Spoiler Warning: Just a heads up, this article will contain spoilers for The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Star Wars: Rebels.
Whether you are a long time Star Wars fan who was consumed every piece of Canon material available, or a new/casual fan who just got in to the Mandalorian and has been introduced to the Darksaber for the first time, the appearance of the legendary weapon may have left you with a few questions. There is arguably no weapon in the Star Wars universe that has a more storied history, or holds more significance than the Darksaber, but why is it so important? Let's get into it!
The Beginning
The Darksaber is an ancient and one of a kind black-bladed lightsaber created by a Mandalorian named Tarre Vizsla during the time of the Old Republic. Tarre Vizsla was the first Mandalorian to be inducted into the Jedi Order. After Vizsla's passing, the Darksaber was kept in the Jedi temple for many years. However, it was taken by Mandalorians of House Vizsla in a raid of the Jedi Temple during the fall of the Old Republic. Tarre Vizsla's legacy was so respected, that the Darksaber became a symbol of power and leadership that the people of Mandalore rallied behind as they followed whoever wielded it.
The Clone Wars
The blade remained with House Viszla for many years, until the days of The Clone Wars. During the Clone Wars, the saber came into the possession of Pre Vizsla, who was the leader of Death Watch.
During this time, Duchess Satine ruled over Mandalore and pushed a more pacifist way of life. This upset Pre Vizsla, who believed that Mandalore and its people should return to their warrior roots. Vizsla tried to overthrow the Duchess and take control of Mandalore, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Pre Vizsla was defeated in a duel at the hands of the former Sith Lord Maul. Maul then claimed the Darksaber, as well as his rightful place as leader.
Maul then used the Darksaber for his own gain, including killing people who meant the most to his arch nemesis, Obi-Wan Kenobi. All in an effort to get his revenge.
The Age of the Empire
After The Clone Wars, Maul, with the Darksaber, returned to his home planet of Dathomir. Where the blade remained until Maul eventually crossed paths with Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren of Ghost Crew on the planet of Malachor. Maul ended up taking Ezra and Sabine to Dathomir, where Ezra discovered the Darksaber among some of Maul's possessions.
Before having to make an escape from Dathomir, Sabine paused to pick up the Darksaber and took it with her. She later gave it to Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus for safekeeping.
After their escape, Kanan showed the blade to their Mandalorian ally, Fenn Rau. Rau then shared the history of the Darksaber with Ghost Crew. "The saber is an important symbol to House Vizsla, and is respected by other clans. If Sabine can wield this blade, she can reunite one of the most powerful houses in all of Mandalore."
Sabine was a member of Clan Wren, which was part of House Vizsla. This granted her a claim to the Darksaber, but she was initially reluctant to take on such responsibility. After some convincing, Sabine accepted the blade, along with combat training from Kanan and Ezra.
After her training, Sabine returned to her home of Mandalore, where she led a mission to reclaim the planet from The Empires occupation. She did so while wielding the Darksaber.
After a successful mission, Sabine offered the Darksaber to Bo-Katan Kryze, who was an important part in the liberation, as well as the sister of Mandalore's former leader Duchess Satine. Bo-Katan accepted the saber from Sabine and thus became the next leader of Mandalore.
The Fall of the Empire
After claiming the Darksaber, Bo-Katan would eventually lose the blade to Moff Gideon during the Great Purge of Mandalore. The Great Purge was an event in which the Empire came in to conflict with the Mandalorians, ultimately leading to many people being killed, and forcing the Tribes to operate in secrecy.
After a successful raid of Moff Gideon's ship, Din Djarin defeated him in combat and seized the Darksaber. Din, who had no interest in the Darksaber or the responsibilities that go along with it, tried to return the weapon to Bo-Katan. Bo-Katan refused to take the saber after Gideon claimed that she had to win it in battle.
That is where the timeline of the Darksaber ends! Although, I can almost guarantee that we will see more of the legendary weapon during The Mandalorian Season 3, coming in December of 2021. Yes, December of 2021 is a long ways away, but we've got you covered!
What now? We highly recommend that you catch up on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as Star Wars Rebels.
Check out our Guide for the First Time Clone Wars Viewer! Linked Below!
https://churchofnerds.com/blogs/news/a-guide-for-the-first-time-clone-wars-viewer