Axe Woves was a human male Mandalorian from the planet Mandalore who served with the Mandalorian resistance during the New Republic's era. In 9 ABY, Woves was on the moon of Trask alongside resistance fighters Lady Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska Reeves, where they rescued another Mandalorian named Din Djarin from a group of Quarren. Djarin was initially put off by their removal of their helmets, but soon joined forces with Woves and his comrades after they rescued him a second time.

Woves, Kryze, and Reeves collaborated with Djarin to board an Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser, with Woves opening the door for the group. After killing numerous stormtroopers, the four Mandalorians reached the cargo bay area, where they vented out a number of their enemies and then inspected the cargo. As they rushed for the bridge, the Mandalorians were pinned down and Woves doubted that they would be able to make it past a squad of stormtroopers. With Djarin's help, they successfully captured the bridge, then Djarin parted ways with the trio.

After Kryze failed to return to Kalevala with the Darksaber, Woves and the other Mandalorians under Kryze's command defected. Kryze's warriors took her fleet and became mercenaries for hire, with Woves becoming their new leader. Later, Kryze challenged and defeated Woves in a single combat and became leader of her unit once again.

Biography[]

Rescuing Din Djarin[]

Hailing from the^[1] planet^[2] Mandalore,^[1] Axe Woves was a member of Clan Kryze,^[3] a Mandalorian clan led by Lady^[5] Bo-Katan Kryze.^[3] He survived the Great Purge of Mandalore.^[6] He sought to bring his homeworld to what it was before the Galactic Empire's rule and worked with Kryze's Mandalorian resistance group during the era of the New Republic.^[2] In 9 ABY,^[7] Woves, Kryze, and fellow Mandalorian Koska Reeves targeted transports flying for a remnant of the Galactic Empire led by Moff Gideon in hopes of seizing weapons and also locating Gideon to retake the Darksaber. The Imperials chose to run life-form scans to prevent the Mandalorians from stowing away on their starships. The three eventually were present on the estuary moon Trask, where an Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser was purchasing weapons at a local black market port.^[2]

The presence of Woves and his comrades on Trask caught the attention of Din Djarin, a Mandalorian bounty hunter who was seeking out others of his kind. When Djarin arrived at the port on Trask, he was quickly spotted by Reeves. A Quarren boatman and his brothers took the bounty hunter aboard their boat and tried to kill him for his beskar armor. That was when Kryze, Woves, and Reeves came to Djarin's rescue, ambushing the Quarren boatmen. He took on multiple Quarrens in hand-to-hand combat before Kryze and Reeves pulled the remaining two to the floor with their whipcord launchers, with Woves finishing both with his wrist blaster. Kryze pulled Djarin out of a mamacore pen, Reeves rescued the bounty hunter's foundling,^[2] Grogu,^[8] from the mamacore.^[2]

After Djarin thanked the three Mandalorians for his and Grogu's rescue and began explaining his mission, the trio removed their helmets. Djarin accused them of being fake Mandalorians for not covering their faces, to which Woves and Kryze identified him as part of the Children of the Watch, a cult of Mandalorians which followed an ancient version of the Way of the Mandalore. Djarin denied this claim, insisting that there is only one true "way" before flying off with Grogu. Woves, Kryze, and Reeves then proceeded to destroy the ship before flying off.^[2]

Collaboration[]

That night, Djarin was confronted by some Quarren led by the brother of the one that had tricked him before. Woves, Kryze, and Reeves arrived to aid their fellow Mandalorian and gunned down the Quarren. Djarin joined the trio at a nearby inn, where Kryze and the bounty hunter exchanged on their intentions while Woves, Reeves, and Grogu listened. Djarin agreed to help the three Mandalorians on their mission in exchange for information from Kryze.^[2]

Later, Woves and the other Mandalorians sat atop Djarin's gunship, the Razor Crest, watching the Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser from afar. Kryze explained to Djarin their plan to seize weapons from the cruiser. When the Mandalorian bounty hunter asked about stormtroopers aboard the Gozanti cruiser, Kryze claimed there was a squad at most, and Woves remarked that the troopers could not hit the side of a bantha.^[2]

Hijacking above Trask[]

Woves, Kryze, Reeves, and Djarin begun their attack and jetpacked up to the Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser as it took off at dawn. Woves landed onto an outside walkway, knocking a stormtrooper off of the ship while his comrades dealt with more nearby. He then used a computer spike to open a door to the inside of the cruiser, the Mandalorians entering the vessel. More stormtroopers engaged Woves and his allies, but the group gunned down the troopers, taking cover on intervals. The Mandalorians continued to kill more Imperial defenders, eliminating one squad under the cover of a smoke bomb used by Djarin. The group soon arrived at the cargo bay and engaged a force of stormtroopers led by an Imperial deck officer, killing a number of his men.^[2]

After being locked in the cargo control room, the group vented the cargo bay which ejected the deck officer and all of his troopers out of the ship. Woves and Reeves then inspected the cargo, while Kryze then exchanged with the Gozanti-class cruiser's captain over comms, promising to capture the vessel. While the Mandalorians departed for the bridge, the captain was instructed by Gideon to destroy the ship and forced the vessel into a nose dive towards Trask's ocean. The Mandalorians were shaken by the sudden ship in the Gozanti cruiser's course and made for the bridge, being met by another squad of stormtroopers.^[2]

As the four took cover, Kryze asked of the number of enemies, for which Woves peaked around the corner and estimated six to ten stormtroopers including two with heavy repeating blasters. He further shut down Kryze's suggestion of advancing, claiming the enemy had too much firepower and fearing the group would not reach the bridge in time. Djarin, though, asked for the other three to cover him, and Woves and the other two fired at the troopers the bounty hunter advanced under heavy fire. Djarin obliterating the squad with some detonators, and the Mandalorians made for the bridge, with Woves staying behind to cover their flank. The other three liberated the bridge and stopped the Gozanti-cruiser from crashing into Trask. Djarin then parted ways with them to complete his own mission and Reeves prepared to jump to hyperspace.^[2]

Going rogue[]

Not long after, Djarin returned to Kryze and Reeves at a diner on the desert world of^[10] Lafete.^[11] Woves' helmet rested alongside Kryze and Reeves's during the exchange, which led the latter two to join Djarin in a mission to seize Moff Gideon's light cruiser. However, during the mission, Kryze failed to take the Darksaber from Gideon, as Djarin was instead the one to defeat the moff in combat.^[10] With Gideon being sent into New Republic custody and Djarin going on his own path,^[12] Kryze returned to Woves and the rest of her Mandalorian forces without the Darksaber she had promised to obtain. With her plans to retake Mandalore obstructed, the Mandalorians abandoned her, Woves taking charge of the battle forces as they turned into mercenary privateers.^[9]

Captain Woves and his forces took Kryze's fleet along with them, including Kom'rk-class fighter/transports, two stolen Gozanti-class cruisers, and Gideon's former cruiser. As the privateer group took on^[9] various lucrative jobs from a number of clients,^[13] they received a contract to serve as planetary protection for Plazir-15, an independent world in the Outer Rim, as well as a job to intercept the son of a Mon Calamari viceroy. The renegade Mon Calamari nobleman had run off with a Quarren captain named Shuggoth aboard her starship. Aboard the light cruiser, Woves intercepted Quarran ship while it was on its way to Trask. Shuggoth believed Woves was an Imperial warlord and offered him protection payment.^[9]

Woves, from the cruiser's command chair, revealed to Shuggoth and he and his people were Mandalorians and that they were had been tracking her down, his cruiser docking at that moment. The Quarren captain called it an act of war, but the Mandalorian clarified that they were privateers, adding about the matter of the viceroy's son which he was there for. Shuggoth called it a lie, going on about conflict between the Quarren and Mon Calamari, Woves replying that he was only there to do what he was hired to do. The viceroy's son intervened and begged not to be taken, Woves having Reeves take a team to fetch him in that time. He tried to negotiate with the lovers, telling Shuggoth to talk to her love interest. The Quarren advised the Mon Calamari to leave with the Mandalorians, and Reeve's team took him back to the cruiser.^[9]

Leadership challenges[]

After the Mon Calamari job, Woves and his fleet made their way to Plazir-15, making a warcamp at landing field three. Woves was able to speak with the planet's elected leadership, Bombardier and his wife, telling them about why his group had split from Kryze. In the meantime, Kryze had reunited with Din Djarin and returned to her goal of uniting Mandalorian groups and retaking Mandalore. The pair made their way to Plazir-15 to see Woves and Kryze's other former followers, but were side-tracked when Kryze's Kom'rk-class fighter/transport was overrided to land elsewhere and the two were coaxed to do Bombardier and his wife a job. After completing their job for Bombardier and the duchess, Kryze and Djarin, accompanied by Grogu, went to landing field three.^[9]

Confronted by his former commander, Woves asked if she had come to join the privateers, only for Kryze to proclaim that she was there for her fleet. The Mandalorian captain reasserted that he had leadership over the fleet, and so Kryze challenged him for it. Rising from his seat, Woves accepted the challenge, and the fight shortly began when he fired a wrist rocket at his opponent. Flying above, Kryze kicked the Mandalorian mercenary to the ground before the both got into melee combat, each knocking down one another and using their jetpacks to charge and evade the other. Woves tried to use another rocket during the fighting, to no avail. As the fight made its way on top of a Kom'rk, Kryze was knocked off but used her whipcord launcher to pull Woves to the ground with her. Woves used a wrist flamethrower against his opponent, only to be pinned to the ground and held at knifepoint by Kryze.^[9]

Defeated, Woves told the victor she would never be leader without the Darksaber and that it was Djarin she should be fighting. Kryze told the other Mandalorians that their people were stronger together. Woves argued back that the Darksaber's owner, Djarin, was a zealot with no Mandalorian blood, but Kryze defended the latter as he had sworn to the Mandalorian Creed like their ancestors. Holding his ground, Woves reaffirmed that Kryze could not lead without the Darksaber. In response, Djarin offered the Darksaber to his friend, Woves scoffing at the attempt. However, Djarin provided an account that Kryze had defeated an enemy that had captured him and taken the Darksaber. When asked if that gave her right to the ancient blade, Woves agreed, and so Kryze claimed the blade as her own before the other Mandalorians there.^[9]

Woves, Kryze's unit, Djarin, and their Mandalorian fleet went to Nevarro to meet with the Tribe. There, Woves attended a feast where they discussed plans to reclaim Mandalore. When Kryze asked for volunteers to explore Mandalore's surface to find the Great Forge, Woves volunteered along side Djarin, Reeves, and Paz Vizsla.^[6]

Return to Mandalore[]

Upon the Mandalorians' arrival in Mandalore's orbit, Woves and Kryze's team went down to Mandalore's surface on the Gauntlet. Together, they found several survivors on a skiff and made their way to the Great Forge. On the skiff, Woves played chess with Vizsla until he accused Vizsla of cheating. The two of them fought until Grogu, using IG-12, broke up the fight.^[6]

Following an attack by a dragon-like creature, Woves and Kryze's group found the great forge. They then came under attack by Imperial commandos wearing beskar armor. Woves volunteered to return to the fleet to bring in reinforcements. He was able to escape with help from Vizsla.^[6] He reached the fleet and compelled them to action, and quickly ordered all Mandalorians off of the Light Cruiser. He stayed behind to pilot the ship as a decoy against Gideon's fleet of TIE Interceptors, and shot down several as the Mandalorians rallied themselves in battle on the surface. Woves weathered damage to the ship, but it soon became too heavily damaged and plummeted toward the surface. Undeterred, he piloted the ship toward Gideon's base, and used his jetpack to flee to safety after warning the other Mandalorians to evacuate to safety. His strategy proved beneficiary and Gideon was killed in the detonation, which freed the planet from Imperial influence.^[4]

He soon after traveled to the Great Forge with the other Mandalorians and watched as Bo-Katan and the Armorer relit the forge's flame for the first time in decades. He began a victory chant that resonated from the entire gathered crowd as they celebrated their return to the ancestral home of their culture.^[4]

Personality and traits[]

Axe Woves was a human male with light skin, broad shoulders, black hair, and brown eyes. Standing at 1.8 meters tall, he wished to restore his homeworld of Mandalore to the way it was before the Empire's reign.^[1] The Mandalorian frequently observed the conversations between Bo-Katan Kryze and Din Djarin with a neutral expression. After hearing Djarin accuse him and his comrades of not being Mandalorians, Woves remarked that the bounty hunter was "one of them," referring to the Children of the Watch. When Djarin and Kryze discussed stormtrooper numbers on the Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser, Woves joked that the troopers could not hit the side of a Bantha.^[2]

As the Mandalorians were pinned down near the bridge by stormtroopers, he stressed that the troopers had too much fire power to advance on and that they would not be able to reach the bridge in time to stop the Gozanti cruiser's descent towards Trask.^[2] Woves grew fond of his command over the Mandalorian resistance after the group abandoned Kryze, although he quickly surrendered his position when Djarin revealed she was the rightful wielder of the Darksaber. Woves also displayed a prejudice towards Djarin for being a foundling instead of a "pure blood" Mandalorian and mocked him as being a "misguided zealot."^[9] Furthermore, Woves regarded the Children of the Watch as primitives.^[6] However, after fighting side-by-side with the Children, Woves lived alongside them in peace on the reconquered Mandalore.^[4]

Skills and abilities[]

Axe Woves was able to take on multiple enemies in hand-to-hand combat as well as gun down some of adversaries swiftly.^[2]

Equipment[]

Woves wore a set of Mandalorian armor which had a blue and dark grey color scheme. His underclothing was a lighter grey color, with black gloves and a brown, silver buckled belt with compartments, one hidden at the buckle.^[1] Woves was equipped with a blue JT-12 jetpack and blue Mandalorian vambraces with hidden weapons such as a blaster, a flamethrower, and a rocket launcher. He carried a computer spike for infiltrating enemy ships. He also wielded a WESTAR-35 blaster pistol which he kept in a holster, and a vibro-knife. His Mandalorian helmet was blue and brown with a grey stripe encircling the upper hemisphere and a rangefinder extending from his right.^[2][9]

Behind the scenes[]

Casting[]

Axe Woves first appeared in "Chapter 11: The Heiress" of Jon Favreau's Disney+ series The Mandalorian, which was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard^[2] and released on November 13, 2020.^[15] He was portrayed by British actor Simon Kassianides, with Kofi Yiadom serving as the stunt double.^[2]

According to Kassianides on Instagram, he auditioned for the role of Axe Woves on November 13, 2019, exactly a year prior to the release of "Chapter 11: The Heiress." He also claimed that, according to Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni, his name was created,^[14] apparently without prompting,^[16] by Star Wars franchise creator George Lucas when he visited the set of the show. Kassianides was apparently unaware of his role until days after being chosen for it, when he was revealed his Mandalorian helmet, which he stated gave him tears as he had been a fan of the character Boba Fett.^[14] Wove's costume was designed by costume designer Shawna Trpcic.^[17]

Performance[]

Kassianides told BBC Asian Network that despite using an American accent during his audition, he was allowed to use his own English accent, which he attempted to make more South London like, as he grew up in that area.^[19] Production for "Chapter 11: The Heiress" began on December 2, 2019,^[20] three days after the release of "Chapter 4: Sanctuary" of The Mandalorian's first season.^[21] During filming for the cargo bay battle, he was apparently overwhelmed during the first shoot when he studied the details around him like the costumes, elevator buttons and stormtroopers. Kassianides claimed that he froze because of this, asking his colleagues to give him a moment to take in the experience.^[19]

When filming the action scenes aboard the Gozanti-class cruiser, second unit director Sam Hargrave wanted Reeves and the other Mandalorians to adopt shoot-and-hide tactics similar to classic Star Wars gunfights. Favreau wanted Woves, Kryze, and Reeves to work in as their own group separate to Djarin to differentiate the three from the fourth member of the team. Kassianides was also given the opportunity to look at one of the sets behind the scenes for "Chapter 9: The Marshal" while he was in costume.^[18]

Appearances[]

• The Mandalorian Season 2 Junior Novel
• The Mandalorian – The Graphic Novel of Season 2
• The Mandalorian: The Path of the Force
• The Mandalorian — "Chapter 11: The Heiress" (First appearance)
• The Mandalorian Season 2 3
• The Mandalorian — "Chapter 17: The Apostate" (Indirect mention only)
• The Mandalorian — "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire"
• The Mandalorian — "Chapter 23: The Spies"
• The Mandalorian — "Chapter 24: The Return"

Sources[]

Notes and references[]