There’s a rather lengthy list of unrealized Star Wars projects, and they haven’t all been scrapped movies or TV shows. One of the most unfortunate cancellations in Star Wars history is the video game Star Wars 1313, which would have followed Boba Fett as he pursued opportunities in Coruscant’s criminal underworld. The game was being developed in the early 2010s, with George Lucas himself actively participating in the process. While Star Wars 1313 had the potential to deliver a special gaming experience, it sadly wasn’t meant to be. Following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, Star Wars 1313 was eventually cancelled; in April 2013, LucasArts was effectively shut down, as only a small skeleton crew remained after layoffs.
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It’s been more than a decade since Star Wars 1313 was trying to get off the ground, but the project hasn’t been forgotten. As gamers continue to bemoan the loss of such an exciting title, Star Wars creatives are finding ways to pay homage to Star Wars 1313 in more current works. The Mandalorian and Grogu unsurprisingly is chock full of fun Easter eggs and references, including a callback to the infamously scrapped video game.
The Mandalorian and Grogu Brings the Droid Gotra to the Big Screen
Early on in The Mandalorian and Grogu, the titular duo travel to Nal Hutta to speak with the Twins. Upon arriving on the planet, they see droids outside patrolling the area. Din Djarin notes that the Hutts have the Droid Gotra on their payroll. In Star Wars canon, the Droid Gotra is a group that consists of repurposed battle droids from the Clone Wars era. They advocate for droid rights (similar to L3-37 in Solo: A Star Wars Story). Evidently, they’re also open to taking on paid gigs for crime bosses. The Mandalorian and Grogu marks the first time the Droid Gatra has been seen on screen; previously, the Gotra only appeared in published materials such as comics and books.
For those who only follow the Star Wars movies and TV shows, the Droid Gotra sounds like a novel concept — essentially an army for hire consisting of old battle droids who are upset that they’ve been tossed aside after the Clone Wars. However, this isn’t anything new for long-time fans of the galaxy far, far away. The Droid Gotra was going to be featured in Star Wars 1313. Not much is known about how the group would have factored in, but it’s reasonable to assume it would have shared some similarities with what’s seen in The Mandalorian and Grogu. The Droid Gotra likely would have been aligned with one of the criminal syndicates, crossing paths with Boba while he takes on jobs on Coruscant.
The Droid Gotra appearing in The Mandalorian and Grogu is another illustration of how George Lucas continues to influence the Star Wars franchise even though he is no longer involved with Lucasfilm. The likes of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni keep pulling from Lucas’ vast vault of ideas; the animated TV series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is inspired by Lucas’ initial concept for the sequel trilogy, which positioned Maul’s criminal empire as the new overarching villain. Obviously, these ideas haven’t been implemented in exactly the same way Lucas envisioned due to all that’s happened in Star Wars canon in the years since, but it’s nice to see Lucas is still a guiding light for people working in this rich sandbox.
It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for the Droid Gotra, who are probably seeking new employment following the events of The Mandalorian and Grogu. The film underwhelmed at the box office, suffering a steep drop after its opening. While it hasn’t been an outright disaster thanks to production budget, it remains to be seen if there will be some sort of follow-up to The Mandalorian and Grogu. That seems unlikely since Disney has learned the streaming-to-theatrical model doesn’t really work, and other film projects like Star Wars: Starfighter take place in a completely different era on the timeline. There are still stories to tell in the age of the New Republic, but it’s hard to see how the Droid Gotra could be included (unless Grand Admiral Thrawn brings them onboard as extra muscle for Imperial remnants). Depending on how things play out, The Mandalorian and Grogu could have been the Droid Gotra’s lone big moment on screen.
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