Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7 teases the fate of the Mandalorians after the collapse of the Empire. The people of Mandalore are highly important to the Star Wars timeline in every established era. Their ability to retain high status and power, however, is less than consistent. They reach the highest of highs only to fall back down to the lowest of lows in short order, as The Clone Wars hints at. Their next depression will come with the rise and fall of the Empire, as The Mandalorian depicted in its first season, which takes place a few years after Return of the Jedi.
The Mandalorians are a huge part of The Clone Wars and have been for some time, and their story is at the heart of the final season. Clone Wars season 7 puts them and their home front and center in the multi-part Siege of Mandalore story. While those standing behind Bo-Katan Kryze seek to put Darth Maul's tyranny to an end, others rally behind their oppressive leader. The Mandalorian super commandos are willing to risk life and limb for their Sith overlord, for better or worse. They are confident they are fighting for the side that will make them the most prosperous. His charisma and persuasive monologues keep them loyal, while also warning them of their incoming fate.
During the invasion, Maul and many of his troops wait things out in the tunnels below Mandalore's surface. At one point, the Mandalorians fighting alongside Maul begin to worry about losing the war, and Maul attempts to guide them in a different direction. He convinces them to fight on like their ancestors, upholding the reputation of their people as ruthless conquerors. They are urged to battle and die as warriors, if they must; he tells them, "it isn't in your nature to hide in the gutters." On the surface, this quote is nothing more than an analysis of their current state, hiding from the enemy in Mandalore's plumbing. Little did Maul realize, he accurately foretold their destiny years after his demise.
Once the Empire was created, most major planets fell under its rule, and Mandalore was no exception. Those who did not bend to the will of the Emperor were silenced or left to live in poverty. Few Mandalorians, like Governor Gar Saxon, retained their power by cooperating with the new order and abandoning their culture. Once the regime collapsed, things only worsened for the Mandalorians in the ensuing chaos. They were left in small bands across the galaxy, stuck performing odd jobs just to make ends meet by the time of The Mandalorian. As their rebellious leader Maul mentioned, it is not in their nature to hide in the gutters, but that is where they were forced, as evidenced in The Mandalorian season 1.
The end of The Clone Wars season 7 is planting the seeds for Darth Maul's future and his loyalists in other shows and movies. The slow decline of the Mandalorians is one of the saddest tales to come from the Star Wars canon. They were once a proud and strong people who collapsed under the weight of galactic turmoil. Many believe following the Sith Lord to their last breath is the only way to stay alive, but his words carry undeniable irony. The Empire will lead the Mandalorians into the gutters very soon, contrary to Maul's inspiring Clone Wars monologue.
