Did The Mandalorian Just Change the Location of Tython?
The Mandalorian Chapter 14, "The Tragedy," takes viewers to Tython, but it seems to be in the wrong part of the galaxy. Is this a plot hole?
This Star Wars: The Mandalorian article contains spoilers.
When The Mandalorian namedropped Tython last week, Star Wars fans who grew up reading the old Legends Expanded Universe of novels and comics likely gasped. Despite the planet’s history as the likely birthplace of the Jedi, Tython had never appeared in a Star Wars movie or TV series before Ahsoka mentioned the planet in “The Jedi.”
Just a week later, we actually get to visit Tython in “The Tragedy,” an action-packed episode that sees Mando not only have to deal with Boba Fett but also an entire platoon of stormtroopers trying to steal Grogu for Moff Gideon. While Mando ends up teaming up with Boba and assassin Fennec Shand (who is alive!) against the Empire, Gideon eventually succeeds in capturing his target with some help from his dark troopers.
Using their rocket thrusters, these heavily armored elite combat droids snatch Grogu from the seeing stone and zoom back to Gideon’s Imperial cruiser. As they’re speeding towards the ship, Boba Fett gives chase on Slave I and is surprised to see the Empire back in such force.
“They’re back,” Boba tells Fennec through the comm. “The Empire. They’re back!”
“That can’t be,” Fennec replies in disbelief. “The Outer Rim is under the jurisdiction of the New Republic.”
Hold on. Unless this is a spice dream, it sounds like The Mandalorian just completely changed the location of Tython, implying it’s in the Outer Rim of the galaxy. Or showrunner and writer Jon Favreau simply made a mistake when penning the episode. Retcons certainly aren’t all that uncommon in Star Wars, especially as non-canon Legends lore is re-canonized into Disney continuity, but even if that were the case, another canon story has already established Tython’s place in the galaxy.
Issue 40 of Marvel’s Doctor Aphra comic book series confirmed in 2019 that Tython could still be found in its original Legends location: the Deep Core, the region at the very center of the Star Wars galaxy. In Legends, the Deep Core was home to many strange planets that were generally unexplored due to how difficult it was for ships to navigate through the region, which was riddled with clusters of old stars and dark matter. This made hyperspace travel through the Deep Core incredibly tricky.
That’s why it’s so surprising how easily all parties are able to find and land on Tython, but maybe the Deep Core just isn’t all that dangerous in Disney canon? Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so easy for Mando to simply jump from Corvus, which is presumably also in the Outer Rim, to Tython.
Whether blunder or retcon, it’s nice to see this bit of deep cut lore explored in an official manner on The Mandalorian. It’s a shame we don’t get to spend much time on the planet or explore any of the Jedi Temple ruins. The seeing stone is pretty cool, though!
Keep up with all of The Mandalorian season 2 news here.
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John Saavedra is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Den of Geek. He lives in New York City with his two cats.