Editor's Note: The following contains minor spoilers from Season 3 Episode 1 of The Mandalorian.The Darksaber has become a pretty important item in the history of Star Wars mythology. Since its debut in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the ancient blade has proven to be a powerful symbol for the Mandalorian people and culture. For Mandalorians, the Darksaber is a symbol of leadership to whoever holds it. The weapon can be used to unite Mandalorians across all tribes, clans, houses, and creeds. It’s been wielded by many individuals over the course of Star Wars history. Currently, the Darksaber is unwittingly in the possession of The Mandalorian’s Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). Djarin doesn't fully understand the power and ancient history of the weapon he holds. But why is Djarin able to wield the Darksaber, and why is he unable to give it away? We're going to explore the lineage of the Darksaber, how it came to Din Djarin, and the discrepancy in the rules of possession of the legendary blade across The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, The Book of Boba Fett, and The Mandalorian.

The Beginning With Tarre Vizsla

Tarre Vizsla Darksaber
Image via Disney

The Darksaber is a unique, one-of-a-kind lightsaber constructed for Tarre Vizsla. Vizsla was the first Mandalorian inducted into the Jedi Order. After Vizsla's passing, the Darksaber was kept by the Jedi Order. In Star Wars Rebels, Fenn Rau revealed that members of House Vizsla infiltrated the Jedi Order and stole the Darksaber. Wielding the blade, House Vizsla was able to strike down all their enemies and ruled over all of Mandalore by wielding the Darksaber. It’s a highly respected weapon known to all the Mandalorian clans and their noble houses. The Darksaber remained in the House Vizsla line until the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, set before the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

During The Clone Wars, the strict traditionalist splinter faction of Mandalorians, Death Watch, attempted a coup on Mandalore to restore the old warrior ways and traditions of Mandalore versus the pacifistic regime of the New Mandalorians spearheaded by Duchess Satine Kryze. At the time of the coup, Death Watch was led by Pre Vizsla, the descendant of Tarre Vizsla and then-wielder of the Darksaber. Eventually, Pre Vizsla and one-time ally Darth Maul would come to blows, leading to the death of Pre Vizsla, and the blade’s ownership being transferred to Maul. With the Darksaber, it appears there is a keep-what-you-kill rule so to speak, at least that appeared to be the case in The Clone Wars. The Mandalorians have many old warrior traditions, so a one-on-one duel to the death is sacred. The winner of the duel gets the loser’s title and weapons. As a result, Darth Maul gained the Darksaber and became the new leader of Mandalore.

The Darksaber Is Taken By Sabin Wren... But Not Through Combat

Sabine Wren in Star Wars: Rebels with the Darksaber
Image via Lucasfilm

For some time, the Darksaber resided in the lair of the Nightsister on Darth Maul’s home planet of Dathomir. It wasn’t until later, during the events of the Galactic Civil War, that members of the Ghost Crew, Ezra Bridger, and Sabine Wren, discovered the Darksaber in the Nightsister’s lair. The blade then fell to Sabine, who became the new owner simply by picking it up. There was no duel for possession or ownership. Going by such strict decrees, technically Obi-Wan Kenobi should have gained the rightful possession of the Darksaber due to his final duel with the former Sith in the Star Wars Rebels Season 3 episode, "Twin Suns."

When Sabine held possession of the Darksaber, Kanan Jarrus attempted to teach her how to wield such a weapon. With the help of her friends, Sabine kept the Darksaber out of the hands of Viceroy Gar Saxon, the new ruler of Mandalore while the planet was under the control of the Galactic Empire. Saxon was also a puppet ruler who was loyal to Emperor Palpatine. With the help of her mother, Ursa Wren, and her friends, Sabine defeated Gar Saxon and his brother, Governor Tiber Saxon, liberating Mandalore from Imperial control. Sabine redeemed herself by destroying an Imperial superweapon called the Duchess she had helped build during her time as an Imperial Cadet.

Despite how she had initially gained possession of the blade, Sabine Wren’s deeds were apparently enough to view her as the rightful owner. As such, she handed it off to Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), a former member of Death Watch and the sister of the planet’s former leader, Satine. Considering, Bo-Katan was against the Empire, she appeared to be the right candidate to be granted the new title of "Mand’alor," the esteemed leader of the Mandalorian people. While Sabine came from a noble, traditional clan of Mandalorians, she was not interested in becoming a ruler or leader of her people. Sabine handed over the Darksaber to Bo-Katan in front of a large audience. It was an audience filled with Mandalorian houses, nobles, and other various leaders. No one objected to how Bo-Katan received possession of the Darksaber in the Rebels Season 4 episode, "Heroes of Mandalore." No battle was necessary. No death was necessary. Transferring ownership was a simple handover, and nobody objected to the process.

RELATED: 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars': 10 of the Best Arcs That Deserve A Spinoff

Possession Is 9/10ths Of The Law

Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian
Image via Disney

The discrepancy issues pop up again in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. Throughout Season 2, it was clear that the newly resurfaced Bo-Katan Kryze was in pursuit of Imperial Remnant leader, Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito). Somehow, someway, Moff Gideon gained possession of the Darksaber. It likely happened during The Great Purge of Mandalore, but the details were not clear. In the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, "Chapter 16: The Rescue," Din Djarin defeats Moff Gideon in a fight where they were the only ones present. But at the time, Gideon had the Darksaber. Djarin got the better of the fight and took the legendary blade from Gideon, so at that point, it apparently belongs to Djarin. Djarin tried to hand it over immediately to his ally Bo-Katan Kryze aboard Gideon's Imperial Cruiser, but she would not accept it. As Gideon explained, "She can’t take it. It must be won in battle. For her to wield the Darksaber again, she would need to defeat you in combat."

None of these rules regarding the Darksaber make much sense. There were not any witnesses present to see Din Djarin beat Moff Gideon to win the Darksaber. Who is to say that the few remaining individuals aboard Gideon’s ship could not agree to some ruse that Bo-Katan defeated him? Is Bo-Katan worried that Moff Gideon will squeal the truth while in the custody of the New Republic? Also, Bo-Katan literally had the Darksaber handed to her by Sabine Wren. Something about these ownership rules does not really add up. Much like the rules about removing a helmet, it appears Mandalorian clans are quite flexible about what they are and are not able to do. A group of warriors having a rule that the Darksaber can only be won in battle makes sense, but then why was it accepted that Bo-Katan received it from Sabine in the first place?

In The Book of Boba Fett, Din Djarin’s covert of Mandalorians, The Children of the Watch, became aware of his possession of the Darksaber. The Armorer and Paz Vizsla, clearly of some relation to Pre Vizsla and House Vizsla, accepted and acknowledged his ownership of the Darksaber. Paz Vizsla also attempted to duel Din Djarin to regain the Darksaber with The Armorer as a witness, and Paz Vizsla lost. And even after the tribe learned that Din Djarin’s removed his helmet, officially exiling him from the clan, he was still allowed to keep the Darksaber. Considering The Children of the Watch's connection to the faction that was Death Watch, and their indoctrination of children, not everything they say can be completely trusted. Case in point, Din Djarin has a rather shocked reaction when he meets Bo-Katan and the other Nite Owls removing their helmets. It seems "The Way" may not be the only way.

The disconnect in the storytelling derives from Star Wars Rebels and The Mandalorian. After the Saxons were defeated, The Mandalorians accepted a peaceful transfer of the Darksaber from Sabine to Bo-Kotan to thundering applause. There was a devastating attack by the Empire on Mandalore during The Great Purge, but even those details are murky. The Mandalorian could have been a bit more clear about why a formal battle or duel is now the only way to hold the Darksaber when that was not the case during Rebels. Different factions and splinter groups of Mandalorians appear to have different rules, which is why the reason all the Mandalorians shown before The Mandalorian television series removed their helmets, and The Children of the Watch started a new rule that they can’t be removed. The Children of the Watch accept outsiders and "foundlings" within their ranks, as some other factions do. However, there are some longstanding noble, aristocratic lineages native to Mandalore, even though Cara Dune says, "Mandalorian isn't a race," and Din Djarin responds, "It’s a creed." Well, that’s not technically accurate based on what was established within Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars.

The Future of the Darksaber

Din Djarin (Mando) fighting with Moff Gideon, holding the Darksaber from 'The Mandalorian'
Image via Disney

For now, Din Djarin still controls the Darksaber in The Mandalorian, which recently kicked off its third season. We haven’t seen him ignite the ancient blade yet. However, Bo-Katan and The Children of the Watch are still aware he has it. Hopefully, during Season 3, creator and showrunner Jon Favreau will provide some improved clarity on why Bo-Kotan could not be handed the blade again, and why that is acceptable in some circumstances but not others. New episodes of The Mandalorian Season 3 debut on Wednesdays on Disney+.

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