Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Mandalorian episode 3.
The Mandalorian just reintroduced a Jango Fett weapon that the Star Wars movies have forgotten about: a vibroblade. The deadly weapon makes an appearance in the latest episode of the new spinoff series.
The first live-action TV series set in the Star Wars universe recently premiered alongside the launch of Disney's new streaming service, Disney+. The Mandalorian tells the story of a lone bounty hunter from the planet Mandalore who travels through the outer reaches of the galaxy. Played by Pedro Pascal, the titular Mandalorian is a man of few words who never takes off his helmet as he fights his way through Stormtroopers, aliens, and droids to complete the most dangerous of assignments. So far, the Disney+ series has explored rarely seen elements of the Star Wars universe, such as Mandalorian culture.
In the third episode of The Mandalorian, Mando turns in Baby Yoda to the Client (Werner Herzog) and gets a large stash of Beskar Steel as compensation. After receiving his reward, Mando takes it to another Mandalorian to have a new suit of armor made. During this scene, Mando is confronted by another fellow Mandalorian, who takes issue with Mando's association with the Empire. After a fight starts, Mando whips out a vibroblade in self-defense. Vibroblades are bladed weapons that use ultrasonic vibrations that substantially increase their efficiency in battle.
The first and only other time a vibroblade appeared in live-action was in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Jango Fett - the father of Boba Fett and a bounty hunter dressed in Mandalorian armor - had vibroblades hidden in his gauntlet. Since then, vibroblades have become core weapons in the Star Wars universe, even though they've been ignored by the movies. Vibroblades have been used prominently in comics, animated shows, and video games like the fan-favorite Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games.
In just three episodes, The Mandalorian has already shown viewers sides of the Star Wars universe that don't make it into the movies. It's the inclusion of small details like the reintroduction of the vibroblade, the "vacc tube", and the explanation for the ice cream maker from Empire Strikes Back that really liven up the Star Wars universe. The world-building in The Mandalorian and its unexpected ties to various other installments in the franchise help make the series a vital part of Star Wars canon.
