, an ancient religion that had been almost completely forgotten, but is still held true by the Mandalorians that still exist.

(The Mandalorian code) The Mandalorian code is a set of principles that traditional Mandalorian warriors follow. It has three main aspects, known as the Canons of Honor: Strength is life: The strong have the right to rule and conquer the weak. Honor is life: Honor is maintained through combat, and death is acceptable if it's honorable. Loyalty is life: A clan gives Mandalorians purpose. The code can be used to settle disputes through one-on-one combat

The Six Actions (Resol'nare) These are the foundational rules for Mandalorian culture, unifying the people: Wear armor: Armor signifies identity and protection. Speak the language: Using Mando'a reinforces cultural bonds. Defend yourself and your family: Paramount importance is placed on protecting loved ones. Raise your children as Mandalorians: Ensuring the continuation of their way of life. Contribute to the clan's welfare: Supporting the community. Rally to the Mand'alor's cause: Loyalty to their leader.

The Way specific religious rules, emphasizing unity and foundling care. Never remove the helmet: A strict adherence to anonymity and unity, as seen with Din Djarin. Protect other Mandalorians: A deep sense of solidarity. Honor Foundlings: Taking in and raising foundlings (orphans/castaways) is a sacred duty, considered the highest honor, leading to the saying, "This is the Way". The code is reinforced by the phrase "This is the Way"

The galaxy had a diameter of 120,000 light-years, over 400 billion stars, more than 3.2 billion habitable star systems, and at least two companion galaxies, one of which was the Rishi Maze. Outside its borders, the galaxy was surrounded by the intergalactic void. Within its space, the galaxy was divided into several regions. The regions were subdivided into sectors and then star systems which contained planets. During the reign of the Galactic Empire, oversectors were created and were composed of several sectors ruled by a Grand Moff. Notable sectors/autonomous regions included the Arkanis sector, Bothan Space, Centrality, Corporate Sector, Gordian Reach, Greater Javin, Hapes Consortium, Hutt Space, Mandalorian Space, Moddell sector, Senex-Juvex, Tion Cluster, and Western Reaches.

The Standard Galactic Grid was used to give the location of a galactic point in grid coordinates. Areas of the galactic disk could be referred to as the galactic north, south, east and west. Notable points of interest were the fifty wonders of the Core Worlds, thirty wonders of the Mid Rim Territories and the twenty-five wonders of the Outer Rim Territories. There were millions of sentient species in the galaxy. Millions of billions of individual beings called the galaxy home.

The Deep Core served as the innermost and most brightly lit region of space. It was densely-packed with stars, nebulae, and other anomalies. As such, it was dangerous to navigate, leaving it relatively few explorers. It was from here that the ancient, super-massive black hole known as the Galactic Centre bound the galaxy together.

The Core Worlds were home to the richest and most important worlds in the galaxy. Densely inhabited and located on the strategic ends of several major trade lanes, its planets were hubs of fashion, education, finance, and technology. These core world consists of Coruscant: The iconic, planet-wide city and seat of galactic government for millennia. Corellia: A major industrial world and key shipbuilding center, famous for its starship engineers. Chandrila: The homeworld of Mon Mothma, serving as a capital for the New Republic. Hosnian Prime: Another capital of the New Republic, located near Coruscant. Kuat: Home to the massive Kuat Drive Yards, a primary source of starships. Duro: An ancient world, significant in Republic history, known for its spacefaring Duros species. Brentaal IV: A trade hub. Anaxes: Another vital shipyard world, though later destroyed. Corulag: A prominent system.

Mid Rim: A transitional zone, home to major trade routes and developing worlds. Outer Rim: The frontier, less governed and filled with unique cultures and criminal elements. Unknown Regions/Wild Space: Uncharted, mysterious, and dangerous areas beyond known space.

The Force is a mystical energy field that connects all living things, granting special powers (like telekinesis, mind tricks) to trained users (Jedi/Sith) and embodying a cosmic balance of good (light side) and evil (dark side) What it is: An omnipresent energy field created by all life that binds the galaxy together. How it works: Force-sensitive individuals (Jedi, Sith) can sense and manipulate it for superhuman feats (levitation, precognition). Duality: Has a light side (peace, selflessness) and a dark side (anger, selfishness), representing the struggle for balance. Purpose: Guides destiny, influences actions, and explores themes of good vs. evil, free will, and redemption.