The Mandalorian’s Swords: A Guide to the Darksaber and More
What’s in this article?
Blasters and stun spears are the primary Stormtroopers’ and Mandalorian weapons in the world of Star Wars. However, Lucasfilms reserved one of their in-world weapons for a special class of characters: the lightsaber. Lightsabers were the weapons of the Old Republic’s noble Jedi knights and the sinister Sith alike, marking them as the tools of a mystical group unlike any other in the galaxy.
But even among lightsabers, the Darksaber stands out as the most mysterious of all. It had a black blade with a bright, white glow unlike any other lightsaber in the galaxy, making its visual aesthetic the most striking in both live-action adaptations and in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The Mandalorian Darksaber and Its Background
The Darksaber is a weapon heavily associated with the planet Mandalore because of its legendary owner, Tarre Vizsla. Tarre is known to be the very first Mandalorian to ever join the Jedi Order, making him a pioneer of what it meant to be a Mandalorian warrior in a culture that already heavily valued warfare and combat ability.
The lightsaber’s black blade was especially constructed by Tarre himself and the circumstances of its creation remain unknown. Because of this, neither Mandalorian armorers or Jedi can recreate its strange appearance and characteristics.
While most lightsabers are near-weightless, the Darksaber reflects its wielder’s inner state and becomes heavy when the wielder refuses to connect with the blade on a subconscious level.For example, Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian warrior, can be seen struggling to swing the Darksaber in Star Wars: Rebels.
In his time, Tarre Vizsla was both a Jedi and a ruler of Mandalore whose rule was seen as some kind of “great age” of Mandalore. Though the sword was made a thousand years ago, it remained a powerful symbol of Mandalore and House Vizsla. Following the death of Tarre Vizsla, his sword was kept in the Jedi temple until his descendants decided to steal it back and use it to solidify their reign over Mandalore.
In Trials of the Darksaber, Kanan Jarrus flat out tells Fenn Rau that the Darksaber was used by Clan Vizsla to “…unify the people and strike down those who opposed them. One time, they ruled all of Mandalore wielding this blade.”
Disney’s The Mandalorian brought back the Darksaber where it passes through the hands of Moff Gideon and Bo-Katan Kryze. It’s only in The Mandalorian season 2 that Mando is able to use the Darksaber himself – a sign that he’s set to get more politically powerful in Mandalore.
The Darksaber is expected to make a ton more appearances in The Book of Boba Fett.
In the animated shows, though, the Darksaber is able to make it back to Tarre’s descendants, Paz and Pre Vizsla, before ending up in Sabine Wren’s hands.
The Darksaber and Other Lightsabers of the Madalorian
Whether you’re a Darth Vader fan or a Din Djarin enjoyer, it’s hard to deny the appeal of The Mandalorian’s lightsabers, particularly the Darksaber. However, it isn’t the only one featured in the show. We actually see a number of iconic lightsabers such as Ahsoka Tano’s white twin sabers and Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber.
1. The Darksaber
Let’s clear up a bit of confusion: the Darksaber isn’t immune to the lightsaber resistance of Beskar. It just has some lowkey psychic abilities that let it bond to its owner. Other than that, it’s a regular ancient sword of a legendary hero.
While this replica can’t exactly tear through droids and help you survive a fight with Darth Maul, it is a Force Fx Black Series replica that is licensed under Hasbro, making it one of the best copies out there. This blade comes with multiple lighting effects, sound styles, and even its own stand. It also has a premium detailed metal hilt, giving it a nice heft and balance.
- Material: ABS Plastic and Stainless Steel
- Length: 120 cm
2. Ahsoka’s White Lightsabers
White lightsabers are symbolic of inner calmness and the sense for morality, making it a weapon of followers of the Living Force. Ahsoka Tano is one of the very few people known to use a white lightsaber, let alone a pair of lightsabers meant to be used at the same time.
This replica from the official Galaxy’s Edge theme park has a gleaming aluminum alloy hilt with a subtle asymmetrical design similar to the one seen in the animated series that Ahsoka constructs after leaving the Jedi order.
- Material: Aluminum alloy
- Length: 120 cm
3. Grogu (Baby Yoda) Green Lightsaber
Who says only adults get to have fun? Just like how Grogu gets his own lightsaber in the show, you can give the special kid in your life a green lightsaber to practice their katas with. This replica is made to be child-safe and durable so your kids, nephews, nieces, and grand kids can have fun training in the ways of the Force.
This replica is made of ABS plastic and easily folds and unfolds into the hilt allowing it to snap open and shut. There’s a cute little figure of Grogu where the crossguard should be, so that kids can enjoy it just as much as the sword blade itself.
- Material: ABS Plastic
- Length: 25.4 cm
Conclusion
The Mandalorian is a special Star Wars spin-off in the sense that it takes us out of the world of the Jedi and the inner Core Worlds and to the edge of the galaxy where regular people try their best to survive. The Darksaber unites these two sides of the Star Wars world into one weapon that’s both Jedi and Mandalorian at the same time.
