Disney’s hit series The Mandalorian may have just completed Season 1 on Disney Plus, but fans are going to discuss that ending in the Star Wars saga for a long time. Here’s an explanation about that sword-like weapon that Moff Gideon was wielding at the end of the Episode 8 finale and just what it means.
This article will have major spoilers for The Mandalorian Episode 8 on Disney Plus.
Moff Gideon’s Weapon Was Created by a Mandalorian
At the end of the episode, we saw Moff Gideon free himself from his crashed ship with a weapon that looked kind of like a mix between a light saber and a sword. Is Gideon a Jedi? Or a Sith? What did that scene mean?
It turns out, his weapon is one that only some fans will know about. It’s called a Darksaber (some spell it dark saber, but it’s really spelled with one word.)
Here are photos:
Disney Plus
And a better picture, lightened:
Disney
Yes, it’s a unique weapon that you’ve likely never seen before unless you watch the animated series, but it has a history entrenched with both the Mandalorians and the Jedi Order. It’s shorter than typical lightsabers, according to Wookieepedia, and has a crystal that’s a conduit for Force energy. Its current is guided by the wielder’s thoughts and it can parry against lightsabers. The customs dictate that you could only wield the Darksaber if you defeated its previous owner.
According to Wookieepedia, the Darksaber is a lightsaber that was created by the first Mandalorian inducted into the Jedi Order, Tarre Vizsla. After he died, it was kept in the Jedi Temple until House Vizsla stole it during a conflict with the Jedi. It was then passed down in House Vizsla through the generations.
Here’s a look at the Darksaber in The Clone Wars.
It was used during House Vizsla’s conflicts with the New Mandalorians and the takeover of Mandalore by Pre Vizsla. Darth Maul (yes, that Darth Maul) killed Pre Vizsla and took the Darksaber. Maul was captured but after a long period, was eventually given back the Darksaber.
Later, during the Age of the Empire, Sabine Wren (a Mandalorian weapons expert) got the Darksaber and trained with it under a Jedi Knight. She rescued her dad from Imperial custody and then gave the Darksaber to Bo-Katan Kryze, who was going to lead the Mandalorians’ fight against the Empire.
So in the canon, the last one known to have the Darksaber was Bo-Katan Kryze.
Here’s a video created two years ago explaining the Darksaber’s origins.
And another video about the legacy of the Darksaber from Star Wars Rebels.
The Darksaber has appeared in Star Wars canon, but not in any of the movies you might be most familiar with. It’s appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Stars Wars: Galactic Defense, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, Star Wars: Force Arena, and Darth Maul.
As far as the implication of Moff Gideon having it, most believe he must have defeated someone to get it, and this does not bode well for what ultimately happened to Bo-Katan Kryze. And to wield it, he must have some command of The Force, right? This opens up a lot of questions about Gideon’s history and his abilities and just why it is that he is so interested in getting Baby Yoda for himself.
We should learn more about this in Season 2.
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