Homeworld: Mandalore
Description: A Mandalorian is a member of a group of masked warrior clans in the Star Wars universe. The leader of the Mandalorians typically takes on the title of "Mandalore". Mandalorians are frequently allied with the Sith Order, most notably Exar Kun and much later as a prototype for the clone troopers under the power of Darth Sidious and the Galactic Republic.
Originally, the Mandalorian clans were led by the warlord "Mandalore the First" and were ranked amongst the best fighters in the galaxy, thriving for battle. They were known for their use of cutting-edge weaponry and held to a strict code of honor. They were a gray-skinned warrior race. These Mandalorians wore crusader armor that differed from one soldier to the next.
The Neo-Crusaders were led by "Mandalore the Ultimate" and started the Mandalorian Wars. The Neo-Crusaders armor was more advanced and uniform-like than their old armor. It came in many colors, though most were blue. Elites, sergeants, and a few other ranks wore green. Captains (and other ranks) wore red. Some other ranks wore yellow. Canderous Ordo, who would later become Mandalore, wore a unique suit of silver and black armor.
After their defeat in the Mandalorian Wars at the hands of the Jedi Revan and Malak, the Mandalorians went into a long decline. Canderous Ordo, who fought side by side with a redeemed Revan against Darth Malak during the Jedi Civil War later claimed the rank of Mandalore and led a small remnant of his followers on the moon of Dxun. Ordo was also a key in defeating the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus on the battleship Ravager.
Some one hundred years before the Battle of Ruusan, the leader of the Mandalorians was assassinated by the bounty hunter Durge. The Mandalorians struck back, and inflicted terrible vengeance upon the bounty hunter, but he managed to escape.
Over the next few centuries the Mandalorians slowly transformed into a less-clan based, more mercenary-oriented culture. It was around this time that a schism occurred in their ranks. A violent splinter group, known as the Mandalorian Death Watch, revolted against the leadership of Jaster Mereel, who led the True Mandalorian loyalist faction.
Eventually the civil war between these groups spilled on to the pastoral world of Concord Dawn. Here the Death Watch leader Vizsla attempted to murder Jaster. However, thanks to the assistance of a young orphan named Jango Fett, Jaster and his followers escaped the trap.
Eventually, Viszla caught up to Jaster and the Mandalorians on a distant world and, thanks to the treachery of fellow Mandalorian Montross, Jaster Mereel was killed in battle.
Jaster's protege, Jango, took over the reins of leadership, despite Montross's disparaging comment that it would mean a "child leading them."
Jango's tenure as Mandalorian leader ended at the Battle of Galidraan, where a Jedi taskforce under the leadership of Master Dooku led to the death of every remaining Mandalorian, except for Jango.
After this disaster, the Mandalorians were effectively ended as a force in the galaxy. Individuals survived on both on Mandalore and in other isolated pockets of known space, but they played little influence on galactic affairs until the Clone Wars, when Jango Fett became the host for a Grand Army of the Republic. One clone trooper, an elite ARC trooper named Alpha-Ø2, ended up going rogue and changing the Mandalorians forever.
Through some fluke of the Kaminoans' cloning technology, Alpha-Ø2 had memories of Jango Fett. He went to Mandalore and started rebuilding the Mandalorian supercommandos from Mandalorian Protectors, police, and even Death Watchmen. Alpha-Ø2 became Mandalore the Resurrector and his forces fought for Confederacy of Independent Systems. Among his troopers were Tobbi Dala and future Mandalore Fenn Shysa.