Star Wars' Mandalorian Timeline & History Explained (2024)

Mandalorians have been renowned as the greatest warriors in the Star Wars galaxy, and they have an extensive history to prove it. The earliest stories of Mandalorians originated as a result of Boba Fett and his armor, and they have since expanded into a rich history in Star Wars canon that has at long last been brought to live-action. From the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series to the live-action The Mandalorian TV show, the Mandalorian timeline has evolved immensely.

In Star Wars, dates are based upon the years before and after the Battle of Yavin, as seen in A New Hope. Anything that occurs in the years before the battle is designated "X" years before the Battle of Yavin (BBY), while events that occurred afterward are designated "X" years after the Battle of Yavin (ABY). This full Mandalorian timeline will use the same system of dating to frame their history within the greater Star Wars galaxy.

The Old Republic (25,000 BBY - 1032 BBY)

Settling Mandalore & Planetary Conquests

The ancient history of Mandalore goes back to about 10,000 BBY, when the Mandalorians are said to have first originated. When settling on Mandalore, the Mandalorians were able to tame the great Mythosaur, the massive, mythical beasts that act as the unifying symbol of their people. Mandalore the Great was their first ruler, and under him and his successors, the Mandalorians established themselves as the galaxy's greatest warriors. This ambition caused many Mandalorians to gain a hunger for war, and soon a group known as the Mandalorian Crusaders formed and conquered other worlds - including Concord Dawn, Kalevala, and Krownest.

The Mandalorian-Jedi Wars

As the Mandalorian warriors continued to make a name for themselves, they earned an ancient enemy in the Jedi. The two groups of warriors began to have conflicts with one another, which became known as the Mandalorian-Jedi wars. The Mandalorians' experience fighting Jedi in these wars is what caused them to produce weapons and armor that could defeat a Jedi, including the forging of beskar.

These wars between the Mandalorians and the Jedi were on-and-off for many years, until the final battle resulted in the devastation of Mandalore. The planet's surface was scorched so badly by the battle that took place on Mandalore that the Mandalorians could only continue living there in domed cities, such as the civic center Sundari. These groups, however, were not always in conflict.

Tarre Vizsla & The Darksaber

Tarre Vizsla became the first Mandalorian Jedi during the Old Republic Era, as he was inducted into the Jedi Order as a child. After becoming a fully fledged Jedi Knight, Tarre returned to his people and used his power for the sake of his homeworld. He established House Vizsla and, after earning the title of Mand'alor, he even created a smaller group known as Clan Vizsla. Much of his legacy, however, resides with the blade he forged.

Tarre built the famed Darksaber, a unique type of lightsaber that was preserved in the Jedi Temple following Tarre's death. This blade became a massively important symbol, and its unique crafting as a result of the beskar in its hilt made it extremely desirable. When House Vizsla infiltrated the Jedi Temple and stole the weapon back for themselves, the conflict between the Mandalorians and Jedi arose once again, despite the temporary mend Tarre's status as a Mandalorian Jedi had earned them.

The Galactic Republic (1032 BBY - 19 BBY)

The Mandalorian Civil War (Great Clan Wars)

There was peace on Mandalore for many years after the devastation of the planet's surface, which caused many Mandalorians to look towards pacifism rather than their ancient warrior ways. This group called themselves the New Mandalorians, but they were opposed by traditionalists who were referred to as the Old Mandalorians. Around 41 BBY, war broke out between the two groups, though ultimately the New Mandalorians won and ended the war circa 39 BBY. duch*ess Satine Kryze, an avid member of the pacifist movement, was put on the throne, while the Old Mandalorians were exiled to the moon of Concordia.

The Rise of Death Watch

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Animation

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

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The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars takes place between Episodes 2 and 3 of the Star Wars film saga. The fan-favorite series expands the story of the prequel trilogy through characters including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and more fan-favorite jedi.

Cast

Matt Lanter , James Arnold Taylor , Ashley Eckstein , Dee Bradley Baker , Matthew Wood , Tom Kane , Catherine Taber , Terrence Carson , Corey Burton , Nika Futterman , Katee Sackhoff , Sam Witwer

Release Date

October 3, 2008

Seasons

7

Network

Disney Channel

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

Writers

Dave Filoni , George Lucas

Directors

Dave Filoni

Showrunner

Dave Filoni

See Also

Mandalore: Everything you need to know about the Mandalorian home planetWho Are the Mandalorians?Mandalore Explained: What Is the Planet The Mandalorian Calls Home? - IGN

These exiled Mandalorians soon formed into Death Watch, a terrorist group who aimed to bring back the warrior ways of their ancestors. They acted mostly during the Clone Wars, beginning in 22 BBY, under the leadership of Pre Vizsla - a descendent of Tarre Vizsla who wielded the Darksaber. Satine's sister, Bo-Katan Kryze, was also a member of his leadership team, and she aided in Death Watch's efforts to overthrow Satine and take over Mandalore. Satine's desire to maintain neutrality kept her from accepting any aid from the Republic, though Obi-Wan Kenobi did come to investigate and offer the duch*ess protection.

Bo-Katan Kryze

The sister of Satine Kryze, Bo-Katan allied with extremist factions of Mandalore - unwittingly dividing her people, creating opportunities for the Separatists and Darth Maul. Bo-Katan spent much of her life seeking redemption, attempting to unite the Mandalorians against the Empire, but ultimately surrendered to Moff Gideon in an attempt to save her people from a genocidal Imperial attack. In The Mandalorian era, Bo-Katan has successfully reclaimed Mandalore and become the new Man'dalore - her people's chosen ruler.

Created By

Dave Filoni

Cast

Katee Sackhoff

First Appearance

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Alliance

Mandalorians

Race

Mandalorian

TV Shows

Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels , The Mandalorian

Franchise

Star Wars

Darth Maul & The Siege Of Mandalore

Pre Vizsla's desperation led to him and Death Watch striking a deal with Darth Maul, who was seeking to establish and expand his criminal empire known as the Shadow Collective. When all was said and done, however, Maul betrayed Vizsla and challenged him to a duel for the throne of Mandalore. He killed Pre Vizsla and took his place as the ruler of Mandalore, causing Death Watch to split - including Bo-Katan. Maul went on to execute Satine, who had been in captivity until Maul lured Obi-Wan on-world to kill her in front of him as an act of revenge.

Darth Maul

Palpatine's apprentice, Darth Maul was nothing more than a tool to winnow down the ranks of the Jedi ahead of Darth Sidious' true plans. Discarded after he was defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo, Darth Maul swore revenge against all those he blamed for his past struggles - Jedi and Sith alike. Maul tended to operate within the shadows, running various syndicates, and even established himself as a true rival for Palpatine on at least one occasion. He was eventually killed by Obi-Wan in a duel on Tatooine.

Created By

George Lucas

Cast

Ray Park , Sam Witwer

First Appearance

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Died

Star Wars Rebels

Alliance

Sith/Shadow Collective, Crimson Dawn

Race

Zabrak

Movies

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace , Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

TV Shows

Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels

Franchise

Star Wars

In 19 BBY, Bo-Katan approached former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano for help in defeating Maul, and with the assistance of Clone Commander Rex and a division of the 501st Legion, Ahsoka helped her lead the battle known as the Siege of Mandalore. Those of Death Watch who remained loyal to Maul fought against Bo-Katan and Ahsoka's forces until Tano dueled Maul and captured him, putting an end to the conflict. Maul held on to the Darksaber while the Clone Wars came to an end, leaving Mandalore's fate undetermined with no set ruler and a power vacuum.

Ahsoka Tano

The apprentice of Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano was an accomplished Padawan who served during the Clone Wars. Ahsoka left the Jedi after she became disillusioned with the Jedi Council, but returned to serve in the Siege of Mandalore at the end of the Clone Wars. She survived Order 66, becoming a Rebel agent during the Dark Times of the Empire's reign, and her adventures continue in the New Republic era. Ahsoka was last seen stranded in a distant galaxy, having failed to prevent Grand Admiral Thrawn's return.

Created By

George Lucas , Dave Filoni

Cast

Ashley Eckstein , Rosario Dawson

First Appearance

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

Alias

Ashla, Fulcrum

Alliance

Jedi

Race

Togruta

TV Shows

Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels , Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi , The Mandalorian , Ahsoka

Franchise

Star Wars

The Galactic Empire (19 BBY - 4 ABY)

Fenn Rau, Gar Saxon, & Imperial Super Commandos

The Empire was able to take advantage of Mandalore's instability in the aftermath of Maul's rule, and thus the planet remained mainly under their control. A Mandalorian named Fenn Rau was paid by the Empire to protect the Mandalore system with a group known as his Protectors, while Gar Saxon, who previously swore his loyalty to Maul, acted as the Emperor's Hand. Many other Mandalorians served in the Imperial Military as Imperial Super Commandos, some of the most elite of the Empire's forces. Mandalore remained loyal to the Empire's rule for most of the Dark Times.

The Liberation of Mandalore

Star Wars Rebels

Animation

Adventure

Action

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Set between Episodes III and IV of the Star Wars film franchise, Star Wars Rebels is a canon animated series that follows a group of ragtag heroes who band together to face the Empire. In an age where the Galactic Empire is hunting down the last of the Jedi, a teenage outcast named Ezra Bridger is discovered to be force sensitive by a surviving Jedi known as Kanan Jarrus. Agreeing to join them and accept Jedi training, Ezra becomes a part of a small but growing crew of rebels determined to destroy the empire covertly.

Cast

David Oyelowo , Steve Blum , Freddie Prinze Jr. , Tiya Sircar , Vanessa Marshall , Jason Isaacs , Taylor Gray

Seasons

4

Network

Disney Channel

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

Writers

Dave Filoni , Greg Weisman

Directors

Dave Filoni

Showrunner

Dave Filoni , Simon Kinberg

In 2 BBY, Sabine Wren came upon the Darksaber in Maul's home on Dathomir, and after Fenn Rau joined the Rebellion as a result of his Protectors being killed by Gar Saxon, Sabine decided to return to her homeworld. As a member of the early Rebellion, Sabine was shunned by her family Clan Wren, who remained loyal to the Empire. They eventually took her side, and after Saxon and Sabine dueled for the Darksaber, Sabine's mother Ursa Wren killed Saxon. Sabine stepped away from the Rebellion to remain with her family, continuing their plans for the liberation of Mandalore.

In 1 BBY, Sabine and Bo-Katan joined together to lead several clans against the Empire on Mandalore. Sabine was able to save her father, who had been in the Empire's captivity, and also gained a few of her Ghost crew friends to assist. The Empire was utilizing a weapon called "the duch*ess" that Sabine had created while forced to be a part of the Imperial Academy, which could target and destroy any Mandalorian wearing beskar.

After destroying the weapon at Bo-Katan's side, Mandalore was liberated, and Sabine offered the Darksaber to Bo-Katan. Bo-Katan took it and became the ruler of Mandalore, free from the Empire's influence. Sabine went on to train as a Jedi under Ahsoka Tano's teachings, though the two ended up parting ways at some point without completing her training.

Sabine Wren

A Mandalorian rebel, Sabine is a technological genius whose ideas were turned against her own people by the Empire. She served as an important member of the Lothal cell for years, only to return to her own people for a time with the knowledge and skills she had cultivated. More recently, Sabine has unlocked her nascent ability to access the Force, becoming Ahsoka Tano's Padawan.

Created By

Dave Filoni

Cast

Natasha Liu Bordizzo , Tiya Sircar

First Appearance

Star Wars Rebels

Alliance

Mandalorians, Rebel Alliance, Jedi

Race

Mandalorian

TV Shows

Star Wars Rebels , Ahsoka

Franchise

Star Wars

The New Republic (4 ABY - 34 ABY)

The Great Purge of Mandalore

Between 4 ABY and 9 ABY, following the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War, Mandalore was destroyed by the Empire in what was named the Great Purge. Moff Gideon was the Imperial officer responsible for its destruction, which was presumably a part of Emperor Palpatine's contingency plan Operation: Cinder. Bo-Katan made a deal to surrender to Moff Gideon in exchange for all surviving Mandalorian lives to be spared, but he betrayed her and took the Darksaber before bombing the surface in the Night of a Thousand Tears. Clan Wren was one of the many Mandalorian clans who perished on Mandalore.

This event made many Mandalorians believe the planet was entirely uninhabitable, and any surviving Mandalorians were forced to scatter around the galaxy. Those who still lived on Concordia, known as the Children of the Watch, strictly adhered to the ancient way of their people and took a vow to never remove their helmets, believing it would keep them safe. They also believed that the planet was cursed because of Bo-Katan's actions as leader. They still fled the Mandalorian moon and hid just as the other survivors did, leading many others in the galaxy to believe that Mandalorians were nearly extinct.

Din Djarin, Grogu, & Nevarro's Imperial Remnant

The Mandalorian

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

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Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

The Mandalorian is set after the Empire's fall and before the First Order's emergence in the ever-growing Star Wars universe. The series follows the travails of a lone gunfighter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic. Acting as the first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian has become incredibly popular on Disney+, partly due to Mando’s relationship with Grogu, which the internet dubbed “Baby Yoda” upon his introduction in season 1.

Cast

Werner Herzog , Emily Swallow , Pedro Pascal , Katee Sackhoff , Giancarlo Esposito , Omid Abtahi , Carl Weathers , Gina Carano , Nick Nolte

Release Date

November 12, 2019

Seasons

3

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

Writers

Jon Favreau

Directors

Jon Favreau , Taika Waititi , Bryce Dallas Howard

Showrunner

Jon Favreau

In 9 ABY, bounty hunter Din Djarin received a commission from an Imperial warlord on Nevarro for a 50-year-old asset. The bounty ended up being a Force-sensitive child of Master Yoda's species named Grogu, and after initially turning him in for a suit of new beskar, Din broke into the Imperial safe house to rescue Grogu himself. He escaped Nevarro with the help of the Children of the Watch, his covert who revealed themselves in favor of assisting one of their own kind.

Din and Grogu were chased by bounty hunters all around the Outer Rim until finally assembling a team of close allies to take out the warlord. Din ended up facing off against Moff Gideon, who he believed to be dead after his TIE fighter crashed. Despite this, Moff Gideon survived, and it was revealed that he still had possession of the Darksaber.

Din Djarin

Din Djarin was once a lone bounty who has since tasked himself with raising his adopted son and Mandalorian apprentice, Grogu. Born on Aq Vetina and raised on Concordia by the Mandalorian faction the Children of the Watch, Din is an orphan and Mandalorian foundling who has risked both his life and his Mandalorian Creed to protect Grogu. Djarin has become an important part of the galaxy's fight against the Imperial Remnant that lingers in the wake of the Empire's fall, as he is now working under-the-table for the fledgling New Republic's rangers.

Created By

Jon Favreau , Dave Filoni

Cast

Pedro Pascal

First Appearance

The Mandalorian

Alias

Mando

Alliance

Mandalorians

Race

Mandalorian

Movies

TV Shows

The Mandalorian , The Book of Boba Fett (2021)

Franchise

Star Wars

Din Djarin's Search For Jedi

Din and Grogu were made into a clan of two by the leader of his covert, the Armorer, and she quested him to return Grogu to his own kind. Din began to search the galaxy for more Mandalorians to help guide him, eventually crossing paths with Bo-Katan on the planet Trask. She guided him to Ahsoka, who refused to train Grogu due to his strong attachment to Din.

Ahsoka sent the duo to the seeing stone on Tython, where Grogu was captured by Moff Gideon. Din had to break his creed by removing his helmet to get the coordinates to Moff Gideon's light cruiser, but with the help of Bo-Katan and other allies, he was able to rescue Grogu. In his fight with Moff Gideon, however, Din accidentally won the Darksaber, which Bo-Katan had been seeking to do as a part of her efforts to reclaim Mandalore.

This issue was pushed aside when Moff Gideon's dark troopers threatened to destroy them all, until Luke Skywalker arrived and took care of the threat. As the Jedi who answered Grogu's call on Tython, he took Grogu with him, but not without Din removing his helmet for Grogu one more time. This left Din with a broken creed, and Bo-Katan with her plans to reclaim Mandalore thwarted.

The Quest To Mandalore For Redemption

As a result of removing his helmet to save Grogu, Din was exiled from his tribe, with redemption only possible in the Living Waters beneath the Mines of Mandalore. With the Darksaber still in hand, Din assisted Boba Fett in the Battle of Mos Espa, where he was reunited with Grogu after the foundling had chosen to return to his Mandalorian father figure, rather than continue his Jedi training. This set Din back on his quest for redemption on Mandalore, with him even approaching Bo-Katan on Kalevala in the interest of helping her efforts to reclaim the planet.

Bo-Katan insisted her plans were ruined by the Darksaber falling into his hands, and so Din and Grogu went to Mandalore on their own. After testing the atmosphere, Din found that the planet wasn't cursed, and he and Grogu made their way down to the Mines of Mandalore. Din was captured and incapacitated by a cyborg before he could get there, ordering Grogu to leave and get help from Bo-Katan. She and Grogu returned to the planet and saved Din, with Bo-Katan using the Darksaber that Din had been disarmed of to do so.

After Din recovered, Bo-Katan guided him to the Living Waters, and she leapt in after him when the floor gave way to a giant chasm. There, Bo-Katan saw a Mythosaur, though she kept it to herself as she and the redeemed Din made their way off the planet. They were pursued by TIE interceptors who destroyed Bo-Katan's castle, and so Din took Bo-Katan with him back to his covert's new hideout, where they both officially earned redemption from the Armorer.

The Way & The Siege of Nevarro

Though she used to mock the way the Children of the Watch lived, Bo-Katan found peace and unity upon living amongst Din's people. When Din was informed by New Republic ranger Carson Teva that Nevarro was under siege by pirates, he inspired his covert to go and rescue the planet, officially ushering them out from the shadows. He and Bo-Katan led the battle that saved Nevarro and earned their people a new home there. The Armorer, satisfied with Bo-Katan's actions, told her to remove her helmet and begin the effort to reclaim Mandalore.

The Reclamation of Mandalore

Din joined Bo-Katan on her venture to win back the favor of her people, the Nite Owls, who had split from her when she lost the Darksaber to him. After assisting the planet Plazir-15 with a droid problem, they were allowed an audience with the Mandalorians-turned-mercenaries. Bo-Katan challenged Axe Woves for leadership of the group, and then Din officially presented her with the Darksaber that she technically won by defeating the cyborg that had defeated him. The Mandalorians unified under Bo-Katan's Darksaber, and after bringing them all together on Nevarro, Bo-Katan set the plans to return to Mandalore.

A scouting party consisting of Bo-Katan, Din, Grogu, and more went to the surface in search of the Great Forge, the heart of Mandalorian civilization. They came across a group of Mandalorian survivors on the planet who lived in the Great Forge. After Bo-Katan told the truth of her surrender to Moff Gideon and received inspiration from Din to keep all the Mandalorians together, they made their way to the Great Forge and immediately fell under fire from Imperial Super Commandos.

The Mandalorians were lured into a trap set by Moff Gideon within his secret base on Mandalore, which saw Din captured and Paz Vizsla sacrificing his life to help the rest of the Mandalorians get away safely. Axe Woves was able to warn the fleet, who then came down to the surface to join their fellow Mandalorians in a battle against Moff Gideon and his Imperial Super Commandos. Meanwhile, Grogu helped to free Din, who then pursued Moff Gideon and attempted to fight him one-on-one.

Bo-Katan eventually intervened to let Din help Grogu with a group of Praetorian Guards, and the two fought in a duel during which the Darksaber was destroyed. Axe crashed the light cruiser into the base to finish off their end of the battle, but Din and Grogu joined Bo-Katan in killing Moff Gideon. They eventually succeeded when he was burned by the crashed ship, and Grogu protected the rest of them from the flames.

Rebuilding Mandalore & Hunting Imperials

A ceremony was done at the Living Waters that allowed the late Paz Vizsla's foundling to officially swear the creed, during which Din also adopted Grogu to make him a Mandalorian apprentice under the name of Din Grogu. The Armorer told Din to take Grogu on his apprentice journeys, which saw Din and Grogu leave Mandalore to reside on Nevarro for the time being. Bo-Katan lit the fires of the Great Forge with the help of the Armorer, officially uniting all the Mandalorians together and beginning the rebuilding of their planet.

Din approached Carson Teva at the New Republic outpost on Adelphi to make an under-the-table deal for him to bounty hunt Imperials around the Outer Rim. Carson agreed, and later on, the New Republic ranger ended up being a part of a mission to assist the newly reunited Sabine and Ahsoka on Seatos as they pursued the threat of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Sabine made it to another galaxy on a planet named Peridea, where Thrawn had been trapped, and she ended up being left behind with Ahsoka when Thrawn escaped back to the familiar Star Wars galaxy.