The Children of the Watch beliefs on The Way often differ from Mandalorians.
Din Djarin, our beloved Mando, is a member of the Children of the Watch, who form their beliefs about Mandalorians on religion. The Children of the Watch take Din in as a foundling during The Purge when his town is under attack (he is not a native-born Mandalorian). On the other hand, Mandalore is where Bo-Katan was born. She was born into House Kryze, known as the royal family of the planet. Her upbringing established her beliefs about Mandalorians.
The two have already frequently disagreed on their perspective on Mandalorians in the new season. Bo-Katan refers to Din’s clan and others who follow The Way as a cult. Their respective followings of The Way differ from one another. But, with season three exploring Mandalore and shattering Bo-Katan’s ideologies about her home world, what will this mean for the Mandalorians going forward?
*Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Mandalorian season three*
This is The Way
Mandalore’s Way is a religion followed by conservative Mandalorians, like Din. The Children of the Watch follow The Way, which Bo-Katan describes as a cult. They aim to follow The Way and reestablish the religion which fell. That religion is now seen as ancient during the times of the New Republic. You may have heard Mando state “This is the Way” throughout the series, as it is also an acknowledgement of the rules and creed he follows.
I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors that I shall walk the Way of the Mand’alor, and the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart. This is the Way.
The Armorer during a Mandalorian initiation ceremony
The Way that Din follows holds a strict set of rules. Never remove one’s helmet in the presence of others, always help other Mandalorians, and respect that whoever wields the Darksaber will rule Mandalore. In season three, Din seeks redemption after disregarding The Way and removing his helmet in the company of Grogu and others. The Armorer states that he can bathe in the living waters of Mandalore to redeem himself.
This causes a problem for Bo-Katan in the latest episode of The Mandalorian, as she also unintentionally bathes in the living waters and redeems herself in the eyes of The Watch. She is now welcomed with open arms by Din’s “cult,” despite her disbelief and mocking of said Mandalorians. It will be interesting to see if Bo-Katan removes her helmet and becomes an apostate once again after her revelation in episode two. After “Chapter 19,” though, it’s possible she will keep her helmet on after her unintentional redemption.
Children of the Watch beliefs about The Way differ from Mandalorians
Back in season two of The Mandalorian, Din appears shocked when Bo-Katan and her companions Koska Reeves and Axe Woves remove their helmets after claiming they are Mandalorian. It is here Din learns that his clan are Children of the Watch, who broke away from Mandalorian society. They teach their younglings that their way is the only way.
“I do not walk the Way.” Bo-Katan explains to The Armorer in “Chapter 19.”
Bo-Katan’s people also reject her after failing to regain the Darksaber. The Way states that its followers must accept that whoever wields the saber has the right to rule Mandalore. We see her annoyance with Din in “Chapter 16” after he obtains the weapon when defeating Moff Gideon, the previous holder of the Darksaber. He attempts to yield and surrender the weapon to Bo, which proves his knowledge of the Darksaber pales in comparison to hers. Bo-Katan is well aware of the customs that accompany this weapon.
She also learns in “Chapter 18” that the thought-to-be extinct Mythosaur still roams Mandalore. Apparently, her ancestors slayed the mighty beasts and established their power many years ago. But, it now seems the legends Bo-Katan rejected long ago might not be what they seem.
Is this The Way?
Going forward, it will be incredibly interesting to see whether Bo-Katan and Din steer away from their respective beliefs, or whether they accept their redemption and continue following The Way, or meet somewhere in the middle.
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