The Bounty Hunter Guild Rules (& How The Mandalorian Breaks Them)

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Mandalorian season 1, episode 3.

In “Chapter 3: the Sin” – the most recent episode of Disney+’s flagship TV series, The Mandalorian – viewers get a glimpse into the culture surrounding the Bounty Hunters’ Guild. Specifically, characters in the episode reference a set of rules that the Mandalorian breaks in the episode’s climax. The titular character’s choice to knowingly go against his guild’s code is the “sin” referenced in the episode’s title. The implication for our hero is clear: there’s no going back.

“Chapter 3: the Sin” sees the space-age bounty hunter delivering Baby Yoda to the client (played by Werner Herzog); however, it’s quickly made apparent that the hero feels uncomfortable with the transaction. The subsequent interactions the Mandalorian has with the Client, as well as the guild’s leader, Greef Carga (played by Carl Weathers), revealed that there are rules enforced by the Bounty Hunters’ Guild. These rules are presumably to protect the nature of their work, as well as the privacy of their clientele.

The Bounty Hunter’s Guild is an old idea in the Star Wars universe, as is the existence of a code of conduct that bounty hunters like Boba Fett and IG-88 adhere to. There are even in-universe publications, like The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett, an official guidebook first published in 2013. However, following Disney’s acquisition of the Star Wars property, these expanded-universe texts may no longer be canon. The following are the rules that are confirmed through references in “Chapter 3: the Sin.”

The Bounty Hunter Guild Rules

Don’t Ask Questions: After he handed over the child, Mando tentatively asked the Client what his plans are for Baby Yoda. The Client responded with surprise that he would be asked that, saying it is in contradiction to the bounty hunter’s professional reputation. In a later scene, Carga confirmed the rule by saying “I didn’t ask [the Client’s plans]. It’s against the Guild Code.”

Forget What You Saw: After the Mandalorian delivered Baby Yoda, the Client revealed another rule in the Guild’s Code: after a bounty hunter has accepted a prospect and received compensation, the bounty hunter is to end the relationship with their client and act as though it never happened. As the Client puts it, “is it not the code of the Guild that these events are now forgotten?”

Don’t Bite the Hand That Feeds: Although not as clear as the other two rules, “Chapter 3: the Sin” implies that attacking other bounty hunters is at least a minor violation of the code. In the previous episode, Mando was attacked by some Trandoshan bounty hunters who also had tracking fobs for Baby Yoda; therefore, either bounty hunters fighting each other is a common infraction, or the bounty in question is so valuable that guild members are willing to risk breaking the rules.

How The Mandalorian Breaks The Guild Rules

The episode provides enough insight into the Bounty Hunters’ Guild Rules for viewers to ascertain that the Mandalorian has committed a grievous sin, and the consequences for our hero’s actions are sure to be dire. He asked questions about the Client’s plans for the Child instead of minding his own business. He failed to forget the transaction after it was complete. And though it’s not explicitly stated in the show, it’s probably against the Guild’s code to murder your client after they’ve paid you and steal back the bounty. Greef probably isn’t going to be too happy about Mando shooting him, either. It’s safe to say that Mando is going to lose his Bounty Hunters’ Guild membership privileges, and now he’ll have both Greef and the Empire on his tail.

The next episode of The Mandalorian will be available November 29, 2019.

About The Author

Sarah Bea Milner
(333 Articles Published)

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Sarah Milner is the Weekend Lead Editor for Screen Rant’s Film/Television features (SR Originals) division. She is a writer, editor, and folk musician. She often watches movies — sometimes she reviews them too.

A graduate of Trent University, Sarah’s MA thesis examines Frankenstein adaptations and their relationship with popular culture. She has a fierce love of all things “spooky,” and a deep appreciation for classic cinema.

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