The Mandalorian: All the Clone Wars and Rebels Episodes With the Darksaber

The iconic Darksaber has seen many adventures, from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to Star Wars Rebels, prior to its reemergence in The Mandalorian‘s season finale. Legendary in Star Wars lore, the weapon is an elegant yet powerful blade and is a symbol of authority no matter who wields it and in which context. Many have claimed it, many have lost it, and many have seen their demise by it over its documented tenure, allowing it to take part in some of the galaxy’s greatest conflicts.

It is a unique, black-bladed lightsaber; however, its geometry is reminiscent of a traditional sword. It was created by the first, and possibly not the last Mandalorian Jedi, Tarre Vizsla. The weapon was kept at the Jedi Temple following his passing, much to the chagrin of his people. During the fall of the Old Republic, the weapon was reclaimed by House Viszla as they raided the Temple, returning it to its rightful owners. It was kept in that lineage for generations, defeating Jedi and ruling Mandalore with absolute power.

Little is known of the stories surrounding the weapon for some time. However, fast forward to the Clone Wars era and the Darksaber once again makes its presence felt in a big way. Now in the possession of Pre Vizsla, the leader of Death Watch and the Governor of Concordia, it will be an integral piece of both The Clone Wars and Rebels narratives. If the end of season 1 was any indication, The Mandalorian will continue its reign of terror this time in the possession of Moff Gideon. In the meantime, here’s a look back of its appearances in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels.

“The Mandalore Plot” – Season 2, Episode 12

Following an attack on a Republic cruiser by Mandalorian forces, Obi-Wan Kenobi meets with Duchess Satine Kryze to discuss the matter. She assures him that her people had no hand in the attack and it could likely be attributed to Death Watch, the extremist splinter group who seek to restore Mandalore to its former militaristic glory. They are stationed on the moon of Concordia, where Kenobi and Satine would travel following a terror attack. They are greeted by Governor Pre Vizsla, who would soon face off against the Jedi Master.

After failing at finding out what Death Watch is planning, Kenobi is captured. In traditional Mandalorian combat, he and Vizsla engage in a duel, where the Darksaber is brandished for the first time on screen. It contends with a lightsaber with ease, although its wielder is unable to defeat the Jedi in battle. Kenobi escapes and so the plot thickens as the situation between Satine, Death Watch, and the Separatists begins to become more and more complex.

“A Friend In Need” – Season 4, Episode 14

Though Vizsla would become a regular in The Clone Wars, more often than not he did not engage in combat. He acted as a supporting character while the situation on Mandalore unraveled. Because of this, the Darksaber would not appear for some time. In fact it would not be seen again for another two seasons after the Kenobi duel as the muddled timeline of the show reared its ugly head.

As the Mandalore plot returned to the forefront of the series, as did the Darksaber. After junior Senator Lux Bonteri spoke out against the Separatists, he makes a deal with Death Watch, who have been abandoned by Count Dooku following their failed attempt to overtake the planet. Bonteri, alongside Ahsoka Tano, meet with Vizsla on Carlac, where their relations would soon devolve. He and Tano would duel; however, she and the junior Senator would narrowly escape with their lives.

“Eminence” – Season 5, Episode 14

Some time later, Vizsla would come into contact with Darth Maul, who survived his duel with Obi-Wan on Naboo during Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. He would strike a deal with him and his brother, Savage Opress, to devise a plan that would take out the Dutchess and Kenobi and allow Vizsla to rule Mandalore with absolute power. To do so, the three would have to contact multiple crime syndicates for the sake of resources and manpower to execute the coup successfully.

The criminal organization Black Sun took some convincing at the hands of Savage’s lightsaber, but they joined the cause. As did the Pyke Syndicate, who were eager to take part. As for the Hutts, they would not be swayed so easily. After being turned away, Vizsla, Maul, and Savage found themselves in a fight for their lives against Hutt forces. To combat them, the Mandalorian leader would once again utilize the Darksaber, making very short work of his opposition.

“Shades of Reason” – Season 5, Episode 15

With their forces now combined, the stage was set for the plan to begin. Black Sun and the Pykes staged attacks across Mandalore, to which Death Watch would respond with “rescues” in order to drum up support from the common folk. This public display swayed the people to Vizsla’s side, ousting Dutchess Satine from power and tossing her in prison in the process. Not long after, Maul was also imprisoned as Vizsla betrayed him once he got the throne. Little did he know this would be the final episode in which he wielded the Darksaber.

The weapon was seen at two different points in this episode. The first of which came early on, as Vizsla “defeated” Savage in order to save Mandalorian civilians. The second was during the duel between he and Maul to decide who would be the true ruler of the planet. Maul won, taking the Darksaber from Vizsla and executing him with it in gruesome fashion. From this point on, the Sith would be the sole owner of the Darksaber as he ruled over Mandalore and ran Death Watch.

“The Lawless” – Season 5, Episode 16

Mandalore is under the control of Maul and the Death Watch with Satine held captive. After an unsuccessful prison break, the former Dutchess contacts her former lover, Obi-Wan Kenobi, for help. He arrives on Mandalore alone, without aid from the Jedi council or the Republic at large. They nearly escape before their plan is foiled by Maul and his troops, where the episode then takes a tragic turn. With the use of the Darksaber, Maul kills Satine right in front of Obi-Wan. Thankfully though, Bo-Katan, Satine’s sister, is able to get him off the planet before he would suffer a similar fate.

Later in the episode, Darth Sidious comes to Mandalore to deal with his former apprentice once and for all. He faces him and Savage in combat, killing the latter. This prompts Maul to dual wield both his lightsaber and the Darksaber once again in order to strike down his former master. He fails, but is not killed, nor does he lose the weapon. This would be the last viewers see of it for the remainder of the series. However, it is not unlikely that it may appear again in the upcoming episodes of season 7, as it did during the Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir comic series.

“Visions and Voices” – Season 3, Episode 11

Jumping ahead a couple decades, Star Wars Rebels would play host to the Darksaber as well, featuring it throughout the third season. After being mentally linked during their failed merging of Sith and Jedi holocrons, Ezra is seeing visions of a weary, directionless Maul. In order to break the bond and reveal what each man looks to know, the two take part in an old Nightsister ritual on the desolate planet of Dathomir. It was successful, but they accidentally release the witches spirits, who possess Sabine Wren and Kanan Jarrus.

Twice the weapon appears, first seeming to be no more than a trinket in Maul’s home, resting at a homemade shrine. Moments later, a possessed Sabine takes the weapon and uses it to try to kill Ezra. The spirit is eventually released from her thanks to his quick thinking. Once Kanan is freed as well and the crew leaves Dathomir, Sabine elects to take the Darksaber with her as it is a symbol of her Mandalorian heritage. At this point she is now the owner of the weapon.

“Trials of the Darksaber” – Season 3, Episode 15

Having hid the weapon for some time, Kanan finds the Darksaber and asks the former Mandalorian Protector Fenn Rau what he knows of it. He explains its origins and later urges Sabine to take up training with it. Wielding it successfully could result in her bringing the Mandalorian people to the Rebel cause, as it is after all a relic of great power and authority in their culture. She is resistant at first, fearing the responsibility it would put upon her, but she eventually gives it a try despite her short temper and Kanan’s hesitance.

Though it does not appear until the end, its legend looms large over the entirety of the episode. Sabine knows she is capable of using the Darksaber; however, its reputation is what kept her at bay for so long. Also, her rocky relationship with her family plays a role in her hesitance to pick up the Darksaber. During her training with Kanan, she uses the saber for the first time in true combat, letting her emotion guide her movements. She admits the struggles she has had with her people and why her inability to fully embrace the weapon was so potent. Eventually she comes to terms with it and stands committed to its legacy.

“Legacy of Mandalore” – Season 3, Episode 16

Again at the center of the story, Sabine travels with Kanan and Ezra to Mandalore. She is less than optimistic about meeting with her family once again, but she hopes the Darksaber will aid in the reparation of her image. She and her allies are captured by her mother and Imperial forces stationed on the planet. Once Mandalore’s leader, Gar Saxon, arrives to bring the Jedi into custody, this is where the episode really picks up.

To defend her family and her friends, Sabine duels Saxon with Ezra’s lightsaber, since the Darksaber was confiscated from her beforehand. Using the knowledge from her training with Kanan, she is able to defeat him and therefore becomes the rightful owner of the weapon. Though her mother described it as nothing more than a symbol, Sabine is committed to using it to reunite her people and rebel against the Empire.

“Heroes of Mandalore” – Season 4, Episode 1

In its final animated appearance, the Darksaber plays an integral role as far as the storytelling of the episode is concerned. Sabine hopes to rescue her father from Imperial custody on Mandalore. In the process, she meets a Clone Wars era hero, Bo-Katan Kryze. The two team up, and with the help of the rest of Clan Kryze, they are able to raid Gar Saxon’s personal Star Destroyer, which is housing a weapon designed to kill Mandalorians more efficiently by destroying their armor.

Saxon is defeated and his weapon is demolished by the Darksaber, as wielded by Sabine. Countless lives are saved, and the Wren family is reunited. In the end, Sabine returns the fabled weapon to Bo-Katan, by technicality making her the true ruler of Mandalore as she was supposed to be after her sister’s tragic death. It is a bittersweet moment, seeing her hold the very object that took Satine’s life, but at the very least it was a way to remember her as the clans of Mandalore found common ground once again.

It has been teased that the Darksaber will appear more often as the second season of The Mandalorian prepares for release in the fall. As the list indicates, the weapon has quite the legacy to live up to in its live action form. It has seen many battles, owners and moments that will live on in history as some of Star Wars‘ most important. How Moff Gideon got ahold of it, will use it, for how long and whom the Darksaber truly belongs to is a question best left for time to answer. For the time being, this has been every appearance from the saber in both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels.

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