Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2.
The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2, sees both Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) wielding the Darksaber in an episode that sets up Mando’s toughest training yet. Though Din Djarin is the rightful wielder of the Darksaber since The Mandalorian season 2’s finale, there haven’t been a lot of action scenes focused on Mando and his lightsaber. The first Din Djarin Darksaber fight happened, in fact, in The Book of Boba Fett.
More than a year has passed between The Mandalorian season 2’s ending and season 3’s premiere. In other words, the Mandalorian has had enough time to improve his Darksaber skills a bit. However, considering how much Mando struggled against Paz Viszla in Boba Fett and now in The Mandalorian season 3, it seems like Din Djarin may need proper lightsaber training from an experienced fighter.
The Mandalorian Has To Undergo The Trials Of The Darksaber
The Mandalorian season 3, episode 2 is another reminder that Din Djarin is just not good with the Darksaber. Mando may be an experienced bounty hunter who is familiar with several types of weapons, yet wielding any sort of blade is a different challenge. As if going from blasters and spears to a blade was not enough of a change for the Mandalorian, Din Djarin now wields one of the most special artifacts in the Star Wars galaxy – the Darksaber. In addition to all the Mandalorian history associated with the Darksaber – the person who wields it should rule the planet – mastering the weapon itself is extremely difficult.
The Mandalorian has to learn how to properly wield the Darksaber if he wants to unite the Mandalorians and save their planet. For that to happen, Mando would need someone who has more fighting experience than him and that is somewhat familiar with the blade to teach him – Bo-Katan Kryze fits that description. “The Mines of Mandalore” briefly showed how good Bo-Katan is with the Darksaber, which makes sense considering that she wielded it for at least a couple of years. Bo-Katan is not Force-sensitive, but neither were the vast majority of Mand’alors. The Darksaber was created by a Mandalorian Jedi, though, meaning that understanding the blade means acknowledging the Force.
How Darksaber Training Can Change The Mandalorian As A Character
A Mandalorian does not have to be Force-sensitive, much less trained in the ways of the Force, to use the Darksaber. That said, an effective Darksaber training, such as the one shown in Star Wars Rebels season 3, episode 15, “Trials of the Darksaber”, involves the lightsaber wielder opening themselves to the blade in a “Jedi-like” way. The Darksaber becomes heavier or lighter depending on its connection with the warrior, almost as if the blade was an extension of the person using it. During her lightsaber training with Kanan Jarrus, Mandalorian Sabine Wren could only master the Darksaber after acknowledging her fears and frustrations.
Having Din Djarin go through a similar Darksaber trial would surely change Mando as a character. As a consequence of the Mandalorian’s helmet but also of Din Djarin’s character as a whole, there are not many moments in which Mando gets to express his feelings. The scenes in which the Mandalorian does get to show his emotions, such as in The Mandalorian season 2’s finale, land even better because of it. An intense Darksaber training sequence similar to the one Sabine Wren went through, with perhaps Bo-Katan Kryze serving as the master, could lead to a powerful, emotional Din Djarin moment.
New episodes of The Mandalorian release Wednesdays on Disney+.