Why we are obsessed with Mandalorians...

Every other forum seems to have one of these for Star Wars so I thought I'd start one for us about mandalorians... So here goes...
Because nobody and I mean NOBODY can beat the pure bad arse facter of mandalorians such as Boba Fett etc...

Tracyn

Figuring out specific reasons is pretty difficult- there are so many, after all!

For me, it's mainly because I find the Mandalorian culture to be appealing. Plus, Mandalorians are incredibly free, with their only real constrictions being what they choose for themselves. And anyone can be Mandalorian in essence if they follow the same general mindset (can't think of a better term...), which is, well, awesome.

And to top it all off, they have incredibly cool armour.

Vio'Fais summed it up rather well. I think what makes me so confident that I can convert so many people to liking Mandalorians is the spread of their acceptance. There are a whole lot of points I can pick and choose from to make to people (especially if I know them well enough to know exactly which point to choose!) that would at least make them go "Hey...that's really awesome!" and go check out more to see if there's anything else they think is neat about the culture.

I actually did that recently; I told a friend I got bit by the Star Wars bug and was especially fond of Boba Fett, and Mandalorians in general...when she asked why, my inability to articulate any one particular reason led to her wiki-ing them. She found her own reason in the search, and while I've yet to clarify if I've completely converted her, I do know that the seed has been planted.

I think, though, if I had to choose just one thing that I absolutely adore about Mandalorians...it would be summed up in the saying "aliit ori'shya tal'din": family is more than blood. I've felt this way for a while; while I do care about my family to some extent (some more than others), there are people outside my family that I've developed strong loyalty toward. The whole idea of having to love your family just because their family irks me a little...sure, you're related, but what if they're terrible people? What if they hate you? I much prefer the idea of choosing who you see as your own "family" based off the chemistry and loyalty you have with people than strictly having to conform to bloodlines. Sure, bloodlines are nifty, but they don't really delegate much unless you really feel a connection.

Melyc'inya wrote:

Sure, bloodlines are nifty, but they don't really delegate much unless you really feel a connection.

*sniff* Heart warmin I tell ya!


Well my obsession started with just plain Star Wars. As I grew older I found I gravitated towards Vader, and fought vehemently with my friends to explain why he wasn't evil. Now recently, with the RepCom and NJO books, being able to see what other envision the Mando culture to be like, I find myself compelled by the way they find more than just blood ties to describe family. Having a couple foster sisters, and seeing what a pain it is to go through the legalities of making someone your legal family, I was very inspired by the simple yet provoking thought that a simple declaration is all you really need. Plus anybody that can kick arse while looking so awesome deserves kudos.

Would anyone be adverse to me moving this topic to the Global Mando Talk forum?

Just whatever suits Catika, being new here I wasn't entirely sure as to whether thiis was the right place to start this tread. Yes I agree with all of you, the phrase "aliit ori'shya tal'din" does sum up the mando way of seeing things and is one of the many reasons I am obsessed with mando'ade, that and just the general mando mindset. One way I have recently shown my obsession with mando's is by titling my speech for school "Why Mandalorians are better than Jedi"

Tracyn

Well, here we go, I moved it. =) Hope nobody minds my doing it.

As for the reasons why...

1. I like warlike nations. And Mandalorians sure are warlike.
2. There are certain traits of Mando culture/mindset (call it whatever you like), that I find appealing. The thing that attracted me most is the ability of keeping a balance between not being afraid of death and embracing it, if necessary, and enjoying life when there's a chance to enjoy it. The lust for life is a great thing, isn't it? Like, one may enjoy hunting down his sentient targets and at the same time love to stay with his family and friends - and find no contradiction between these two parts of his life. When I come to think of it, this harmony is very hard to acheive. And it's much more natural and thus much more complicated than Jedi's self-restraint and self-control.
3. I adore fictional languages. Mando'a is a very well-done language and not a difficult one, like those of Tolkien, for example.

Well, nothing original, really. =)

"Obsessed" would be such a big word to define my interest in them. A few years ago maybe when more material surfaced and I started drawing Mandalorians like my life depended on it... I guess that once I found ways to vent my imagination overload (fan art, fanfics, this site...) the Mando thing became as much a part of my everyday life as breakfast or walking the dog.

Now for the reasons why I got so deep into this: it is something you can believe in without following any book of laws, no restrains and no moral attachments. Sort of like a religion without the organization or cult aspect. But more importantly I love how much drive a Mandalorian character can give you whether you're looking to build yourself a stronger person, dare to learn new things, build your own armor... or need to spend time daydreaming.

I think I owe it to the "Mandalorian spirit" that in the few years that followed Hard Contact I have achieved more than I have in two decades of my life: volunteering with the Red Cross, getting physically fit and resilient, traveled at least twice a year, learning martial arts, learning marksmanship (I have the gun owner's licence now, SCREW YOU FRENCH COMMIES), own a dog that's become my very own strill, backpacked across the USA on a whim...

Tracyn Ordo wrote:

One way I have recently shown my obsession with mando's is by titling my speech for school "Why Mandalorians are better than Jedi"

Not to divert the conversation too much but how did that go? I have a rather shameful high school experience of doing a presentation on Star Wars as well, it bored the shit out of my class and I felt quite terrible about it.

Since then I've really kept my geekiness private and enjoyed sharing it online a lot more. If I were to express my love for Mandalorians in "outdoors" I would do it during a convention A couple of years ago I met some friends in the 501st French Garrison at a toys con in Paris and they got to look at my portfolio, it was my first "rockstar moment". Too bad being an artist here means you have to sell your soul otherwise I would've pursued that path to fame and constant geeking.

Daennika wrote:

Not to divert the conversation too much but how did that go? I have a rather shameful high school experience of doing a presentation on Star Wars as well, it bored the shit out of my class and I felt quite terrible about it.

Well... lets just say it could have gone better... lol
Yes I agree with your comments/reasoning, the freedom that the mando mindset offers and the oppertunities that come from it are great and can open many doors in your life

Tracyn

What I love about Mandos is that they are warriors by choice and nature - not conscripted soldiers or slaves. You have all personalities you'd want and any look of their armours and still put everyone together into an army, and also have many incarnations to like that are very different from one another. Like Jedi have only 3 variations, and Sith have 4 while the Mandos have at least 7. That in my opinion produces great possibilities for the imagination.

I also feel a connection between them and myself, and have even before Traviss or Kotor came into it. That connection I don't feel with any other part of Star Wars, and that's what keeps me coming back to the Mandies. And that connection only got strengthened when Traviss came to it - which is why I didn't back out when she added to it like so many others did.

The pre-Traviss connection I felt were mainly that my nation came of a warrior culture, which still leaves it's markers in our behaviour as a nation and we have clans, and can identify relatives by knowing the clan's name.

After Traviss and Abel Pena had expanded upon it there are many things that I share personally. My family and I have always been moving around since I remember, due to my dad getting assignments all over the country. I'm anarchistic in my behaviour, I have never liked being under constant control (because of school, lol), a cultural snack here is dried fish, Icelandic has very few loanwords due to our pride in it, we have a lot of legends that used to be taken seriously but now everyone is skeptic about them.

Melyc'inya wrote:

I think, though, if I had to choose just one thing that I absolutely adore about Mandalorians...it would be summed up in the saying "aliit ori'shya tal'din": family is more than blood. I've felt this way for a while; while I do care about my family to some extent (some more than others), there are people outside my family that I've developed strong loyalty toward. The whole idea of having to love your family just because their family irks me a little...sure, you're related, but what if they're terrible people? What if they hate you? I much prefer the idea of choosing who you see as your own "family" based off the chemistry and loyalty you have with people than strictly having to conform to bloodlines. Sure, bloodlines are nifty, but they don't really delegate much unless you really feel a connection.

Quoted for truth.

I agree completely with you, ner vod. I'm the same way myself- I consider people family who act the part. Bloodlines aren't a free pass to be a complete di'kut. I've always felt the saying 'blood is thicker than water' is osik. To me, bloodline is a none too important footnote for medical records, nothing more.

I agree completely with Daennika here, mostly because I'm... not so much obsessed with them anymore (that has passed), but overall I've rediscovered motivation to better myself. I have motivation to get back in shape, to plan to retake martial arts in the future, to work through my ... personal ... issues, and to keep pushing forward.

I'm not so much afraid to fail anymore, because it's not the end of the world (like most schooling and teachers would have led you to believe). I can just pick myself up, brush myself off, and keep going.

Gratulor's body wrote:

What I love about Mandos is that they are warriors by choice and nature - not conscripted soldiers or slaves. You have all personalities you'd want and any look of their armours and still put everyone together into an army, and also have many incarnations to like that are very different from one another.
----
After Traviss and Abel Pena had expanded upon it there are many things that I share personally. My family and I have always been moving around since I remember, due to my dad getting assignments all over the country. I'm anarchistic in my behaviour, I have never liked being under constant control (because of school, lol), a cultural snack here is dried fish, Icelandic has very few loanwords due to our pride in it, we have a lot of legends that used to be taken seriously but now everyone is skeptic about them.

Anarchistic in behavior? That's funny... me too.

And the warrior part I really relate to as well, as far as Mandalorians go. I felt I've always had a ... different way of looking at the world, a different mindset, and I took to Mando culture right away.

Am I allowed to say i love everything about mandos?
I really used to be just a star wars junkie and rpg fan, what first got me for mandos strangely enough was when they spoke...you just got this sense of awe and the armour well lets say you can't get much better than beskar'gam.

It is a difficult thign to explain i love the culture, the language and just everythign mandalorian.
And yea Daennika I to drew mandos like my life depended on it.