Summary
Tarre Vizsla’sDarksaberhas become perhaps one ofStar Wars’most famed weapons as of late, but there may be more to this blade that hints at true tragedy for its creator. Though first appearing inStar Wars: The Clone Warsin the hands of Pre Vizsla, the history of the Darksaber was revealed in more depth inStar Wars RebelsandThe Mandalorian. A unique lightsaber crafted by the first-ever Mandalorian Jedi, the Darksaber has taken on various meanings over the course of its history, but perhaps the most interesting is its origin.
Little is known about the weapon’s creation at this time, but many things can be inferred based on its design alone. It was confirmed inThe Book of Boba Fettthat the hilt is made out of beskar, which blends two unlikely materials together: the lightsaber-resistant metal of the Mandalorians and the blade of the Jedi itself. The flat design of the Darksaber’s blade is also a far cry from the typical cylandrical blades of the Jedi, hearkening back to Mandalorian culture. There is even the potential for thislightsaber’s colorto tie back to the Jedi’s earliest origins.
Every Star Wars Character That Has Wielded The Darksaber
The Darksaber is a fabled Mandalorian weapon in Star Wars mythology, but the blade has been wielded by a wide variety of different characters.
The Darksaber Looks Inspired By The Prime Jedi
The Split Black & White Imagery Matches The Darksaber’s Colors
ThePrime Jediwas, as their name implies, the first-ever Jedi to wield the Force that would later on birth the entirety of the Jedi Order. The mosaic of the Prime Jedi, present onAhch-To, depicts them with a yin-and-yang aesthetic, with their lightsaber held in the middle - thus displaying a black-and-white split of the blade’s colors. This image has no doubt inspired the Jedi for generations, defining who they would become in the thousands upon thousands of years to come.
The design of the Darksaber is extremely reminiscent of this split-color design. When the blade is held straight up-and-down,it certainly echoes this cast of white along the outer edge of the black blade. It would not be a far cry for Tarre Vizsla to have taken inspiration from the Prime Jedi, especially considering how significant his role was in the Jedi Order as a Mandalorian.
Tarre Vizsla Wanted To Relaunch The Jedi & Mandalorian Alliance
The Darksaber’s Design Could Have Been A Symbol Of This Union
As the first-ever Mandalorian Jedi,Tarre Vizsla’s existence alone was a challenge to the long-withstanding rivalry between the Mandalorians and the Jedi. It could very well be that he was intentional about designing the Darksaber to hearken back to the first-ever Jedi and propose a relaunch of the relationship between the Jedi and the Mandalorians. This blade was certainly a symbol of that kind of new beginning while Tarre Vizsla was wielding it, but he didn’t live forever, and his weapon’s legacy unfortunately came to be defined by only more war and bloodshed.
All 7 Darksaber Rules In Star Wars Explained
The Darksaber, the black lightsaber that served as the legendary blade of Mandalorian leadership, has many complex rules surrounding it.
The Darksaber Was Used Against Jedi & Mandalorians Alike
Unfortunately, the Darksaber’s legacy was not what Tarre Vizsla wanted it to be. It was taken from theJedi Templeby his descendants and used as a symbol of power by Pre Vizsla and theDeath Watchduring the Clone Wars.This blade was wielded against Jedi and Mandalorians alike and adapted its own, rather cruel connotations, including dueling (even to the death) for its ownership. This was taken a step further by tying a claim to the Mandalorian throne with the Darksaber itself, making the ancient weapon even more sought-after for selfish reasons.
This legacy certainly falls far from what Tarre Vizsla intended, but thankfully, this isn’t where it ends.
Plenty of blood was shed upon this blade. When Darth Maul won it from Pre Vizsla, he used it to take off Vizsla’s head in front of his allies, and later on used it to kill the Duchess Satine Kryze - who wanted nothing more than peace for her people. Later on, it fell into the hands of Moff Gideon and the Imperial remnant before it was taken on bounty hunting jobs withDin Djarin. This legacy certainly falls far from what Tarre Vizsla intended, but thankfully, this isn’t where it ends.
Eventually, his two cultures do find common ground. This is mostly facilitated through Ahsoka Tano, although she wasn’t technically a Jedi at the time.Her eagerness to help Bo-Katan Kryze free Mandalore from Maul’s rule eased tensions between the two groups, and this specific alliance between the two lasted well into theNew Republic eradecades later. Din Djarin also takes on Ahsoka as an ally, and he even gives his foundling away to Luke Skywalker to be trained as a Jedi. Now,Star Warshas introduced a new Mandalorian-Jedi in Sabine Wren, further helping to cleanse Tarre Vizsla’s legacy.
