What is the Darksaber in The Mandalorian?

Star Wars fans have been asking “What is the darksaber?” all over the internet since The Mandalorian reintroduced us to the iconic weapon. You’ve probably already seen it in action, but do you know this saber’s history and why so many people fight to have it?

Whoever wields the darksaber finds themselves holding tremendous power, and they must fight to keep it.

When the Darksaber was First Built

Answer the question “What is the darksaber?” starts with the weapons history. You probably know the Mandalorian and Boba Fett, but did you know that there used to be Mandalorian jedi?

The first Mandalorian to ever be inducted into the Jedi Order was Tarre Vizsla. Vizsla wanted to craft a lightsaber that was totally unique and paid homage to Mandalorian heritage. This is the birth of the legendary darksaber.

A Legacy of Leadership and Legends

For generations, the darksaber was held in the Jedi Temple on display like some kind of artifact. This never sat well with Mandalorian who believed that their ancestral relic should return to their home. During the fall of the Old Republic, the darksaber was stolen from the temple by Mandalorians and returned home.

This is how it wound up in the hands of Pre Vizsla. Whoever wields the darksaber has the power to unite Mandalore and become the new leader—if they can keep the blade.

In the Hands of Darth Maul

The darksaber is legendary. It is said that the only true way to claim the darksaber is to defeat its owner in combat. With a history of battle, the good guys don’t always win the day.

Darth Maul owned the darksaber for a good amount of time during the Clone Wars. He used the weapon to fight famous jedi like Obi-Wan as well as in his battles against his former master Darth Sidious.

The darksaber would eventually be claimed by the Empire during the Great Purge.

The Mandalorian Weapon Returns Home

When the Empire turned against Mandalore, they claimed the darksaber for their own.

Moff Gideon was seen using the darksaber to cut himself out of his crashed TIE fighter. In a battle with Din Djarin, AKA Mando, Gideon was defeated and the Mandalorian claimed the darksaber.

Djarin attempted to hand the weapon over to Bo-Katan Kryze, a high-ranking leader of the Mandalorians, but she refused to accept it. The darksaber can only be claimed in combat and that tradition remains.