One of the three actors in the team that brings Din Djarin to life in The Mandalorian, Brendan Wayne, is currently getting heat on social media for a quote in which he supposedly insists that the titular Mandalorian "can't hold himself together." Wayne, the grandson of famed Western actor John Wayne, has been responsible for much of Din Djarin's physical acting ever since the show's inception. Star Pedro Pascal has even repeatedly credited Wayne and stuntman Lateef Crowder for doing the "heavy lifting" in the role.

In a recent discussion with Bo-Katan Kryze actor Katee Sackhoff on her podcast The Sackhoff Show, Wayne brought up Din Djarin's role in the reclamation of Mandalore during The Mandalorian season 3, specifically his decision to step away from leading. After comparing Din to Sir Lancelot, Wayne was quoted as saying "He's not willing to lead, because he doesn't have the capacity to be able to hold all of them together, because he can't hold himself together."

This quote was shared on social media, and has, understandably so, caused quite a bit of controversy. Those who have long since hoped to see Din Djarin in a leadership role have been questioning such a statement, as Mando has already proven his ability to be an effective leader in The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 with the unlikely allies he brings together. The truth, however, is that this quote was taken out of context, and Wayne's true sentiment wasn't fully expressed.

The Full Quote Reveals Brendan Wayne's True Take On Din Djarin's Leadership Potential

His Priority Is Grogu

Wayne's assertion that Din Djarin "can't hold himself together" is immediately followed up by him saying "There's nothing wrong with it. I don't mean he's less than, I just mean that Mando... his journey is through his evolution [with Grogu]" - which leads directly into a comparison Wayne makes with his own life. As a father himself, Wayne reveals how having his daughter forced him to mature in the same way Din Djarin had to when Grogu entered his life.

Brendan Wayne: There's nothing wrong with it. I don't mean he's less than, I just mean that Mando... his journey is through his evolution [with Grogu], same thing with my 25-year-old in my life. I had to mature through her growth because I was not mature until I had my kid, and then I started to mature. [...] That was Mando, when he had Grogu. [...] I thinking 'Oh, this is so... I relate to this part for sure.' It was a very cool thing.

It's important to note that this isn't Wayne implying Din Djarin was never mature, either. There's simply a fundamental difference between the way someone lives when they're on their own and the way they live when a child is actively depending on them. Din's journey has always been about learning how to adjust his lifestyle and his worldview for the child in his charge; life as a lone gunfighter working as a bounty hunter simply wasn't fit for raising a child.

What Wayne is saying here is that Din Djarin is still on that journey in The Mandalorian season 3. He may have grown close to Grogu over the course of The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2, but that was when their time together was always known to be temporary. Now that Grogu has chosen to stay with Din, season 3 sees Din figuring out what both his role and Grogu's role ought to be in the greater galaxy. As Wayne says, his capacity for other things was limited, especially leadership.

Din Djarin Did Not Want To Divide Himself Between His People & His Son

He Knew Both Would Require His Full Attention

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of Din Djarin's character is his sense of honor. Din Djarin exemplifies what it truly means to be a Mandalorian to his core; he's a fierce, frightening warrior who's steadfast in his own Mandalorian beliefs, but he's also empathetic in the way he helps those in need. Din's dedication to earning redemption in the Living Waters for removing his helmet, despite the fact that his actions saved Grogu, is proof of that strong sense of honor.

Din still could have been a good, compelling leader and a father, but he simply didn't want to do both.

This means leadership is something Din would have taken very seriously. With Grogu back in his care, however, he knew that he could not divide his attention and his time between the people of Mandalore and his son. He would want to fully dedicate himself to one or the other, and, as Din states in The Mandalorian season 2 finale, "[Grogu] is my only priority." Din still could have been a good, compelling leader and a father, but he simply didn't want to do both.

Din Djarin Has Always Had The Capability To Lead (& Still Does)

Capability Is Not The Same As Capacity

Wayne is not commentating on Din Djarin's capability to be a leader here. Instead, he's speaking about his capacity. As mentioned above, Din Djarin's sense of honor keeps him from only half-dedicating himself to the responsibilities of both a leader and a father. Instead, he fully dedicates himself to one, knowing that both would require his fullest attention and care.

If Din Djarin wanted to be a leader, he could have been. He was able to bring a New Republic marshal, a prisoner, two former bounty hunters, Mandalore's former ruler, and another Mandalorian all together during the lowest point of his life, when he had lost everything he had and loved - most notably Grogu. They all had their own motivations for helping him, but it was Din and the way his actions had spoken for him over the course of the season that kept them all together.

Despite having this natural ability to rule that certainly would have made a leadership arc for Din a compelling one, especially since it would have made him a more reluctant leader, it simply wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to dedicate his full attention to his son, who Din had already lost a few times without ever knowing if he would get him back again. Din had never even been to Mandalore prior to season 3; there's no way he would have chosen his duty to that planet over his son.

Of course, this doesn't mean that a future leadership role for Din Djarin is completely off the table. It could likely be revisited in the future, once Grogu is closer to completing his Mandalorian training in a way that proves he doesn't need as much of Din's active attention. That's the essence of what Wayne is trying to say here: Din Djarin can't hold himself together to lead if he's actively dividing his attention between Mandalore and Grogu, and as The Mandalorian has proven, he will always choose his son first and foremost.