Why the Mythosaur is SO Important to The Mandalorian

We've now seen our first live action mythosaur! Even in Star Wars Legends mythosaurs were rarely pictured and only ever discussed. Here is their history in both canon and Legends, and what they mean mythologically and thematically for the future of the series!

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[nancygreen]

Since Kuiil referenced the Mythosaur early on, I’ve been wanting to see Din tame/ ride that beast. I think Boba Fett’s feat riding the Rancor ( which Din couldn’t) may have foreshadowed Din taming or befriending the beast, wielding the Darksaber. One of Din’s defining characteristics as shown in episode s1-2 is perseverance, though sometimes he needs a little push. I like the dynamic they are setting up with Bo. She could be that push while he helps her regain her belief in her people. So incredibly exciting!!

[Iceskyguy]

Kuiil is in the afterlife right now looking at Din going "Go on. Ride it. I dare you. I have spoken."

When they brought up Mythosaurs in the recap, I had a feeling they'd come up in the episode at some point but not like this! I thought it would just be an illustration or something they'd see in the mines. They would touch on its history and significance to the culture and that was it. I was not expecting them to find one living under the ruins of Sundari! What an absolute jawdropper! I cannot wait to see more and the impact it has on both Bo-Katan and Din because I feel like this changes everything for both of them and I hope we get to see the full creature in all its glory.

I really want next episode picks up right where this left off. I want to see the stunned expression on her face like in The Rescue. Knowing Din, he's going to come to next episode and be like "What happened? Did I bathe in the waters?" And Bo's just gonna flip her cap about the giant creature in the waters lol

[HumbleAshe]

What I absolutely loved is how shocked Bo is to see that her supposed “legend” is real. She was probably cursing out of sheer bewilderment to see a Mythosaur in the flesh.

Question now is who would tame it, if anyone. One person somewhere else brought up the idea of Grogu taming the Mythosaur with the Force. It’s a really massive stretch, but a pretty fun one. The idea of a child (a Force user from Yoda’s species, nonetheless) surpassing the Mandalorian beast of legend and even posing as a possible challenge to the typical title of “Mandalore” would be quite an interesting mixup to the Mandalorian culture.

[neofulcrum]

I’m already imagining the epic sight of Din using the darksaber on a mythosaur

[comicop]

I've got a feeling the Mythosaurs are like the highly intelligent "benevolent old gods" of Mandalore, and not some violent, lesser beast. Mandalore the Great was only able to "tame" one because of his less violent nature when compared to his peers, and what the Mandalorians mistook for Mythosaur extinction was really them going underground because the people had splintered and warred with each other over nothing. There was no one worthy to lead anymore.

[Cahrmyne]

I love the breakdown you give of the meanings and symbolism. Makes it all the more interesting!

[camstech]

I feel like the fact the Din still struggled to wield the Dark Saber and then we see Bo wield it without struggle was VERY intentional. I think were headed towards the shared throne idea where Din rides the Mythosaur and Bo wields the Saber

EDIT*** I Also think that Bo Diving into the water to save Din was intentional to have her also be "redeemed by bathing in the Living waters"

[WoodlandDrake]

I think an interesting thing about the Darksaber and how Din is the one who seems to struggle the most with it is that it may be much more symbolic than we realize; the Darksaber is a symbol of leadership for the Mandalore, and the weight of it may be just as asymbolic. A character that can wield the Darksaber with ease is likely not going to bear the full burden of leadership, while Din struggles because he would. A great leader would not carelessly wield power, and a weapon that is difficult to use makes one less willing to draw it.

[xenocide]

First the Krayt Dragon now the Mythosaur. Awesome big monster fan service for us.

[fazbrogaming]

I am not someone who favors legends over canon, nor to I think one is better than the other, I enjoy Star Wars as a whole and I love it when canon decides to do it own thing with its story, rather than take an existing story from legends and having that be the explanation all the time.

[RolandTFlakfizer]

Thanks Alex. I love your reading via Campbell. In that vein, I see a couple of parallelisms.

Firstly, the Armorer's new recruit is initiated in a body of water that contains a monster; then Din is 'redeemed' (according to the Armorer's tenet) in a body of water that contains a 'monster'. The Armorer isn't merely keeping a _tradition_ but keeping a warped _myth_ of a tradition (which I would argue warps the tradition), while Din is discovering the truth within the myth upon which the tradition is built (without which it becomes 'fundamentalist' dogma). He represets the redemption not of himself for some personal transgression but The Children (and their inferred lineage) for their collective transgression. Whether or not the Armorer accepts Din (and the _actual_ redemption he represents) will be an inflection-point for both Din (and the audience) and The Children.

Secondly, Grogu encounters the Purrgil; then Bo-katan encounters the Mythosaur. (It remains to be seen whether Din _encountered_ the Mythosaur, even though it seems likely he was dragged-under by it — although, if so, why only drag him down and leave him under? — and therefore very definitely had an encounter with it!) The Purrgil are not monsters but 'semi-sentient' ancient aliens who play a mysterious and mythological role in SW lore. Likewise, Mythosaurs, which certainly play a mysterious and mythological role in SW lore, could be more than mere monsters.

I am so encouraged that Favreau-Feloni are very firmly in the Lucas tradition of myth-making, and I love that there are SW fans who continue to parse SW 'content' mythologically (for all that industry- and current socio-cultural-analysis have their place). As far as I'm concerned, _this_ is the way ; )

[ohzenn]

Bo taming the mythosaur as a way to prove her worth to herself and her people and din weilding the darksaber to bring in a new era of the children could be cool

[NRUTOKINGDOM]

I want boba to make an off hand comment about how he was in the running for leader at one point. Be a fun legend's nod

[DeusExMcKenna]

I love that the musical motif they gave the mythosaur was pulled from the Star Wars Bounty Hunter (2002) theme. Such an amazing deep cut.

[nashmcbride]

I feel like a way this could all go is that Din doesn't neccesarily become the Mandalore rather that he becomes the new leader of his fellow children of the watch replacing the armorer. We could possible see Bo Katan coming in as Mandalore and accepting Din and the watch as a recognized house, like at the end of that arc in rebels.

[bradleytaniguchi]

I'm getting medieval times vibes. Bo can be the ruler/leader, but her "knight" is Din. Both working together toward a common goal.

[sergiomendoza]

I just hope they make him king mandalore. That’d be pretty sweet, only because Din is NOT a politician or leader really at all. He’s mostly a lone wanderer who only recently got Grogu as a travel companion. But I think it would be fun to see him in that kind of situation or at least trying to see him fix mandalore as the whole would be an interesting watch because he’s not equipped to do something like that.

[PhillipMelanchthon]

I love the symbolism of the Mythosaur still alive in the heart of the planet telling Bo Katan the the spirit of the Mandalorians is still alive in the planet and its people. Just as the planet was revealed not to be poisoned and worthless, now she understands that her people are not worthless.

[Er_Guille]

Bo and Din pairing together to rule Mandalore. The first, as heiress of a noble house and the second as wielder of the Dark Saber. Kind of a dynastic marriage even though Din is no dynast. I don’t know. Just my two cents.

[BigZiggy]

I feel like Bo-Katan will end up much like the Armorer like a spiritual leader. It's actually a very good idea for a civilization. The Mandalorians want their next armor piece but to get it they must preform a recognized act to get it as a reward. At the same time they get some words of wisdom or a re-affirmation of their commitment to their community.