In The Mandalorian Season 3, Mandalore, the famous home planet of Din Djarin, plays a pivotal role for the titular hero. The planet made its first live-action appearance in “Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore,” but it was far from being a lush oasis of peace. In fact, Mandalore looked like a wasteland inhabited by deadly creatures and mythological beasts. But what exactly happened to Mandalore, and why is it so much of a fractured and unsettled place?
What Happened to Mandalore During the Great Purge?
During the Great Purge, the Empire laid waste to Mandalore and nearly wiped out the Mandalorian people. A massive bombardment led by Moff Gideon destroyed much of the Mandalorian culture, forcing many Mandalorians to go into hiding or seek refuge in other parts of the galaxy. The capital itself, Sundari, was razed to the ground by the Empire.
By wiping out Mandalore, the Empire sought to maintain control over the galaxy and eliminate any potential threats to its power. Due to their warrior culture and reputation as fierce fighters, the Empire’s authority saw the Mandalorians as a potential threat. Plus, the Mandalorians had the valuable beskar and weaponry, including the Darksaber, that interested the Empire.
The Mandalorian people had a long history of resistance against outside forces and fought against the Empire during the Clone Wars. Bo-Katan Kryze played a crucial role in resisting the Empire’s efforts to wipe out her people. She was a thorn in Gideon’s side during the Purge and never ceased to hunt him even after. Their rivalry came to a head in The Mandalorian Season 2 when Bo-Katan and Din Djarin defeated and captured Gideon.
What Led to the Great Purge?
Safe for a few flashback sequences in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, the Great Purge has never been depicted on the screen. However, the Star Wars franchise has explored the causes and consequences of the catastrophic event in various forms of media, including the Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels animated series.
To summarize what is a long and convoluted story from the last years of the Republic, Satine Kryze led a pacifist government that opposed the warrior ways of traditional Mandalorian culture. At the time, Satine’s estranged sister, Bo-Katan, was part of the Death Watch, a group of Mandalorian extremists who sought to overthrow Satine’s government and return Mandalore to its warrior roots.
Both parties fought to take over Mandalore in a civil war whose winner resulted in Maul and his Shadow Collective, a group of different criminal factions from across the galaxy. Ultimately, Ahsoka Tano defeated Maul during the Siege of Mandalore, which had far-reaching consequences and set the stage for the rise of the Empire and the events of the Original Trilogy.
