Although the critically-acclaimed live-action show is into its second season, much of Mando’s backstory is unclear, with the warrior’s minimal dialogue revealing only what is necessary in the moment. And there’s a reason for that: as lead actor Pedro Pascal has revealed, the lone gunman is largely inspired by Man with No Name, Clint Eastwood's protagonist Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns.
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But while Mando is deliberating designed to be a guarded and morally ambiguous menace, the first season of The Mandalorian revealed some key facts about the character – including his name.
What is it? And what exactly does he even look like? Glad you asked: here’s everything we know (so far) about The Mandalorian.
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What is the Mandalorian’s name?
Despite being referred to as 'Mando' throughout the show, The Mandalorian’s real name Din Djarin.
That’s what was revealed in the season one finale by Empire big bad Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). Exactly how he knows this information isn’t clear, but Djarin himself guesses Gideon must have access to the Mandalorian records after partaking in the Great Purge (the great war between the Mandalorians and the Empire).
So, what’s the significance of the name 'Din Djarin'? Well, there isn't much really. And that’s the point: rather than being a relation of fellow Mandalorians Boba or Jango Fett, this name establishes Djarin as a warrior in his own right.
What does The Mandalorian look like under his helmet?
As you might have noticed, Mando keeps his helmet glued to his head throughout season one. According to the rules of his tribe, Mandalorians should never remove their helmet in front of another person. Sure, he can take it off when he eats or washes, but this has to be done alone.
Given these rules, it’s no surprise the audience rarely sees The Mandalorian’s face in the first season. Well, except on one occasion. During the season finale, viewers witnessed Mando remove his helmet to receive much-needed medical treatment by killer nanny droid IG-11. And, as IG-11 is not technically a living person, Mando was still able to follow the rules of his tribe.
So, what exactly does Din Djarin exactly look like? In short: Pedro Pascal. Although some had speculated part of the reason why Mando never removes his helmet is due to major scarring or facial disfigurement, turns out he just looks exactly like Pascal.
(If you want to refresh your memory with The Mandalorian season one recap, RadioTimes.com has you covered.)
What else do we know about The Mandalorian?
Alongside his name, there are certain other facts we’ve learned about Din Djarin. Crucially, this includes how he first became a Mandalorian.
During a flashback in the season one finale, we learn that Djarin’s parents were killed in the Clone Wars by separatist CIS forces (thus explaining why Mando hates droids). Djarin himself survived the attack, being saved by The Death Watch, a Mandalorian tribe.
Intriguingly, according to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this legion would later be commanded by Sith Lord Darth Maul. However, Maul takes command of the Watch well after Djarin is rescued by them.
Viewers also learn that, after his recuse, Djarin was taken to Mandalore, the Mandalorian home planet, and raised as one of their own.
Beyond these few facts, however, we still know relatively little about why Djarin became a bounty hunter or what happened when he worked with Ran Malk's mercenaries (the heist group portrayed in season one chapter six The Prisoner).
Who plays The Mandalorian?
We know, we know: sounds an easy question, right? However, the answer isn’t completely straight forward.
As we’ve alluded to above, Pedro Pascal (The Red Viper from Game of Thrones) plays the character almost all of the time. But not always: while Pascal voices all of Mando’s lines, and portrays the character physically in many scenes, there are moments when a completely different actor is inside the armour.
For instance, in season one’s fourth episode, Sanctuary, Pascal was replaced by stunt doubles while he appeared in a Broadway performance of King Lear. The actor did, however, record of all Mando’s lines after filming was completed.
Interestingly, Brendan Wayne, one of the stunt doubles who played Mando in that episode is the son of late legendary film star John Wayne. And, as revealed in an interview with Vulture, Wayne works closely with Pascal in forming the character’s physical habits.
“[Pascal] would ask me, and I would ask him the same question, which is, ‘Why did you move like this during that moment?’ We would go back and forth,” Wayne said.
“The great thing about him is he’s not impressed with himself. He’s just an actor. And I mean that in the good way, not the bad way. He likes to learn and he likes to collaborate and he’s very good at it.”
In summary: Mando is so mysterious you don’t even know who’s playing him at a given moment.
Want more details about The Mandalorian release schedule, the Darksaber, Moff Gideon and more? Check out our coverage across RadioTimes.com, including our latest The Mandalorian review.
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The Mandalorian releases new episodes on Disney+ from Friday 30th October. Not got Disney Plus UK yet? Sign up for £59.99 a year or £5.99 monthly. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide.
