#the children of the watch

[genyasglockk]

already tired of seeing people say "wow so now the armorer decides that there can be more than one Way 🙄 she casted din out of the covert and made him go through all that for nothing" y'all could not have misunderstood the armorer more. choosing to follow bo-katan is her way of making a statement. the children of the watch separated themselves from the rest of mandalore and have been an isolated group ever since. they follow their creed strictly and believe that real mandalorians never show their face. but following bo-katan is supposed to symbolize a new era for them. the armorer has accepted that if they really want to revive mandalore then all mandalorians have to be a united front and this means being open minded to the way others live.

this development doesn't mean that their creed is all of a sudden void. din didn't atone "for nothing" tcotw will most likely still follow their creed the way they always have. never showing their face isn't a nuisance or a consequence, it's just their way of life. din risked his life to bathe in the living waters because he wanted to. his creed is sacred to him. he wasn't just labeled an apostate he also felt like one. he atoned for himself. he genuinely values and believes in his creed.

i think that allowing bo-katan to lead them shows immense growth. learning that they can maintain their own beliefs while still being accepting of others is a huge step. i think its important that they're realizing that not being a child of the watch doesn't make you less of a mandalorian.

[mandalorianchronicles]

Mandalorian History 101

The following is a simplified timeline of all the major events in Mandalorian history leading up to The Clone Wars. This is compiled from the section of The Bounty Hunter Code dealing with Death Watch and Mandalorian history. It is copywrite 2014, the first year of the new canon. Though the book is not included in Disney canon, it was published after TCW episodes dealing Death Watch and not been refuted by anything in current canon, so there is no reason to believe it is not accurate. 

approx. 7000 BBY - The Taung race (Progenitors of present day Mandalorians) cleanse Mandalorian space of its inhabitants and lay down roots

approx. 4000 BBY - Mandalorians fight alongside the Sith in the Great Sith War, but are betrayed - Mand’alor the Ultimate opens up the creed to their slaves and conquered people because their race is dying out - They begin a campaign for galactic conquest called The Onlaught, but it was more to fill out their ranks with new recruits - They are defeated by the Republic and the Mandalorians lay low for a time

approx. 1100 BBY - Mand’alor the Uniter brought the best and brightest Mandalorians from the throughout the galaxy home - Warriors ruled, protecting the artisans, manufacturers, and laborers who supported them, and the vassals and servants who supported them in turn - The Darksaber is forged by Tarre Vizsla (the only Mandalorian to become a Jedi)

approx. 700 BBY - Mandalorians begin to stir again and the Jedi take up arms, nearly wiped them out in the “Annihilation” - The New Mandalorians who rejected the warrior ways gain power when the Republic installed them in the government - The Aka’liit (The Mandalorian Faithful to the warrior way) lived in the shadows, giving the allegiance to the True Mandalores they appointed

approx. 200 BBY - There is a split among the Faithful – some wanted to conquer any potential threats while others argued against starting wars and living by more peaceful means

approx. 60 BBY - The Faithful chose Jaster Mereel as the True Mandalore, who wanted to implement honorable rules of conduct for all Mandalorians on how they earn wealth by bounty hunting or the red trade - Tor Vizsla, who dreamed of Mandalorians returning to their roots as conquerors, split away and formed the Death Watch, becoming the Secret Mandalore. The Death Watch used the Darksaber (an heirloom of House Vizsla) as a symbol of their authority and made a decree than anyone could challenge the Secret Mandalore for leadership and “win” the Darksaber*

52 BBY - Tor Vizsla killed the True Mandalore, Jaster Mereel - Jango Fett’s adopted father

44 BBY - The Death Watch tricked the Jedi into eliminating the True Mandalorians for them

approx. 44-39 BBY - The Great Clan Wars take place within the ranks of the The Faithful - Adonai Kryze is killed in battle - Duchess Satine Kryze of the New Mandalorians assumes the throne of Mandalore - Tor Vizsla is killed by Jango Fett in 42 BBY - The Darksaber is entrusted to Pre Vizsla, governor of Concordia and the new Secret Mandalore of Death Watch, who takes in Bo-Katan Kryze as his protege

Since the Great Clan Wars take place after the True Mandalorians are wiped out, we know that Adonai Kryze was not part of their ranks. The following quote from Tor Vizsla concerning the Kryze family suggests that Adonai was one of his men, or was at least revered by him. Considering that Tor dies shortly after this is written, it’s not a big leap to see how Bo-Katan came to be on Concordia with Pre Vizsla, his successor. 

“Meanwhile, centuries of New Mandalorian lies had left the Mando’ade weak and soft. One of my kinswomen, the Duchess Satine Kryze, had been sent offworld as a child by her father, a mighy clan warlord, and she fell prey to the lies of the Jedi. After father perished in the Great Clan Wars, she betrayed his memory by becoming the leader of the New Mandalorians. Aided by Jedi tricks, she became the newest Anti-Mandalore, whereupon the exhausted Mando’ade flocked to her banner. Some of our warriors were exiled to the moon Concordia. Others – myself included – slipped away to resume the ba’slan shev’la.” - Tor Vizsla

* The decree that one could become Mand’alor by winning the Darksaber in combat from the current Mand’alor was an invention of Death Watch (in canon and legends), so it suggests a strong tie between Death Watch and the Children of the Watch that the latter is so hung up on this “tradition” when it’s only been a thing for about 70-75 years. 

[wonderlandsakura]

Hi.

So I just started watching Mando season 3 and I was reading up on Mando lore stuff in the break and now my brain is highlighting all that fun symbolism stuff, so I thought I would chat about it cause ranting to my friends was clearly not enough

(btw this is about the 3 factions of the Mando Civil War)

Anyway:

The fact that Din knows, and is sort of respected by, arguably, the last remaining members (and thus heads) of the clans that headed the 3 factions, the Vizslas (Paz), the Kryzes (Bo-Katan) and the Fetts of House Mereel (Boba), which were the leaders of the Death Watch, New Mandalorians and Haat Mandalorians respectively, is greatly amusing, especially since he's being set up to be the very unwilling and accidental Mand'alor, cause it means he's also technically gained the trust and respect of all 3 factions.

(AND technically also united them, since they've all protected Grogu, which doesn't have to count, but it would mean, symbolically, that he has already united Mandalore, from when the 3 factions were separated. Not that he couldn't actually get them all to work together, since he could totally call all these dudes (since he's had his dip) and they would very likely come help him, no questions asked)

And so, not only has our soft, silly little Mand'alor accidentally earned his title via conquest, he has also earned it by technically uniting the 3 factions, also accidentally, of course, so he's accidentally become even more qualified for his unwanted position. (+ a certain spoilery occurance, that honestly just makes him even more overqualified)

It's really the sword that chooses it's master isn't it.

Din definitely didn't choose the Mand'alor life, but boy, is it screaming crying throwing up choosing him.

[agentscamander-romanoff]

I just understood that I prefer Children of the Watch over other mandalorians,because they sort of have sense of community. The other group that is present to compare is Nite Owls and show doesn't show them in details,but we could see it throught the characters.

Nite Owls are mocking Children of the Watch for following The Way,old traditions,yet they can't follow Bo,because"by our traditions Mand'alore must possess the darksaber". Ironic,isn't it?

While Children of the Watch's position is illustrated by Din pledging loyalty to Bo-Katan.

"To be honest,it(darksaber) means nothing to me or my people,nor does station or bloodline. What means more to me is honor and loyalty and character..."

This quote extremly good describing Din and Children of the Watch.

Children of the Watch are more of found family,they are not ideal,they are fighting,but they are standing for each till the end. They revealed their whole covert just to save one Din and Grogu. Strategically,it's stupid to sacrfice everything for one member,but they are community,family,they loyal to each other untill the end.

[mando-din-lorian]

Look I know it’s not going to happen, but do you know how great it would be if all the Mando’s in the covert come together next episode to discuss moving planets (cause they keeping losing children and all that) but they really really like this sandy planet with enough room for them to train and move around, and Din’s like “well ☝️ if you like sand, I know a place!” And then he hauls his covert to Tatooine and finds them a lovely cave to hunker down in in the canyons near Free Town, and Din and Cobb reunite and we get to see Boba again, and and and and

[movietimegirl]

One of the reasons Bo has not left the Children of the Watch is that she feels a sense of belonging. The second Bo lost the Dark Saber to Din, every Mandalorian that was on her side left her. I'm going to assume Koska Reeves and Axe Woves left her well. When the Armorer welcomes her into the Watch, the Mandos greeted her. Now, I am curious if her opinions have changed or not.

Looking forward to seeing Bo's Journey in S3, she's growing on me a bit.

[fulcrum-art-fox]

Okay but choosing not to run away and instead to fight the big armoured space turtle crocodile even though they’re clearly getting their asses handed to them was the most in character thing for a group of Mandalorians to do

[lightsaber-dorphin]

I hate how many criticisms of the Children of the Watch being a cult act like the issue is that they don’t take off their helmets and not that they don’t make exceptions for medical necessity (ex. a healthy religion would’ve allowed Din to remove his helmet to get a head injury treated) and practice shunning.

[technoturian]

The no removing your helmet rule has never been stupider than that scene where they’re all not eating by the fire.

Immediately wondering how they all come together again after dinner time. How do they know when Bo-Katan is finished? Is she supposed to finish eating and then call out to them? If she goes looking for them she might accidentally see them. Do they all start walking back to camp with their eyes closed making noises so they don’t happen upon her or each other and accidentally see some scandalous facial parts?

[invaderhogtwopointohno]

Din' Covert

I think that people are misunderstanding a huge reason why Din is so determined to be back with his people- Din takes his religion and his identity as a Mandalorian extremely seriously- he didn't even hesitate when the Armorer (a person who is the same as a religious figure to him and the most important person to him in the Covert) that he had made the choice to remove his helmet. She had to reject him because of their Creed which she obeys to the letter. Din was taken in by the Children of the Watch, they raised him, give him purpose and their Creed dictates every single aspect of his life. And now that Grogu, his child, has chosen the path of the Mandalorian, he sees it as his duty to raise him in The Way. It is the same for any parent to want to raise their child in their religion, and he setting an example for Grogu by asking for redemption for a serious religious crime against his people because it is so important to him that he pave a good way for Grogu to follow. Din is just like anyone who wants to ensure the safety of his child- the Mandalorians know the sacrifice he made by removing his helmet and understand him, but they are a religious order, he broke the biggest rule they had. Din is going to redeem himself in their eyes, no matter what it takes

[darlin-djarin]

I saw your post about Mandalorian and helmets and you mentioned the way they "clap" with their armor and thank you for pointing it out because I thought it was such a cool detail like yeah of course the people who wear thick gloves can't clap, let them bang their armor instead ! And I have so many feelings about the helmet kiss, the softness of it all, the intimacy ?? Also I hope your ramadan is going well!!

YES yes hello and i just LOVE talking about the adaptations of the warrior mandalorians and how much of the culture we get to explore.

i think it is so cool that mandalorians clap or cheer by banging their armor. i’ve never thought of the gloves restricting them from clapping before, so THANK YOU for telling me this, that’s actually so interesting. when i watched the episode when the mandalorians started cheering by banging their vambraces, i was quite literally blown away. i was hopeful to learn more about mandalorian culture and we got to see such a specific type of form of expression and affection that they’ve adapted to because of their armor. it’s really fascinating to see that type of thing, and i definitely want to see more ways they express themselves.

i’ve talked with a mutual about how mandalorians must have an entire form of a love language since they can’t express in the ways others can. obviously, there’s the keldabe kiss which is absolutely beautiful with how intimate it is and how valued it is and how it’s equivalent to different types of expressions of love considering on the context. my mutual also mentioned that mandalorians probably memorize the sound of their clan’s footsteps to know when they enter/who they are, in and outside of the armor which to me is SO romantic to think about. like they’ve developed an entire love language out of these conditions they live by and seeing how they express that is just the most interesting thing i’ve seen in recent star wars media.

one thing about mandalorian culture that i adore is their commitment to family/clan/their community that they depend on. and one thing that i think is fascinating about this is how they’ve adapted to accept foundlings even outside of blood relations. to them, blood relations mean nothing, and they treat all their foundlings in the highest regard, blood related or not. obviously having biological children would be very difficult while armored, and so their priorities have changed from caring about just blood related foundlings to caring about ALL foundlings in their clan/covert. they’ve developed a whole ADOPTION RITUAL for clan to value their foundlings and prove their commitment towards the foundlings and i think that it’s just so romantic in all types of ways to have that type of cultural influence.

another piece of mandalorian culture are the marriage vows. all they have to say are the vows and BAM you’re done. AND it’s implied that it’s supposed to be done in private and away from other eyes. i like to think that was developed because of, again, mandalorians commitment to clan and how they don’t need to show off, and to prove that their clan is important to them. the marriage vows are intimate and small and quick, no need for others to be there because they don’t matter. just this bond between lovers.

moving forward, i hope to see more physical adaptations, like the clapping and keldabe kiss, but it’s lovely to think about all the other ways they’ve developed forms of expression through their armor.

THANK YOU for sending me an ask, i just LOVE talking about these kinds of things. and thank you! ramadan is beating me violently with a stick 👍 but i’ll be okay. have a lovely ramadan as well!!

[mandalorianchronicles]

Bo-Katan's Journey and The Road Ahead

The latest episode of The Mandalorian has begun to shed a bit of light on the beginning of Bo’s journey (as well as raising yet more questions about the timeline).

Adonai Kryze, Bo-Katan and Satine’s father - and the warlord of House Kryze - fought and died in the The Great Clan Wars (approx. 41BBY-39BBY). He witnessed Bo recite the creed in front of the Living Waters. Bo says that he was proud of her because she “didn’t embarrass him in front of everyone”. When Din said he sounded like an interesting man and commented he would have liked to meet him, Bo says that he was a “great man”, before sharing that he died defending Mandalore.  

This is our first big clue in canon as to who influenced her most in her younger years. We know that Adonai sent Satine away to Coruscant to keep her safe, and it is presumably while she is there that she begins to change her affiliation to that of the New Mandalorians, since her father was obviously not a pacifist. Bo’s narrative suggests that she sought to make her father proud, so she probably did all she could to align her allegiances with his. Since Satine is the older of the two, it makes sense that the second-born would be even more desperate to please the father to gain more favor and attention. Depending on when Adonai died, he may not have known that his eldest daughter and heir decided to switch her affiliation to the New Mandalorians. But if he was alive when Satine made her choice, Bo would have gotten a front row seat to her father’s feelings, which were most likely those of disappointment and betrayal, just before his death at the hands of the faction that Satine now served. One can easily see how Bo might have come to hate her sister and want revenge.

Dave Filoni has stated that he had a back story in mind where Bo-katan and Satine were twins. Initially, I had dismissed this as a mothballed idea when Katee Sackhoff was chosen to play Bo in the live-action series, since she is now 42 years old and nowhere near the right age to play Satine’s twin. If Satine is the same age as Obi-Wan, they would be 66 in 9 ABY, plus however many years have passed since season 1 began (which is “many years” according Favreau). But, if it is true that Bo recited the creed in front of her father before his death during the Great Clan Wars, he might not have given up on that idea after all. Even if she recited the creed at 12 years old in the last year of the war (39 BBY), she would still be 60 years old in 9 ABY. Maybe she was in carbon freeze for a couple decades, maybe she has an excellent skin care regimen. In any case, Bo is definitely FAR older than she looks. But her advanced age fuels the idea that there could have been a much deeper animosity between the sisters than if there was a significant age gap. 

I assume Bo was not exiled with the Old Mandalorians to Concordia, since she was still too young to fight in the war, but at some point, she joined Pre Vizsla and gave her allegiance to Death Watch and began actively seeking her sister’s demise. Later, when Pre’s bid for power led him to join forces with the former Sith Lord, Maul, Bo-katan vehemently objects to the alliance. She knows Maul will double cross Pre, and she feared he would not win the confrontation. Her instincts proved to be right on the credits. Maul murders her sister and takes over Mandalore. We don’t yet know if Bo’s motivations for turning on Maul were simply because he was an outsider, or if his murder of Satine made her regret the path of vengeance she had chosen - but in either case, Bo organizes her Nite Owls into a resistance to oust Maul from power. Palpatine does her work for her, killing Savage and imprisoning Maul, and Bo seems to lie low for a short time. But when Saxon and the other super commandos loyal to Maul spring him from prison and he regains a foothold on Mandalore, she asks the Republic for aide. We know the rest. The Siege of Mandalore is a success, Maul is captured, and Bo is made regent. But when she refuses to bend the knee to Palpatine, she is replaced by Saxon.

Seventeen years later, Bo is still actively resisting the Empire’s hold on Mandalore, seeking freedom for her people. When Sabine Wren offers her the reclaimed Darksaber, she refuses it, claiming she failed as regent to protect her people. In the conflict that follows, Fenn Rau and Bo-katan agree that Sabine shows much leadership potential, despite her young age. After the insurgents come together and finally oust Gar Saxon and his brother, gaining a major victory, Sabine once more offers the Darksaber to Bo, saying that she has proven herself to be a worthy leader. Bo reluctantly accepts the heirloom, gaining the support of the remaining Kryze clan, House Vizsla, Clan Wren, Clan Rook, Clan Eldar, and Fenn Rau, the last Protector (but not The Children of the Watch, who were residing on Concordia). Ultimately, their rebellion prompts the Empire to strike back by utterly destroying the entire surface of the planet in the Great Purge. 

Over a decade later, we find her still fighting the good fight against the remnants of the Empire and trying to regain the Darksaber to once more unite her people and restore Mandalore. But because of one blunder by the unsuspecting Din, she could not lay claim to the sword, and refused to accept it as a gift once more (nor fight him for it). In the The Mines of Mandalore, we see Bo refuse to lay claim to it again, even though Din had lost it in his struggle against the cyborg crab. Though she obviously has no trouble wielding the blade - the same of which can not be said of either Din or Paz Vizsla - she still returned the precious weapon to him. Though she had the *perfect* opportunity to take the saber from Din (and technically creed compliant), she did the honorable thing and saved his life, returning the weapon without a word of argument. Time will tell if she continues to act as honorably, but I see no reason to doubt her, especially now that she has clearly begun to take a liking to Din.

There is a wide range of feelings concerning Bo-Katan in the Star Wars fan base, and understandably so. Personally, she was redeemed in my eyes when she changed course at the end of The Clone Wars. She appeared genuinely remorseful of her sister's death when she spoke to Obi-Wan (though ultimately, she had not been the one responsible). She has spent upwards of 35 years atoning for the choices of her youth. Let's be honest, it's not as though she's the first Star Wars character who set themselves on a path of evil in the name of vengeance and then turn away from it later. She isn't perfect, but she has acted honorably and with humility in regards to the Darksaber since it was first offered to her.

Bo has been raised to believe that the myths and legends of her people are just that - stories. She believed, like many others, that the mythosaurs had gone extinct generations ago. They were once real, but the stories about her people's encounters with them have been reduced to legend, like many of the fables that we have in the real world (ex: Excalibur and its ability to choose a worthy king; St. George and the dragon, magic-wielding wizards, etc.). It's as strange for her to believe in Din's myths as it would be for someone living in the 21st century to believe Excalibur really did choose King Arthur. Jedi and lightsabers are real to be certain, but no other lightsaber chooses who is worthy to wield it (of which Bo-Katan is fully aware).

Now that a mythosaur has apparently been residing in the depths, perhaps she'll begin to believe. Or maybe she'll just accept that they obviously didn't go extinct and the timing is just very convenient to herald in the restoration of Mandalore. Perhaps it was a Force sensitive individual who first had the vision to begin with, seeing the destruction of Mandalore and catching a glimpse of a new leader rising alongside the great beast. Their future is uncertain, but I believe that this season will show that the ideal future for Mandalore is somewhere in the middle of their extremes. Bo will be able to experience some spirituality (or the will of Force) permeating her strictly realist belief system. Hopefully, Din will discover that he can still be a Mandalorian without following all the fundamentalist restrictions of the cult in which he was raised. They both need to accept that fighting isn't the only application for Mandalorians.

I also suspect that Din will discover that The Armorer is not the most trustworthy of historians, but she'll have her reasons. One thing is certain: Mandalore can have no future as long as their individual beliefs are exclusive to others. Like Bo said, it is painful to see her people fighting each other for generations for reasons too complicated to explain. It has to stop, and I believe balance will only be achieved with Bo-Katan and Din working together.

[tmorriscode]

I keep seeing these takes that Bo-Katan kept the existence of the mythosaur away from Mando. FWIW, I don’t think that’s what’s happening.

Bo is undergoing a crisis of faith. She’s never believed in the way in the same fashion that Mando does.

And right in the middle of helping out this guy who has unwavering belief, this agnostic comes face to face with god.

Did she really see what she thought she saw? It was dark down there, and she was pumped full if adrenaline and holding her breath while trying to save Mando. Maybe, she might wonder, maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. Maybe she only saw what her subconscious wanted her to see.

Din didn’t see it. If she tells him she saw a mythosaur, he’ll think she’s making it up. Or he’ll project something on her that she still isn’t sure she wants any part of. She’s gotten her hopes up before. So many times. She might be afraid to put herself out there.

And then she’s accidentally accepted into his group. Free to stay or go for however long she wants. While she’s in a full-blown crisis of faith. There has got to be something intriguing about being surrounded by people who believe in *something*. Especially while she’s trying to figure things out for herself.

Maybe the Bo of a few seasons ago would scoff at the invitation. But the Bo of now is not going to say anything while she’s standing on a shaky personal ground.

[agentscamander-romanoff]

I just understood that nobody told The Nite Owls that they are getting united with The Children of The Watch

[the-kittylorian-writes]

"Dinui (Gift)"

This fic was originally posted on AO3 in December 2021. I’ve decided to share it here, so at least my Tumblr has more fic content. ^^; This fic is the first story of an “anthology,” and this anthology is part of a longfic series, but this fic can be read as a standalone. Note that I have given a headcanon name and traits to Din's adoptive father. Thank you and enjoy. :)

Support this fic with original author’s notes - AO3 Links to the next fic of this anthology - AO3 || Tumblr Link to the main WIP of this ficverse - AO3 Link to the main longfic series - AO3

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warnings: None Word Count: 5k

Anthology Summary:

Dinui means “gift” in Mandoa.

Din was christened with this nickname by his peers in the Tribe since they were children. It was a name used on him sarcastically, to get him to be a “blessing to everyone” even when he felt far from it. If only Din knew what a blessing he truly was, he would not have struggled too hard to find his place as a Mandalorian foundling, caught between an old life and the new.

This is a series of "Life Day" one-shots that explore the nature of Din’s heart as he grows older into the Creed, between what is real and what is a facade.

Story Summary: Growing up among the Tribe, happy in the company among new family and friends, Din Djarin has always felt that the Tribe was a gift to him. However, as the years go by, Din means more to the Tribe than he’ll ever know. And not just because it’s in his name. In this fic, Din is thirteen years old.

Dinui ("Gift")

“Kill him, Paz!! KILL HIM!!”

“I’m trying my best here!”

“Get him!!!”

Din Djarin, thirteen years old, was tumbling forward like a rocket in flight, clearly a good pace ahead of three more boys his age. They roared and growled as Paz Vizsla, Caelan Shar, and Saoul Elku hurled snowballs larger than the size of their growing fists straight at their target.

Din dodged two of their icy attacks easily, and barely missed the third one—the one hurled by none other than Paz, of course.

“You’re NEVER GOING TO CATCH UP!” Din yelled over the frustrated cries of the three boys as his breath fogged in thick milky mist as he screamed defiance and near-triumph. “Last one to Vhaasti’s is a dead tooka!!”

“YOU’RE the dead one, Djarin!” Paz’s yell rumbled through the frozen air like a lurching volcano.

It was two days until Life Day, but the pre-winter snows of the planet Abelor had already filled the Tribe’s world in pristine and shimmering white. Trees bent at the weight of the snowfall the night before, and the morning saw the foundlings and the rest of the Tribe’s children frolicking like colts on mounds upon mounds of fresh snow.

Din and the rest had been set with weaving their makeshift sleds into working order, slinging them onto their backs, ready to climb one of the highest hill peaks surrounding their settlement and noisily whoosh their way down the slopes, when a thick, fragrant pillar of smoke spiraled out of Vhaasti’s hut’s smokestack.

She was busy at work with her wonderful curry buns, which the kids loved.

The day before, Vhaasti had christened Din and his motley crew of gangly friends taste testers of her new recipe, and had pronounced that the first one to the foot of her door would get twice the servings. And her servings usually came in huge bundles. Who wouldn’t want to traverse back home to their respective huts, cradling about ten or more buns in well-deserved bliss?

The tantalizing aroma of baking bread and spicy meats had filled the air, and the race to Vhaasti’s hut had at once commenced. The four boys cleanly dropped their sleds, held on to their winter gear (despite winter not really settling in earnest yet), and scrambled across the expanse from foothill, across a wide clearing of untouched snow, and another ten meters or so until Vhaasti’s open doorway loomed overhead.

Din had the mind to put on his best snowshoes so off he went; the other three struggled and bounded in painful slowness over the crystalline dunes like aging Wampas nursing their brittle backs.

Paz’s plan to slow the little pipsqueak down was to throw snowballs at him, to which Saoul and Caelan agreed at once. Once Din was down, they further schemed, that’s when the real race would begin as all three would be finally able to drag Din along with them to a proper starting line.

However, Din had other plans, and that “proper staring line” never really did happen.

Also, Paz and the rest continued to slow down as they took precious split-seconds to pick huge spheres of snow from the ground and hurl them out in desired trajectories. None of which met their target, anyway, as Din was quite doing the zigzagging run trick cleverly.

It was just the four boys’ bloodcurdling shrieks and muffled laughter which dominated the settlement. They had always been the rambunctious bunch, thanks to Paz. They rotated leadership as suggested by the grown-ups, but it was Paz who always ended up ringleader for the most boisterous of games.

“HE’S GETTING AWAY!!” Caelan pointed out superfluously, his voice breaking. All their voices cracked and sputtered occasionally as adolescence began to hit them like a ton of grav charges.

Paz and Saoul didn’t reply, nor verbally react. Instead, they chose their remaining seconds to pick up speed and kick up a monstrous flurry of snow, leaving poor Caelan behind in their wake. They could hear his betrayed “HEY!” as they swiftly placed a good distance between him and their destination.

Din, in turn, finally realized that the hale attacks from his opponents had ceased, so he began to rush forth—but Din, to his current dismay, still had the shortest legs. Paz and Saoul had been towering over him for a while now, and Paz had always been the biggest kid among the boys.

Pretty soon, Paz was almost neck-on-neck and Din could hear the boy’s determined wheezing behind him.

Din pulled his own personal “last resort” move he nicknamed “the afterburner.” Din has seen those neat starfighters blast out huge molten rounds from their boosters and further speed up, thrusting higher and higher into the atmosphere—and that’s what Din wanted. Boost his efforts to the maximum to rightfully claim those much-coveted curry buns.

“SO LONG, SUCKERS!” Din laid out his meanest name-call yet (his buir discouraged too much swearing, especially in front of the elders), and proceeded to unleash “the afterburner.”

Well, Din hadn’t exactly mastered it yet. While he poured most of his energy to propel himself forward, he had little control of where his steps went. He tottered a little before he zoomed away, enough for Paz to catch up and gain a foot or three ahead of him.

The two boys barreled forward, and finally, in about thirty seconds, they both dramatically leapt into the air like bolo-ball athletes to lay their hands upon the endzone.

Din felt the snow-filled ground crash onto his bare face. None of them had worn their helmets—it was still optional at their age, even as they were heavily encouraged the wearing of their buy’ce in preparation of their Verd’goten. “Optional” had their attention that day.

“I WON!” Paz cried, and Din immediately looked up, sputtering snow.

The tips of his fingers and Paz’s own were touching the small wooden step leading to Vhaasti’s doorway at exactly the same position, with Din’s to the right of the step, while Paz’s to the left of the step.

“No way,” remarked Saoul, who was huffing and puffing, his voice jangling with his steps. His tone held one of amazement. “You bozos landed on the same spot at the same kriffin’ time!”

Paz’s stark blue eyes met with Din’s dark ones, both pairs on faces scowling in disbelief. They clambered to their feet at the same time as well, and were now squaring each other off for another argument—

“I got here first,” justified Din, soothing his pride, as his final trick had failed… in a way.

“Hey, easy, pal—It’s my hand that hit that step first!” Paz countered, his pale face turning crimson.

“Hey Saoul—spit it out! Don’t bluff. You know I made it here first!”

“HEY CAELAN! Can you please be on my side and say you saw me reach the step first?”

Caelan, who had naturally caught up last, trailed in lazy steps through the snow, sporting a dark doom-cloud of an expression. He was still sore from being duped into falling behind. “I don’t care, you idiots,” he said sourly, and also in half-jest.

Din was about to spout out another of his protests when someone very noisily cleared their throat, enhanced via modulator, by the doorway.

The boys’ stopped dead in their shrieking, and all grew silent as their heads turned to the source of the sound.

It was Vhaasti herself, in her polished ivory-white and muted red helmet. The boys didn’t know how old exactly Vhaasti was, but she couldn’t be no older than thirty, it seemed. She had a young voice and a young disposition, but oftentimes would act maternal towards the foundlings as she smothered them with her lovingly cooked meals.

She leaned comfortably by the door frame of her stone hut, plastered by frost which made her seem as if she were standing by a pile of glimmering sugar.

“Saoul’s right, I’m afraid. It’s a tie,” she drawled sweetly.

“Ma’am!” the boys croaked immediately, bashfully, setting themselves to rights like young soldiers standing to attention before their commander.

Vhaasti gushed forth in amused laughter. Just because one was a trained warrior, didn’t mean they couldn’t act like “normal people” once in a while. But what was “normal people” these days?

“Tell you what,” Vhaasti said as she met the boys’ sudden reverence with a proposal. “The first one to show kindness to the other will get thrice the serving of curry buns today.”

“Huh?” Caelan outright voiced everyone’s confusion and concerns. Like jittery clay sculptures, they moved their heads ever so slightly to meet each others’ eyes in lost consultation.

Din seemed to have gotten the idea when he proclaimed, “It’s okay, ma’am. Paz can have my share. He’s the winner, after all.”

Paz turned to Din, looking rather exultant and pleased, but Din’s grin was so false and wide that Paz had at once turned suspicious. He realized where Din was getting at. “Does fake kindness count, ma’am?” Paz inquired, irritably.

Din looked surprised and a little hurt. “It’s not fake.”

“Hey, ner vode,” called Saoul in sing-song as he strut up to his two warring friends and swung an arm each over their shoulders. “Why don’t we just all get along? I’m willing to give my share to you guys!”

Caelan was shaking his head. “I gave up chores this morning for this tomfoolery,” he was whispering to himself. “I wash my hands of you all,” he grumbled dejectedly.

“None of you get curry buns today,” asserted a strong, familiar voice from deep within the hut.

Din’s face perked up right away, as the boy recognized the voice.

From the recesses of Vhaasti’s hut emerged Raald Movan—who was also Din’s adoptive father. The tall Mandalorian in his once-blue armor now painted over with white bounded down, his two feet now standing on the very step which Din and Paz had fought over.

Din blinked and his ears turned hot. His buir had been visiting Vhaasti more and more often. He still wasn’t sure how to take in the possibility of his father holding courtship with another, and adding to their already content clan of two—

…But if it were Vhaasti… Din swallowed hard. His dad may have hit the jackpot. He fought to hide a giddy, albeit reluctant smile.

“Wipe that grin off your face, ad’ika,” Raald was firmly saying, which snapped Din back to the matter at hand, while the rest giggled spitefully at him being called little one in front of everyone. “I’m not letting you off the hook.”

Din scuffed an ice-crusted shoe. His buir had always been within reason—so what did he mean when he said that no one gets curry buns today? Are they being punished—?

“Caelan’s right, boys. You forsook chores for tomfoolery. And our lovely Vhaasti’s just messing with you—“

Oh yeah. The chores.

Here, Vhaasti seemed about to jokingly knock Raald lightly on the helmet to refute it.

Oh my Maker, they’re doing the googly eyes at each other, Din choked in his thoughts, biting his lip to hold back a feral squeal of mixed emotion. His thirteen-year-old mind could understand as much that sort of body language between two Mandalorian grown-ups.

“—so it’s best to please return to shoveling, and making sure the salt is on places where they ought to be. We do not want anyone slipping off to their deaths, do we?”

“Sir, no, sir,” responded the boys in unison, respectful but crestfallen.

As the boys all turned, shoulders hunched to face the morning routine they’d neglected in hopes of being excused as Life Day drew near, Din heard Raald and Vhaasti converse softly in Mando’a. Din was learning the language quickly.

They’re good kids, remarked Vhaasti, which warmed Din’s cheeks even further. Yeah. Even Paz was a good kid. Paz’s buir, Lir Vizsla, practically martyred himself over childrearing for this brute of a boy as an unlikely father. He recalled Raald sharing in the misery of sleepless nights, drummed by instances of “Vizsla waking up the damn neighborhood just because his kid’s got a cough.” Lir had the histrionics when it came to Paz and often sought advice in unholy hours of the night.

All insults were dealt fondly, of course. Paz was Lir’s foundling just as Din was Raald’s. The Tribe knew that Lir was doing his best for Paz, and Paz, while too headstrong for his own good, would intermittently take special pains so that Lir, at least, was “not pissed” at him.

I know they’re good kids, replied Raald in Mando’a to Vhaasti’s very lenient and generous statement. They also need more discipline. Their Verd’goten is only a month away.

Let kids be kids, offered Vhaasti in reply. They won’t be kids forever.

That’s true, Din agreed in his head, his father’s and Vhaasti’s voices fading out of earshot as he and the rest of the gang dutifully trudged their way back to the shed for their snow-clearing tools. They’d all become adults, so to speak, after the Mandalorian coming-of-age ritual called the Verd’goten. This was probably the last winter where he, Paz, and the rest of the thirteen-year-olds would truly enjoy freely. These sort of chores was a good transition, he hoped, for the more mature years ahead.

****

“Get out of the way, Rula’an,” Caelan said, admonishing a small boy of eight standard years as the child stood just in the path of the older boy’s shoveling. Remembering his manners, Caelan added, “Please and thank you.”

“I need help,” deadpanned the red-haired child, his wide eyes of the strangest purple hue blinking at Caelan.

“Purple-eyed freak needs help,” Paz magnified as he observed Caelan’s struggle in keeping his cool as Rula’an held his ground.

Din smacked the butt of his shovel lightly below Paz’s knee, and the older boy yelped. “You’re the freak, freak.”

“How da—“

“My kite got stuck on the trees back there,” elaborated little Rula’an, expressively turning his head to point at a distance yonder.

Saoul squinted to measure their probable adventure. “Nah. Sorry, Ru. We’re not allowed beyond a certain point at our age. Maybe in a month after we all pass the Verd’goten.” The boy smiled toothily, and not unkindly.

“Why don’t you ask the grown-ups?” Din asked of the younger child, bending to a knee so that his gaze met Rula’an’s more comfortably. It was something he kept seeing Raald and the other grown-ups do when speaking candidly with small children.

Rula’an was quiet.

“OH!” quipped Paz loudly. “We got ourselves here a fellow deviant. Skipped a chore or three to play, Ruru? Grown-ups will get mad if they find out you’ve lost your kite while skipping chores?’

Rula’an mutely nodded. The child added after a while, “I know I did bad. But I was hoping you’d help me but if you can’t, I’ll tell my mom that—“

“Hold on a minute there,” Paz interrupted, his bare face forming a splendidly scheming smile. “Don’t tell your mom just yet. Come on, guys. Let’s get this salt chore over with stat, and let’s all help Ruru…”

“You go ahead, fellas,” Saoul cut in, a little nervously. “After salt duty, I got clean-the-flamethowers duty. My buir’s gonna tan my hide if I don’t get those finished by afternoon.”

“Yeah, sorry. I’m stuck with same situation of helping the old lady with the speeders. She’s on maintenance shift and she’d like me to tag along. It’s a no go for me, guys,” supplied Caelan, trying not to meet Paz’s, Din’s, and little Rula’an’s glances.

“You’re both being sus,” spat Paz presently, sounding disappointed. “Anyway, Din and I are done here, so we’re gonna help Ru. Are we, Dinui?”

“Stop calling me that, Spazzy Paz,” Din retaliated.

Paz snorted with utter exaggeration.

Whenever Paz called him by that monicker, it was meant with a bit of sarcasm. While all the kids had provided the most infantile of nicknames when they picked on each other, Din’s was by far the most ambiguous. “Dinui” meant “gift” in Mando’a. Loosely, it also meant some sort of blessing. To call Din a “blessing” had been weaponized against him, Din thought glumly. It was a form of guilt-tripping. If Din refused, then he’d be effectively no one’s blessing at that particular point. He could always refuse, but… Paz knew Din’s weakness. Din just loved to help that it was almost pathetic—at least, to the mean-spirited eyes of Paz.

The bigger boy shrugged. “Fine by me if you’re all wusses.” There was an edge to his tone as Paz, with surprising gentleness, held Rula’an by the shoulder to have the child lead him to where he needed to be. “Sally forth, my liege!”

“Hey, wait,” Din called out, jogging to Paz and Rula’an, so that he flanked the smaller boy on one side as Paz did on the other. “Our dads aren’t gonna allow any of us to go alone. Let’s just take their advice and do the battle buddies thing at all times necessary.”

“Battle buddies” was, as the name suggested, a buddy system where soldiers went in pairs so they could both watch each other’s backs. It was an exercise of undivided trust between two comrades-in-arms, and this sort of system prepared the kids for training in the Fighting Corps.

Paz let out another snort. “Of course we’d do that,” he said, as if it had been obvious the entire time. “Now let’s get this over with so they wouldn’t miss us for lunch.”

****

“Tell me how we ended up like this?!” Din cried, feeling the undesirable pop of his veins in suppressed rage. He, Paz, and even little Rula’an had climbed the highest tree of the forest surrounding the settlement, and were now stuck like loth-kittens on the branches. They had retrieved the kite, but as they were about to make their way down…

“Do those ice wolves eat people, Paz?” Rula’an asked softly, very terrified and clinging to the older boy like a leech.

Paz was fumbling for words to sound not too devastatingly alarmed as much as he really was. “Well, when they’re hungry… they’ll eat about anything.”

“Anything? Do ‘people’ fall under anything?” Rula’an seemed to know the truth in any case, but had just wanted some delusion before a disastrous end befell all three of them.

“YES! Yes, Ruru, they do eat people when they’re hungry. Sorry to break it to you, but lying’s not gonna make it any easier,” Din huffed, keeping his feet firmly latched on the snowy bark. The tree thankfully held, but the two ice wolves at the foot of the trunk, about sixty feet below them, had begun circling them with their glowing, wild eyes and low, guttural growls.

“Ain’t lying!” argued Paz. “It’s a euphemism, you dolt! Have you heard of it?”

“Did you at least bring a com-link?”

“Umm…”

“We’re kriffed. Uh, sorry, Rula’an. Don’t tell your parents you heard bad words from us.”

“Thanks a lot, battle buddy,” Paz muttered unhelpfully at Din. Din grimaced.

“Do we scream at the top of our lungs for help?” Rula’an suggested, his purple eyes turning watery with tears. Din’s heart fell. He doubted their deaths would fall to the hands (or jaws) of a couple of juvenile ice wolves, but they could still get mauled if worse came to worst. Paz would be strong enough to take on one, maybe.

Din sighed. “I’ll try to get help.”

Paz shot him a look. “You’ll scream it out?”

Din shook his head. “No way. We might end up calling those ice cubs’ parents instead, and we’d truly be kriffed. I’ll get to the tree nearest the settlement, try to get down. If I can’t, then I’ll scream for help.”

“You’re gonna get there by swinging, monkey man?” Paz asked, voice quivering. Din wanted to kick Paz in any manner possible, yet the fear had become palpable in Paz’s voice. They all had been trained to climb up and climb back down, but informally so, and not on trees deep within a snowy wilderness with no adult supervision. Din had always known how to get from tree to tree. He’ll try his luck with this one.

“Stop being a wuss,” Din said gruffly, earning a half-enraged and half-petrified look from the silver-blue-eyed boy. “I’ll be back with help. Rula’an, make sure Spazzy Paz doesn’t wet his underpants.”

Rula’an giggled at Paz’s expense. The said boy’s face was a vibrant shade of beet-red. Paz knew that he’d be too cumbersome for the task. His way up the tree in the first place was none too graceful and he had already skinned a hand.

Din began gingerly scrambling from branch to bark to branch, testing his weight on them before clambering over, pulling his weight again and again until his arms began to ache. Despite the freezing cold wind that blew incrementally, Din had begun to sweat profusely. He fell to sulking at their fates. Why was it that every time they had tried to disobey, one way or another, things went awry? It was too annoyingly cliche.

At that moment, Din didn’t care if Raald tanned his hide, or if Lir ended up, for certain, doling out disciplinary action for Paz. Same for poor Rula’an. They all had it coming. Might as well face the music.

But first, they needed rescuing. The only factor that helped them save face was that they were not Verd’goten initiates yet. They were still small, irresponsible kids capable of and forgivable from all spectrum of stupid mistakes until that day came.

They’d probably be grounded for Life Day.

Oh well.

Din had finally made it to the last tree, and about a mighty stone’s throw away, Din was comforted by the warm sight of Vhaasti’s smokestack churning out another batch of deliciously scented spirals.

He was close enough to hear the rattle of baking within Vhaasti’s hut, and many worried voices of grown-ups to go with it.

Uh-oh. Did they already have a clue that three kids were missing?

With a huge intake of breath, Din braced himself and screamed for help with all his might like a tortured banshee.

It was Vhaasti herself who heard first, then a swarm of other Mandalorians heeded his call and came to his direction.

Din couldn’t exactly remember the rest—except that he and Paz were indeed grounded for Life Day, but not before Raald had shoved a warm curry bun in his hands. There was a relieved smile in Raald’s voice, underneath that gleaming helmet of his. His voice, moreover, was almost sad but without regrets, when he told Din: “Ad’ika, you’re insufferable. I swear, you and Paz are trying to get each other killed, and the other kids killed. Anyway, sit this over. I’m sorry, but Life Day’s not in the picture for you this year.”

Din nodded wordlessly, understanding, and relenting. He cradled the curry bun.

“And oh—don’t you worry. Vhaasti and I…”

“You’re getting married?” Din burst forth, unsure of how to take the news now just as he hadn’t been certain how to absorb the first possibility of it.

Raald seemed a little too shocked at first, taken aback by Din’s perceptiveness. Then his father slowly shook his head, but held nothing heavy nor hateful with that gesture.

“Not anytime soon, kiddo. Happy Life Day, ner Dinui.”

Raald must have caught Din’s own profound shock of realizing that he had knowledge of the nickname, and had taken the liberty to use it as it was: unadulterated and genuine.

Din smiled, shrugged, and took a bite from his curry bun, knowing the answer to this dilemma of his father marrying off all this time.

“Happy Life Day, Pa.”

****

That was twenty-four years ago.

Gone were the days when the Tribe’s foundlings grew up under the open sky, feeling the sun and wind on their skin. The harrowing years that followed the Great Purge had the Tribe burrowed underground among the lava flats of the planet Nevarro. They had been reduced to a Covert, huddling in alarmingly fewer numbers.

Rula’an, long since grown and covered from head to toe in helmet and armor, stood in front of Din’s alcove, which served as his private quarters where he rested after a tiresome series of bounty hunting missions.

It was only Din who had been granted the sacred burden of being their sole provider, as exposure of Mandalorians in bigger numbers had become too disgustingly perilous.

This would also be the fourth time over the years when Din would be missing Life Day.

Din would try his best to make it a point to return to the sanctuary of the Covert in time for Life Day. He’d only done it successfully the first time, but he had been so exhausted, and was recuperating from injury that he had simply slept through the holiday itself.

No one dared disturb Din when he was gaining his strength back, when he was getting his all-too-valuable sleep.

He missed last year’s Life Day. He had been hampered by a delayed mission and only returned over a month after. Still, when Din returned, he was spent—hardly had any time to socialize and talk. And when he did, it was with the Armorer for repairs. Then he disappeared to the alcove in his bunk.

There was a tiny light overhanging the wall atop his section of the alcove which indicated whether anyone from the Covert may seek his company or not. When it was turned on, it meant that his helmet was in place, and Covert members can come knocking in without accidentally violating the Creed.

That rarely happened—the light turning on. It was usually off, and the alcove would be blanketed in semi-darkness. Tendrils of light only fell on the walls when there was daylight streaming from the sewer vents.

It would be Life Day in a few hours, and in vain, childish hope, Rula’an had patiently waited by Din’s alcove “door,” which was really an archway sealed by very thin durasteel. One can open and close it by sliding it sideways.

The light remained off, and Din had been home for ten hours already. Surely, he’s been rested. He had reported no injuries, so Rula’an had hoped that Din would be well enough to emerge.

Rula’an held something tightly between his hands. It was the last box of curry buns which Saoul had managed to bake despite missing an arm from fighting in the Purge. It all had been horrible since then—Caelan was gone, and so was Rula’an’s big family—and so many others.

Din and Paz had lost their dads.

But to their smallest of comforts, Saoul hadn’t forgotten Vhaasti’s curry bun recipe, and he, in turn, had tried to make it every year for Life Day.

Rula’an was hoping he could hand it over to Din himself. It’s been ages since he’d spoken to Din.

“Leave him be,” came a gruff, jaded voice. Rula’an turned to see Paz Vizsla, still mountainous and as stubborn as he can be, make his way towards him. “Din ain’t coming out of that. We’ll just pester him with questions. He can’t be bothered—especially on Life Day. Everyone’s gonna be on his nerves.”

Rula’an kept his helmeted gaze down.

“You’ve always been cold to him after the Purge, Paz…”

Paz growled dismissively. “None of your business, Ruru. Now, let’s both get out of here, leave Dinui alone, and go get ourselves some uj-cake, eh?”

Rula’an knew Paz himself was struggling with Din, more so than the rest of everyone in the Covert. It only made Rula’an balk into forlorn smog when he noted how defeated Paz had become, how stooped and sunken, despite his best efforts to remain proud of their Mandalorian legacy in spite of the shadows.

Paz was about to gently drag Rula’an out of his stupor when he took a step forward and tenderly laid the box of curry buns at the foot of Din’s flimsy durasteel door.

“Dinui,” Rula’an bravely proclaimed while Paz looked on, somewhat amused. “I know you can hear me, and I know that you kinda hate that nickname, but I’m holding you to it. We all miss you, buddy.” He paused, masking the crack in his voice. He held fast. “The kids were asking for you back at the main hall. Dinui, don’t be a stranger. Okay, I’m done with my speech. Happy Life Day.”

Paz was shaking his helmeted head, fueling Rula’an’s dull sense of dismay. The older man seemed to be telling him that there was no hope anymore for Din. Wherever Din was, while he’s physically here, he’ll always be far away.

Just as he and Paz turned around to make their way back to the main hall for Life Day preparations—they were only doing this for the foundlings’ sake at this point, to offer them vibrant memories of tradition and home in these utterly bleak times—when the alcove lit up a little.

Rula’an held his breath when his gaze met the tiny bulb on the high alcove wall, now turned on in its beautiful icy hue. Its light filled the space with memories of winter back at Abelor, twenty-four years ago. The day they all got into trouble because of some silly kite. Despite all that, it was still his favorite childhood plaything.

Perhaps he’ll never get to play it anymore, out in the open ever again, with the foundling children.

He sought joy, however, with the fact that Din’s light was on. But Paz had bumbled off the alcove grounds.

Rula’an didn’t care. If Paz hated Din, that was Paz’s problem.

However, whether Paz admitted it or not, and Rula’an was more than willing to admit it himself, they came to an agreement that Din was their gift. He had always been, and he always will be.

“Happy Life Day too, Ruru,” came Din’s soft and sad voice, modulator on, from behind the durasteel door.

******

Next fic in this series - AO3 or Tumblr

*****

Author's Notes: *buir - parent (plural - buire) *buy’ce - helmet *Verd’goten - Mandalorian coming-of-age ceremony taken when a child usually turns thirteen. Literal: warrior-birth *ner vode - my brothers/sisters/comrades (singular - vod) *ad’ika - child, term of endearment for children 3-13 years old *ner dinui - my gift

1. In this ficverse and one of my headcanons, the Tribe was nomadic and lived in the open before the Purge. After the Purge, the Tribe sought refuge away from the surface and became covert, hence their name.

2. The planet I’ve used here, planet Abelor, is an EU/Legends planet but I’ve found so little details of it so far that I felt I can get away with using it for this fic. xD

3. Mild spoiler for my main longfic (on hiatus atm): there are characters here which are further introduced and fleshed out in “For Only The Strongest Shall Rule.” Yep, the unfamiliar names are all OCs. ^^;; Feel free to check the longfic out, but as I mentioned, this can be a stand-alone. Happy Holidays once again! ^_^

[autistic-puffin]

this is definitely my shout into the void of mandalorian fandom but does anyone feel like this season (and the whole bobf interlude) basically exist to undo season 2?

i don't think it's necessarily an intentional thing, but the whole point of season 2 was Find Grogu A Jedi, plus Din Having Mandalorian Inner Conflict. and yet all the major points of season 2, including grogu's name reveal, were all either reversed or criticized in-show.

within two episodes (of an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SHOW), grogu is back with din, just like that. din's relationship with the children of the watch is thrown into question when he meets bo katan, and then later with mayfeld - and then of his own accord he decides to take his helmet off to say goodbye to grogu. and now we're right back where we started, except grogu has a name (which has at least twice been criticized by other characters) and can do force jumps now.

this isn't to say that the rest of season 3 won't delve deeper into din's identity and beliefs as a mandalorian, or even into grogu's need for instruction on being force-sensitive. i really, really hope that they will explore that at least a little.

it just feels to me that they wanted to rapidly undo their decisions from season 2, especially given that grogu is such a big draw and (at least in my understanding) is part of what makes the show a commercial success (aka something d*sney wants to continue making)

which definitely feels hollow from a story-telling standpoint, but also we saw two different giant repitilian beasts within 3 episodes so i guess i can't realllyyyyy complain (/lh)