Deuteronomy and the Mandalorian

"This is the way."

That phrase is embedded in my brain after streaming 2 1/2 seasons of The Mandalorian.  In this Star Wars saga, our attention focuses on an individual Mandalorian, Din Djarin, a bounty hunter whose trail crosses that of the child Grogu (baby Yoda.)

As Jan and I have been lately dealing with some illnesses, we have been binge-watching these Star Wars sagas. At the same time, I've been studying and blogging on the book of Deuteronomy.  On one level, the Torah's fifth book is nothing like the TV series The Mandalorian.  But on a different level, every episode seems to remind me of the atmosphere of Deuteronomy, of the feelings (many negative) as I read through this repetition of the Law of the Covenant.

Deuteronomy appears to be a long sequence of decrees. (I argue, on the basis of Currid's commentary, that this is inaccurate -- that Deuteronomy is a "meditation" on the effect of the Ten Commandments.  Regardless...) The text of Deuteronomy has a lot of "Do this", "Do that", without immediate motivation.  One can almost hear Moses responding to questions with "This is the way." 

Much of Deuteronomy does seem similar to a military code.  "Do this." "Followers of YHWH do this." "Penalties for failure are... " Occasionally there is an order to "Show no mercy."  Embedded in the instructions are statements about redemption, whether in fleeing to sanctuary cities (if one has committed manslaughter) or in offering sacrifices to cleanse a community. Deuteronomy emphasizes teaching children the Code and raising them to follow it. The Mandalorians also have a code of conduct. (For example, see here.)  The Code of the Mandalore also emphasizes raising children correctly within the community and its code. And as the Torah offers a path to redemption, there is even a path for redemption for an apostate Mandalorian.

Most military units have some type of code of conduct. The nation of Israel is acting as an army on a military campaign into Canaan and the lectures of Moses in Deuteronomy reflect that.

In the background of all of this is an issue of optics. We find the seriousness of the Mandalorians to be attractive, especially if it leads them to be effective fighters.  In the same way, the Law of Deuteronomy was intended to be attractive to other ancient Near East cultures.  The people on the outside were to look into the kingdom of Israel and say, "I want to be part of that Way."

These similarities are not surprising. Much of fantasy and science fiction has evolved out of medieval settings, through The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien), Camber of Culdi (Kurtz), The Game of Thrones (Martin) and the Star Wars universe. (See also Foundation (Asimov) and Dune (Herbert).) And the medieval atmosphere (such as the Holy Roman Empire) was deeply steeped in the culture of the Bible, especially the Old Testament.

When I think more carefully about this, the similarities between Deuteronomy and The Mandalorian are superficial. In the Star Wars saga, one redeems oneself by immersing in the waters of Mandalore.  No explanation for this rule is given.  Nothing is motivated.  "This is the way." People like me (and many small children) would not last long in the Mandalorian community as we want to always ask, "Why?"  I'm not sure Mandalorian children get an answer to that question.

There is motivation and explanation for Deuteronomy.  It is hard for modern our ears to hear it, three millennia later, but the reason for The Way of the Torah is to create a nation with an attractive civil code and an active liturgy of worship of the One God.

Off on a tangent

Due to illness, I've not been thinking very deeply this past week, so this Sunday essay is more about TV than the Old Testament.  Sorry.  I will see if I can return to serious stuff tomorrow!

... but ... on the other hand ... I'm sorta enjoying this tangential piece.  Maybe I should look at other TV shows?  

The Rockford Files?  In that classic old show, every time James Rockford takes a case, he ends up helping people.  Sometimes even some pretty broken people.  (One of them even named Angel.) Yet Rockford is always the one getting beaten up! 

Question: Does James Rockford represent a messianic model??  

👀 😁

Put reactions in the comments ...

... back to Deuteronomy tomorrow!