The parallels between the journeys of Din and Grogu
The Mandalorian Chapter 20, “The Foundling” began streaming on Wednesday and the 30 minutes long episode was jam packed with a lot of different things. Among its many events, one moment that stood out is The Armorer forging a new piece of beskar armor for Grogu. As she forged it, Grogu experienced traumatic Order 66 flashbacks. If fans might recall, every time The Armorer forges anything for Din Djarin, he also experiences flashbacks of losing his parents.
A line that really stood out in this scene is when The Armorer told Grogu that the forge might reveal weaknesses. While this could have been referring to the beskar, it also seems to apply to the person receiving the armor which is being forged. It can’t be a coincidence that both Din and Grogu experienced flashbacks of their traumatic childhoods, and of the day they lost their friends and loved ones, and barely escaped with their lives. These memories are weaknesses that both Din and Grogu share. This is trauma that they might not have recovered from, at least not yet. Maybe they’re meant to recover from it together.
Their experiences mirror one another’s and their childhood trauma has shaped who they are thus far. While Grogu is still a child, Din has matured into a responsible parent who’s doing his best to protect his child and provide him with some amount of stability. Now, Grogu has chosen to leave the Jedi behind and follow the Mandalorian path like his own father. However, Din does encourage him to use his force abilities and whatever he has learned from Luke and previous masters, and apply it in his training as a Mandalorian foundling. This is seen when Grogu takes on Ragnar in the episode.
It seems even before they met, their destinies were tied together. Their similar experiences allowed them to connect, and even if they don’t talk about it, these two broken children formed an unbreakable bond. Some people are meant to find each other and Din and Grogu happen to be two souls that were always meant to find one another. They have helped each other make progress in life. Din emerged as a father and a truly honorable man, and Grogu is following in his footsteps.
It seems reasonable to think that even from this point forward, whatever happens to them will be a shared experience, and they are both meant to rely on one another and learn and grow together. This is great for the show because fans are emotionally attached to the father and son bond, and if that bond thrives, so will The Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian Season 3 is streaming now on Disney+.