The quiet and dust of an abandoned village on the desert planet of Tatooine was disrupted by a single spaceship landing on its’ outskirts. Out from the ship emerged Bo Katan Kryze, sister of the late Duchess Satine and proud warrior leader of the planet Mandalore. She walked into the village, abandoned since its destruction during the rule of the Galactic Empire. She took off her helmet to gaze at the destruction that laid in front of her.

“All this destruction. The carnage. The lost lives. It makes you wonder if it’s all truly worth it sometimes.” She looked at the reflection in her helmet, scuffed and scratched from countless battles and threw it down in disgust. “No! How could all the death be worth it….when you’re living a lie?” She pulled down her neck cover revealing a flap that connected to her skin. She began tugging and pulling until her face came off with a loud “SCHLORP,” revealing it to only be a mask, covering the face of Cody, a local of Mandalore who wanted to help protect his planet and his own clan.

Cody had always felt a deep connection to his Mandalorian heritage, and it was that connection that had led him to take on the mantle of Bo Katan, sister of the Duchess Satine and former ruler of Mandalore. But as he stood on the dusty planet of Tatooine, he knew that he needed to take some time to reflect on everything that had happened since he had become Bo Katan.

"I've seen a lot since becoming Bo Katan," he said to himself as he gazed out at the endless expanse of sand dunes. "I've seen the best and worst of the galaxy, and I've come to understand that being a Mandalorian is about more than just wearing the armor." It was how Cody came to wear the armor that our story begins.

Following the death of Gar Saxon, Mandalore was in conflict with clan battling clan. Cody was bringing home some material for new hologram disguise matrix files, when chanced upon Bo Katan, returning from a secret meeting alone. Little did she know, a rival clan had hired an assassin to silence her message of unity and a call to arms. Cody watched in horror as the blaster bolt struck Bo Katan in the chest. She fell to the ground, her body limp and lifeless. He rushed to her side, but he knew there was nothing he could do. She was gone.

As he knelt beside her, tears streaming down his face, Bo Katan's voice echoed in his mind. "Cody…promise me that you will carry on my name and lead Mandalore," she had said, her voice weak and strained. “They need…a leader. They need…you.” He looked down at her, her face now peaceful in death. "I promise, Bo Katan," he whispered. "I will carry on your name and lead Mandalore with honor and strength." Cody rushed to the headquarters of Clan Kryze and in secret, a plan was forged to where Cody would become Bo Katan, both in mind, body and spirit. Under the guise of Bo Katan surviving a brutal injury, Cody trained and memorized her legendary battles and fighting style, as well as forged a skin tight mask and bodysuit, infused with Kaminoian technology and the DNA from a strand of Bo Katan’s hair.

For days, Cody wandered the planet, deep in thought. He thought about the battles he had fought and the people he had lost. He thought about the choices he had made, and the impact they had had on the galaxy. "It's been a difficult journey," he said, "but I want to believe that I'm on the right path. Can I be proud of my heritage, and the choices I've made?"

As the suns began to set on the horizon, Cody found himself standing atop a high dune, looking out at the vast expanse of the desert. He felt a sense of peace wash over him, and he knew that he had come to the right place. "I've learned a lot about myself since becoming Bo Katan," he said. "I've learned that being a leader is about more than just giving orders. It's about inspiring others to be their best selves, to fight for what they believe in and to never give up."

With those words, Cody picked up his mask, put it back on, and after assuming the guise of Bo Katan once again, turned and made her way back to her ship, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. She knew that her journey was far from over, but she also knew that she was ready for whatever the galaxy had in store for him. "I'm ready for whatever comes next," he said with a smile. "Whether I’m Cody or Bo Katan, I'm a Mandalorian, and I'll always be proud of that."

Artwork by  ambyva

Background by Guilherme C.

Bo Katan and Star Wars belong to Disney