List of The Mandalorian characters
The Mandalorian, an American space Western television series set in the Star Wars universe created by Jon Favreau and released on Disney+, features an extensive cast of characters. Since the show's debut on November 12, 2019, only one character has appeared in every episode: the protagonist and title character, a bounty hunter primarily known simply as "The Mandalorian". Grogu is a young alien of the same species as Star Wars character Yoda and the show's hugely popular breakout character, colloquially known among the fandom as "Baby Yoda".
Several supporting characters appeared in at least three episodes of the first season of The Mandalorian, credited as co-starring. These include allies of the Mandalorian such as Cara Dune, Greef Karga, IG-11, Kuiil, and The Armorer. The primary villains of the series belong to a remnant of the Galactic Empire, which is led by Moff Gideon and includes such agents as The Client and Penn Pershing. A handful of guest characters made appearances in single episodes, including villagers from the planet Sorgan in "Chapter 4: Sanctuary", a band of mercenaries in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", and several minor antagonists.
Cast
Starring
Recurring co-stars
The following cast members have been credited as co-starring in at least two or more episodes within a season.Featured co-stars
The following cast members have been credited as co-starring in a single episode within a season in which they play a significant role.Recurring guest stars
Minor guest stars
Main characters
Din Djarin / The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian, sometimes abbreviated as Mando, is a sobriquet for Din Djarin, the protagonist of The Mandalorian television series. Introduced as a bounty hunter, he is a member of the Mandalorian culture, as evidenced by his beskar armor and his distinctive helmet, which he never removes in front of anyone. He was a "foundling" who was rescued at a young age by the Mandalorians and adopted into their culture prior to the events of the series, after his parents were murdered by Separatist battle droids during the Clone Wars, which resulted in his intense hatred of droids. In the television series, the Mandalorian encounters a young alien known as "The Child", whom he attempts to protect from a remnant of the now-fallen Galactic Empire.The Mandalorian is portrayed and voiced by Pedro Pascal, and stunt actors Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder perform as body doubles when Pascal is unavailable. Pascal has cited Clint Eastwood as an influence on the character, and many comparisons have been drawn between the Mandalorian and Eastwood's Man with No Name. The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau suggested Pascal watch Akira Kurosawa's samurai films and Eastwood's Spaghetti Westerns as preparation for the role. The Mandalorian character and Pascal's performance have been well received by audiences and critics.
Din Grogu
Grogu, also known as "The Child" and colloquially referred to by fans and the media as "Baby Yoda", is a young alien of the same species as popular Star Wars character Yoda. Although 50 years old, he is still an infant by the standards of his species, and although he cannot yet speak, he demonstrates a strong natural ability with The Force. A remnant of the Galactic Empire led by Moff Gideon is seeking the child to extract its blood for Dr. Pershing's secret experiments; the bounty hunter known as "The Mandalorian" is hired to track Grogu down. Instead of turning him over, however, the Mandalorian attempts to protect the child from the Imperials. By the end of the first season, the child is adopted into the Mandalorian culture as a "foundling", and the Mandalorian is tasked with reuniting the child with others of his kind.The child has been hugely popular with fans and reviewers, becoming the show's breakout character, and the subject of many Internet memes. The character was conceived by Jon Favreau out of a desire to explore the mystery around Yoda and his species, and was developed in early conversations about the series between Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni. The child is mostly a creation of animatronics and puppetry, although accentuated with computer-generated imagery. He is voiced by sound editor David Acord with the aid of various sound effects. The Guardian called Baby Yoda "2019's biggest new character", and many have described him as a key part in the success of the Disney+ streaming service.
Bo-Katan Kryze
Bo-Katan Kryze is a Mandalorian warrior and the former ruler of Mandalore from House Kryze who appears in "Chapter 11: The Heiress" and "Chapter 16: The Rescue". Bo-Katan is portrayed by Katee Sackhoff, who previously voiced the character in animated form in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. In the third season, Bo-Katan is credited as a main cast member, the first character other than the Mandalorian and Grogu to be credited as anything other than co-starring.In "Chapter 11: The Heiress", Bo-Katan and the Nite Owls rescue The Mandalorian and The Child. She introduces herself, revealing her heritage as a Mandalorian, and that Din Djarin's group are zealots who wish to restore ancient Mandalorian traditions. The Mandalorian leaves rejecting their help. Later Bo-Katan and the Nite Owls again rescue The Mandalorian. In return for information he reluctantly agrees to help them seize a shipment of weapons. During the raid Bo-Katan changes plan, deciding to take the whole ship, not just the weapons. When they capture the bridge, Bo-Katan interrogates the head officer, wanting to know about the Dark Saber. Bo-Katan was impressed by the Mandalorian and invites him to join them, but he must continue his quest, so she tells him to go to the forest planet of Corvus, to find the Jedi Ahsoka Tano. In "Chapter 16" Bo-Katan helps The Mandalorian to rescue The Child from Moff Gideon.
In season 3, the Mandalorian sets out on a pilgrimage to the mines of Mandalore and needs Bo-Katan's help. At first she refuses, but when the Mandalorian gets into trouble, he sends Grogu to get her help, and she races to Mandalore and saves him. They find the Living Waters and the Mandalorian bathes in the waters, only to fall into it. Bo-Katan saves him again and as they return to Bo-Katan's home, they are attacked by Imperials and her home is destroyed. The Mandalorian takes her to the Mandalorian hideout, where he delivers proof of his pilgrimage and Bo-Katan is also accepted as she too bathed in the Waters. In the season finale, Bo-Katan becomes the one who reunite all Mandalorians as The Armorer predicted to her.
Recurring characters
Several characters have been featured in more than one episode within a season of The Mandalorian.Introduced in season one
Greef Karga
Greef Karga is a leader of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, who serves as both an ally and adversary to the Mandalorian at different points in the show's first season. Operating out of the planet Nevarro, Greef gives assignments to bounty hunters and ensures everyone follows the guild's code. Greef provides the assignment that leads the Mandalorian to meet the Child. When the Mandalorian refuses to turn the Child over to the Imperials, Greef leads a group of bounty hunters in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Child from him. Greef later devises a plan to kill the Mandalorian and return the Child to the Imperials, but when the Child saves his life, Greef has a change of heart and helps protect him from the Empire while becoming a better man.In season 2 and onwards, he becomes the Magistrate of Navarro.
In season 3 after the pirate siege on Nevarro and Gorian Shard's death, Karga makes peace with Vizla and his clan as he did with Djarin.
Greef Karga is portrayed by Carl Weathers, whom Jon Favreau knew through the Directors Guild of America. Weathers accepted the part under the condition that he could direct future episodes of The Mandalorian in the second season. Greef was originally to appear only in a handful of episodes, but Favreau and the writers liked the character so much that the part was expanded. Weathers performs his own stunts in the role. The character has received generally positive feedback from fans and reviewers.
The Client
The Client is a mysterious and unnamed agent of the Imperial remnant. He hires the Mandalorian, as well as several other bounty hunters, to recover the Child on behalf of his superior, Moff Gideon. The Client does not reveal why he wants the Child, but he orders his colleague, Dr. Pershing, to "extract the necessary material" from him. The Mandalorian delivers the Child to the Client, but later rescues him back. The Client conspires to recapture the Mandalorian and the Child, but after the Mandalorian returns to him, the Client is shot and killed by death troopers under Gideon's orders.The Client is portrayed by German film director Werner Herzog, who was recruited for the part by Jon Favreau. Herzog accepted the role in part to help finance his film Family Romance, LLC. Herzog was not familiar with Favreau's previous work, nor had he ever seen a Star Wars film, but he was impressed with the screenplays and filmmaking style of The Mandalorian. Herzog strongly urged the show's filmmakers to use puppetry for the Child character and not computer-generated imagery, calling them "cowards" for considering using CGI in its place. The Client character and Herzog's performance have received generally positive reviews from critics.
Penn Pershing
Dr. Penn Pershing is a doctor and scientist affiliated with the Imperial remnant who works with the Client in his attempts to capture the Child. He has appeared in several episodes of The Mandalorian, starting with the series premiere "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian", in which he is present on an Imperial compound on Nevarro when the Client hires the Mandalorian to track down and deliver the Child. When the Client says he is willing to pay half-price for proof of termination, Pershing objects and says the child should be delivered alive. Pershing appears again in "Chapter 3: The Sin", when the Mandalorian delivers the Child to the Client. Later, when discussing the Child, the Client orders Pershing to "extract the necessary material and be done with it", but Pershing again protests, noting their employer has explicitly ordered them to bring the Child back alive. The Mandalorian later returns to the Imperial compound to rescue the child, killing all the stormtroopers there and finding Pershing with the Child, who is sedated and strapped into laboratory equipment. When the Mandalorian threatens Pershing, the scientist pleads for mercy and insists he protected the Child and prevented him from being killed. The Mandalorian takes the Child and leaves Pershing unharmed.Dr. Pershing returns in season two. The Mandalorian witnesses a hologram recording of Pershing, who is providing an update to Moff Gideon on his experiments involving Grogu's blood. When the Dark Troopers apprehend Grogu, Gideon instructs his Comms officer to inform Dr. Pershing of Grogu's retrieval. In the season finale, Pershing is captured by the Mandalorian and his companions; he helps his captors infiltrate Gideon's ship to rescue Grogu.
In season three, Pershing resides on Coruscant after being pardoned and enrolled in an amnesty program by the New Republic. He is surprised to find Elia Kane, Gideon's former communications officer, as a fellow participant in the program, and the two become friends. Kane helps Pershing find a way to surreptitiously continue his cloning research, but reveals herself to be working for the New Republic and betrays him to the authorities. Pershing undergoes a mind-wipe as punishment, but Kane secretly sabotages the procedure, significantly worsening its effect.
Pershing is portrayed by Omid Abtahi, who previously voiced a Mandalorian character named Amis in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Pershing's costume includes a patch on his right arm with an insignia similar to one worn by clones in the cloning facility on the planet Kamino in the prequel film Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. This has led to speculation among some fans and writers that Pershing's plans for the Child involve cloning. Pershing also wears glasses, making him the first human live-action character in Disney's Star Wars canon to do so. This was contrary to a rule Star Wars creator George Lucas imposed, before selling the franchise to Disney, that no character wear glasses in the Star Wars universe. Pershing's costume, which also included a grey shirt with white shoulders and a high collar, was ranked eighth on a Screen Rant list of the ten best costumes in the first season of The Mandalorian. Inverse writer Allie Gemmill called Dr. Pershing an interesting character, particularly due to the mystery behind his possible association with Kamino.