The Mandalorian S3 Episode 2: What Is Din's Deal With The Darksaber?
Warning: This article contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" Season 3 Episode 2.
The idea of a black lightsaber sure sounds like something that would live in a teenage "Star Wars" fan's sketch book. And yet, it's canon, and becoming ever more important to the franchise. Since being introduced in "Star Wars: The Clones Wars," the Darksaber has popped up in both "Rebels" and "The Mandalorian." It's an ancient weapon with a rich history tied to both the Jedi and Mandalore, and now it rests safely in the capable hands of Din Djarin. Or, well, mostly capable.
Despite training intensely with the blade in "The Book of Boba Fett," Din still struggles with it in "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 2. His form is awkward, and he seems to be fighting against the Darksaber as much as he's fighting with it. Why is this? And is there hope for him to still master the weapon? The answers are a bit complicated.
The Darksaber was forged by an ancient Mandalorian Jedi named Tarre Vizsla. After his death, it was stolen from the Jedi Temple by his clan, and since then, it's been past down. Traditionally, the weapon is won in combat, but earning it doesn't guarantee you'll be able to wield it, as Din finds out. Here's why he's still struggling with the Darksaber so much in "The Mandalorian" Season 3.
The Darksaber requires incredible focus to control
Like all lightsabers, the Darksaber is designed to tightly focus energy from the crystal at its core. As Kanan Jarrus tells Sabine Wren — a former wielder of the weapon — in "Star Wars Rebels," "You're not fighting with a simple blade as much as you are directing a current of power." Like Din, Sabine struggles at first to control the energy of the blade. Kanan blames this on her own inner turmoil, saying that her thoughts and feelings are also channeled through the weapon. When she begins to master it, he says that it's because she's connecting to the blade.
The Armorer tells Din something similar in "The Book of Boba Fett" when he's training with the Darksaber. He says that each swing makes it heavier, and she says it's because he's "fighting against the blade." According to her, his lack of dexterity is the result of a lack of focus. In other words, Din has a mental block when it comes to the Darksaber, which is clearly still in place in "The Mandalorian" Season 3.
Perhaps he's too concerned with redeeming himself in the eyes of his people. Or maybe it's his paternal feelings for Grogu that are throwing him off. Whatever the cause, the effects are clear. Still, there is hope. Just as Sabine, Pre Vizsla, and Bo-Katan all came to master the Darksaber, so too can Din. The main issue is probably just that his priorities are elsewhere at the moment.
Is the Darksaber heavier than other lightsabers?
Why is the Darksaber so much more challenging to master than a regular lightsaber? Well, for starters, that might not actually be true. Most of the lightsaber training we've seen in "Star Wars" involves Force-sensitive characters, who have a natural advantage in wielding the iconic weapons. The Darksaber is more often used by Mandalorians who have no natural Force power. As such, they have to adapt to a tool that was not designed with them in mind.
Even still, the Darksaber seems more challenging to control. Jedi younglings have better dexterity with their blades than Din, and there are numerous instances across the franchise of lightsabers being used by characters who aren't Force-sensitive.
Why is the Darksaber in particular so obtuse? There are a few possible explanations. For one, it's a much older design than the other lightsabers we see in "Star Wars," so it's possible that it's energy is less restrained. There's precedent for this, as Kylo Ren's lightsaber also uses unstable power to yield a more forceful weapon — an ancient Sith design. The Darksaber is also a fully unique model, so there could be some secret Mandalorian features that make it different to wield.
It's hard to say for sure because we've never seen a character who isn't Force-sensitive train this much with a regular lightsaber. When Kanan instructs Sabine in "Rebels," he seems to know what she's experiencing with the Darksaber despite not being familiar with it himself. Maybe Jedi are just prepared much better, or maybe they have a built-in connection since they construct their own lightsabers as younglings.