Star Wars: The Clone Wars - but who exactly is Bo-Katan? The Mandalorian season 2 is very much focused on continuing the adventures of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and The Child (aka, Grogu). At the same time, however, the series is furthering its connections to the wider Star Wars galaxy, which includes characters from previous movies and shows.
Lucasfilm has a reputation for being spoiler-averse, even managing to keep Baby Yoda a secret until the first episode dropped on Disney+. Still, it's much harder to keep secrets during post-production, especially when they're related to actual casting. As a result, viewers knew to expect Rosario Dawson as the live-action Ahsoka Tano, Temuera Morrison as the returning Boba Fett, and even Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze. It was simply a matter of when and how these characters would make their live-action debuts. In the case of Bo-Katan, that finally happened in The Mandalorian season 2's episode 3.
Bo-Katan Kryze is easily one of the most important figures in Mandalorian culture, so her appearance in The Mandalorian season 2 means the show dug deeper into Mandalorian society, with hopefully more information to come. But just who is Bo-Katan?
Bo-Katan Is A Key Figure In The Clone Wars
Bo-Katan was introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as the disaffected sister of Duchess Satine, Mandalore's ruler. Unlike her sister, Bo-Katan believed Mandalore should embrace its martial history, and she went so far as to a terrorist group called the Death Watch. She swiftly ascended in the ranks of Death Watch, becoming a lieutenant and running an elite squad called the Nite Owls. The Death Watch had no love for the Republic, distrusting the Jedi, and as a result they soon found themselves manipulated and ultimately betrayed by Count Dooku.
Death Watch forged an alliance with Darth Maul, who planned to frustrate the Jedi and the Sith alike; Bo-Katan opposed this alliance, but was overruled. With Maul's help, Death Watch took control of Mandalore, but to Bo-Katan's fury, Maul then declared himself its new leader - and, therefore, ruler of Mandalore. Bo-Katan led the Nite Owls in a counter-insurgency, and soon Mandalore was caught in a bloody and brutal civil war between rival factions. As the conflict escalated, Bo-Katan decided the only way to bring it to an end was to forge a new alliance with the Republic, and she freed Obi-Wan Kenobi from a trap set by Darth Maul. Sadly, she was unable to prevent the death of her sister.
In The Clone Wars season 7, Bo-Katan once again approached the Jedi and gave them updated intelligence on Maul's location. She participated in the Siege of Mandalore, a victory that happened at the same time as the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Bo-Katan was appointed Regent of Mandalore, but she refused to accept the Empire's rule, and as a result another civil war raged on the militaristic planet. She was overthrown by former supercommando Gar Saxon, who became Mandalore's Governor and the Emperor's Hand on Mandalore.
Bo-Katan Refused To Work For The Empire
Mandalore knew a form of peace under the Empire, one that lasted nearly two decades. Finally, Bo-Katan returned in Great Purge. The Mandalorians have scattered across the galaxy, divided and leaderless.
Katee Sackhoff Plays Bo-Katan in The Mandalorian Season 2
The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3 introduced Katee Sackhoff as the live-action Bo-Katan. Sackhoff previously performed as the voice actor for the character, but she's no stranger to live-action, nominated for four Saturn Awards for her performance in Battlestar Galactica and winning the award for Best ing Actress on Television back in 2005. Viewers may also recognize Sackhoff from appearances in CSI: Crime Scenes Investigation, 24, The Flash, and movies such as Riddick. Given her impressive record, it's no surprise Lucasfilm chose to call her back to portray Bo-Katan onscreen in The Mandalorian.
Bo-Katan's Role In The Mandalorian Season 2
Bo-Katan made her live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3, as leader of a Mandalorian cell who were raiding the Empire for weapons and attempting to regain the Darksaber. It seems Mandalorian culture has fragmented since the Great Purge, with Bo-Katan leading one group and Din Djarin inducted into another cell who are influenced by the Death Watch, something which explains his refusal to ever remove his helmet. Bo-Katan believes she needs to claim the Darksaber once again in order to unify the various groups of Mandalorians, and seems to somehow be aware this has been acquired by Moff Gideon. Bo-Katan evidently continued to work with Ahsoka Tano over the years, because she is able to send Din Djarin to find the former Jedi.
The Mandalorian was believed to be set in a time of peace across the galaxy, but it's becoming clear they had only retreated into the shadows, with Moff Gideon commanding an actual fleet and collecting weapons for a major military strike. Bo-Katan's Mandalorian cell was a major thorn in Moff Gideon's side, as she has led several successful raids and even captured at least one of Moff Gideon's ships. Bo-Katan returned in The Mandalorian season 2 finale to aid Din in retrieving the kidnapped Grogu from the clutches of Gideon. However, after Din battled Gideon, who was still in possession of the Darksaber Bo-Katan clearly wanted back, the helmeted Mandalorian tried to give her back the weapon after beating Gideon.
What Din didn't know is that the only person who could wield it, per Mandalorian tradition, was the one who bested its previous owner. Without the Darksaber, Bo-Katan's story remains unfinished by the end of season 2. While it hasn't been confirmed whether Sackhoff will return to the role in The Mandalorian season 3, she hinted that Bo-Katan's "unfinished business" could be explored. That said, the actress itted she didn't know because it was above her paygrade, with the decision for Bo-Katan to return essentially in the hands of the top brass at Lucasfilm. It remains to be seen whether she will successfully reacquire the Darksaber at some point in the future of the show, and whether she will possibly have to fight Din Djarin for it in The Mandalorian season 3.
