Mandalore the Wise or Te Dral Mand'alor in Mando'a, was a renowned businessmen, soldier and later, leader of the Mando'ade Alliance, before and during the Sith Crusade. One of the few Taung still in the galaxy, Te Dral was born to the rich and powerful Mandal family, and from an early age was taught the importance of patience, skill and honor. Following his father's death and Te Dral's eighteenth birthday, Fenn Shysa offered Te Dral a place in the Mandalorian Protectors. After his resignation from the Protectors Te Dral joined the Mandalore's Guard, and became a close associate of Boba Fett.
Te Dral later fought during the Confederation-Galactic Alliance War, serving with distinction during the battle of Fondor and earning a mutual respect with both Boba Fett, and the Jedi Luke Skywalker. But despite this respect, Te Dral was not above usurping the throne of Boba Fett, and following the latter's death in 46 ABY he performed his coup d'état.
Now Mandalore, Te Dral became well known to the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances and (unknowingly to him) the Sith Order of Decreto, thanks to his various "war crimes". Te Dral knew that the Galactic Alliance was unwilling to enter yet another war, and so continued with wars in the Outer Rim; but was not above checking back to make sure he did not push the Jedi too far. The wars past quickly, and the Mandalorian military began to wane, but with whispers of a new Sith threat in the galaxy, Te Dral began a massive re-militarization program, but even this was not enough to prevent the near-total destruction of the Mandalorian people during the battle of Mandalore.
Following the battle, Te Dral joined forces with the Sith Order of Decreto, but maintained a soft rebellion against the Sith Empire, secretly supplying various Mandalorian rebel movements throughout the Mandalore sector.
Biography[]
Early years[]
Born on Mandalore, the ancient homeworld on the Mandalorian people, during the Galactic Civil War, Te Dral was born into a rich and powerful family who controlled well over 75% of MandalMotors shares. Although the company was stopped from trading by the Galactic Empire for quite some time, the family still became rich from the illegal trading of arms.
After the collapse of the Galactic Empire in 19 ABY, and fifteen year old Te Dral was given a majority share in MandalMotors by his father who had since became the sole owner of the company. With 56% of the company under his control, and his fathers health failing, Te Dral realized that the time had come for the Mandalorain people to reclaim their rightful place, as conquerors. Only one thing stood in his way, Fenn Shysa, the then-Mandalore.
Fenn knew that although young, Te Dral's control over MandalMotors made him an influential rival. With many of Mandalore's population in his employ Te Dral could easily cause great civil strife for Fenn Shysa; something Fenn greatly wished to avoid. Under increasing pressure from his "underlings" Fenn attempted to make peace with Te Dral, going so far as to offer Te Dral a position in the hallowed Mandalorian Protectors upon his eighteenth birthday.
Te Dral accepted, and upon his eighteenth birthday was inducted into the Mandalorian Protectors.
Life as a Mandalorian Protector[]
With the title of Mandalorian Protector his, Te Dral had become a man of considerable fame on Mandalore; but soon found that becoming a Protector was not all it seemed. He was quickly sent off-world by Fenn Shysa to begin his training. The exact location he was sent to was unknown even to Te Dral, but he knew it was far from his homeworld.
Te Dral during war games, posing as Mandalore
Once he had arrived at his new home, Te Dral was thrown into a rigorous training programme. He learnt many skills including how to feed himself of the land, how to survive in extreme weathers and how to avoid being seen by the enemy without technological assistance. He very soon became the greatest student and rose though the ranks, becoming a Commander within a year. It was then that he heard the news he had been waiting for, Fenn Shysa had been slain by another Mandalorian – Boba Fett.
With this new Mandalore Te Dral was in a much stronger position to assert his authority over the Mandalorian peoples. He used his influence to receive a posting on Mandalore, near his home town, and near his headquaters. Once on Mandalore Te Dral abandoned his position and resigned his commission, once again becoming a civilian.
Securing his heritage[]
A civilian once again, Te Dral set about promoting himself in the eyes of the new Mandalore. He applied for the position of Mandalore's Guard, and succeeded thanks to his past career as a Mandalorian Protector. The details of his time as a Mandalore's Guard are sketchy. It is known that he meet Boba Fett many times, even going so far as to be invited to a banquet in Fett's father's honor.
He served with the Mandalorians during the Confederation-Galactic Alliance War and even under several famous Jedi such as Luke Skywalker and Jaina Solo.
Towards the end of the conflict, Te Dral saw that Fett's health was failing, and that the time had come to promote himself to the rank of Mandalore. But he had grown to respect the ageing Mandalore so much so that he actually waited until Fett died naturally before committing his coup d'état.
With the support of his fellow Mandalore's Guard and many of the Mandalorian Protectors, Te Dral returned to his homeworld in force and removed Fett's granddaughter Mirta Gev from power.
The new Mandalore[]
In the year 46 ABY Te Dral had completely secured control over the Mandalorian peoples. Renaming the loose coalition of planets the Mando'ade Alliance and tightening his grip on its member worlds, Te Dral Mand'alor (as he was now known) removed all threats from Gev's followers after executing their figure-head. Although it was later revealed that Te Dral had allowed Mirta to live, as a way of keeping those Mandalorian Protector's still loyal to Boba Fett in line.
He went on to perform may more acts of great disgust, but also many of great respectability. He constantly drew the attention of the Galactic Senate yet maintained the Mando'ade Alliance's independence from the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. But even Te Dral realized that the GFFA was not a government to make an enemy off, and he often agreed to relent on many, more serious cases; but stopped short of allowing the GFFA to post Jedi Knights in the GFFA's embassy on the planet Mandalore.
Many more years past and slowly, Te Dral received whispers of a growing power in the Unknown Regions. Cautiously, Te Dral began to rebuild the Mandalorian Fleet which had waned in recent years. Unsurprisingly MandalMotors was given well over 80% of the contracts for new starships, weapons and armors. Te Dral initiated a programme of National Service, forcibly arming his entire population. When the invasion of the GFFA finally came, Te Dral knew that more would be needed if the Mando'ade Alliance was to survive.
The Sith Cursade[]
It was fortunate for Te Dral that the Mando'ade Alliance was on the far side of the galaxy from the point of the Sith invasion. But even the Mandalorian's would not be able to escape the Sith for long.
Battle of Mandalore[]
Te Dral Mand'alor studies maps of the battlefields
In 63 ABY, the time finally came for the Mandalorian's to show their worth. Darth Abeonis, the Dark Lord of the Decreton Empire had decided that the Sith had spent too long at war with the galaxy without an ally, and decided that the Mando'ade Alliance could be a suitable one. But Abeonis knew that Te Dral would not just surrender his entire domain to the Sith without a fight, and a fight he received.
After many days of fighting, Te Dral began to see that the battle was a lost cause. Despite his years of preparation, Mandalore, his homeworld, was lost. His only wish now was to keep his populous alive, even if it meant surrender.
Yet he was spared this misfortune when Abeonis, who was leading the Sith fleet contacted Te Dral with offers of peace, on the condition that he ally himself with the attackers. Te Dral, rather reluctantly accepted.
Sowing the seeds of rebellion[]
Despite being defeated, Te Dral was not content to let the Sith dominate the Mandalorians unchallenged. Secretly dispatching his Mandalore's Guard — Ghes Orade — to Ordo, Te Dral ordered them to stir up rebellion on numerous worlds, so as to stretch the strength of the forces of the Sith commander in the sector — Darth Krayt.
Whilst his Mandalore's Guard's did this, Te Dral would work to keep the Mandalorian people free of retribution.
Personality and traits[]
Te Dral was a strong headed individual who was determined to achieve all his aims. He had a strong sense of right and wrong and knew when he had gone too far, or when his enemies had.
Not afraid to fight back, or use underhand tactics to get what he wanted many considered Te Dral unpredictable before his rise to power.
Behind the scenes[]
Te Dral was written to be a much more, "down to earth" character. Someone who reached his position of power through his own genius and determination.
Unlike characters like Darth Abeonis and Darth Wyyrlok, who had the Force, and masterful knowledge of tactics at their disposal, Te Dral was an average man, who earned his position of power with his own blood and guts.