The Mandalorian has returned for Season 3 and whereas Din Djarin and Grogu stay centerstage, there may be additionally a notably bigger function this season for Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff).
Whereas each are Mandalorians, the connection between Bo-Katan and Din Djarin is decidedly difficult. They’ve labored collectively as allies, whereas having very completely different concepts about what a “true” Mandalorian is supposed to be, together with her not believing she must put on her helmet always. Nevertheless it’s the Darksaber, who wields it, and the way they go about doing so, that now appears to be like to be the best supply of friction between the 2.
I spoke to Sackhoff and The Mandalorian Govt Producer / Director Rick Famuyiwa about Bo-Katan’s present way of thinking, the deep historical past of the character, and components of the character’s life Sackhoff want to discover additional, together with her being an ally of a sure well-known Jedi.
BO AND DIN’S BOGUS JOURNEY?
There is no such thing as a higher image for Bo-Katan’s triumph and tragedy than the Darksaber, a weapon she as soon as wielded because the chief of Mandalore solely to lose it to Moff Gideon (in a battle we now have but to be taught the small print of). Nonetheless, some Mandalore like Din Djarin’s personal Tribe imagine the truth that Bo-Katan was gifted the Darksaber by Sabine Wren, relatively than profitable it in fight as is custom, put a curse on their folks, resulting in the horrific occasions of the Nice Purge of Mandalore.
Now Din Djarin has the Darksaber and, not wishing to repeat the previous, Bo-Katan has refused it when he tried to offer it to her, believing she should now abide by custom to as soon as once more be its proprietor. Which after all would imply she should struggle Din Djarin.
So the place does that depart Bo-Katan by way of her emotions about Din Djarin? Stated Sackhoff, “I believe at this level, he’s actually only a thorn in her facet. He has what she desires and there’s just one approach to get it. I believe that’s the solely factor she’s fascinated by. She has nothing left, she has no dwelling, she has no household, she’s doesn’t have the Darksaber. With out the Darksaber, she will be able to’t rule. That’s all she’s wished, as a result of she thought that’s what would deliver her folks collectively. I believe that she’s in a extremely darkish place. And he represents that.”
Rick Famuyiwa, stated, with a chuckle, that it’s true Bo-Katan isn’t in the very best place, “which is nice for us as filmmakers, as a result of that’s at all times the place you need your characters to be.” He added, “Bo has had a sure thought about who she is and her management and what that’s and a sure plan that she thought was going to come back to impact that she can be part of. Clearly coming in touch with Din Djarin modified that and never having the Darksaber modifications that. So I believe, for her, it turns into a couple of redefinition of what meaning to be a pacesetter, to be a Mandalorian.”
THE CORE OF THE MANDALORIAN
Concerning the completely different viewpoints Bo-Katan and Din Djarin and their respective sects have had about being a Mandalorian, Sackhoff noticed, “All of them observe The Means. It’s kind of a type of issues the place everyone has the identical textual content, everyone learn the identical factor, we simply interpreted it in a different way.”
Famuyiwa famous that whilst Din Djarin tries to make as much as his Tribe for his supposed sin of eradicating his helmet round others, he’s been affected by his encounters with others, noting, “He’s seen different Mandalorians, which has expanded his thought of what what this meant, together with when he met Bo-Katan particularly. And so I believe a whole lot of these concepts proceed to be explored.”
He added that he felt the most important a part of what Season 3 is is specializing in determining “Actually a definition of the title of the present, The Mandalorian. What meaning each individually for Din Djarin however actually what it means collectively as a folks with so many alternative views on what that’s.”
A BUSY LIFE
Sackhoff has now had a notably spectacular run as Bo-Katan which has lined three completely different TV collection she’s participated in over greater than a decade each as a voice actor and now onscreen as properly – whereas masking about 25 years of the character’s life, from her introduction in animation on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, to her appearances in Star Wars Rebels through the time of the Empire, to lastly enjoying the character in live-action in a post-Empire / New Republic galaxy on The Mandalorian.
Requested if it’s tough to get her thoughts round all the pieces the character has gone by way of, she replied, “It’s after which I simply discuss to Dave [Filoni] and it’s superb. One of many issues that I like greater than something is choosing his mind about her and the universe and issues which have occurred that we might not have seen as viewers and I simply find it irresistible. She’s grown a lot in the midst of her life and altered, as you’ll hope anybody would have over 25 years.” That being stated, Sackhoff remarked, “She’s nonetheless received rather a lot to get by way of and much more development to truly obtain earlier than she might even hope to perform any of her targets.”
Even with all of the Bo-Katan tales she’d been abel to inform, Sackhhoff stated she’s nonetheless excited to see what’s to come back or what else may very well be explored, noting, “suppose that there there’s a lot in Bo’s backstory that’s nonetheless present in a timeline that’s enjoying proper now.” Sackhoff introduced up one other Star Wars character we’ve seen on a Disney+ collection currently, remarking, “We all know she knew Obi-Wan. We all know that they’d contact and that may be a world that she might doubtlessly exist in…”
Whereas there’s been no announcement of Ewan McGregor returning for one more Obi-Wan Kenobi season, it’s actually intriguing to ponder the thought of seeing him reunite along with his outdated The Clone Wars-era ally, Bo-Katan, significantly given their shared connection as a result of her late sister, Satine.
Added Sackhoff, “There are locations that she might truly go nonetheless and we all know that Dave and Jon [Favreau] and everyone else is taking it very significantly. When one manufacturing does one factor, they ensure that shifting ahead that it really works for the remainder of the productions as a result of it’s this overarching factor the place they need that symbiosis between all of them. They need all the pieces to have the ability to go collectively and so they take it very significantly.”
New episodes of The Mandalorian debut Wednesdays on Disney+.
Eric Goldman is Managing Editor for Fandom. He is a bit obsessive about Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, theme parks, and horror motion pictures… and some different issues. Too many, TBH.
