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We know Mando doesn't know any details about the Jedi. He also doesn't seem to understand that the Child's abilities come from something called the Force.

However, when he's hailed by the New Republic forces in season 2 episode 2, he says, "May the Force be with you," when trying to sign off.

How does he even know this phrase/that it's appropriate to say here? Is this just the motto of the New Republic? Do they even know what it means?

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    As for the New Republic, they were even using it as the Rebellion. In A New Hope the briefing on the Death Star attack ended with ‘May the Force be with you’. Nov 23, 2020 at 18:30
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    Seems it became pretty common saying associated with the New Republic.
    – Mithoron
    Nov 23, 2020 at 18:44
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    it's just like Atheists who use "bless you" when somebody sneezes.
    – A.bakker
    Nov 23, 2020 at 19:24
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    Why does the Mandalorian say, “May the Force be with you”? Manners. Nov 24, 2020 at 13:26
  • related: scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/115332/…
    – NKCampbell
    Nov 24, 2020 at 18:49

2 Answers 2

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The saying "may the force be with you" originated from the Jedi order in the republic. It is used similarly to the phrase "God's speed" or "Good luck". The Rebels adopted the saying due to the fact that their startup was assisted by a former Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano and several other members of the Republic such as Bail Organa, as shown in the TV series Star Wars: Rebels. The New Republic says it because they came from the Rebellion as told in Episode 7 of Star Wars. Mando probably said it because the New Republic says it and he wanted to be polite and sound like a law-abiding citizen.

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    Hey @Firestryke looks like you are pretty new here, I agree with your premise to the answer: ie they say the phrase as a colloquial greeting/goodbye, I think you can clean the answer up to that point and find some evidence for that you'd have a really solid answer. I can't upvote just yet though, cheers mate Nov 24, 2020 at 18:38
  • Better now? I cleaned it up a bit and cited where I gleaned my knowledge from
    – Firestryke
    Nov 24, 2020 at 18:45
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    might reference Han Solo in Episode 4 saying it to Luke. Han, obviously not a believer in the Force, said it to Luke as a platitude / good-luck-esque statement
    – NKCampbell
    Nov 24, 2020 at 18:48
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The Rebellion regularly used the phrase "May the Force be With You" as a type of blessing or honorific. The Force exists in the Star Wars Universe, and many people know what it is and believe in it. Even if at some point in history it became legendary, it was still a major part of galactic culture. In more modern canon, we've actually seen people who worship the Force who are not Force Sensitive at all, such as Chirrut Îmwe or Lor San Tekka of the Church of the Force. Or even the Sith Eternal who were not Force Users, but worshipped the Dark Side of the Force all the same.

Lor San Tekka and Chirrut Îmwe

So Din catching on to how to use the phrase at some point, or simply just being familiar with the phrase without fully knowing it's meaning, is entirely likely.

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