Why Bo-Katan Needs to Win the Darksaber — A Star Wars Fan Theory

Unfinished draft from December 2020, following The Mandalorian Season 2 finale. This preserves a fan theory written before later seasons.

Introduction

Let me start off by saying that I am loving The Mandalorian. I am a huge fan that has been in love with Star Wars since my dad came home from a date night with my mom to wake my brother and I up and take us to the late show to see the original Star Wars on opening day. I fell in love with it then and love it today. And I love it all and can’t wait for all the things in store. Also, I have complete confident in Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni to handle the Star Wars universe with love, care, passion, integrity and honor.

So while I have a theory on why Bo-Katan (played by Katee Sackhoff in live action in Mandalorian and in voice in Clone Wars and Rebels) needs to win the darksaber back from Moff Gideon, I know that Favreau, Filoni and even Sackhoff have enough knowledge and respect for the universe to ensure that there will be answer. Maybe, just maybe, it is what I have below.

Spoiler Warning

First off we want to note that we will be spoiling items from the Mandalorian Season 2 finale and some elements from Star Wars the Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. So if you have not seen these you may want to wait to read this.

Darksaber History

Before we can really talk about the theory, we have to step back and look at the darksaber’s history and how it got to where it is during the Mandalorian. This will help us understand the theory and how it fits into canon and all established canon shows and movies.

The history of the Darksaber can be found on the WookieePedia.
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darksaber

The darksaber was created by a Mandalorian Tarre Vizsla who was the first Mandalorian to be inducted into the Jedi Order. He created the Darksaber, a unique black-bladed lightsaber which would become the symbol of leadership within House Vizsla, and became the ruler of Mandalore.

Prior to 1019 BBY the weapon was kept in the Jedi Temple after Vizsla’s passing, but members of House Vizsla stole the saber in a conflict with the Jedi during the fall of the Old Republic. The Darksaber back in Mandalorian hands was then passed down, generation to generation, by the ancestors of Pre Vizsla, who held onto the weapon even after the pacifist ideals of the New Mandalorians replaced the warrior ways of Mandalore.

By 21 BBY, the Darksaber was in the possession of Pre Vizsla, the leader of Death Watch and House Vizsla during the Clone Wars. He used the blade during his conflicts with the New Mandalorians, including his successful takeover of Mandalore (note that he was in possession of the DarkSaber but was not Mandalore’s ruled until his takeover was successful thus establishing that the ruled does not always wield the darksaber). After the coup, renegade Sith Lord Darth Maul killed Vizsla in a duel and took the Darksaber as his own, becoming the leader of Death Watch and Mandalore. However, Maul’s old master, Darth Sidious, soon arrived on Mandalore to confront his former apprentice. Maul used the Darksaber to fight him but was ultimately bested in combat, taken prisoner and held at a Separatist prison, the Spire, on Stygeon Prime. Interestingly Sidious did not claim the Darksaber even though he technically won it in combat.

“I didn’t know Mandalorians developed a type of lightsaber.” – Kanan Jarrus

“We didn’t. This was one of a kind. Legend tells that it was created over a thousand years ago by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order. After his passing, the Jedi kept the saber in their temple. That was until members of House Vizsla snuck in and liberated it. They used the saber to unify the people and strike down those who would oppose them. One time, they ruled all of Mandalore wielding this blade.” – Fenn Rau

Maul was soon rescued from the Spire at the behest of Prime Minister Almec, whom Maul had chosen as the public leader of Mandalore. After being freed, Maul returned to Zanbar, the location of a Death Watch camp, and was given back the Darksaber, which had been recovered from the Sundari Royal Palace, the site of Maul’s duel with Sidious. Shortly after his return, Zanbar was attacked by the Separatist Droid Army, led by General Grievous, and Maul made use of the Darksaber against the cyborg general, although he was forced to retreat. Maul continued to use the Darksaber in several subsequent battles, such as the battle on Ord Mantell, the assault on Vizsla Keep 09, and the second battle of Dathomir.

During the Imperial Era, the Mandalorian weapons expert and rebel Sabine Wren retrieved the Darksaber from the Nightsister lair on Dathomir when it called to her. At the urging of Mandalorian Protector Fenn Rau and her fellow Spectres, Sabine agreed to undergo training with the Darksaber under the tutelage of Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus. Later, Sabine brought the Darksaber with her and her rebel companions during a mission to Krownest to seek her family’s support for the rebellion. Sabine became the rightful wielder of the Darksaber after defeating Imperial Viceroy Gar Saxon in a duel.

After rescuing her father from Imperial custody and destroying the superweapon she had built while an Imperial cadet, Sabine offered the Darksaber over to Lady Bo-Katan Kryze, the sister of the former Duchess Satine Kryze, whom she deemed to be the rightful person to lead the Mandalorians against the Empire. Bo-Katan was reluctant to accept the mantle of leader, but with the support of the other clans, agreed and accepted the Darksaber.

After the Great Purge, the Empire desecrated Mandalore and Bo-Katan lost possession of the Darksaber. She fled the planet, but continued to lead the Nite Owls and was intent on eventually reclaiming the Darksaber and Mandalore. By circa 9 ABY, the weapon had fallen into the hands of Moff Gideon, the leader of an Imperial remnant on the planet of Nevarro. During his rescue of the Force-sensitive foundling Grogu from Gideon, the Mandalorian Din Djarin won the Darksaber from the moff in combat.

Important Notes from the History

The darksaber was “passed down” for generations (for over one thousand years) in house (clan) Vizsla. Given the average length of a human generation is 20-30 years, that means that at least 35 people from clan Vizsla wielded the weapon because it was passed down to them.
As seen with Pre Vizsla, wielding the weapon did not automatically make you the ruler of Mandalore. You did have to prove yourself in some fashion whether it was via combat, coup, leadership or other means.
There have been at least 40 people who have wielded the darksaber. The 35 from Clan Vizsla (see the first point), Tarre Vizsla, Darth Maul, Sabine Wren, Moff Gideon and Din Djarin (Mando).
To date, only 2 known people (Maul and Din) have won the darksaber by combat (this might go to 3 if we discover that Moff Gideon won the saber by combat but at the time of this writing it is unknown).
Tradition and not the actual historical record of the darksaber holds that it must be won by combat and grants the rights to the wielder to rule Mandalore.

Theory on Why Bo-Katan Must Defeat Moff Gideon

When we left off in Star Wars Rebels, Bo-Katan Kryze had possession of the Darksaber and the support of the clans to lead Mandalore against the empire. They obviously lost during the Great Purge where Mandalore was decimated and Bo-Katan lost the Darksaber. I believe that she lost the saber to Moff Gideon in one of two ways. Either he defeated her in combat (I think less likely) or he humiliated her publicly on Mandalore (I think more likely) which lead to her having to flee and having a hatred towards Gideon. This is also why she must defeat Gideon to have a great story while retrieving the darksaber so that she can rule. This is why Gideon said it was about the story. In addition, he went to the cell expecting that if he lost it would be to Mando and not to Bo-Katan and create dissension in their little group. This became thwarted when Luke Skywalker showed up to destroy to dark troopers.

Final Thoughts

I am a huge fan of Star Wars and absolutely LOVE all of it. I am also completely fine if I am wrong or it remains and in-continuity or the show-runners have a completely different reasoning for everything. I just love thinking about and connecting different parts of the Star Wars universe together while talking about it with my friends and family.