The Mandalorian has proven itself to not only be one of the best original offerings on Disney+,
but one of the best new shows on television, period.
Its conflicted protagonist is a member of a dying race, a warlike yet honorable people
who once inhabited the planet Mandalore in the time of the Old Republic.
During the time period in which the series is set, in between the original and sequel
film trilogies, they're a people whose numbers are dwindling fast, due to a long, long history
of conflict that has led them to being forsaken by their own government and exiled to the
moon of Concordia, where they were left to die out.
While the history of Mandalore is a bit fluid, one thing that has never changed is the race's
distinctive armor, armor which has been very familiar to fans ever since the first big-screen
appearance of the bounty hunter Boba Fett in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes
Back.
Before the release of The Mandalorian, it was even speculated by some fans that the
title character might actually be Boba Fett, as that character's fate has been retconned
since his seemingly fatal plunge into the Sarlacc pit in Star Wars Episode VI: Return
of the Jedi.
It turns out that Boba is still alive, meaning that he may very well be wandering the galaxy
during the events of The Mandalorian, but the differences between the two characters
are many, and significant.
All of these differences stem from the most obvious one: Boba Fett isn't actually Mandalorian.
He's a clone of Jango Fett, who claimed to hail from Concord Dawn, a planet within the
Mandalore system.
Although Jango wore Mandalorian armor outfitted with the types of bells and whistles common
to those worn by the warrior race, he had been disavowed by the Mandalorian government,
which regarded him as nothing more than a scoundrel, a common mercenary whose only interest
was in a paycheck.
This goes to the core of the differences between Boba Fett, who followed in his father's footsteps
in becoming the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy, and the Mandalorian, whose
identity is very strongly tied to his homeworld and its culture.
"What caused this damage?"
"A Mudhorn."
"Then you have earned the Mudhorn as your signit.
I shall craft it."
While both Boba and the Mandalorian are seen operating as bounty hunters, and both operate
mostly according to the codes of that profession, that and their armor is basically where the
similarities end.
This is because, like his father before him, Boba Fett's code of honor is largely his own,
untethered to any larger philosophy, which stands in stark contrast to the Mandalorian,
whose code isn't just a personal preference, but his actual religion.
In the series' second episode, the titular Mandalorian states explicitly: "I'm a Mandalorian.
Weapons are part of my religion."
So, too, is Beskar steel, the substance from which much of the Mandalorian's armor is forged,
and which is considered by members of his race to be a religious sacrament.
Boba Fett, by contrast, has no such spiritual connection to Beskar, his weapons, or Mandalorian
culture.
His use of Mandalorian armor and tactics is largely an accident; his father had used his
loose, if even existent, connection to Mandalore to bolster his own reputation, and indeed,
his use of Manadlorian armor was quite effective in striking fear into the hearts of his quarry.
According to Boba Fett's backstory, though, the bounty hunter essentially wore the armor
because his father did.
What.
A. Daddy's boy.
One could certainly make the case that the Mandalorian's connection to his dying culture
and the ways of Mandalore make him a far more interesting character than Boba Fett ever
was.
They may both be a couple of bounty hunters in cool armor perpetually on the hunt for
their next job, but the Mandalorian's reaction to the sticky situation in which he finds
himself after taking custody of Baby Yoda is informed by more than his need for a payday.
It's informed by the strong sense of honor which is typical of all Mandalorians, and
it's even safe to say that if Boba Fett had found himself in the same situation, he might
have decided to save himself a major hassle by simply terminating his green, cuddly target,
and settling for the slightly smaller fee.
"Bounty hunters!
We don't need their scum."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about the Star Wars universe are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.