What You Need To Know About Clan Kryze In The Mandalorian

Contains spoilers for The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3 — "Chapter 11: The Heiress" 

Fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars were in for a real treat on chapter 11 of The Mandalorian. The episode sees Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) end up on Trask as part of his mission to locate more Mandalorians — and that's precisely who he finds, even if they only appear after he gets captured and almost killed. Despite believing that Mandalorians should never remove their helmets, the new trio does precisely that, and the leader of this brigade turns out to be none other than Bo-Katan Kryze, played by Battlestar Galactica alum and The Clone Wars voice actress Katee Sackhoff.

Bo-Katan appeared throughout many episodes of the animated series The Clone Wars, and at one point, she even wielded the ancient Mandalorian weapon called the Darksaber, which we saw Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) in possession of during the last episode of The Mandalorian season 1. However, she's more than just another Mandalorian jettisoning around the galaxy like Din — Bo-Katan is also the head of Clan Kryze. 

Bo-Katan Kryze is the real deal when it comes to Mandalorian warriors. She's no stranger to this way of life, as evidenced when she tells Din Djarin in chapter 11 that the armor she wears has been in her family for three generations. Bo-Katan is a legacy, and she has used her influence to lead a faction of Mandalorians called the Nite Owls in their ultimate mission, which the Star Wars website describes as "resisting Imperial rule and restoring her home world." She even mentions this on The Mandalorian during her conversation with Din, when she says she needs weapons and equipment to help restore Mandalore once again.

If you've watched The Clone Wars and/or Star Wars Rebels, then you also likely know Clan Kryze is a sub-group of the overarching House Kryze. This was a political faction that was heavily prominent during the Clone Wars; House Kryze fell under the leadership of Duchess Satine Kryze, Bo-Katan's sister, until it was overthrown by the Death Watch, a faction that opposed the pacifist government of Mandalore. One group overtaking another is a common thread when looking at the history of Mandalore, which has gone through numerous regime changes over the years and was even briefly ruled by Darth Maul.

The Empire ultimately destroyed much of Mandalore, forcing any remaining Mandalorians to go into hiding. During the events of The Mandalorian, it appears as though that's still the case considering Din Djarin's faction was forced into hiding underground to avoid too much attention. Though Bo-Katan is the last of her line, as she tells Din, she's still out there fighting the good fight — alongside Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides) and Koska Reeves (Sasha Banks).