Summary
Among theStar Warsfranchise’s Mandalorians, even musical instruments are deadly weapons. The first Mandalorian shown in the saga was the iconic bounty hunter Boba Fett, who would soon be joined by other Mandalorians – Fenn Shysa, Spar, and Tobi Dala – in Marvel’s originalStar Warscomics, beforeStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clonesintroduced his father, Jango Fett.The originalStar WarsLegends timelinewould thoroughly exploreMandalorian historyand culture in a multitude of properties, many of which were written by Karen Traviss.
The modernStar Warscanon, which replaced the Legends continuity in 2014, would significantly reimagine the Mandalorians, starting with 2008’sStar Wars: The Clone Warsand continuing in more recent live-action properties likeThe Mandalorian. While the modern canon would take inspiration from the original Legends incarnation of the Mandalorians, many elements would remain exclusive to theStar Warsfranchise’s first continuity, such as Boba Fett being a Mandalorian (and eventually theMand’alor). Another element of Mandalorian culture that remains exclusive to the Legends timeline is a musical instrument that doubles as a weapon.
Star Wars: Top 10 Mandalorians, Ranked
Mandalorians have been a key part of Star Wars ever since the original trilogy, but have grown in importance over the years. These are the 10 best.
One Mandalorian Instrument Is A Dangerous Weapon
Karen Traviss’s 2008 book,Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel, would introduce the bes’bev to the originalStar Warscanon. As Karen Traviss’s 2009 novelImperial Commando: 501stwould reveal,a bes’bev is a flute-like instrument made of theMandalorian iron known as beskar, an exceptionally durable material that even resists lightsaber blades. The bes’bev is not only a traditional Mandalorian instrument used to perform ancient songs like Vode An, but it is also a dangerous weapon,with one end functioning as a lethal blade.
As revealed in Ed Erdelac’s article for the officialStar Warswebsite, Slugthrowers:An Overview of Popular Music and Musicians in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, a bes’bev can also function as a baton, easily clubbing beings unconscious.
Warfare Is A Part Of Mandalorian Culture
The Mandalorians are among the finest warriors in theStar Warsgalaxy,with warfare being a key part of their ancient culture. Therefore, it is not surprising that a Mandalorian musical instrument is also a lethal weapon. In performances of the traditional song Dha Werda Verda, Mandalorians would strike each other’s suits of armor like drums, requiring precise timing to avoid injury and helping the performers hone their coordination skills as a team.
Traditional Mandalorian music and music instruments would find their way into the Grand Army of the Republic in theStar WarsLegends timeline as well,with one member of the Cuy’val Dar – Wad’e Tay’haai – owning a bes’bev. Clone troopers – from the standard grunts to elite Clone Commandos andARC Troopers– would also perform Dha Werda Verda, drumming their clone armor the same way their Mandalorian ancestors would perform with their beskar suits. While there were no known instances of clone troopers playing the bes’bev, they were nevertheless cultural Mandalorians inStar WarsLegends, as mandated by Jango Fett.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
