The newest episode of The Mandalorian, Chapter 18, “The Mines of Mandalore,” features Mando and Grogu searching for the titular mines. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) believes that he must reach the mines in order to be redeemed in the eyes of his people, the Children of the Watch. But what exactly are the Mines of Mandalore and how exactly would they redeem him?
The Mines of Mandalore
The Mines of Mandalore are the beskar mines beneath the Mandalorian capital city of Sundari. The city was featured in many episodes of The Clone Wars, but we heard nothing of the mines until the Armorer cast Din Djarin out for the crime of removing his helmet willingly. This could be explained by Duchess Satine Kryze (Bo-Katan’s sister) having ruled Mandalore as a pacifist and neutral system during that time. Duchess Satine infamously hated the warrior culture of her people and sought to prioritize rebuilding over maintaining the ancient ways. This led to the rise of Death Watch (and by extension, the Children of the Watch) and Mandalore falling into yet another civil war by the end of the Clone Wars.
The history of the mines
When Mandalore was still a warrior culture, the mines were a site of redemption and rebirth. Mandalorians who were taking the Creed or seeking redemption would bathe in the Living Waters while reciting the Creed. While Bo-Katan saw the waters as symbolic, some Mandalorians (like Din’s Clan) are much more superstitious and believe the waters to have power, though what kind has yet to be explained.
The site also features a plaque that reads the following: “These mines date back to the age of the first Mandalore. According to ancient folklore, the mines were once a mythosaur lair. Mandalore the Great is said to have tamed the mythical beast. It is from these legends that the skull signet was adopted and became the symbol of our planet.”
Of course, in Star Wars, there’s always a bit of truth to the legends, as shown when Bo-Katan discovers a mythosaur in the Living Waters of the mines.
The mythosaur
The mythosaur was mentioned in the very first episode of the show, when Kuiil told Din that if his ancestors could ride a mythosaur, then he could learn to ride a blurg. But the skull signet has been featured in the design of Mandalorians since the creation of Boba Fett.
Knowing that there is a living mythosaur opens yet another path to regaining the respect of all Mandalorians and rallying the people to the cause. If Bo-Katan or Din Djarin can tame the mythosaur, then they would earn the people’s respect and hopefully raise an army. Though it also begs the question: Would Mandalorians prefer to follow someone who wields the darksaber or someone who rides a mythosaur?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see if we’re headed for a Mandalorian reconstruction or yet another civil war.
(featured image: Disney+)
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