To be perfectly honest, I was never a huge fan of the Star War films; for some reason, I had a hard time getting into them. When Jon Favreau’s Mandalorian series came out, my husband insisted that we watch it. To my surprise, this space adventure finally captured my imagination. I enjoyed seeing the softening of the heart of a lonely bounty hunter as he is forced to protect Grogu (Baby Yoda) from the Empire. The father and son relationship that developed out of this unlikely pair made it relatable for me. When I saw that Voyage Comics put out a book exploring the Catholic themes of this story, it piqued my interest further.

“There’s nothing like a movie…or a story to help make you feel that there’s a path to all of this—that makes sense…I’m drawn to material that reinforces that.”  – Jon Favreau, creator of the Mandalorian.

Was Favreau divinely inspired? This book claims that he, at least, let spiritual themes guide the development of the secular series, The Mandalorian. The Christbearer’s aim, while using Scripture’s rule “test everything” (1 Thess. 5:21), is to show how the Mandalorian story, despite not intending a Christian agenda, effectively grapples with Christian themes. Through storytelling, art, and essays, it proposes parallels with two iconic Catholic figures: Saint Christopher and Saint Joseph. 

The first story tells a conversion tale excerpted from St. Christopher, Breaker of Men, and Other Stories by Rev. Cyril Martindale SJ (1917). It speaks of the man who originally earned the name “Christ-bear” when he bore the weight of Christ across the river, forever becoming the legendary patron of travelers. It is written as an epic legend, which shows a whole other side of this revered figure: a dark-side. I think many readers will be surprised to read that Saint Christopher once was a servant of the devil and his ferry-work, a penance.

The second story is a compilation taken from The Life and Glories of St. Joseph by Edward Healy Thompson (1891). His life is presented through Scripture quotes, commentary from the likes of Saint Francis De Sales, Saint Albert the Great, and venerable Mary of Agreda. It also contains archeological commentary and traditionally accepted legends.

The essays that follow these stories make use of the examples of these two saints to highlight the Catholic themes found throughout the Mandalorian series, and lessons we can apply in our lives. The essays are easy to read and not overly academic. Of the ten essays, here are a few highlights of what one can expect from the book.

Finding Peace in Your Vocation – John Tuttle speaks to the inherent intentionality in Star Wars. He likens Grogu’s choice and the Mandalorian mantra “this is the way” to Saint Christopher’s conversion and our universal call to holiness.

Become Like A Child – Philip Kosloski looks at how Grogu is the smallest, yet most powerful creature in the Star Wars universe. Comparatively, Saint Christopher sought to serve the most powerful creature, only to find that He was a child.

Silent Father and Heir of Kings – Scott L. Smith, Jr., likens Saint Joseph’s silence and lineage to the Mandalorian’s mask and people. Additionally, he sees similarities between their fostering of an adopted child.

A Father’s Love – Matthew Heffron explores “the way of force” as the love between a father and son, and how it is particularly evident in The Mandalorian.

Voyage Comics is known for their artwork and in the book they portray dramatic scenes and strong characters that I think many will appreciate. The mirroring of the art to a recognizable figure in the Disney series was clever. In fact, there is a powerful image in this book that poses Saint Joseph in a protective stance with staff positioned to guard his family against the robbers – a wonderful highlighting of the strength and courage of this holy man. However, I did feel that too much of the Mandalorian was forced into the imagery of Saint Christopher, particularly, in the famous river scene with the Child on his shoulder. That aside, I thought the visuals were unique and a much needed approach to reimagining our beloved saints as the epic heroes that they were.

I recommend this book for fans of The Mandalorian and of Saints Christopher and Joseph. It is a good resource for those who are wanting to use a secular story to hook and kindle interest in Catholic morality. Those who enjoy finding additional nuggets in lore that already inspires them will also appreciate this. I can see highschoolers using this as a resource for creative book reports. Parents or catechists might appreciate The Christbearer as a fun ice-breaker to discuss aspects of the Catholic faith, particularly in our call to battle the “dark side”, and perhaps, to inspire more Christ-bearers.