Mandalorian super commando

Mandalorian super commando
General information
Founder(s)	Maul
Leader(s)	Maul Prime Minister Almec Gar Saxon Rook Kast
Headquarters	Sundari, Mandalore
Location(s)	Vizsla Keep 09
Historical information
Formed from	Death Watch
Date founded	19 BBY
Date reorganized	19 BBY (as Imperial Super Commando)
Date dissolved	19 BBY
Other information
Affiliation	Death Watch Shadow Collective

Mandalorian super commandos, also known as the Mandalorian traditionalists, were Mandalorian warriors who served the rogue Sith Lord Maul and his criminal syndicate, the Shadow Collective, during the Clone Wars. Following the dissolution of Duchess Satine Kryze's pacifist government, Mand'alor Pre Vizsla was slain in single combat by his one-time ally Maul, who claimed his opponent's place as leader of the planet Mandalore and its people. This act would serve to split Vizsla's organization, Death Watch, between Bo-Katan Kryze's supporters and the Mandalorians who sided with Maul. As the Mandalorian homeworld fell into a state of civil war, Maul's super commandos modified their combat armor to reflect their allegiance to the Dathomirian Nightbrother.

History

Creation

A Mandalorian super commando loyal to Maul.

The Mandalorian super commandos consisted of Death Watch soldiers who were loyal to the renegade Sith Lord Maul, leader of the Shadow Collective, who killed Pre Vizsla and took control of Mandalore during the Clone Wars. Before sporting the blue markings of Death Watch they rebranded their armor in black and red to show allegiance to their new ruler, painting their helmets and customizing their armor with handprints. Some warriors, including Gar Saxon, even placed horns on his helmet that were emblematic of the Dathomirian Nightbrother. However, his status as Vizsla's successor was disputed by Bo-Katan Kryze, leading to a civil war in the Mandalorian capital city of Sundari between Maul's commandos and Kryze's Nite Owls, a group of warriors who left instead of submit to Maul's rule. During the battle, several commandos were killed by Darth Sidious, Maul's Sith Master, who then subdued and captured his former Sith apprentice.

Fighting the Confederacy

"The war you have waited your entire lives to fight is upon us, my brothers! Victory or death!"

―Maul

Maul, alongside Gar Saxon and Rook Kast.

Maul was taken to a Separatist prison facility on Stygeon Prime. In the aftermath of the Battle of Sundari, the commandos Rook Kast and Commander Gar Saxon rescued Maul on the order of Prime Minister Almec, the Mandalorian politician who served as a figurehead in Maul's government. Together, they escaped to Zanbar's former Death Watch base where the commandos continued to serve Maul. The commandos fought Separatist General Grievous' forces when they arrived. Despite the heavy casualties, the commandos were able to use their Gauntlet fighters, such as the Nightbrother, to destroy Grievous' army.

The commandos regrouped with the rest of Shadow Collective's forces and journeyed to Ord Mantell, regrouping in the city with their Black Sun and Pyke Syndicate allies, as well as the Nightbrothers of Dathomir. Shortly afterward, the Shadow Collective and its allies fought against another Separatist army, now led by both Grievous and Count Dooku. The commandos succeeded in holding off the battle droids long enough for Maul and Kast to deactivate the command signal from Grievous' ship and assisted the Nightbrothers in taking Dooku captive.

Battle with the Republic

The commandos guarded both Dooku and Grievous until they arrived at Vizsla Keep 09. However, when the Galactic Republic attacked, Grievous was able to make his escape and kill several of the commandos. The commandos fought the Republic forces under Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Tiplee, Mace Windu, Aayla Secura, and Commander Cody. After Tiplee was killed, the commandos were able to fire their rockets at the Jedi to make their escape to the gauntlet fighters. However, several commandos were captured by the Republic.

Defeat on Dathomir

The commandos traveled with Maul to his homeworld of Dathomir. However, Black Sun and the Pykes abandoned the Collective and retreated when the Separatist fleet arrived on Dathomir, and on their planets. The group had another monumental loss when Mother Talzin was killed. Understanding that Dathomir was lost, the commandos pulled Maul away from his mother before her death, allowing them to escape. Following her death, Darth Sidious felt that Maul's future had been wiped away. Still, Black Sun and the Pykes would eventually rejoin the Collective.

Siege of Mandalore

Super commandos in Sundari face off against Ahsoka Tano

By the Outer Rim Sieges, the super commandos had regrouped in Sundari on Mandalore. The commandos, including Saxon and Kast, served under Maul and Prime Minister Almec. There, they prepared to defend the capital against Bo-Katan Kryze's resistance movement, Commanders Ahsoka Tano and Rex's 332nd Company of the Grand Army of the Republic. During this battle, the Siege of Mandalore, the super commandos engaged their foes, but their defenses were met with a stronger opposition than they had planned for. Almec ordered Saxon to move to the Undercity, where Maul was located. Almec and the commandos in the Sundari Royal Palace were defeated by Kryze and the forces with her, but Tano and a group of clone troopers fell into a trap in the Undercity. These clones were killed before she was surrounded by a force of commandos and Maul.

In spite of this and their further actions, the Siege of Mandalore ended in a Republic/Mandalore resistance victory. The surviving super commandos were captured by the victors.

Equipment

A super commando's helmet

The super commandos continued to utilize Mandalorian armor during their service under Maul's leadership. However, they modified its appearance to reflect their allegiance to the Sith Lord. In addition to painting their armor in red and black, some commandos sought to better resemble their Nightbrother leader by fashioning horns on their helmets.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Shades of Reason" (First appearance)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Lawless"
• "Kenobi's Shadow"—The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark
• Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir 1
• Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir 2
• Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir 3
• Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir 4
• The Clone Wars: Season 7: Volume 1
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Old Friends Not Forgotten"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Phantom Apprentice"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Shattered"

Non-canon appearances

• Disney Infinity 3.0

Sources

•  "Shades of Reason" Episode Guide – The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link) (First identified as Mandalorian traditionalist)
•  "The Lawless" Episode Guide – The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
•  Mandalorian super commando in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Ultimate Star Wars
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
• Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
• Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary
•  "Old Friends Not Forgotten" Episode Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)
•  "The Phantom Apprentice" Episode Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Rook Kast - 2020 Base Series 2)
•  Built-in Wrist Blaster in the Databank (backup link) (Picture only)
•  Gar Saxon in the Databank (backup link)
•  Mandalorian Super Commando in the Databank (backup link)
•  Twilight in the Databank (backup link) (as "Death Watch commando")

Notes and references

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