Darksaber

> "After Mandalore's passing, Revan took the Darksaber back to Coruscant, where the Jedi kept it in their temple. That was, until members of House Vizsla snuck in and liberated it. They used the saber to unify the people and strike down those who would oppose them. One time, they ruled all of Mandalore wielding this blade. This saber is an important symbol to that house and respected by the other clans."
> ― Fenn Rau telling the saber's history to Jarik Shan, Kanan Jarrus, and Mara Jade
>
>

The **Darksaber** was an ancient and unique black-bladed lightsaber created by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order, some time after 3990 BBY. As a Jedi, Vizsla became best friends with a fellow Jedi named Revan, though they would eventually separate from each other, with Vizsla leaving the Order due to growing tensions between the Mandalorians and the Galactic Republic. Vizsla would eventually find Mandalore's Mask and declare himself "Mandalore the Ultimate." Using the Darksaber, Vizsla became a rallying figure for all the clans of Mandalore and united them under one banner.

   Throughout the Mandalorian Wars, Vizsla would use the Darksaber in many battles, and would eventually duel his former friend Revan during the Battle of Malachor V with this blade. The battle's end saw Vizsla defeated and killed by Revan, with the Jedi Knight taking possession of the Darksaber before giving it the Jedi Order, where it was kept in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. At some point over two thousand years later, members of House Vizsla stole the saber in a conflict with the Jedi during the fall of the Old Republic. The Darksaber was passed down, generation to generation, by the ancestors of Pre Vizsla, who held onto the weapon even after the pacifist ideals of the New Mandalorians superseded the martial traditions of Mandalore.

By 21 BBY, the Darksaber was in the possession of Pre Vizsla, the leader of Death Watch and House Vizsla during the Clone Wars. He used the blade in his conflict with the New Mandalorians, including his successful takeover of Mandalore. After the coup, the rogue Sith Lord Darth Maul killed Vizsla and took the Darksaber as his own, becoming the leader of Death Watch. Maul's old master, Darth Sidious, soon arrived on Mandalore to confront his former apprentice, and Maul used the Darksaber against him. Maul was bested in combat, however, and taken to a Separatist prison, the Spire, on Stygeon Prime.

Maul was rescued from the Spire at the behest of Prime Minister Almec, whom Maul had installed as the public leader of Mandalore. After being freed, Maul returned to Zanbar, the location of a Death Watch camp, and was given back the Darksaber, which had been recovered from the Sundari Royal Palace, the site of Maul's duel with Sidious. Shortly after his return, Zanbar was attacked by the Separatist Droid Army, led by General Grievous, and Maul made use of the Darksaber against the cyborg general. Maul continued to use the Darksaber in several subsequent battles, such as the battle on Ord Mantell, the assault on Vizsla Keep 09, and the Second Battle of Dathomir.

   During the early rebellion against the reign of the Galactic Empire, the Mandalorian rebel Sabine Wren retrieved the Darksaber from the Nightsisters' lair on Dathomir following a confrontation with Maul. At the urging of Fenn Rau of the Mandalorian Protectors and her fellow Spectres, Wren agreed to undergo training with the Darksaber under the tutelage of Jedi Knight Jarik Shan, a direct descendant of Revan, with assistance from fellow Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus. Later, Wren brought the Darksaber with her and her rebel companions during a mission to Krownest to seek her family's support for the rebellion. Wren became the rightful wielder of the Darksaber after defeating the Imperial Governor of Mandalore, Gar Saxon, in a duel.

Following the death of Governor Tiber Saxon during the Mandalorian Civil War, Wren passed the Darksaber over to Bo-Katan Kryze, who also received the rediscovered mask of Mandalore from Shan and subsequently took on the title of "Mandalore the Restorer," uniting several Mandalorian clans in rebellion against the Empire.

## **Appearances**

* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 2: The Clone Wars* — "Chapter 8: The Mandalore Plot" (first appearance)
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 2: The Clone Wars* — "Chapter 64: Sith Alliance"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 19: Judgement of Soul"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 36: An Inside Man"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 37: Visions and Voices"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 38: The Nightsisters"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 39: His Mandalorian Past"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 41: Ghosts of Geonosis Pt 1" (mentioned only)
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 43: Trials of the Darksaber"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 44: Family Reunion"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 45: The Challenge"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 61: Return to Mandalore"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 62: Night of a Thousand Tears" (mentioned only)
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 63: Aftermath"
* *Legacy of Jarik Shan - Volume 5: Rebirth* — "Chapter 64: Heroes of Mandalore"
* *The Shan Bloodline - Volume 1: The Taken War* (will appear)