The Mandalorian: Why a krayt dragon pearl is special, explained

A krayt dragon pearl appeared in the first episode of season 2 of The Mandalorian — here’s why that’s special in the Star Wars universe.

After an incredibly long wait, Star Wars fans were finally greeted with a new episode of The Mandalorian on Friday. Season 2 of the hit Disney+ show kicked off with a Western-heavy feel as Mando teamed up with small-town sheriff Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant) to take care of a krayt dragon that threatens Vanth’s settlement out in the dune sea.

After gathering a large group comprised of Tusken Raiders, some of the townsfolk and the two gunslingers head to the beast’s lair and lay an explosives-rigged trap. The krayt dragon is able to take out some of the hunting party, but when things look grim, Mando’s heroics help slay the carnivore for good.

At the end of the episode, the Tuskens skin the creature’s carcass for meat, and one of them finds a shiny object hidden inside — a krayt dragon pearl, in fact. The other Tuskens rejoice when they see it. However, the object isn’t explained in the episode, so let’s dive into everything we know about this pearl.

Krayt dragon pearl: Both powerful and valuable

Krayt dragons were known to ingest stones to help them digest their food. Normal stones dissolved on their own, but on rare occasions, the stones that the dragons consumed contained a kyber crystal. The kyber crystal would not dissolve, but rather stay in the beast’s gut and eventually be smoothed into its pearl shape.

Given its kyber essence, a krayt dragon pearl can actually be used to power a lightsaber, which makes them incredibly powerful in addition to being rare and valuable. In the canon book Heir to the Jedi, one character, Nakari Kelen, tells Luke Skywalker that, “I’ve been to Tatooine, actually, and bagged a krayt dragon there. Its pearls paid for the upgrades on the Jewel [their ship].”

The krayt dragon pearl has a bigger presence in Star Wars Legends, being featured in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: The Old Republic video games. Revan, a key Legends figure, is said to have owned one of these pearls.

The significance of the krayt dragon pearl in The Mandalorian season 2

The team behind The Mandalorian has shown that they appreciate all kinds of deep Star Wars lore.

For example, in season 1, The Client presents Din Djarin with a camtono full of Beskar steel. In Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, it’s explained that this was a nod to the character Willrow Hood, who is seen running in the background of The Empire Strikes Back while holding a similar container. Using a camtono in The Mandalorian was a way to repurpose a familiar object and acknowledge the material that has come before the show. If the opportunity presents itself, why not?

The appearance of the krayt dragon pearl in episode 1 of The Mandalorian season 2 is likely a similar case. Given that the pearl is featured in Legends, it’s a nice gesture to give the powerful object its first on-screen appearance in canon. And it makes sense to include given that the slaying of a krayt dragon was the main focus of the season premiere.

The episode doesn’t linger on the krayt dragon pearl, indicating that it won’t be something to watch out for down the line, but it’s still a cool Easter egg nonetheless.

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