Famous Mandalorians from the Old Republic through the Clone Wars era

4. JASTER MEREEL

Group Affiliation(s): Journeyman Protectors, True Mandalorians
Height: 6’ (1.8 meters)
Weight: 200 lbs (90 kg)
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Species: Human, light-skinned
Gender: Male
Homeworld: Concord Dawn

Occupation: Former Journeyman Protector of Concord Dawn, Mand’alor, and Leader of the True Mandalorians Super Commandos

Adversaries: Tor Vizsla, Death Watch, Montross

Relative: Jango Fett (adopted son)
First Appearance: Star Wars: Jango Fett — Open Seasons # 1

Character History:

Many decades before the onset of the Clone Wars there lived on the planet Concord Dawn a Journeyman Protector — a planetary lawman — named Jaster Mereel. He was an honorable man who lived by a code of honor that served him well in dispensing justice across his planet. That was — until the day he was driven to kill a corrupt superior officer. Exiled from his homeworld, Mereel traveled to the nearby planet of Mandalore where he was accepted into the ranks of the Mandalorians.

As a member of the Supercommando division, Mereel earned the adoration of his peers for his battle prowess. His exemplary service eventually brought him the highest promotion he could attain — Mand’alor. As the ruler of these people, Mereel sought to make them honorable, instead of behaving like the barbaric and lawless savages that most had devolved into. To accomplish this, Mereel implemented the Supercommando Codex, a guideline based off of his own code of honor that he had developed through his past life as a Journeyman Protector.

Under this code, Mandalorians wishing to fight, could do so as mercenaries that conducted themselves with dignity and respect. Not all Mandalorians were keen to this new way of behaving, and soon dissent set in. Chief among these dissenters was, Tor Vizsla, who formed his own group called the Death Watch who sought a return to the Mandalorians glory days as world conquerors. Besides Death Watch, there also existed another group called the New Mandalorians who were opposed to all forms of war and sought to abandon the old Mandalorian ways for a more pacifist lifestyle.

The tensions caused by these divisions in philosophy eventually led to the eruption of the Mandalorian Civil War (60 BBY) that spread from Mandalore to the adjacent planets such as Concord Dawn. Those loyal to Mereel became known as the True Mandalorians and their greatest foe became Vizsla’s Death Watch. The war between these two factions led to a confrontation on Concord Dawn, wherein an innocent family caught in the midst of this rivalry led to the deaths of the parents and one of their two children, a daughter named Aria.

Mereel took the youngest child — a boy named Jango Fett — in as a foundling and raised him as his own. Mereel’s adopted son would go on to become one of the most formidable members of his group and later its leader. As for Mereel, he met his demise on the planet Korda Six after a betrayal by his second-in-command, Montross, left him vulnerable to a fatal attack by his long-time nemesis, Tor Vizsla.

Powers/Skills: Jaster Mereel was a formidable combatant from both his previous life as a Journeyman Protector of Concord Dawn and later as Mandalorian Supercommando. As such, he was an exceptional marksman and hand-to-hand fighter. As Mand’alor and Commander of the Supercommandos, Mereel had a tactical mind for fighting on a battlefield; meaning he could execute the best strategies for overcoming nearly any foe.

Weapon(s): Mereel wore Mandalorian armor that provided him with many of the same accouterments as others, including: miniature flame-throwers, wrist rockets, and other hidden surprises. He also carried two blaster pistols, as well a short-barreled blaster rifle that had a combat knife attachment under the muzzle.

Novel Origins: Jaster Mereel first appeared in the novella, The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett, one of several stories featured in the Star Wars: Tales of the Bounty Hunters anthology. Interestingly, Jaster Mereel was used as the true identity of Boba Fett. This would later be retconned as just an alias that Boba — and his father Jango — used in honor of the real Mereel.