I’ll admit it. My interest in The Mandalorian isn’t entirely non-sexual. In my defense, it isn’t just me.
The Mandalorian‘s third season puts a focus on chosen family: the small one being built by Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, and the larger one Din is helping Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) and The Armorer (Emily Swallow) build among Mandalorians. Din wasn’t born into Mandalorian culture, but was raised in it, and he’s now chosen to raise Grogu in it, too.
And while there used to be division among Mandalorians, The Armorer realized that they are stronger together and that it makes sense for someone like Bo-Katan Kryze to bring all the tribes together. Bo-Katan clearly loves her people despite not walking “The Way” how The Armorer might like, and she’s already built a strong working relationship with Din.
“Chosen families” are non-traditional by definition, so I can’t help but extrapolate that into other non-traditional relationships.
Din & Bo-Katan: Mandalorian Power Couple
Bo-Katan is Mommy. There. I said it. And, as Rachel Leishman explained in her Essential Guide, we all know that Din Djarin is Daddy.
From the moment Bo-Katan started traveling with Din and Grogu this season, I have had the strong, fan-ficcing urge for her and Din to become a Mandalorian power couple, rebuilding their home world side-by-side, and raising Grogu in The Way.
The fact that these characters are played by Sackhoff and Pascal in particular definitely pleases my bisexual heart (would I 1000% support being the sandwich filling between those slices of bread? Absolutely). But, my shipping them together is more deeply rooted in the way Din and Bo-Katan interact with such respect and care. And, of course, in the way that they both care for Grogu.
What I’m saying is that this ship isn’t entirely based in me wanting to bone these two. It’s character-based too!
Or, is The Armorer Mommy?
Then again, The Armorer has been bringing Mommy energy pretty hard since the beginning of the show.
She was Din’s spiritual leader, guiding him in The Way. Throughout the series, she’s provided both nurturing, maternal care and plenty of tough love to Din and Grogu.
When Bo-Katan first arrived, there was understandable skepticism on The Armorer’s part. But, over time, a mutual respect and tenderness developed between them. Especially once Bo-Katan started getting more vulnerable and shared honestly about her experience at the Living Waters, seeing a mythosaur, and wanting a mythosaur on her armor.
So, The Armorer’s “Mommy State of Mind” extends to both Din and Bo-Katan.
TikTok opened my eyes to a ship I didn’t realize I wanted
Maybe it’s because The Armorer has yet to reveal her face (yes, I know the actress who plays her, but seeing her on IMDb is different than seeing her face in the role), but I never really thought about shipping her and Bo-Katan.
That is, until I saw the above video from TikTok user @feral_bokatan who basically acts out lesbionics between her Funko Pops of both characters while lip-syncing to some quality queer audio. Suddenly, there was nothing I wanted more!
After watching this week’s episode, every look between The Armorer and Bo-Katan was filled with so much more romantic and sexual tension for me. Every time they stood in close proximity, I wondered how they were eyeballing each other under their helmets.
I mean, just as an actor in the role, Sackhoff as Bo-Katan was giving bi vibes already, wasn’t she? Like, she can’t be straight, right?
Throw The Armorer onto that fire, and suddenly my Mandalorian power couple became a throuple.
Din, Bo-Katan, and The Armorer: Mandalorian Power Throuple
Din, Bo-Katan, and The Armorer are now fully a polyamorous triad in my head canon. I have spoken.
But, seriously, it seems at least plausible. After all, polyamorous triads come in lots of different configurations and can involve various types of people. Relationship site, The Relationship Place provides a great breakdown of the different forms a poly triad can take. So, how do I think it works for Mommy, Mommy, and Daddy? Let me walk you through it!
Din: Asexual, Demiromantic, Little Spoon, Sub
From the moment Din approached Bo-Katan lounging in her throne room with one leg up on the throne’s armrest, it was clear that she’s the top and he’s the bottom. She’s the domme and he’s the sub. She’s the big spoon and he’s the little spoon.
Din expresses zero desire to dominate or overrule either Bo-Katan or The Armorer. He understands, respects, and honors their authority in all things, and only wants to be of service to them and his people.
However, and though this is clearly not the case for Pascal, I don’t get a sexual vibe from Din. I mean, can you imagine him actually having sex with anyone? Don’t answer that.
The vibe I get is that this character’s not particularly interested in sex at all.
What matters most to him are his close relationships. He’s historically been a loner but, whenever he does form a bond with someone, that bond is strong, and he shows love and loyalty with his whole self. However, the vibe I get between him and Bo-Katan is different than his closeness to other characters, which is why I’d call him demiromantic.
According to the LGBTQ+ wiki, Demiromantic “describes people who do not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a deep emotional connection with someone.” There’s definitely a closeness between Din and Bo-Katan that he hasn’t had with anyone other than Grogu. While we don’t have any solid evidence about Din’s sexuality, his feelings for Bo-Katan seem to be growing into romantic ones.
Bo-Katan: Bisexual, Biromantic, Big Spoon, Switch
Whereas Din doesn’t seem particularly, I get the opposite vibe from Bo-Katan. I can absolutely imagine that she f**ks all the time, especially in the heat of battle. She walks with the swag of someone who either gets laid on the regular, or makes sure she’s “taking care of herself” while brooding alone in what’s left of her palace.
While she’s certainly had bigger fish to fry in her adult life than worrying about romantic entanglements, there’s absolutely a softness in her that manifests in small moments with people. That makes me believe that if she had the time and luxury, she’d be romantic as hell.
Biromantic, to be exact. Just as I do with Din, I get the vibe that Bo-Katan’s feelings for him are different than what I’ve seen her express to others in her life. They might not be boning, but that doesn’t mean they’re “just pals.” I think there’s something romantic there.
As for the energy she brings to the table, she’s absolutely the big spoon to Din’s little spoon. When it comes to The Armorer, however, Bo-Katan is 1000% the little spoon.
Which is why, in kink-speak, I’d refer to Bo-Katan as a switch. As explained in this piece on being a switch at Refinery29, a switch is “someone who enjoys switching roles, from dominant to submissive, or bottom to top.” That’s Bo-Katan to a tee.
The Armorer: Lesbian, Big Spoon, Domme
Though I hate to deal in queer stereotypes, I clearly don’t hate it all that much because, whenever I see The Armorer working at the forge, I always think, “Clearly she’s a lesbian. I mean, she’s so good with tools.” She’s like lesbian lumberjack Nicole Coenen, who engages in “wholesome woodchopping” for the thirsty, queer-lady masses.
The Armorer knows what she’s doing when she pounds stuff with a hammer, is all I’m saying.
Big spoon energy? Obviously. And there will be no “switching” for this Mommy, thankyouverymuch. No, Ma’am. She is a domme through-and-through. I’d love to see someone try to get The Armorer to be a sub. I need some quality comedy in my life.
So, what kind of Mandalorian triad is this?
When I imagine this throuple (and lately, I’ve been imagining them often), I imagine it being a “V” relationship, with Bo-Katan as the pivot as Din and The Armorer would never. Obviously.
Bo-Katan and The Armorer love and respect each other while doing dirty/borderline-degrading things to each other in the forge. She and Din also love and respect each other, going for long walks, looking at the stars together, and buying each other adorable little gifts like crocheted blaster warmers and whatnot.
All three raise Grogu and, while Din is Grogu’s primary parent, Bo-Katan helps train him in the ways of battle, and The Armorer provides for his cultural and spiritual needs.
I’m certainly not the only person shipping Din and Bo-Katan! But, while outlets like Screen Rant warn against the effects of a Din Djarin/Bo-Katan Kryze romance, I see The Mandalorian‘s encouragement of a Din/Bo-Katan love story, and raise it to include The Armorer.
Come on, Disney! Give Star Wars a poly triad, you cowards! You owe us after not making Rey x Finn x Poe canon.
(featured image: Disney)
