The Mandalorian: Who Is Mandalore The Great?

The Mandalorian culture is an incredible piece of history in the Star Wars universe. We learn a lot about it through Din Djarin, the titular character of The Mandalorian series. During his adventures, we hear the name Mandalore the Great mentioned as one of the historic Mandalorian leaders. So, who is Mandalore the Great?
Mandalore the Great was first mentioned in Chapter 8 of the Mandalorian series. He was a Mandalore – the leader of the Mandalorian – thousands of years ago and led them to war against the Jedi. Many believe he’s the cinematic version of Star Wars Legends character, Mandalore the Ultimate.
Not much is known about the character’s complete history, but there’s enough information to get a general idea of who he was and when he lived. Fans went a step further and created theories about the character’s background. Keep reading to learn all there is to know about Mandalore the Great.
Mandalore The Great Origins & History
Mandalore the Great was first mentioned in Chapter 8 of The Mandalorian TV show. A Mandalorian armorer talked to Din Djarin after finding out he cared for Grogu, aka the Child, who was Force-sensitive and used magic freely and actively. That was an odd sight, seeing a Mandalorian warrior in the company of a Force-wielder.
You see, Mandalorians are completely physical warriors, using weapons and skills in combat instead of the Force and magic. They call those who use the Force “sorcerers,” and Mandalorians weren’t very keen on them.
In 9 ABY, when Din Djarin’s quest takes place, Jedi are almost a myth – something that existed thousands of years ago. However, it wasn’t like that when Mandalore the Great lived and ruled.
The armorer talked to Mando about Mandalore, saying he was the leader of the Mandalorians many years ago and led them to war against the Jedi. His epic conquests are now the subject of ancient songs, passed on through generations. However, there are not many details about Mandalore the Great other than that.
There’s a Star Wars Legends character, Mandalore the Ultimate, who shares many similarities with Mandalore the Great, which is why many fans believe that the leader mentioned in the TV series is simply the canon version of his Legends counterpart.
Mandalore the Ultimate lived 4000 years ago and led the Mandalorians during the Mandalorian Wars. After the Great Sith War, the Mandalorians were scattered, and their culture almost extinct. Mandalore the Ultimate was one of the last Taungs to become the Mandalore and united the Mandalorian forces to form the Neo-Crusaders.
They ventured through the galaxy and conquered planets, especially those already weakened by the Great Sith War. However, after they expanded into the Republic territory, the Jedi intervened, and a Jedi Knight named Revan ultimately defeated Mandalore the Ultimate and killed him, momentarily ending the war.
Now, seeing that the Mandalorians throughout history weren’t quite keen on Force users, I can see Mandalore the Great having a similar history. However, fans theorized differently and postulated a different history for the character. Again, this is a theory, so take it with a grain of salt.
Mandalore the Great was a human boy born around 1550 ABY on the planet Coruscant. He was born to an unknown father and a senator’s maid in this harsh world. She was very young and scared of being a mother, so she abandoned the child in the Dark Slumps, where a Mandalorian hustler and bounty hunter found him and subsequently raised him to be a warrior.
Kodin, as the Mandalorian named him, fought in the underground gladiator fights of Coruscant, quickly rising to the title of champion. The Empire saw potential in him, so they put their wealth behind him and helped him rise to stardom. After that, they used Kodin to become Mandalore the Great, a leader and reuniter of the Mandalorians.
However, due to their help and mentorship throughout his life, Mandalore the Great served their wishes and purposes with no questions asked. He helped the Sith win the Dark Galactic Wars. What happened to Mandalore the Great after that remains unknown. I reiterate this is just a theory of his origins, which may or may not be canon. The only thing we know about him for certain is what little the armorer said to Mando.
Mandalore The Great Powers & Abilities
Like almost all other Mandalorian warriors, Mandalore the Great never had superhuman powers. He was not a Force user. In fact, like other Mandalorians, he wasn’t that fond of those who used it, as they called them “sorcerers.” Mandalore the Great fought the Jedi in the war, although he seemed not to have problems with helping out the Sith.
That being said, Mandalore the Great relied solely on his abilities and skills. He was highly trained in the Mandalore culture and was a spectacular warrior. We know how amazing the Mandalorians are in combat – you can only imagine how good their leader must be.
Using skills, armor, and awesome weaponry, Mandalore the Great rose to stardom so high that ancient songs are still sung about him and his prowess against the Jedi. He was an incredible hand-to-hand combatant, very capable with close combat weaponry one would see in a gladiator arena, but with blasters and rifles, too.
While we don’t have many details about where Mandalore the Great fits in history or what his role in it actually was, we can safely assume he was an important figure in the galaxy due to all the songs, stories, and legends about him that still exist nowadays.