Obi-Wan Kenobi Vs. Din Djarin: Who Would Win And Why?

Din Djarin, aka The Mandalorian, took the hearts of Star Wars fans across the world when he saved the Child and embarked on a journey to keep Baby Yoda safe. However, another fan-favorite character will soon return with a new TV series – Obi-Wan Kenobi. Fans now wonder, if Obi-Wan Kenobi ever fought Din Djarin, who would win, and why?
Obi-Wan Kenobi would win against Din Djarin 9/10 times. He’s more a skilled fighter, very prolific with the Force, and would eventually overpower the Mandalorian. The small chance I’m giving Din is due to his outstanding equipment, Mandalorian culture, and combat skills.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe the Mandalorian could really harm one of the most powerful Jedi ever. However, his incredible equipment and durability, along with piloting skills, might give Obi-Wan a run for his money. Let’s compare their backgrounds, skills, abilities, and powers to see who’d eventually emerge victoriously.
Obi-Wan Kenobi And His Powers
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Known as Ben Kenobi, was a Jedi Master alive during the Republic Era. He was portrayed in by Alec Guinness, and more notably, Ewan McGregor, who played a much bigger Obi-Wan Kenobi part in the prequel trilogy.
He was born in 57 BBY on Stewjon, where the Jedi Order inducted him as an apprentice due to Ben’s high Force sensitivity. Learning among the best of the best, Kenobi learned the Jedi way of the Force under Master Yoda. Later, Qui-Gon Jinn took young Obi-Wan as his Padawan. Kenobi excelled but was still green.
He had to grow up suddenly after Darth Maul killed his Master, Jinn (in one of the best lightsaber sequences ever, albeit in a messy movie), and Obi-Wan fighting Maul himself. Kenobi chops the Sith apprentice in half and realizes his potential. He played a huge role as a member of the High Council, becoming one of the most powerful Jedi ever.
Lightsaber Skills
Obi-Wan Kenobi learned Ataru under the tutelage of both Master Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn. However, after seeing the lack of defensive strategy within the Ataru form that led to Qui-Gon’s death, Kenobi went in the opposite direction and became a master of Form III, known as Soresu.
Whereas Ataru is an offensive Form based on aggression, pressured attacking, and acrobatics, Soresu is a defensive lightsaber Form known as the Resilience Form. It focuses on conserving energy, blocking, predicting, and reacting to the opponent’s attacks. From there, a Soresu master seeks holes and openings upon which he strikes, incapacitating the opponent.
It made Obi-Wan Kenobi one of the best lightsaber wielders among the Jedi, capable of going one-on-one with someone like General Grievous, who collects Jedi lightsabers as souvenirs from those he murders.
Additionally, Soresu is incredibly effective against blasters, neutralizing their distance advantage by blocking them with tremendous speed and precision.
Force Powers
Ben is a very powerful, knowledgeable Jedi and one of the first few Jedi who achieved immortality. After Darth Vader killed Obi-Wan, his former Master, Kenobi, became one with the Force. However, Qui-Gon Jinn showed the Jedi a way to preserve one’s consciousness within the Cosmic Force after one dies in the living world.
Ben had lots of potential ever since a young age, but he exceeded all expectations and became one of the most powerful, iconic Jedi in Star Wars history. Obi-Wan loved using mind tricks on his enemies whenever it allowed him to avoid conflict. He was a powerful telepath but also prolific in telekinesis.
Other Skills & Powers
Apart from being a phenomenal combatant, and a powerful Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi had additional skills that made him stand out. His guidance and leadership skills were probably a bit green with Anakin Skywalker, but then again, Anakin was too powerful for anybody to control. However, with Luke, Obi-Wan Kenobi did an outstanding job guiding Luke through the movies.
Also, Obi-Wan was an exceptional pilot. He had incredible flying skills and loved flying, until an accident during the Mission to Pijal with Qui-Gon Jinn caused Kenobi to develop a disdain towards flying, or piloting at least.
Ben was a brilliant strategist, proven in many battles where he led his troops as a General during the Clone Wars. Finally, his persuasive nature and a knack for solving conflicts with words earned Ben the nickname The Negotiator.
Din Djarin And His Skills
The Mandalorian, aka Din Djarin, resurrected the Star Wars franchise in such an epic way that the show became a global hit instantly. Even those who don’t watch or like Star Wars couldn’t get enough of Baby Yoda and Mando, portrayed by the phenomenal Pedro Pascal – although we hardly ever see his face. “This is the way” became a mantra for fans.
That’s the mantra Din Djarin and the rest of his Mandalorian group, the Children of the Watch, live by. Din was just a kid living on a quiet planet Aq Vetina until the Empire decided to obliterate the planet. After a hail of projectiles wiped Aq Vetina clear, droids combed through the ruins to make sure everyone was dead. That includes Djarin’s parents.
Luckily for him, one member of the Children of the Watch picked him up and took him back to Nevarro, where the Tribe operated from. Djarin was raised under strict, traditional Mandalorian ways, becoming one of the best Mandalorian warriors and bounty hunters ever. Let’s talk about that a bit more.
The Mandalorian Culture
“This is the way.” The mantra of Mando and his Tribe. When they say “the way,” the group refers to the Way of the Mandalore – a culture that the Mandalorians lived by for centuries before the Fall of Mandalore. They had rigorous views, believing that war and battle are the centers of Mandalorian culture and that it ought to be so again.
They have strict moral views and brutal rules, such as never taking off the helmet before any other living being and never straying away from the Way. What he is, what he does, and how he goes about his business are all conditioned with Din Djarin’s culture.
The first time he defied it, however, was when he saved Grogu, aka the Child, from imminent death, after refusing to collect the bounty with the Client. Although he is a rigorous Mandalorian warrior, Din Djarin showed he has a conscience and slowly but surely started loosening his views about the Mandalorian culture and the Way.
Combat Skills
As I mentioned before, being a Mandalorian warrior imminently means you have amazing fighting skills. It’s a part of their culture – they learn to battle almost as early as they learn to walk. Djarin could handle blasters when he was still a kid.
Din Djarin is prolific in hand-to-hand combat but also knows how to use numerous weapons, including blaster pistols, rifles, snipers, and additional gadgets such as the Whistling birds, which are great when you find yourself in a pickle, so to speak.
There aren’t many combatants out there that can best Mandalorians, and Din Djarin is among the best Mandalorian warriors, so you can see how mighty the guy actually is. What aids his training and combat skills, of course, is the awesome equipment he has.
When you include masterful piloting skills as yet another combat skill Mando has, you get a guy that’s dangerous literally across the entire galaxy.
Equipment & Armor
One of the signature traits of every Mandalorian warrior, including Mando, is the helmet with a T-shaped visor and armor made out of beskar steel. Beskar is one of the most durable materials in the world that have been stolen from the Mandalorians after the Fall of Mandalore, known as the Night of a Thousand Tears.
However, Djarin’s armor is well-preserved, taken care of, and modernized, compared to, for instance, Boba Fett’s armor. It has additional features, such as the Whistling Birds. They are a weapon found within the kneepads of his armor, working as small but powerful homing projectiles that Mando can fire when he finds himself in a tough situation.
It saved his life more than once. That, and prolific use of numerous weapons he has. Also, Mando’s ship, Razor Crest, is equipped with all kinds of awesome gadgets to help him with his bounty-hunting duties.
Finally, he just recently came into possession of the Darksaber, an ancient, unique Mandalorian black-bladed lightsaber that is said to have incredible, almost-mythical powers. Throughout history, every Mandalore leader wielded it, but it’s not passed through generations – the Darksaber has to be won in combat.
Mando won it fair and square, which is why many believe he will be the one to reunite the Mandalorians and reclaim Mandalore after years of desolation.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Vs. Din Djarin: Who Wins?
As much as I love Din Djarin – his skills, character, moral compass, code of conduct – everything, going up against one of the toughest Jedi in history is a bigger bite than he could chew. First of all, he would be unacquainted with fighting Jedi, as they are nearly a myth by the time he operates now.
Second, the lack of Force is something anyone would have trouble overcoming – especially if you’re fighting against someone as prolific as Obi-Wan Kenobi. But, for the sake of argument, let’s say that Kenobi, for some reason, can’t use his Force powers.
I’d still pick him to win over Din Djarin for one simple reason. Djarin tends to use firearms, mainly blasters. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi literally mastered the lightsaber Form, which serves as a counter to blasters. He’d have no problem approaching Din and finishing the job in close combat.
That being said, it would be easier said than done. Remember, Mandalorians are incredible, versatile, adaptable warriors. Also, their armor is almost impenetrable, especially when it’s so well-maintained like Mando’s.
In the end, the best shot Din Djarin has is by engaging in a starship battle. He is certainly the better pilot because Kenobi isn’t fond of piloting after the infamous accident that happened to him as a young Jedi Padawan despite having awesome flying skills.
Ultimately, Obi-Wan transcended death, keeping his consciousness after becoming one with the Force. I give Din Djarin likability points, but if he and Obi-Wan Kenobi ever fought, the Jedi Master would crush him, and it wouldn’t even be a contest. Mando would probably have more chance against some weaker Jedi, but Old Ben is simply too OP.