Ahsoka's Incredible Revelation Amplifies the Most Heart-Wrenching Moment in The Mandalorian Season 2

Summary

Sabine Wren's avoidance of Mandalore is explained - her entire family died during the Great Purge, making the wound fresh for all Mandalorians.

Operation Cinder, an Imperial contingency plan, involved the targeting of various planets through orbital bombardment, one of which was likely Mandalore.

Din Djarin, unable to don his helmet, was confronted with the distressing news of Mandalore's downfall. This conversation left him exposed and brought forth a rush of agonizing memories.

In Ahsoka, a significant revelation about the fall of Mandalore during the Great Purge sheds light on a scene from The Mandalorian season 2, intensifying its impact. The association between Mandalore and the latest Star Wars Disney+ TV show has been established since the confirmation of Natasha Liu Bordizzo's Sabine Wren's appearance, as she is one of the franchise's prominent Mandalorians. Despite Sabine's crucial role in liberating Mandalore from the Empire in Star Wars Rebels, she never made an appearance in the first 3.5 seasons of The Mandalorian, not even to aid Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, and Bo-Katan Kryze, played by Katee Sackhoff, in reclaiming the planet in season 3. However, in Ahsoka, the truth behind this exclusion is finally revealed, and it is profoundly tragic.

During the Ahsoka finale, Huyang, voiced by Eman Esfandi, discloses to Ezra Bridger that Sabine Wren's entire family perished during the Great Purge. This revelation not only explains her avoidance of Mandalore in its entirety but also uncovers new details about the fall of Mandalore. Huyang's account also sets the timeline of this event, clarifying that it occurred after the Galactic Civil War. This imbues the wound with a fresher sting for all Mandalorians in the New Republic Era, and it establishes a connection to an Imperial conquest that was previously divulged many years ago. Furthermore, it ties directly to a devastating scene from The Mandalorian season 2.

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The Great Purge Is Connected To Operation: Cinder

Operation: Cinder, an integral part of Emperor Palpatine's contingency plan, was designed to punish the Empire for its failure to prevent his demise. This ruthless plan aimed at obliterating various planets across the galaxy through devastating orbital bombardments. Targeting planets loyal to the Empire, as well as those posing significant threats or holding their own alliances, Cinder was executed immediately after the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War, aligning its timeline with the notorious Great Purge of Mandalore and intertwining the two dark chapters of the galaxy's history.

Given that Mandalore was destroyed by orbital bombardment, it is highly likely that the Great Purge was a component of Operation: Cinder. Mandalore had long been a nuisance to the Empire, having already freed themselves from its grasp prior to the start of the Galactic Civil War. Moreover, they possessed a fearsome reputation as the mightiest warriors in the entire galaxy, rendering them a significant and formidable threat. Consequently, it is logical to assume that Palpatine specifically ordered their targeting in Operation: Cinder, fully cognizant of the immense power they held.

Operation: Cinder Is Referenced In The Mandalorian Season 2

The live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, finally introduces Operation: Cinder in Season 2, Episode 7 titled "Chapter 15: The Believer." It is Migs Mayfeld who first brings up this operation, using it as a tactic to shift focus away from Din Djarin's home planet and onto something else. Mayfeld doesn't hesitate to mention Burnin Konn, the target of Operation: Cinder, where he and many others suffered immense civilian and troop casualties under the command of Valin Hess.

This is the reason why Mayfeld becomes upset upon hearing Hess claim that the rhydonium he and Din assisted in transporting would cause more chaos than Burnin Konn ever did. The weight of participating in the tragedy of Operation: Cinder was already overwhelming for Mayfeld, and the thought of something even more terrible occurring is unbearable. However, what is even more distressing is the potential presence of others at the table who are also connected to Operation: Cinder. If Mandalore was indeed involved in the operation, then Din himself would have been one of the civilians who had to witness the destruction of his own people.

Din Djarin Had To Relive The Great Purge - With No Helmet

The devastating scene in Season 2 of The Mandalorian becomes even more heart-wrenching. Din, driven by his desperation to rescue Grogu, defies his creed by removing his helmet. Throughout the entire sequence, his discomfort is palpable. And now, learning that Operation: Cinder is directly connected to the fall of Mandalore adds another layer of sorrow. The bombardment of a planet is already difficult for Din, considering his own traumatic childhood and the Mandalorians' rescue. But to have those memories resurface in light of the fall of Mandalore makes the situation even more tragic.

The fact that Din must hear it all spoken of without a helmet to protect his face remains the most devastating detail. While some may view the helmet as an obstacle Din tolerates for the sake of following the creed, he has always regarded it as a safe haven and a crucial part of himself. It provides him a sense of security in a galaxy that has proven consistently cruel to him. However, in this particular conversation - one of the most challenging he has ever had to endure - he is forced to be his most vulnerable self, something he hasn't experienced since he was a child, all because of his eagerness to rescue Grogu.

How Did Din Djarin Survive The Great Purge?

Fortunately, Din was not present on Mandalore during the Night of a Thousand Tears, as confirmed in The Mandalorian season 3. As his covert was separated from Death Watch, he was raised on Concordia and remained there until the Great Purge. During this time, his covert escaped and sought refuge in various locations throughout the galaxy. Nevertheless, Din most likely observed the tragic events unfolding on Mandalore from a distance, which undoubtedly left a profound impact on him. Helpless to intervene, they were forced to flee, potentially explaining Din's present-day determination to assist others. Although he never had the opportunity to visit Mandalore prior to The Mandalorian season 3, it is evident that he had always aspired to do so, as his detailed descriptions of the planet to Grogu before the Purge implied extensive research and fascination.

The inclusion of this particular detail from Ahsoka has effectively connected various loose threads regarding the Great Purge, intensifying the impact of the event. The devastation of Mandalore was evidently a deliberate part of Operation: Cinder, leaving the Mandalorians powerless to prevent it. With the recent recapturing of the planet, there is a hopeful possibility of rebuilding, as expressed by Din himself in The Mandalorian season 3. However, the resurgence of Grand Admiral Thrawn poses a significant danger to Mandalore, especially now that the Imperial Shadow Council has grown distrustful of them once more.