The Tribe

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"The Empire is no longer and the Beskar has returned. When one chooses to walk the Way of the Mandalore, you are both hunter and prey. How can one be a coward if one chooses this way of life?"

―The Armorer^[src]

The Tribe was a Mandalorian organization active during the years following the fall of the Galactic Empire. The bounty hunter Din Djarin, known often as "the Mandalorian" or simply "Mando," was a member of the organization, as was a female Mandalorian Armorer and Paz Vizsla. The rest of the Tribe consisted of a number of adults and children. Tribe members were restricted to allowing only one member to be outside of the covert at a time as a means to minimize the risk of being discovered. The Tribe was part of the Children of the Watch, who, according to Bo-Katan Kryze, were a cult which practiced the archaic Way of the Mandalore, which had fallen out of the mainstream Mandalorian society. This practice forbade members from removing their helmet in the presence of others, among other tenets.

History[]

Into hiding[]

"Our strength was once in our numbers. Now we live in the shadows and only come above ground one at a time."

―Paz Vizsla —

Listen (file info)^[src]

The Tribe was forced into hiding after the Great Purge

Because the Children of the Watch were cloistered on Concordia, they survived the Galactic Empire's Great Purge of Mandalore.^[3] Following the purge, the Tribe hid themselves in a covert on Nevarro, allowing only one member to be outside of the enclave at a time in fear of exposing the group's secrecy.^[7] Around 9 ABY,^[4] the bounty hunter Din Djarin visited the Tribe's Mandalorian Armorer, who was known as "the Armorer," within the enclave, providing an ingot of beskar he acquired from preliminary bounty payment, which was enough to forge a pauldron. The excess metal was reserved for foundlings.^[1]

Upon delivering Grogu to his mysterious client, Djarin later returned to the Tribe with a camtono of beskar, enough to forge an entirely new cuirass of armor. Members of the Tribe slowly entered the armorer's quarters after noticing the large amount of beskar possessed by whom they deemed a traitor, due to Djarin's acquiescence to Imperial demands. Paz Vizsla, one such member, mocked him for conducting business with the Empire's remnants and attempted to remove his helmet to shame him. As a brawl ensued between the two warriors, the armorer halted the fight, reminding the Tribe that survival at all costs was the Way of the Mandalore that they must adhere to, to which the Tribe replied in unison, "This is the Way."^[7]

Revealing themselves[]

"Get out of here! We'll hold them off!"
"You're going to have to relocate the covert."
"This is the Way."
"This is the Way."

―Paz Vizsla and Din Djarin^[src]

When Djarin was attacked by members of the Bounty Hunters' Guild as a result of refusing to relinquish Grogu, the Tribe negated their rule of covertness and emerged en masse to defend their brother-in-arms, providing him with an opportunity to escape with Grogu. During the ensuing battle, Djarin commented that the Tribe would have to seek out a new enclave in order to maintain anonymity following the clan's attack, quickly escaping in his starship, the Razor Crest. Vizsla saluted the bounty hunter as he fled the scene, reaffirming the Tribe's allegiance to one of their members.^[7]

Following the battle, the Bounty Hunters' Guild lost control of Nevarro, and the Imperial remnant cracked down on the Mandalorian enclave for their part in the incident. Many Mandalorians were killed when the covert was attacked by forces of the remnant. The Tribe's armorer managed to survive the attack and hoped that a small number of Mandalorians had managed to escape the planet. She remained to salvage what she could in the enclave. When Djarin returned to Nevarro, he was eventually forced to flee to the enclave and found the armor and helmets of his fallen brothers and sisters. The Armorer explained what had happened and sent him on a new mission to reunite Grogu with his own kind. After Djarin and his allies left, stormtroopers entered the enclave in search of him. The Armorer fought them, killing many.^[8] The covert was eventually completely abandoned, even by the Armorer.^[9]

Resettlement[]

"I didn't know if I would ever see you again."
"Thank you for saving me on Nevarro. I am sorry for your sacrifice."
"There are three of us now."

―Vizsla meets Djarin once again^[src]

Later, the armorer and Paz Vizsla sought refuge on the ringed space station Glavis Ringworld, where they resettled in a new covert. They left signs leading to their new covert along Glavis's Kolzoc Alley that were visible to vision settings in a Mandalorian's helmet. Djarin was able to find the signs and make his way into the covert. After he arrived, Vizsla revealed that only the three of them survived the remnant's attack. After the armorer confirmed that Djarin had completed his quest in returning Grogu to the Jedi, she welcomed him back into the covert, and the Mandalorian and Vizsla set up a new forge for her.^[3]

Noticing Djarin's beskar spear, the armorer claimed that the weapon is too dangerous for the Mandalorians, as it could pierce beskar armor. Djarin requested her to reforge the spear into an armor for Grogu. Djarin later underwent training with the Darksaber under the armorer, who criticized the Mandalorian's lack of focus with wielding the blade. Watching the session, Vizsla yearned for the saber which had spawned from his lineage and approached the pair, challenging Djarin to a duel for the Darksaber. Djarin accepted, and the pair removed their jetpacks and prepared to fight. Vizsla drew his vibroblade and activated his personal combat shield whilst his opponent activated the Darksaber. Eventually Djarin won the duel, and the armorer stopped him from killing Vizsla, asking whether any of them had removed their helmet. Vizsla confirmed that he had not; however, Djarin begrudgingly admitted that he had. Vizsla called the Mandalorian an apostate of the Way of the Mandalore and told him to leave. The armorer told the disgraced Mandalorian that he could only find atonement in the living waters beneath the mines of Mandalore, which Djarin believed was destroyed. Djarin thus left and took the Darksaber with him.^[3]

Ideology[]

"This is the Way."

―Members of the Tribe^[src]

Mandalorians from the Tribe enter battle

The Tribe believed in the orthodox ways^[10] of the Children of the Watch,^[6] which others in Mandalorian society, like^[11] lady^[12] Bo-Katan Kryze and her resistance, called a cult of religious zealots.^[11] When a cult member reached adulthood,^[13] they swore to the Mandalorian Creed^[8] and were instructed^[11] to not remove their helmets in the presence of another living thing,^[7] as part of an ancient Way of the Mandalore.^[11] Those who did reveal their faces could not put their helmets back on again,^[13] or could be shunned as apostates, not considered by the Tribe as Mandalorians anymore, unless they found atonement in the living waters beneath the mines of Mandalore.^[3] Members were able to take in foundlings, who could either continue as part of the Mandalorians and swear to the creed when they are of age, or be returned to their kind.^[8]