As one of Star Wars’ greatest achievements since the franchise’s inception, The Mandalorian owes much of its success to the Star Wars stories and characters who came before it, most notably Boba Fett – but also Darth Vader. The entire premise of The Mandalorian following the lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin, through the lawless Outer Rim while he dons Mandalorian beskar armor is based on the mysterious yet beloved figure Boba Fett was during the original Star Wars trilogy. This is an undisputed fact, one the creators themselves have spoken to, but Boba isn’t the only one who deserves credit.
While it’s true that Boba Fett’s iconic silhouette in his armor is what directly inspired Din Djarin and his strict helmet rule, he’s not the only masked character who’s become an icon both inside and outside the Star Wars galaxy. Darth Vader’s mask and suit of armor have become one of pop culture’s most recognizable looks, and it goes beyond the mere appearance of his character. Everything about Darth Vader, from James Earl Jones’ iconic voice to Vader’s own importance to the story, was a driving force that has since made The Mandalorian flourish in the newest age of Star Wars content.
The Mandalorian Season 4 Updates: Cast, Story, & Everything We Know
After The Mandalorian season 3’s conclusion in 2023, the story of The Mandalorian season 4 is shaping up to be one of the show’s biggest yet.
Darth Vader’s Story Is The Heart Of George Lucas’ Star Wars
George Lucas himself has gone on record as saying the Star Wars story is centered around the tragedy of Darth Vader, hence why his own ideas for a sequel trilogy didn’t move forward. This means that, in the eyes of the creator, Darth Vader is the true heart of Star Wars. Everything that happens in the galaxy revolves around him and the choices he’s made, from his early days in the Jedi Order as Anakin Skywalker to the Sith Lord himself. Vader, then, has always been the heartbeat of Star Wars, paving the way for the modern Star Wars era.
The Mandalorian’s Din Djarin Is Now The Current Heart Of The Star Wars Story
Now that Vader’s story is complete, Star Wars has been in need of a new heart. When the sequel Star Wars trilogy failed to find the pulse many viewers were eagerly seeking, The Mandalorian arrived and offered a new one that still felt beautifully familiar in Din Djarin. This, with the help of his adorable sidekick Grogu, instantly breathed new life into the franchise. While Din’s character is certainly a far cry from the villain Darth Vader was first presented as in 1977’s Star Wars, the two still share many similarities, all of which point towards Vader paving Din’s path.
The Mandalorian Cast & Characters Guide
The Mandalorian has created a long list of new Star Wars characters and brought back some familiar ones, with an incredible cast to match.
Din Djarin’s Story Evokes Much Of Darth Vader’s Own
One of the most prominent similarities between Darth Vader and Din Djarin is that the two characters are both mysteriously masked men, which not only allows their mere looks to become extremely recognizable icons, but it also allows audiences to have more freedom with the interpretation of what may be underneath their masks at any given point. While it may seem like a disadvantage to hide away a person’s face, it also makes them more intriguing, as it forces viewers to truly work to interpret their emotions. This is especially true when it comes to the characters’ redemption arcs.
Din may not be the villain that Vader is, but at the beginning of The Mandalorian, he’s still a man very much in need of redemption – if only in his own eyes. His past trauma, much like Vader’s before his fall, forged him into a hardened man who convinced himself that hunting and tracking down living, breathing people was nothing more than a job. After saving Grogu, however, Din is forced to reckon with the man he’s become and who he once was, which is the same effect Luke Skywalker had on his father in the original Star Wars trilogy.
This proves that the story Din takes in The Mandalorian not only shares many similarities with Vader’s own, but it also has that same driving force behind it. The idea that a person, no matter how far they’ve fallen, can still come back from the darkness is a part of Lucas’ original vision, which is why he set Vader at the heart of his story. Din is now acting as that same figure in the current era of Star Wars, with Grogu playing the role of Luke in his inspiring and exciting tale of redemption and heroics.
The Mandalorian Works Because Darth Vader’s Story Worked
Thus, The Mandalorian has found its success because of the path Vader and his story carved for Din Djarin. While there are certainly some stark contrasts between the two stories, from the matter of blood relations between father-and-son and the scale of the sins Vader and Din respectively committed, Din’s story only works because Vader’s did first. He’s able to earn the sympathy and support from the audience because they recognize it from the heart of the original Star Wars stories, where they surprisingly found themselves rooting for Vader’s redemption as well.
Vader’s mask also played a key part in making Din’s mask work. The idea of hiding Din’s face behind a helmet for most of his story seemed risky, but the way it worked for Vader proved it could be done. It not only allowed audiences to project themselves onto the characters, but it also worked as both a physical and metaphorical symbol of the armor both these men either chose or were forced to put on to protect their most vulnerable selves. This makes the eventual removal of their masks, either by or for their sons, even more emotional.
Even the ways in which the characters are played bear a striking resemblance to one another and prove the success of this formula. James Earl Jones provided the voice for Vader while David Prowse stepped into the character’s suit of armor, much like how Pedro Pascal provides the voice for Din Djarin while Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder step into the suit – though Pascal does tend to be more physically involved than Jones was. This allows there to be a surgical approach to the characters and their stories, as it gives the actors the freedom to make more changes even after filming.
The Mandalorian & Grogu movie proves how successful Vader’s example has been for Star Wars. Just as Vader and his family defined the first six movies of the Star Wars saga, Din and his family are now heralding the new age of the franchise. While Din’s inspiration began with Boba Fett and the character everyone wanted the mysterious bounty hunter to be, the true man at the core of Din’s armor and the journey he takes in The Mandalorian is very reminiscent of Vader’s, which is why the character is owed the same amount of credit for the story’s success.
The Mandalorian
- Release Date
- November 12, 2019
- Cast
- Werner Herzog , Emily Swallow , Pedro Pascal , Nick Nolte , Omid Abtahi , Gina Carano , Carl Weathers , Giancarlo Esposito
- Seasons
- 3
- Writers
- Jon Favreau
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
