Star Wars is a long-running multimedia franchise that has spawned a number of films, TV, and video games. This level of content creates an immersive experience for fans of the franchise, showing off elaborate sets and realistic aliens that create a whole new world. Within the Star Wars universe, many races and cultures of beings have received a great deal of coverage. From the Wookies on Kashyyyk to Yoda’s unknown species, there are plenty of unusual races and species to be discovered. One especially mysterious group are the Mandalorians.
Thanks to the release of the new series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, a great deal of attention has been brought to the people of Mandalore. While the term Mandalorian has changed over the Star Wars timeline — traditionally meaning humans who hailed from Mandalore — after the takeover of Mandalore at the hands of Darth Maul, the term Mandalorian has a whole new meaning. Considering this, there are a number of Mandalorians throughout the franchise, and these are the best.
9 Bo-Katan Kryze
Bo-Katan Kryze was born on Mandalore back before it was overtaken by Darth Maul and Death Watch. She was present during the takeover, even going so far as to challenge the Sith Lord’s commandos. Bo-Katan is also Mandalorian royalty in the traditional sense of the word as she is one of the few Mandalorians remaining during The Mandalorian era to actually hail from Mandalore. Bo-Katan was formerly a Death Watch Lieutenant and became the eventual leader of the Nite Owls, a separate faction of Mandalorian rebels. What has shocked fans the most is the fact that Bo-Katan has managed to survive the near extinction of her people during the reign of the Empire. Now, per Nerdist, Bo-Katan faces a difficult choice, as the Darksaber is in the hands of her ally Din Djarin.
8 Sabine Wren
Another Mandalorian fortunate enough to grow up on Mandalore is Sabine Wren. Making her first appearance in Rebels and lined up to make her live-action debut in the upcoming series Ahsoka, Sabine was trained to be a fighter from a young age, giving her a one-up on many of her colleagues. An expert pilot, marksman, and hacker, it would seem that there is nothing Sabine can’t do. If she has continued to perfect her skills over the years, we could see Sabine’s talents be enough to rival that of Din Djarin.
7 Pre Vizsla
Pre Vizsla is a real piece of work in the Star Wars universe. The former leader of Death Watch, Vizsla proves himself a powerful leader with a superiority complex. Vizsla is a conniving man who uses his power to influence Mandalorians into sharing his beliefs. His hold on Mandalorians eventually paid back as he managed to use his power to take over Mandalore for a time while being in possession of the Darksaber. Pre Vizsla even managed to go head-to-head against Darth Maul, serving as a formidable foe for the Sith Lord.
6 Din Djarin
One of the more recent additions to the list of Mandalorians is Din Djarin. The main protagonist of The Mandalorian, Din Djarin is a skilled warrior who has adopted the traditional Mandalorian ways. He is also one of the few Mandalorian characters who has evolved dramatically over the course of his series. Going from a cold, heartless bounty hunter to a sympathetic warrior who goes as far as to save one of his bounties and eventually adopts him, Din Djarin’s character is by far the most dynamic Mandalorian character ever to be introduced into the Star Wars universe.
5 The Armorer
While not a main character, the Armorer has been a fan favorite in The Mandalorian. The Armorer serves as the unspoken leader or matriarch of the Mandalorians as she houses herself at their headquarters on Tatooine before relocating. Her mysterious persona as well as her skill in smithing Beskar for her fellow Mandalorians is a huge draw. That said, the Armorer has also proven herself to be exceedingly worthy of the Mandalorian name as she is not just a wise woman who crafts armor, but is also a worthy adversary on the battlefield. The Armorer also serves as a keeper of tradition when she tells Din Djarin that he is no longer a Mandalorian because someone has seen his face.
4 Boba Fett
A beloved character in the Star Wars universe who has even managed to get his own spin-off series called The Book of Boba Fett, Boba Fett is beyond skilled. A warrior cloned from Jango Fett, Boba watched his “father” get decapitated by Mace Windu, which triggered Boba to follow In Jango’s footsteps and become a fierce bounty hunter from a very young age. After discovering that Boba was saved from the Sarlacc by his armor, fans went wild seeing a grown Boba Fett crawl his way back to the top, eventually taking the place of Jabba the Hutt as daimyo. Though not Mandalorian in the traditional sense, Boba has more or less undergone an indoctrination into the cultulre throughout the Star Wars franchise and even dons Mandalorian armor.
3 Mandalore the First
Per Screen Rant, the basis of the Mandalorian creed and way of life comes from Mandalore the First. Mandalore the First is exactly what he sounds like, guiding his people to Mandalore. He is the reason why Mandalore’s warriors rose to prominence for their abilities, being the baseline for every Mandalorian to ever rise to prominence. Mandalore the First initiated the crusade on the planet that would eventually become Mandalore once conquered, ridding the planet of killer beasts known as Mythosaurs, a feat that many thought impossible to manage. Mandalore the First set the bar for every Mandalorian to follow as a strong leader and a fierce warrior unwilling to back down from any challenge.
2 Tarre Vizsla
Tarre Vizsla’s powers are unmatched by any other Mandalorian as he was the only Mandalorian powerful enough to become a Jedi. Tarre Vizsla was the maker and original owner of the infamous Darksaber, which has circulated throughout the galaxy, falling into the hands of numerous people, from Pre Vizsla to Din Djarin, but Tarre is more than just the maker of the most well-known saber in the galaxy. Thanks to his skill and leadership, Tarre led Mandalore into a Golden Age, producing a proud people. Unfortunately, no Mandalorian has shown any Force sensitivity since Tarre Vizsla, making him one of a kind.
1 Mandalore the Ultimate
Mandalore the Ultimate is certainly a name to live up to — and he certainly does. Mandalore the Ultimate led Mandalore’s armies during the Mandalorian Wars. The Ultimate also managed to turn the tide of the war for the benefit of Mandalore, using every ounce of his influence and leadership to rally the Mandalorians and lead them against the Republic. Mandalore the Ultimate has made a name for himself as possibly the best and most powerful Mandalorian in the whole of the Star Wars universe. Mandalore the Ultimate was only bested by Darth Revan, one of the most powerful Sith Lords in the entire universe.