Star Wars is no stranger to biblical themes, and The Mandalorian is no exception. The story of Din Djarin and King David, in particular, share some surprising connections. With humble beginnings, warrior backgrounds, and the failed rulers that preceded them, the two men mirror each other’s journeys. And if The Mandalorian is drawing inspiration from the Biblical narrative, looking deeper into King David’s story could provide clues to the Star Wars show’s ultimate endgame.
Star Wars and Sunday School
To understand the connection between Din and David, we must look to the Hebrew Bible. In the early years of the Israelite nation, the people asked the prophet Samuel to find a king to unite the people of Israel. Though God is against this, but the people demand a ruler, so Samuel finds one.
King Saul is a tall, heroic commander willing to fight to protect his people. He seems perfect for the job, but he quickly becomes a cautionary tale. From his nomination as King against God’s will and his future compounding failures, Saul seems cursed from the start. God ultimately rejects him and picks a new candidate to lead Israel, a shepherd (and Giant slayer) named David.
Biblical Echoes in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
“Bo Katan Kryse was born of a mighty house, but they lost sight of the way. Her rule ended in tragedy.”
In The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze’s (Katee Sackhoff) story echoes Saul. She faithfully served her people as a Regent, warrior, and protector, which is why many Mandalorians saw her as the rightful ruler of Mandalore. This sentiment was further reinforced when Sabine Wren gifted her the Darksaber. A weapon traditionally wielded by the Mand’alor, the leader of their people.
But herein lies a problem. Unless the blade is won in combat, it’s rumored to carry a curse. This curse is seemingly fulfilled as Mandalore is occupied and destroyed by the Empire, and the symbol of Mandalorian leadership (the Darksaber) is lost to Bo-Katan’s enemy, Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). The destruction of Mandalore scatters the Clans of Mandalore across the galaxy. Bo-Katan tries to unite her people and regain the Darksaber, but the blade reappears in the hands of the unlikeliest candidate, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal).
Book of Mandalore: Chapter XVIII
Din and David are cut from the same cloth. They are honorable yet flawed heroes thrust into greater responsibility at a time when their people are fractured. Both are also strictly bound to their religions, David to the Hebrew God and Din to the Mandalorian Creed.
David’s story weaves around Saul. Where Saul fails, David succeeds because of his nature.
We can make a similar comparison between Bo-Katan and Din. Bo-Katan obtains the Darksaber against tradition. Her first step as the Mand’alor disregards the rules and traditions surrounding it. In contrast, Din unintentionally fulfills the conditions of the Darksaber as a byproduct of his heroic nature by beating Moff Gideon in combat.
David and Din both have blood on their hands, but their characters are not defined by it. The Bible takes great lengths to show us that David’s true strength was not his sword but his compassion, integrity, and faithful adherence to God’s will.
We see this theme in Din’s journey as well. He was once simply known as the Mandalorian, a deadly, faceless Bounty hunter. But after rescuing Grogu, his reputation changed. He is now a protector known for his kindness and for helping those in need. In both situations, the rightful king comes from the ashes of the ruler before them, acting as a redemption story for a nation.
The Mandalorian and the rise of a King
Episodes of The Mandalorian function in much the same way as the stories of David in the Bible. Each verse/episode explains why these men are fit to lead. Looking at the Mandalorian this way, we see how each episode builds off the ones before it to prove that Din is worthy. The Bible tells the story of David’s eventual rise to King of Israel. The Mandalorian may be crafting a similar narrative around Din.
In Season 3 Episode 2, The Mines of Mandalore, we see all the pieces of Din’s past adventures fall into place. Though his intentions are simply to redeem himself, Din’s actions on Mandalore are the final pieces that reveal his destiny. If you look at this episode through this lens, the path to Din becoming Mand’alor is clearly laid out. A man following the ancient creed of Mandalore braves his people’s (allegedly) poisoned and abandoned homeland. He carries the sword of previous rulers on his belt. Deep in the mines, he enters the living waters and awakens the symbol of his people, the Mythosaur. Like a Bible story, all the choices, failures, and successes chronicled over two seasons lead to this moment—the moment where The Mandalorian’s endgame comes into focus.
The icing on the cake is that Bo-Katan, Mandalore’s former leader, is there to witness this moment. Even though her helmet obscures her face, we can feel the change in her, a change that feels like hope.
