Cultural Relevancy and History of the Darksaber
Once upon a time there was a fellow like none other, one Tar Vizsla, who was a Mandalorian who became a Jedi a rarity in itself, and created perhaps the most distinctive and unique saber we’ve seen.
His lightsaber was a unique of its kind he made himself, also like him while there may have been a couple like it it’s the only we know of, The Darksaber which has popped up again recently:
The saber was likely kept in the temple after his death. And Pre Vizsla says that it was reclaimed by his ancestors during “the fall of the old republic.” Which my EU head cannon means that Shae Vizsla took it when she was assaulting the Jedi temple with Malgus during SWTOR (who later is named Mandalore, which is the title given to the leader of the culture, starting the tradition of those who have it being leaders of Mandalorians, probably passing down her line of successors until Pre Vizsla).
I’d argue that Tar Vizsla despite being a Jedi, is one of the most influential on his culture since his blade has become a sort of rallying Excalibur sword of Kings for his people:
We first see it weidlded by Pre Vizsla, leader of The Deathwatch, and for all we know the last tenant of traditional Mandalorian culture (which would arguably make him The Mandalore of his era, if only in practice and not name)
Later when Maul defeats him in single combat, he claims The Darksaber as he becomes the new leader.
Much later in Rebels, it is discovered by Ezra and later taken by Sabine Wren who tries to unite the Mandalorian houses against the empire, passing it to Bo-Katan, sister of the late Duchess Satine, who both between her link to both new and traditional Mandalore and upon seeing the Darksaber, hail her as the leader, maybe even officially naming her Mandalore.
So it’s pretty much reached the point of Mandalore’s helmet in old EU (which is still compatible since Revan took Mandalore’s Helmet before the time The Darksaber was recovered) a symbol of authority and strength that is used to hail the leader of Mandalorian warriors and without it they cannot be united.
The Mandalorians are a normally a superstitious, traditional and symbolic lot, and rally behind artifacts that represent those values and link the rightful wielder of said artifacts with those values. In EU it was seen in the helmet of Mandalore, passed from leader to leader, until Revan took it away knowing that without it they could not crown a new leader. I’d theorize that a similar gesture was done by Moff Gideon, taking away the Dark Saber to further destabilize the exiled Mandalorians.
While the Darksaber was not as initially revered as the helmet of Mandalore due to its nature, its circumstances and history allowed it to ascend: being reclaimed by Clan Vizsla in centuries past, lightsabers being foreign to Mandalorians already gives it a mythical and powerful demenor, the compounding legacy of it being passed from leader to leader cemented it as a symbol of authority, which is seen when Maul makes a point of claiming it after taking over the Death Watch Mandalorians, and is a key point to display its political legitimacy when Sabine Wren gives it to Bo-Katan to unite the Houses.
Then it has popped up recently again under different circumstances, wielded by Moff Gideon, which at some point after Rebels the Mandalorians were all but destroyed, so I’d reckon he took the saber from Bo Katan after fracturing them, keeping them from uniting again….
(unless its recliamed by another Mandalorian to reunite his people, eh?)
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