A key aspect of the finale of season 2 of The Mandalorian was the ownership of the Darksaber. And now that it’s ended up in the hands in Din Djarin, some new fan art has teased a confrontation between him and Bo-Katan Kryze.
After Din defeated Moff Gideon, he took the coveted weapon, which made him its owner (and by extension, the rightful ruler of Mandalore). Although he desires neither, possession of the blade can only be exchanged through combat, with any other method of attainment such as theft or gifting being considered invalid. This was why Bo-Katan was adamant that she be the one to face Gideon and thus avoid exactly the kind of confrontation that this art suggests is inevitable.
The Darksaber is unique in Star Wars canon due to it being the only lightsaber in existence with a black blade. It was made over a thousand years previously by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian to ever join the Jedi. The reason for its unique color has never been officially explained, but as lightsabers are created by a Padawan locating a kyber crystal they feel attuned to, it’s possible the crystal Tarre found represented his feelings of isolation from his people, and thus crafted a weapon that visually represented this.
The Darksaber is as much a representation of Mandalore as Beskar steel and the distinctive helmet design, and there’s no way that Bo-Katan will simply walk away when it’s so close to being returned to her possession. Despite the fact that she doesn’t want to fight Din for the blade, the choice between maintaining a temporary alliance or reclaiming her people’s symbol of power is no choice at all. Additionally, if he doesn’t give his all in the duel, then she cannot consider herself to have truly won it in accordance with Mandalorian tradition, meaning that season 3 of The Mandalorian may well kick off with the most intense fight it’s yet portrayed.
