Bo-Katan Kryze

Lore & Background

Bo-Katan Kryze first appeared in the fourth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, in the episode 'A Friend in Need' as the lieutenant of Death Watch. She leads the Nite Owls, an elite unit within Death Watch. In The Clone Wars, she is the sister of Duchess Satine Kryze, the pacifist ruler of Mandalore, from whom she is estranged due to differences in their politics. She later allies herself with former Jedi Ahsoka Tano and the Galactic Republic in liberating Mandalore from Darth Maul. In Rebels, Bo-Katan is declared the new ruler of Mandalore. In The Mandalorian, after the Great Purge of Mandalore, she seeks to recover the Darksaber from Moff Gideon and retake her homeworld. On November 16, 2019, Sackhoff confirmed that she would portray Bo-Katan in live-action in the then-upcoming second season of The Mandalorian, appearing in 'Chapter 11: The Heiress', released on November 13, 2020.

In Their Own Story

In 'Chapter 11: The Heiress', Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves, and Axe Woves rescue Din Djarin 'the Mandalorian' and the Child from a group of Quarren. They remove their helmets and Bo-Katan explains her history, also revealing to the Mandalorian that his sect of Mandalorians, the Children of the Watch, who follow the strict ancient rules known as 'the Way', are not the only sect of Mandalorians. After they save him a second time, he agrees to help them seize weapons from an Imperial freighter, and Bo-Katan agrees to tell the Mandalorian where he can find a Jedi. During the raid, Bo-Katan interrogates the captain, wanting to know the whereabouts of Moff Gideon and if he has the Darksaber. In 'Chapter 16: The Rescue', the Mandalorian and Boba Fett approach Bo-Katan and Koska at a cantina to recruit them in their mission to rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon. Bo-Katan agrees to help under the condition that she will get Gideon's cruiser and the Darksaber from him. The Mandalorian bests Gideon in combat, spoiling her plan to win back the Darksaber in combat herself. He attempts to surrender the weapon to her, but is told by Gideon that it must be won in combat. Bo-Katan does not accept the Darksaber from the Mandalorian. In 'Chapter 17: The Apostate', having failed to win the Darksaber, she has abandoned her plans to retake Mandalore, and her forces have gone. In 'Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore', after the Mandalorian is caught in a trap, Grogu convinces Bo-Katan to travel to Mandalore and rescue him. Bathing in the Living Waters, the Mandalorian is dragged underwater, and while rescuing him Bo-Katan witnesses a living mythosaur, an ancient creature of Mandalorian legend thought to be extinct. In 'Chapter 19: The Convert', upon returning to Kalevala, they are attacked by Imperial ships, and bombers destroy her castle.

Reader's Guide

Bo-Katan Kryze is a warrior at her core, and left the politics of leadership to the diplomats like her sister Duchess Satine Kryze. She has her faults, and a strong sense of her own self-importance, but she understands the Mandalorian warrior culture and over time grows into her role as a leader. In The Mandalorian, she seeks to recover the Darksaber from Moff Gideon and retake her homeworld. She is a member of the Nite Owls, an elite unit within Death Watch. She uses Mandalorian armor, built by sculptor Jose Fernandez and his Ironhead Studios. In 'Chapter 11: The Heiress', she reveals to the Mandalorian that his sect is not the only sect of Mandalorians, many of whom do not follow 'the Way'. She offers the Mandalorian the chance to join them despite their differences but he chooses to continue his quest. In 'Chapter 16: The Rescue', she agrees to help rescue Grogu under the condition that she will get Gideon's cruiser and the Darksaber. When the Mandalorian bests Gideon in combat, she does not accept the Darksaber from him because it must be won in combat. In 'Chapter 17: The Apostate', having failed to win the Darksaber, she has abandoned her plans to retake Mandalore. In 'Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore', she witnesses a living mythosaur while rescuing the Mandalorian from the Living Waters.

Did You Know?

• Bo-Katan's name is a mnemonic riff on the words 'boogie-cat-Anne' pronounced together, referring to the name of the cat belonging to Dave Filoni's wife, herself named Anne.
• Katee Sackhoff had hoped to play the character in live action but expected that it would be recast with someone more famous such as Scarlett Johansson.
• When Sackhoff first wore the armor for the live-action role, she was overwhelmed and cried with joy.
• Costume designer Shawna Trpcic commissioned sculptor Jose Fernandez and his Ironhead Studios to build Mandalorian armor for Bo-Katan.
• In The Mandalorian season three, Sackhoff is credited as starring alongside Pedro Pascal.