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- What Is Mandalorian Armor?
- What Are The Different Types Of Mandalorian Armor?
- How Good Is Mandalorian Armor?
There are plenty of great Star Wars characters out there, and recently, fans have been loving learning about the Mandalorians. The clan of galactic bounty hunters is not to be trifled with by even groups as powerful as the Jedi, so it makes sense why Mandalorians have gotten so much shine as of late. Newer Star Wars fans are bound to be best acquainted with Din Djarin thanks to the fantastic Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
The history of the Mandalorians is rich and filled with turmoil, but that isn’t the most striking aspect of these people. For a lot of Star Wars fans, the Mandalorians have some of the best-designed armor in the series. It’s time to take a long look at Mandalorian armor and see how effective it is at keeping Mandalorians safe from the wrath of their enemies.
What Is Mandalorian Armor?
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Mandalorian Armor |
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Creators |
Mandalorian-Jedi War Era Mandalorians |
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Affiliated With |
The Mandalorians |
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Materials Used |
Beskar or Durasteel alloy |
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Models |
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Weapons |
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Additional Gadgets |
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Their signature armor is common among the Mandalorians thanks to their bloody history in the galaxy far, far away. Mandalorian armor is relatively standardized in certain design features like their iconic visor, braces, and jetpacks. Better known among the Mandalorians as beskar’gam in their native language of Mando’a, the armor is a staple of the people and a key indicator that trouble is on the way.
Originally, the now iconic Mandalorian armor came into being during the Mandalorian-Jedi War, a bloody event that pitted the two titular factions against one another. The Mandalorians had previously used simplistic and limited armor, forcing them to rely on their skill to survive. The switch to a full armor set proved so useful that many Mandalorians who wore it were considered massive threats to the average Jedi.
What Are The Different Types Of Mandalorian Armor?
The standard Mandalorian armor worn by Din Djarin shouldn’t be scoffed at. However, there are plenty of other versions of the standard armor. As already mentioned, a proto-version of the Mandalorian armor saw the proud people taking on a helmet as the only piece of true armor, with simple robes covering the rest of their bodies. Then there is the standardized Mandalorian armor, which is typically stylized by individuals through a simple coat of paint. In a piece from the Tatooine Times, the costume designer of The Mandalorian season 3, Shawna Trpcic, had this to say about adding personal touches to differentiate Mandalorian armor design:
It’s this idea that helps make these characters unique and for us to feel and care for them as individuals. It’s not just a bunch of silver robots in armor; I wanted to bring humanity to what could be very closed off cold characters, but instead it opens them up to warmth and acceptance.
Both Jango Fett and Boba Fett have been seen in a heavy version of the standard Mandalorian armor, which offered much greater coverage of the body, likely at the expense of some maneuverability. With additional metal added to the design of this suit, a Mandalorian would be capable of surviving waves of enemies.
Other notable kinds of armor were the Super Commando armor and the Rally Master armor. There does not seem to be much difference in the Super Commando armor, aside from minor design and color differences. This kind of armor is more commonly associated with the Sith. The Rally Master armor seems to have been a rarer old Mandalorian armor from the Old Republic Era, though its effectiveness can be assumed to be lower than average since it fell out of use.
How Good Is Mandalorian Armor?
Like Stormtrooper armor, most Star Wars fans can identify Mandalorian armor at a glance: a suit with powerful metal plates lining various portions of the body. The plates of armor, including the Mandalorian helmet, are made from one of the hardest metals in the galaxy: beskar. The metal is capable of withstanding not only standard blaster fire, but also a Jedi’s lightsaber. This means that even the galaxy’s most powerful warriors are forced to use their brains if they want to stand any chance in a fight against a skilled Mandalorian.
Mandalorian armor is, unsurprisingly, often riddled with a variety of weapons to get its wearer out of any situation. A simplistic suit may just provide armor coverage, but the more complex iterations also include ranged weapons like various darts, blasters, and even flamethrowers. They sometimes have other utility items like grappling hooks and repulsors, or heavy impact items like rockets or vibroblades. All of these items would allow a Mandalorian to not only take on any threat, but also to take any opponent by surprise. One of the coolest aspects of Mandalorian armor for some fans is the inclusion of a jetpack. This simple addition allowed Mandalorians to fight at any level, as well as improving their ability to dodge with greater speed.
This armor can withstand lightsabers, provides the ability to fight any foe, and allows a Mandalorian to take to the air. It’s easy to say that Mandalorian armor is easily among the most effective in the entire Star Wars universe. Those who wondered how the Jedi struggled against the Mandalorians should wonder no more, as Mandalorian armor is a major reason why these people are as deadly as they are.
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