7 Things That Still Make No Sense About The Mandalorian & its Spinoffs

A good as The Mandalorian may be, so much about the so-called “Mandoverse” still doesn’t make sense. In part, that’s because Lucasfilm’s plans seem to have changed; The Mandalorian‘s first two seasons were largely self-contained, but the studio pivoted when they proved to be such a success. The result, unfortunately, was something of a mess; The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian Season 3 both failed to draw the same kind of reception.

The Mandoverse has headed to the big screen now, but The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s box office is the worst in Star Wars history. Sadly, it’s entirely possible poor reception to recent Mandoverse releases is one reason. It’s all gotten a little bit messy, and there are now an increasing number of things that just don’t make any sense.

7. Why Doesn’t Din Djarin Know Anything About the Jedi?

The most obvious, of course, is the simple fact Din Djarin knows so little about the Jedi. Mandalorian history and heritage is intertwined with that of the Jedi, as proven by the Darksaber – the ancestral Mandalorian sword of leadership. Created by Tarre Vizsla a thousand years before the Skywalker saga, this essentially ties Mandalorian leadership to the Jedi, given he was the first Mandalorian Jedi. It makes absolutely no sense that the Children of the Watch, a traditionalist cult, wouldn’t have mentioned the Jedi to Din while he was being raised.

6. Is Din Djarin’s Helmet Pressurized Or Not?

In The Mandalorian Chapter 18, “The Mines of Mandalore,” Din pressurizes his helmet for the first time when he steps out on to Mandalore’s surface. It’s a smart move, because he believes the air is filled with toxins, so he’s moved to his own air supply. The problem, though, is that this should also mean he can’t drown while wearing his helmet… and water seems to be Din Djarin’s one weakness. He constantly struggles to breathe when submerged, and never once stops to pressurize the helmet so he’ll be fine. It’s pretty clear the writers failed to spot a major inconsistency.

5. Is “Din” the First Name or the Surname?

The Mandalorian initially treated Din Djarin’s name like a secret, referring to him only as “Mando” (it was then ditched for Season 3, but oddly returned for The Mandalorian and Grogu). The problem, though, is that we actually don’t know which is his first name and which is his surname. Characters drifted into referring to him as “Din,” which seemed to suggest a traditional format. Then, bizarrely, The Mandalorian Season 3 ended with him formally adopting Grogu – who took on the name “Din Grogu.” Star Wars still hasn’t explained what viewers should make of that.

4. Why Was the First Spinoff Called “The Book of Boba Fett”?

The Mandalorian‘s first spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett didn’t exactly come in for rave reviews. In functional terms, it regressed into The Mandalorian Season 2.5, with Din Djarin and Grogu reunited in the last place anybody expected. As curious as that narrative choice may be, though, it wasn’t the oddest thing about the spinoff. Why was it called “The Book of Boba Fett” in the first place? Lucasfilm never really explained, and future Mandoverse shows like Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew ditched the format completely.

3. Why Didn’t Bo-Katan Ever Visit Mandalore?

Bo-Katan has spent years trying to reunite the Mandalorians, refusing to believe Mandalore is uninhabitable. She appears to be treated as something of a Pariah by many Mandalorians, which seems distinctly odd given it would be very easy indeed to prove it. Din demonstrates as much in The Mandalorian Season 3, when he simply picks up a droid and flies to the planet. Bo-Katan could easily have done the same – especially given she was literally living in the same star-system.

2. The Mandalorian Helmet Rules Don’t Make Any Sense

We’re all familiar with the Mandalorian helmet rule, which forbids a Mandalorian removing their helmet in the presence of others. The concept took Star Wars fans by surprise when it was first established in The Mandalorian Season 1, given we’d even visited Mandalore itself in The Clone Wars, and never seen a hint of it. Lucasfilm eventually explained Din was part of an extremist faction known as the Children of the Watch, who followed a more ancient creed the rest of Mandalore had long since abandoned. Oddly, the Armorer then showed no problem with non-traditionalist Bo-Katan as her leader in Season 3.

The Mandalorian and Grogu tweaked the helmet rule, revealing it’s OK for a Mandalorian to let someone see their face – but only if they kill them immediately afterwards. Oddly, the Hutt Twins knew all about the helmet rule, and believed it was a hallmark of every Mandalorian clan. This particular element, probably added just to make it possible for (the very busy) Pedro Pascal to play the role, has always felt like a mess.

1. The Mandalorian’s Timeline is an Absolute Mess

The Star Wars timeline is usually pretty precise, with everything dated in relation to the Battle of Yavin. When it comes to The Mandalorian, though, the timeline really feels pretty confused; in fact, Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau frequently contradicted one another in the buildup to The Mandalorian Season 3. According to the official Timelines book, the three seasons (and spinoffs) all take place in 9 ABY (“After Battle of Yavin”). But that means Grogu probably spent only a couple of weeks with Luke Skywalker, and Nevarro’s development doesn’t work. The Mandalorian and Grogu hinted at a retcon, suggesting years have passed, but we’ll see whether Lucasfilm commit to that or not.

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