The Mandalorians: An introduction to the inspiration behind the Disney + series

Opposing factions: New Mandalorians and Death Watch

Among the major houses were House Kryze and House Vizsla. Dutchess Satine Kryze belonged to the former and ruled the planet from the domed capital. Under her leadership, the new Mandalorians had rejected their old warrior ways, in place of a more pacifist ideology.

Opposing her faction was House Vizsla, who was governed by their leader Pre Vizsla. He and his fellow Mandalorians had been banished to the moon of Concordia for failing to adhere to the New Mandalorian’s non-violent direction.

Secretly, Pre Vizsla had formed a rogue faction called Death Watch, that sought to overthrow the Duchess’s government and replace it with one that honored the old Mandalorian spirit. To this end, he led several assassination attempts that were foiled by the Jedi. This eventually led Pre Vizsla to align with former Sith apprentice Darth Maul and his underworld cabal known as the Shadow Collective.

Maul helped Death Watch dethrone Dutchess Satine, but Vizsla’s victory was short-lived after the former invoked an ancient Mandalorian rite to challenge his leadership. Maul killed Vizsla in combat, essentially becoming the new Mand’alor, but this led to a fraction within Death Watch and thus two splinter groups were created. One, loyal to Maul, and the other — led by Dutchess Satine’s sister and Vizsla’s right-hand — Bo-Katan Kryze.

Another faction that emerged post-Rise of the Empire was the Imperial Supercommando’s led by former Maul and Vizsla associate, Gar Saxon. This group was enemies with Mandalore’s Protectors, led by Clone Wars hero, Fenn Rau.