Warning: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels and The Mandalorian.

When it comes to iconic Star Wars cultures, few are as instantly recognizable as the Jedi and Mandalorians. The Jedi, with their flowing robes, stoic outlook and lightsabers have been a staple of the franchise since the very beginning. Mandalorians, on the other hand, with their angular armor, vast array of weaponry and mysterious helmets have fascinated a select group of fans since Boba Fett (who wears Mandalorian armor, but is not one himself) appeared in Star Wars: Episode IV - The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. (True, he was introduced in the animated sequence of the Holiday Special, but Empire is where his presence was really made known.)

The number of fans fascinated by Mandalorians has grown over the decades, though. With the animated series, Clone Wars and Rebels, and the live-action Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, providing a serious deep dive into the complex history of Mandalorian society, the fandom has spread so much that one is just as likely to meet a Mando cosplayer as a Jedi at fan conventions. At first glance, Jedi and Mandalorians, while both very cool, couldn’t be more different. A closer look, however, reveals that there is one man that connects them both. His name is Tarre Vizsla. Not only was he a leader of Mandalor, he was also the first Mandalorian Jedi and creator of the Darksaber.

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Tarre Vizsla is a borderline mythical figure in Mandalorian history. There hasn’t been a whole lot of information provided about him in Star Wars canon. What has been revealed portrays him as an Arthurian-style hero, a leader and uniter with a mystical weapon. Where King Arthur had the mighty Excalibur, Vizsla wielded the Darksaber: a sleek Jedi weapon of his own making. The crackling blade is black with a white outline and it sizzles with energy. For centuries, descendants of Tarre Vizsla have seen the weapon as a symbol of leadership.

The Mandalorians have been warriors for the majority of their existence. In the distant past, a group of Mandalorian Crusaders expanded Mandalorian conquest throughout the Outer Rim. As they expanded to the Inner Rim of the galaxy, they were opposed by the Jedi, protectors of the Old Republic. As a result of their conflict with the Jedi, much of what we identify as the defining characteristics of a Mandalorian were forged. The supernatural abilities of Jedi Knights, able to utilize the Force, surprised the Crusaders. As a result, they advanced their technology, weapons, armor and fighting style to counteract Jedi attacks.

This was a war that lasted for generations and was never truly forgotten, making it all the more impressive that a Mandalorian child would join the Jedi order. While not a lot of specifics about Tarre Vizsla are given, we can glean that he was a proud Mandalorian, given that he still wore the helmet while he was part of the Jedi order. Also, he eventually became Mand’alor, the leader of all Mandalorians, and House Vizsla existed long after his death. Based on his creation of the Darksaber, we can surmise that he may have viewed himself as separate from the Jedi.

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Sabine Wren wielding the Darksaber in Star Wars Rebels

After Tarre Vizsla’s death, the Jedi locked the Darksaber away in the Jedi Temple. It remained there until it was retrieved by House Vizsla during the fall of the Old Republic. Since then, it has seen many owners, including Darth Maul when he led a takeover of Mandalor from the pacifists. It has always been viewed as a tool of leadership. After discovering it on Dothomir during a confrontation with Maul, Sabine Wren learned how to manage its great power and brought it back to her mother on Krownest in hopes it would rally her family to leave the Empire and join the Rebellion. She eventually passed it to Bo-Katan Kryze, who went on to become Mand’alor.

In the first season finale of The Mandalorian, Moff Gideon brings a squad of death troopers to the planet Nevarro to confront our hero and reclaim the Child. His mission fails and Din Djarin, the titular Mandalorian, manages to bring down Gideon’s TIE fighter. However, Gideon survives the crash and cuts himself free of the wreckage using the Darksaber. How he came to possess the Mandalorian artifact is a mystery. It has been made clear, though, that the only way to claim ownership of the Darksaber is by defeating its current owner in combat.

We know that Mandalorian society is going through a rough patch during the events of the series, and it’s very likely Gideon had a lot to do with that. If Djarin didn’t have a reason to hate him already, he certainly will once he finds out he’s in possession of something so dear to the Mandolorians. He may even see this as an opportunity to reclaim the weapon himself and unite his struggling people as the next Man’dalor, just like Tarre Vizsla thousands of years before him.

Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Season 1 is available now on Disney+, with Season 2 premiering in October.

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