#skirata

Skirata:

Earlier today I saw on another platform a question of what SW books, currently unwritten, would you like to see in the world. While I could offer up a number of answers, to the surprise of no one my first thought was of the finale to the Republic (then later Imperial) Commando series.

HNE breaking news - Mando'ad likes Kal'buir & the fellas! Stunning, I know. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying that those books are why I'm here now. Does KT have some issues? Can Kal be problematic at times? Are the Jedi the villains of the piece? Sure, ok maybe, the cases could be made. But I care less about that & more about getting a -what was then to me- fresh perspective & loads of added context to a world, a people & a mindset that previously would have boiled down to "yeah, Boba Fett is cool".

Mando'ade get a bad wrap a lot of the time. They are seen by many as bloodthirsty knuckle draggers. 'Savages', 'thugs', 'thieves' that's' how they're talked about by aruetiise. Mandalorians, broadly speaking, tend to get some pretty surface level interactions with others in the galaxy. While they can be lovely, charming, welcoming people, they are also -justifiably- wary of others. Working with or trusting aruetiise hasn't historically worked out great for Mando'ade a lot of times. Conversely, most outsiders have a hard time looking past the beskar'gam to see the people underneath. Mandos get boiled down to beskar bal besbe'trayce by those unfamiliar with them on a personal level.

The RC novels get down on that personal level. You get in on squad comms with the Commandos, into Tipoca City with the Clones, into the karyai with the aliit. It brought insights & particulars to Mando culture that just didn't exists before. Being able to see who Mandalorians are, how they think, and what made them into the society they are has been endlessly fascinating to me.

So yeah, that's what I'd want, the finale of the RC novels. Ya see, before the last book there was a bit of a dust up with KT & Disney and/or FIloni & she quit before finishing the series. I'm not going to judge the rightness or necessity of her choice & instead just stick with IT SUUUUCKS that we can't find out what happened, cuz girl left us some cliff hangers! She also left us with some 800+ words and a deeper, more faceted look at Mandalorians, and the Clones, and for that I'll be forever grateful.

Honorable mention: my second choice would be someone with the depth of cultural knowledge to actually write Jaster Mereel's Supercommando Codex. We have the Jedi, Sith, & Bounty Hunter Code books, somebody, somewhere, far more qualified than I needs to write the Codex. C'mon oyu'baat, let's make it happen!

Ni copaani suhir - I want to read

Kal'buir - "Papa Kal", the affectionate nickname of the Republic Commando books character Kal Skirata; Mandalorian training sergeant, soft hearted badass, good father. He has daddy issues enough to share with everybody.

Aruetiise - Outsider, foreigner, non-Mandalorian. When used in speaking of Mandalorians it can also mean 'traitor'.

Beskar'gam - Mandalorian armor. Literally 'iron skin'.

Beskar bal besbe'trayce - iron (armor) & weapons

Karyai - main living area in a Mando home, a large space to eat & spend time together. Also, the last defensible place in a home should things turn bad.

Aliit - clan, family. Sometimes literal, blood relatives, sometimes not. To Mandalorians family is more than blood. They're compulsive adopters, regardless of blood, age, or even of species, your aliit is still family.

Some more Etain and Darman for incoming Valentine's Day 🥰

“Okay, you can shut it now. And you, Fi. Stand down. We’ve all had a bad day, so let’s throttle back on the testosterone and play nicely.” [Niner said.]

-Star Wars, Republic Commando: Triple Zero, page 95

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