Time for some deep cut #worldbuilding examination. One of the frequent criticisms I see about the culture of the Death Watch Mandalorians is about their wearing of helmets. But I think that this is a super shallow look at the situation that's fed by the format/focus of the show. 1/8 - ThreadSky

pocgamer.com • 14 days ago

Time for some deep cut #worldbuilding examination.

One of the frequent criticisms I see about the culture of the Death Watch Mandalorians is about their wearing of helmets. But I think that this is a super shallow look at the situation that's fed by the format/focus of the show. 1/8

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pocgamer.com•14 days ago

2/8 And there's two reasons for this.

First is that it ignores that the "old way" Creed following Mandalorians live a highly ritualized life in the segments we see of it. And that means that there's likely rituals around when one can remove their helmet that is seen as "not removing". Why? Easy.

pocgamer.com•14 days ago

3/8 There's a lot of things that need helmets off. Hygiene being the single biggest one. So there's likely a specific set of rituals for this that are done in private or only near those closest to them to allow for this. IRL cultures are full of paradoxical practices like this that allow for...

pocgamer.com•14 days ago

4/8...important things that need to happen happen in ways that are socially acceptable. In this case, so that you don't have to dip into the living waters every time you get a trim.

The other reason the helmet thing is important is that it's an equalizer. This is less important in the new...

pocgamer.com•14 days ago

5/8...wave world of helmetless Mandalorians, but that's because they're predominantly or completely human and are on a separate cultural trajectory now. For the followers of the Creed, Foundlings can be of any species. Any species can walk the Way of the Mandalore. Which means there needs to be...

pocgamer.com•14 days ago

6/8...mechanics in place for creating and maintaining group identity. Past that of a simple uniform. So we get the Creed, The Way of Mandalore, and the helmets, all there to create group identity and cohesion. As Bo-katan says, Mandalorians are stronger when they're together.

pocgamer.com•14 days ago

7/8 And this also, in part, explains why the covert formed by the Children of the Watch was slowly growing a community with long term sustainability while the other Mandalorian groups were slowly dying off. It's an instance of the old ways being, ironically, more open and flexible in important...

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