Explaining The History Of The Darksaber's Creator - The Mandalorian Jedi
For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. Or something like that. During those generations, the two groups the Jedi conflicted with the most were the Sith (duh!) and the Mandalorians. Stories of the wars between the Jedi and the Mandalorian warriors were extensively covered in Legends. They are basically the England and France of Star Wars - they don’t like each other and seem to be warring every few years about something. The main reason for their violent relationship is their differing philosophies on how one should live their life. The Jedi promote peace and justice, while the Mandalorians believe a warrior’s life is carved by how many enemies they kill in battle.
This is what makes Tarre Vizsla such a unique character. Tarre Vizsla was a Mandalorian who lived a millennia before the events of New Hope and became the first Mandalorian to join the ranks of the Jedi Order, eventually reaching Knighthood. As a proud Mandalorian of House Vizsla, Tarre Vizsla is the one who originally created the Darksaber, a black-bladed lightsaber that looks more like a glowing black sword. How Vizsla built the Darksaber is unknown, but it is assumed he used techniques taught by the Jedi with a sprinkle of Mandalorian technology. The legend of the Darksaber took on a life of its own, becoming a symbol of leadership for House Vizsla. Here is what we know about the history of the Darksaber’s creator; Tarre Vizsla.
RELATED: 'Star Wars' Artist Provides Background On Luke Skywalker's Updated Look For Surprise Cameo
Tarre Vizsla first appeared in Season 3 of Star Wars Rebels, Episode 15: Trials of the Darksaber. In the episode, a Mandalorian named Fenn Rau boards the Ghost and meets with the Jedi Kanan Jarrus to discuss the Darksaber Sabine Wren found on Dathomir. Rau recognizes the Darksaber as the symbol of House Vizsla and says whoever holds possession of the Darksaber has the right to lead Death Watch, a Mandalorian terrorist splinter group. Rau then recalls the history of the famed blade.
After Tarre Vizsla’s death, the Darksaber was kept inside the Jedi Temple until members of House Vizsla broke in and stole it. Now, whoever claims possession of the Darksaber is the sole leader of Mandalore. Rightful ownership of the Darksaber only comes one way - a duel. As we learned in The Book of Boba Fett, Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian, if it is passed on any other way, that owner is cursed.
Vizsla would later be commemorated with a statue built in his honor. When she was a young girl, Sabine Wren’s father, would bring her to the statue to teach her about Mandalore’s legacy. However, when the Empire took control of the galaxy, they desecrated the statue by building an outpost around it, covering parts of its body and face. Later, Sabine and her brother, Tristan, would destroy the outpost, paying tribute to Tarre Vizsla.
In Legends, the name Vizsla first appeared in the four-part comic book series, Jango Fett: Open Seasons. As he was later named, Tor Vizsla broke away from Jaster Mereel’s Mandalorian Code of Honor (Supercommando Codex) and formed Death Watch. Jango Fett eventually replaced Mereel as the leader of the True Mandalorians and killed Tor Vizsla. Supercommando is a nod back to the early days of Boba Fett when he was described as a Supercommando version of the Imperial stormtrooper.
As Star Wars further explores different areas of the timeline, the period when Tarre Vizsla lived would be an excellent opportunity to tell some fascinating stories. If The High Republic is a time of peace and prosperity, what happened before then? What challenges did the Jedi face with the Sith and the Mandalorians? If Tarre Vizsla only reached Knighthood, did he die at a young age, or was there another reason he didn’t achieve the rank of Master? How did other Mandalorians feel about having one of their own become a Jedi? Vizsla is a name full of legacy, arguably even more so than Skywalker.
READ NEXT: EA And Lucasfilm Games Announce Three New 'Star Wars' Games Are Coming
Source(s): ScreenRant, Wookieepedia