Fans probably remember the first appearance of IG-88 in The Empire Strikes Back. This assassin bounty hunter looked both innovative and menacing.
Yet, we did not get to see this IG unit in action, only a short glimpse of his potential.
The IG droid from The Mandalorian was so badass for several reasons, including this droid’s action abilities and change of course.
IG-88 and IG Droids
As an IG-series droid, IG-88 was part of the droid production around the time of the Clone Wars.
As we saw in The Empire Strikes Back, IG-88 was an imposing assassin droid who worked as a bounty hunter.
This IG unit was among several bounty hunters that Darth Vader hired to find the Millennium Falcon after the Battle of Hoth.
Here we see IG-88 on board the Executor next to Boba Fett and ready to pursue Han and crew. Unfortunately, we did not get to see IG-88 pursue the Falcon or what he could do.
That would have been interesting, given IG’s arsenal of blaster rifles, poison darts, flamethrowers, and more.
In Canon, Boba Fett later destroyed IG-88 on Bespin, with a quick glimpse provided when Chewie tracked down C-3PO.
IG-88 was rebuilt and saw some action in Star Wars comics and the animated series Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO.
Yet, this IG’s presence on the screen was limited. IG-88 was cool, but the IG Droid in The Mandalorian took it to a new level.
Why Is The Mandalorian IG Droid So Badass?
Like IG-88, IG-11 was an assassin bounty hunter but after the fall of the empire. This IG took on the job of killing Grogu in The Mandalorian but ended up being thwarted by Din Djarin.
Before Mando blasted IG to stop the latter from killing Grogu, they had worked together to take out a squad of mercenaries who had taken Baby Yoda captive.
We can see IG-11’s prowess and skills in this scene as he wipes out his opponents, left, right, and anywhere. Viewers were impressed by his killing ability, seemingly unstoppable.
Fans in this discussion approved because we got to see this IG unit “in action” and how “dangerous” IG-11 could be, with all the “twisting and spinning” while blasting opponents away.
This time, this assassin unit got to show off his fighting skills.
The Ugnaught Kuiil recovered IG-11 and reprogrammed him to help with moisture farming. This friendlier and helpful droid also became badass, though.
As Grogu’s nurse droid, IG-11 became bound to protect Baby Yoda from harm. In this scene, IG politely warned two scout troopers before dispatching them, proving his deadly skills.
Yet, this transformed IG’s coolness rested more in his willingness to sacrifice himself than his fighting skills.
Although IG-11 continued to wipe out stormtroopers and anyone who interfered with protecting Grogu, this droid’s altruism toward Mando, Cara Dune, and Greef Karga was re-distinguishing.
After being surrounded by Moff Gideon’s forces, IG-11 helps the group escape into the sewers in Nevarro.
Dune and Karga left first with Grogu, and IG stayed behind to heal a wounded Mando. These actions provided a different kind of action to set IG-11 apart from the previous assassin droid version and IG-88.
The defining moment for IG-11 was his sacrifice to save the group. IG-11 walked alone down a lava river to detonate himself and eliminate the swarm of stormtroopers that awaited them.
As we saw in this scene, IG’s self-destruction fulfilled his “purpose” by saving the group and ultimately the city.
What Else Makes IG-11 Appealing?
We may find IG-11 interesting because of the journey from a droid assassin to a caring individual that makes IG android-like.
As one post has described, IG-11 may parallel Din Djarin’s character arc by moving beyond “their original programming.” Both characters evolved and drew us into more complex beings.
David Filoni intentionally moved ahead with IG-11 instead of revamping IG-88 because a new character would provide more creative license.
Filoni stated that he wanted “the free range” to bring a new character alive and not potentially contradict other narratives about IG-88 in the Star Wars universe.
This character provided a sense of humor, emotion, and deadly abilities all in one.
IG-11 Was One of a Kind
That we got to see this IG unit in action is a great reason why this droid was a one-of-a-kind badass. Yet, IG’s fighting skills were only part of the story.
IG-11 grew in character and became someone willing to sacrifice themselves for his friends and the greater good. That made this droid human and more than an imposing bounty hunter.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan. He has covered such topics as Darth Vader, the Jedi, Boba Fett, and AT-AT Walkers. Todd has published a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.