Summary
Even as one ofThe Mandalorian’s most influential characters,the Armoreractor Emily Swallow insists that she would rather not see her character’sStar Warsbackstory. The Armorer has been a successful mystery ever sinceThe Mandalorian’s inception, with her character often at the center of many different theories about the formation ofDin Djarin’s tribe, theChildren of the Watch. Given her leading role in that society, it seems as if she has quite a storied history inStar Wars, but Swallow herself doesn’t wish to uncover what exactly that role may have once looked like.
The Mandalorian Cast & Characters Guide
The Mandalorian has created a long list of new Star Wars characters and brought back some familiar ones, with an incredible cast to match.
Screen Rantis a media partner at FAN EXPO Canada, and at the panel “Exploring The Way With Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, And Temuera Morrison,” led byScreen Rant’s Jo Deckelmeier, Swallow has revealed her thoughts on the Armorer’s backstory, emphasizing that she has no true desire to learn it. For Swallow, this is becausemuch of the Armorer’s character and appeal come from the mystery attached to her. While it would be “fun to know” more about the Armorer, the mystery surrounding her is “very powerful” and ought to be preserved.
We still don’t know very much about [the Armorer], which I love. I think that mystery is very powerful for her. It is a delicious thing. […] People keep saying ‘When are we gonna know her backstory? When are you gonna take off your helmet?‘I don’t think I want any of those things. I feel like, sure, it would be fun to know, but…
Does Emily Swallow Have A Point About The Armorer’s Mystery?
Mystery is Indeed a Powerful Storytelling Tool
While Swallow’s words may contradict what most viewers ofThe Mandalorianwould say, she certainly does have a point. The Armorer is almost made more important because so little is known about her;should that mystery be uncovered, she risks losing the very element that’s made her stand out since the beginning. Not every secret inStar Warsneeds to be revealed, and in the Armorer’s case, it seems like she herself is one of these very secrets.
Keeping the Armorer’s backstory a mystery allows audiences to project their own ideas onto her in a way that keeps them engaging with her character and the story’s show for years and years to come. Questions such as whether she acted as Din Djarin’s mentor or not can continue to be raised and debated, all while she continues to play an important role in his story. Getting the answers to every question stops those kinds of conversations, and thus restricts the Armorer to specific storylines, timelines, and more.
Swallow, then, has a point, and it’s wise to listen to her wishes to maintain the Armorer’s secrecy. As the actor who’s been portraying the Armorer since the beginning,Swallow would certainly be the one to know whether learning more about the Armorer is the right call or not. If mystery and intrigue is a large part of her portrayal, then it ought to stay a large part of her character, as the story ofThe Mandaloriancan still unfold around her secrecy.
The Mandalorian & Grogu,The Mandalorian’s spin-off movie, hits theaters July 31, 2025.
The Mandalorian
Cast
Released on June 18, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
