Star Wars: The Mandalorian's Krayt Dragon Pearl Explained

The Mandalorian is back for its second season on Disney+. The first episode of the new season, "Chapter 9: The Marshal," brought fans back into the galaxy far, far away. The episode saw the Mandalorian going up against a mighty beast from Tatooine, the krayt dragon. After the battle, the Tusken Raiders discovered a mysterious pearl inside the beast's corpse. Similar to the moment in the first season when the Jawas feasted on the egg of the Mudhorn after Din Djarin and Baby Yoda disposed of the creature, the Tusken Raiders celebrated after discovering the krayt pearl in the dragon's carcass.. The Krayt dragon pearl has a special significance in past Star Wars lore, especially to fans who still remember the Knights of the Old Republic video games.

The premiere of Star Wars: The Mandalorian, titled "Chapter 9: The Marshal," featured Din Djarin teaming up with a Tatooine lawman named Cobb Vanth (played by Timothy Olyphant) as the two attempt to hunt and kill a Krayt dragon. They end up working with the people of Mos Pelgo and the Tusken Raiders in a tense alliance toward their shared goal, but the Krayt dragon proves to be an overwhelming threat. However, once they dispatch the threat, the Tusken Raiders begin searching the carcass of the Krayt dragon in hopes of finding a Krayt dragon pearl in its body.

According to canon, the Krayt dragon pearls are very valuable and their purpose is somewhat mysterious. They have most prominently appeared in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in a Tatooine quest line that includes hunting a Krayt dragon, which rewards players with the pearl in their inventory.

According to the in-game description of the Krayt dragon pearl (h/t IGN): "Taken from the gullet of the Krayt Dragon, this crystalline 'pearl' appears to have refractory qualities that might allow it to function as a lightsaber crystal once properly adapted."

The pearls have also appeared in other media, though this is the first time they have shown up in a live-action Star Wars project. It just goes to show how much care producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are taking in connecting to all corners of the Star Wars franchise, and not just the big screen stories fans know and love. It will be interesting to see how the new season continues to connect to the animated shows, novels, comic books, and video games that fans have enjoyed for decades.

New episodes of Star Wars: The Mandalorian premiere on Fridays on Disney+.