Patrick Scalisi's Blog - Posts Tagged "disney-plus"

A few years ago when I was sick with a cold, I decided to start binge watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated series that takes place between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

I didn’t last long.

The show never grabbed me, and the problem had to do with tone. There were clearly elements geared toward adults, but the show was plotted like a children’s program with all the hand-waving that goes along with that. As a result, I never made it past the first season.

Enter the year 2020. Star Wars had just returned to the small screen in a big way with The Mandalorian. The Clones Wars was given a proper final season on the streaming service Disney+. Oh yeah, and a little thing called COVID-19 was keeping everyone indoors.

Just before the world went to hell, I had started watching Star Wars: Rebels, which I found much more enjoyable than Clone Wars. If Clone Wars was Dave Filoni’s training wheels, then Rebels was where he came into his own.

Still, in watching both Rebels and The Mandalorian, it was clear that there were plot elements from Clone Wars that I was missing. (Darksaber, anyone?) Given that I had time to kill, I decided to explore the episodes of Clone Wars directly related to Mandalore.

While there were primers on the “best” and “essential” episodes of Clone Wars, it was hard to find a definitive list of episodes pertinent to Mandalore. One I did find was wildly incomplete based on entries on other lists.

So I decided to make my own. What follows is what I believe to be the essential episodes needed to best understand the Mandalore plot that continues in Rebels and lays the groundwork for The Mandalorian.

Here is the episode list, followed by recaps and analysis. Note that after the list are spoilers for all three shows!

Season 2: Episodes 12-14

Season 3: Episodes 5-6, 12-14

Season 4: Episodes 14, 19-22

Season 5: Episodes 1, 14-16, 17-20*

Season 6: Episodes 1-4*

Graphic Novel: Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir

Season 7: Episodes 5-12

* = optional

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S2E12: “The Mandalore Plot” | S2E13: “Voyage of Temptation” | S2E14: “Duchess of Mandalore”

In this arc of three episodes, the audience is introduced to the planet Mandalore. In “The Mandalore Plot,” we learn that the Mandalorians were once a warrior race with a violent history. After rebuilding their society in the wake of a civil war, Mandalore adopted a stance of pacifism and neutrality. Warriors were banished to the planet’s moon, Concordia, while Mandalore itself refused to side with either the Republic or the Separatists in the ongoing Clone Wars.

Most importantly, we learn that Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi were stationed on Mandalore during the planet’s civil war and that Obi-Wan developed feelings for Duchess Satine Kryze while serving as her protector.



Despite the desire for peace, all is not well on Mandalore. A terrorist group called Death Watch is seeking to overthrow the duchess. Leading this group of banished warriors is Pre Vizsla (voiced by future Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau!), a descendant of Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever admitted to the Jedi Academy. Pre Vizsla has inherited a very important artifact from his family line: Tarre’s unique black-blade lightsaber, known as the Darksaber.

The story continues in “Voyage of Temptation” and “Duchess of Mandalore” as Obi-Wan and Satine travel to Coruscant to reassert Mandalore’s neutrality. More attempts are made on the duchess’ life, culminating in a plot in which Satine herself is framed for murder. The heroes eventually learn that Count Dooku is secretly backing Death Watch in order to plunge Mandalore into war. With help from her allies in the senate, Satine is able to set the record straight and expose the plot, all while maintaining Mandalore’s neutrality.

S3E5: “Corruption” | S3E6: “The Academy”

An entire season of the show goes by before we return to Mandalore in this duology of episodes.

Some time has passed since Death Watch tried to overthrow Duchess Satine. Unfortunately, Mandalore’s decision to remain neutral in the Clone Wars has had economic consequences. Trade routes are closing and supply chains are strained, leading to shortages and rationing. A thriving black market has emerged to fill the gap, but not all products and services are on the level.

Senator Padmé Amidala arrives on Mandalore for a diplomatic mission just in time to witness an outbreak of poisoning caused by a tainted tea shipment. Jedi apprentice Ahsoka Tano, meanwhile, begins teaching about corruption at a government academy for future civil servants.



Eventually, their investigations reveal that Prime Minister Almec is leading the black market in a misguided attempt to help Mandalore’s citizens. He is removed from power and arrested.

S3E12: “Nightsisters” | S3E13: “Monster” | S3E14: “Witches of the Mist”

This arc of three episodes doesn’t relate directly to Mandalore, but it’s an important primer for events that happen later.

In “Nightsisters,” Count Dooku is ordered by Darth Sidious to dispose of his apprentice Asajj Ventress. Rudderless, Asajj returns home to Dathomir to reunite with her tribe of witches known as the Nightsisters.

Does Dathomir sound familiar? It may because it’s the home planet of another famous Sith: Darth Maul. Not only are Asajj and Maul from the same species, but the Nightsisters had a hand in apprenticing Maul to Darth Sidious way back before Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Asajj and the head of her tribe, Mother Talzin, hatch a plot to get revenge on Count Dooku. They will provide the count with a new apprentice, but one that they will secretly control.



Dooku accepts the offer and is introduced to the fantastically named Savage Opress, who comes from the same family unit as Darth Maul. Whether through Nightsister magic or natural talent, Opress is a quick study in the ways of the Force. He’s also fond of the same kind of double-sided lightsabers favored by his kin, Darth Maul.

Unfortunately, Asajj tips her hand a bit too early, and both Dooku and Opress become aware of her plan. Realizing that he has been used, Opress flees after turning on both his creator and his master.

S4E14: “A Friend in Need”

(Note: The character Lux Bonteri features heavily in this episode but not in any other Mandalore arc, so I didn’t include the other episodes pertaining to him in this primer. For the purposes of this guide, you’ll learn most of what you need to know about Lux in this episode.)

This is a rare one-off episode that also has to do with Mandalore. During peace talks between the Republic and the Separatists hosted by Duchess Satine, the conference is interrupted by Lux Bonteri , who is promptly arrested. Fearing for his safety, Ahsoka goes to check on him only to be caught up in Lux’s plot to get revenge on Count Dooku for the death of Lux’s mother.

Lux has come to realize that neither the Republic nor the Separatists can give him what he wants, so he has found a third option: the remaining members of Death Watch, hiding now on the snowy planet of Carlac.



You see, Death Watch also wants revenge on Dooku after the failed coup against Duchess Satine. It would seem that their objectives align. The only problem is that Pre Vizsla is interested in his own ends — and will do anything to achieve them.

This episode is particularly important because it introduces the Death Watch character Bo-Katan and features the first meeting between her and Ahsoka.

S4E19: “Massacre” | S4E20: “Bounty” | S4E21: “Brothers” | S4E22: “Revenge”

This is another arc of episodes that doesn’t directly relate to Mandalore but is important for events that happen later.

Directionless again after her failed plot against Dooku, Asajj returns to the Nightsisters to become a full member of the tribe. The only problem is that Dooku is a tiny bit upset about the whole Savage Opress betrayal thing and orders the Nightsisters completely wiped out.

“Massacre” is a great battle episode that pits two forces of evil against each other. It even goes a bit further by making you sympathetic toward Asajj, who we’ve only seen so far as a villain.

With the Nightsisters tribe nearly destroyed, Asajj decides to try her hand at bounty hunting. In “Bounty” she takes up with a who’s who of famous Star Wars bounty hunters (including a young, armor-less Boba Fett) for an underground train job.



Meanwhile, Savage Opress has sought counsel from Mother Talzin on what to do next. She humbly suggests that Opress seek out his brother. What brother, you might ask? Oh you know, just the chopped-in-half Darth Maul who was assumed dead all these years.

Opress begins following Maul’s trail, which leads him to the junk planet Lotho Minor. Stories there abound about a creature living beneath the junk heaps and feeding on victims like some mechanical Shelob. As Opress comes to find out, these are more than just stories. Darth Maul is alive! Sustained by his rage and having constructed a spider body for himself, Maul has been living the life of an insane, muttering animal.

Opress captures Maul and returns to Mother Talzin, who restores Maul’s mind and legs with some sweet new prosthetics. Then the brothers lure Obi-Wan into a trap, where the Jedi is forced to team up with Asajj in order to survive. Ever want to see Kenobi use a red lightsaber? This is your chance.

S5E1: “Revival”

The season 5 premiere continues the arc that began at the end of season 4.

With Obi-Wan having slipped his grasp, Darth Maul begins his career as a criminal that will eventually culminate in him leading the Crimson Dawn syndicate.

But everyone has to start somewhere, and Maul decides that he’s going to co-opt some of Hondo Ohnaka’s pirates as a first step. Obi-Wan shows up to stop him, but Maul and Opress escape again.

This episode is important because it’s the beginning of Maul’s plan to form a powerful crime empire.

S5E14: “Eminence” | S5E15: “Shades of Reason” | S5E16: “The Lawless”

Out of fuel and drifting in space after their escape from Obi-Wan, Maul and Opress are rescued by none other than Death Watch. (See, I told you this was leading somewhere!) Building on his plan from the episode “Revival,” Maul proposes building a crime syndicate to help Pre Vizsla take over Mandalore once and for all. Pre Vizsla agrees.

Soon, Maul’s newly formed Shadow Collective is planning attacks on Mandalore, all so Death Watch can swoop in and “save” the planet from Maul’s violent invaders. Duchess Satine is deposed, and Pre Vizsla is primed to assume leadership of Mandalore.



The only problem is that Pre Vizsla and Maul are working at cross purposes. These conflicting objectives collide when Maul challenges Pre Vizsla to single combat — and wins! Maul takes possession of the Darksaber. Bo-Katan leads a splinter group of Death Watch away from Mandalore after refusing to recognize Maul’s leadership. And Duchess Satine manages to get a distress call to Obi-Wan.

A new civil conflict breaks out on Mandalore. Those Death Watch loyal to Maul skirmish with the lawless warriors led by Bo-Katan. Prime Minister Almec, meanwhile, is freed from prison and restored to his post as a puppet leader under Maul.

Since Mandalore is still neutral, Obi-Wan must travel there alone to rescue Satine. He is also finally forced to confront the Sith lord he thought he killed years ago. Maul slays Satine, and Bo-Katan helps Obi-Wan escape. Bo-Katan reveals that she is Satine’s sister.

Maul is seemingly victorious, but his rule of Mandalore is short-lived. After sensing a disturbance in the Force, Darth Sidious arrives to capture his former apprentice. Sidious kills Savage Opress and overpowers Maul in single combat, taking Maul as his prisoner. More importantly, the Darksaber seems to disappear at the end of the duel. This is the last time that it will appear on-screen in Clone Wars.

S5E17: “Sabotage” | S5E18: “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much” | S5E19: “To Catch a Jedi” | S5E20: “The Wrong Jedi”

This arc of four episodes is purely optional, though you may want to watch it because there’s a lot of background information here for understanding the events that occur in season 7. There’s also an appearance by Asajj in her continued career as a bounty hunter.

That having been said, there’s nothing here related to Mandalore, and it may be enough for you to simply know that Ahsoka decided to leave the Jedi Order after being wrongly accused of murder and becoming disillusioned with the path of the Jedi.

S6E1: “The Unknown” | S6E2: “Conspiracy” | S6E3: “Fugitive” | S6E4: “Orders”

This arc of four episodes is even more optional than the previous four and is summarized succinctly near the end of season 7. However, if you want to learn about how some people began to suspect that the control chips implanted in all clones might have a sinister purpose related to Order 66, these are the episodes to watch.

Graphic Novel – Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir



This in-canon graphic novel is adapted from an unproduced arc from Clone Wars’ abbreviated sixth season.

A little bit of background: Clone Wars was cancelled after season 5, with only part of season 6 finished when the cancellation was announced. The completed 13 episodes went on to become “The Lost Missions,” which aired on Netflix.

At the same time, Lucasfilm released two print products from scripts that never went into production. The first was this graphic novel. The second was the book Dark Disciple.

While Son of Dathomir never aired on television, I would urge you to read it since it’s important to the Mandalore storyline. It also provides connective tissue between the events of “The Lawless” and Maul’s return in season 7.

After his defeat at the hands of Darth Sidious, Maul is brought to the planet Stygeon. Sidious, having realized the grave threat that Mother Talzin still poses, formulates a plan to destroy the head of the Nightsisters once and for all. For this, he will need help from both Count Dooku and General Grievous.

Maul isn’t imprisoned long before members of Death Watch come to his rescue. After fleeing from Stygeon, Maul reunites with the rest of his loyal Mandalorians on Zanbar. Prime Minister Almec returns the Darksaber to Maul, telling the former Sith that it was found in the courtyard after Maul’s duel with Sidious.

From there, a series of crosses and double-crosses take place as Maul seeks his revenge and Sidious seeks out Mother Talzin. And a few important reveals occur in the book’s fourth and final chapter.

First, we learn that “Mother” isn’t just Talzin’s title. She is actually Maul’s biological mother! Second, General Grievous succeeds in killing Talzin as she provides cover for Maul’s escape.

With his last tie to Dathomir cut, Maul retreats with the remaining members of Death Watch to cause more mischief elsewhere in the galaxy.

S7E5: “Gone With a Trace” | S7E6: “Deal No Deal” | S7E7: “Dangerous Debt” | S7E8: “Together Again”



At first, this arc of episodes doesn’t seem to have much bearing on Mandalore. After leaving the Jedi Order, Ahsoka wanders aimlessly around Coruscant until her transport breaks down. Stranded on the edge of the undercity, she meets Trace Martez and her street-smart sister Rafa. Always on the hunt for credits, Rafa lines up a job transporting spice. Ahsoka reluctantly agrees to travel with the sisters.

Of course, the job goes sideways and the trio soon find themselves prisoners of the Pyke crime syndicate on Oba Diah. Escape attempts are made, deals are brokered, and it soon becomes clear that the Pykes aren’t the only ones keeping tabs on Ahsoka. You see, there’s also a trio of hooded figures in very familiar armor hanging around. Not only that, but the person overseeing the Pykes is Darth Maul, last seen after the death of Mother Talzin.

Ahsoka and the Martez sisters eventually break free and return to Coruscant. They haven’t even been home for five minutes when one of the hooded figures reveals themselves to be Bo-Katan. There’s trouble back on Mandalore, and the former Death Watch warrior wants Ahsoka’s help …

S7E9: “Old Friends Not Forgotten” | S7E10: “The Phantom Apprentice” | S7E11: “Shattered” | S7E12: “Victory and Death”

This arc is not only the last one dealing with Mandalore, but also the series finale. And it’s a good one. These four episodes, in my opinion, showed the potential of what Clone Wars could have been at its best. By abandoning the fortune cookie intro and taking a masterful risk with the score, these last episodes are some of the best in the whole series.

“Old Friends Not Forgotten” opens with Ahsoka and Bo-Katan reaching out to Obi-Wan for help. Though the Republic has been forbidden to interfere with Mandalore because of the planet’s neutrality, Ahsoka finally convinces Obi-Wan to send a detachment of clone troops to help apprehend Darth Maul, who has resurfaced on Mandalore. Before departing, Anakin gives back Ahsoka’s lightsabers from when she left the Jedi Order. This is the last time they will see each other.

Back on Mandalore, the hunt for Maul begins in earnest. As Maul’s faction of Death Watch battles Bo-Katan’s splinter group and the Republic forces, audiences finally get to see the so-called Siege of Mandalore.



What’s really masterful here is how these last episodes intertwine with the events of Revenge of the Sith, which is happening simultaneously. Ahsoka faces off against Maul in an epic duel that ends in Maul’s capture. They board a ship to deliver him to the Jedi Council.

Unfortunately, the command is given to initiate Order 66 before Maul can be returned to Coruscant. Ahsoka manages to disable Commander Rex’s control chip (this is where the info from season 6 comes into play), and the two escape after Maul causes considerable chaos on the ship. Ahsoka, Rex, and Maul go their various ways, setting up the roles they will play in Rebels and after.

Notably, Maul has possession of the Darksaber at the end of the Son of Dathomir graphic novel, but it does not appear in this arc of episodes.

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I have to say that this project really improved my opinion of the Clone Wars animated series. Some of the episodes here are weaker than others, and the show overall is not as strong as Rebels in my mind, but I did enjoy watching many of these story arcs. And I feel like a lot of details from both Rebels and The Mandalorian make a lot more sense now.

So how did I do? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments. Otherwise, happy watching, and may the Force be with you!

My being put off by the animated Clone Wars series meant that I was an extreme latecomer to Star Wars: Rebels. The show had long ended by the time I started watching in 2020.

But as I watched the first season of The Mandalorian and began to dive into the Mandalore-specific episodes of Clone Wars, it became clear that Rebels would also have an important bearing on the overall narrative.

Beyond that, though, Rebels is a genuinely good show. I was hooked from the first narrative arc, namely when Jedi-in-exile Kanan Jarrus says to the young Ezra Bridger, “Kid, I’m about to let everyone in on a secret” and takes out his lightsaber for the first time.

In crafting this show, it’s clear that Dave Filoni had matured as a storyteller and showrunner. The episodes often deal with complex themes related to war, family, and loss, and they eschew the more childish elements that initially soured me on Clone Wars.

Much as I did in my other blog entry, this post will serve as a primer on the essential episodes needed to best understand the events leading up to The Mandalorian.

Really, though, I would encourage readers to watch Rebels in its entirety. For one thing, it’s shorter than Clone Wars by almost half. For another, it has a Mandalorian as one of its main characters: the young warrior Sabine Wren.

Here is the episode list, followed by recaps and analysis. Note that after the list are spoilers! I would also strongly recommend reading the Clone Wars Mandalore primer first.

Season 2: Episodes 8, 13, 21-22

Graphic Novel - Star Wars: Kanan Omnibus*

Solo: A Star Wars Story*

Season 3: Episodes 3, 7, 11, 15-16, 20-22

Season 4: Episodes 1-2

* = optional

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S2E8: “Blood Sisters”

Much like Clone Wars, there are no season 1 episodes of Rebels dealing with Mandalore, and this one is only somewhat related.

On the planet Garel, Sabine and Ezra are sent on a mission to rendezvous with a mysterious courier who has something vital for the rebel cause. They aren’t the only ones looking for the courier, though. A bounty hunter named Ketsu Onyo is also on the hunt for the rebel informant.



Ketsu and Sabine have history, and this is the important part of the episode. Ketsu and Sabine escaped together from the Imperial Academy on Mandalore. Afterwards, they became bounty hunters and even had plans to join the Black Sun crime syndicate. But things didn’t go exactly to plan when Ketsu double-crossed Sabine.

By the end of the episode, Ketsu and Sabine have mended their friendship, and Ketsu even considers helping the rebellion. Moreover, the back story we glean about Sabine serves as essential building blocks of her character.

S2E13: “The Protector of Concord Dawn”

Finally, a true Mandalore episode!

The rebels are looking for a new hyperspace route and decide to ask for assistance from the Mandalorian sect living on the planet Concord Dawn. Although Mandalore was officially neutral during the Clone Wars, this sect, known as the Protectors, helped train clone troopers for the Republic. Their leader, Fenn Rau, also engaged in several battles against the separatists.



After the rise of Emperor Palpatine, Concord Dawn began trading favors with the Empire in exchange for its independence. This means that the rebels aren’t exactly welcome when they come to negotiate passage. Rebel leader Hera Syndulla and her squad are gunned down by Rau, with Hera suffering serious injuries. When Kanan and Sabine return to Concord Dawn to finish the job, we learn a lot of critical information:

1.) Sabine’s last name refers to her clan, Clan Wren, which is part of House Vizsla. If the name “Vizsla” sounds familiar, it’s because it featured heavily in Clone Wars. Tarre Vizsla was the first Mandalorian ever admitted to the Jedi Academy, and he wielded a unique black-blade lightsaber known as the Darksaber. The Darksaber became an heirloom in House Vizsla, later held by Tarre’s descendant, Pre Vizsla of the Death Watch sect.

2.) Since Clan Wren is part of House Vizsla, it was also a member of Death Watch. During the Clone Wars, Pre Vizsla and Death Watch tried to overthrow Mandalore with the help of Darth Maul. After Maul killed Pre Vizsla in single combat, Death Watch split in two factions: those loyal to Maul and those who followed Bo-Katan Kryze. Maul led his faction with the Darksaber he claimed from Pre Vizsla.

3.) The Protectors took part in the Mandalorian Civil War prior to the rule of Duchess Satine Kryze. Though it’s not clear yet which side the Protectors fought on, we can theorize that they supported the pacifist government since they view Death Watch as traitors.

As we go through Rebels, there are two threads we need to pursue. The first thread follows the Darksaber (and Maul) while the second follows the events on Mandalore leading up to the so-called Great Purge. This way we can see how things got to be the way they are by the time we reach The Mandalorian.

In “The Protector of Concord Dawn” we get crucial data on both. By the end of the episode, Kanan and Sabine have taken Fenn Rau as a kind of political prisoner, ensuring that the rebels can use the hyperspace corridor near Concord Dawn for the foreseeable future.

Graphic Novel - Star Wars: Kanan Omnibus

This graphic novel is strictly optional and doesn't add anything of huge value to the Mandalore storyline. In fact, it's about Kanan's backstory and takes place sometime before the end of Rebels season 2.

The only reason I'm including it here is because of its ties to "The Protector of Concord Dawn." There's a brief scene in the episode where Kanan and Fenn Rau discuss the Battle of Mygeeto. You can see this incident in the Kanan graphic novel, though it's scarcely two pages long.

Like most of Rebels, I recommend this comic because it tells a good story. But it admittedly has very little bearing on Mandalore.

Film – Solo: A Star Wars Story



Right now you’re asking yourself: What does Solo: A Star Wars Story have to do with Rebels?

The honest answer is: not much. Solo is also optional, but I’m including it here for a very specific reason.

Since the Clone Wars animated series, the fate of Mandalore and the Darksaber are inextricably tied to Darth Maul. After Maul’s escape from Ahsoka Tano in the final season of Clone Wars, the former Sith returns to his criminal enterprises, at one point ascending to lead the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. Maul’s cameo in Solo provides connective tissue to his whereabouts between Clone Wars and his first appearance in Rebels at the end of season 2.

Notably, Maul has the Darksaber at the end of the Son of Dathomir graphic novel, but does not wield it in the final episodes of Clone Wars or in Solo. Hmmm …

S2E21-22: “Twilight of the Apprentice Part 1 & 2”

The spectacular season 2 finale of Rebels sees the return of a who’s who of famous Star Wars characters. Ahsoka! The Inquisitors! Darth Maul! Darth Vader! It’s pretty much a fan’s dream come true, with several explosive confrontations taking place.

For the purposes of this primer, Maul’s appearance in these episodes is what makes them essential.



Sometime after the events in Solo, Maul journeys to Malachor in search of a Sith holocron. Maul tells Ezra that he has been stranded on Malachor for some time, though we never learn if this is true or a deception. We also learn that the Inquisitors aren’t just hunting Jedi — they’ve also been tracking Maul for years as a “shadow” threat to the Emperor’s rule.

Not unexpectedly, Maul tries to manipulate the young Ezra. Double-crosses occur. By the end of the episode, several of the Inquisitors are dead, Maul has blinded Kanan, and Ahsoka receives confirmation that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are one and the same. Their duel leaves Ahsoka missing in action … for now.

Once again, Maul does not wield the Darksaber.

S3E3: “The Holocrons of Fate”

Just three episodes into season 3 and Maul is back. He’s taken the crew of the Ghost hostage and wants the Sith holocron from Malachor in exchange for their lives.

During the hostage standoff, Maul quips to Sabine that she above all should trust him, since he once ruled Mandalore. Her shipmates ask if this is true, and Sabine says that it is.

When Maul finally gets access to the Sith holocron, he unites it with Kanan’s Jedi holocron to gain greater enlightenment. What he learns instead (thought it is not explicitly stated) is that his old nemesis Obi-Wan Kenobi has survived the Jedi purge and is still alive somewhere in the galaxy.

S3E7: “Imperial Supercommandos”

Early in this episode, Ezra exclaims, “I really don’t get this whole Mandalorian thing.” Well buckle in friends, because things are about to move forward at hyperspeed.

The episode begins with Sabine playing a strategy game with Fenn Rau. Rau accuses Sabine of being a traitor. Sabine tries to recruit Rau to the rebel cause.



Before long, Sabine and Rau are summoned to the war room. There’s a problem — the rebels have lost contact with the Mandalorians living on Concord Dawn. Suspecting some kind of trap, Sabine, Ezra, and Rau travel there to investigate.

Upon arrival, the trio discovers that the Protectors have been wiped out. The evidence, though, suggests that the attack came from other Mandalorians. This turns out to be only partly right. The base was attacked by other Mandalorians but not because of some inter-clan feud. As Sabine, Ezra, and Rau come to learn, the Protectors were killed by Mandalorians in service to the Empire. Leading these so-called “supercommandos” is Gar Saxon, who announces himself as the imperial viceroy of Mandalore.

This is where we need to take a step back into the Clone Wars era, specifically the Son of Dathomir graphic novel and the animated show’s final season. Saxon was a small but important side character in these stories before stepping fully into the spotlight. It was Saxon who led a group of Mandalorian commandos to free Darth Maul from the Emperor’s prison on Stygeon Prime. It was also Saxon who served as Maul’s commander in the battles that followed.

Saxon’s most defining trait is that he’ll back anyone who will help him advance his own self-interest. Initially a supporter of Prime Minister Almec, Saxon later assassinated Mandalore’s puppet ruler on Maul’s orders. And when Maul betrayed Saxon at the end of the Clone Wars, Saxon was quick to align himself with the emerging Empire. This allegiance apparently put him on the fast track to becoming Mandalore’s governor under the auspices of the Emperor.

Back on Concord Dawn, we learn that Clan Saxon — like Clan Wren — is a member of House Vizsla. Though we never get confirmation that Clan Saxon was a member of Death Watch, it’s not outside the realm of possibility. We also learn that the Protectors were aligned with the throne of Mandalore, confirming which side they fought on during the Mandalorian Civil War.

Perhaps the biggest reveal, though, is about Sabine’s mother, Ursa Wren, whom Saxon says is now serving the Empire. Ursa appeared with Bo-Katan briefly in the final episodes of Clone Wars as a member of the Death Watch splinter group that broke away from Darth Maul. To hear that Ursa is now serving the Empire is indeed shocking.

After fleeing the planet to save his own skin, Rau has a change of heart and comes back to rescue Sabine and Ezra. Once they have defeated Saxon’s men and made their escape, Rau recognizes that Sabine has not forgotten the ways of her people and agrees to join the rebellion.

S3E11: “Visions and Voices”

At first, this episode doesn’t seem to have much relevance to Mandalore apart from an appearance by Darth Maul. But the second half of “Visions and Voices” is where things take another major leap forward.

At the rebel base on Atollon, Ezra begins having visions of Maul from their being joined by the holocrons in episode 3. Kanan takes Ezra to see the Force-sensitive being Bendu, but it isn’t long before they are confronted by Maul in the flesh. In exchange for keeping the location of the rebel base secret, Maul wants to join with Ezra again to finally get the answers he’s been seeking.

Ezra reluctantly agrees, and the two travel to Maul’s home planet of Dathomir followed covertly by Kanan and Sabine. Maul leads Ezra into the former lair of the Nightsisters, which he has been using as a kind of home base / shrine. It is full of what Maul calls “artifacts from my past,” and it is here that Ezra makes an amazing discovery. Situated beneath a Picasso-esque painting of Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore is — drum roll please — the Darksaber.



Let’s take a moment to unpack this. First, this episode provides an answer to where the Darksaber has been since its last appearance in the Son of Dathomir graphic novel. Maul has apparently been keeping it stashed on his homeworld, though we don’t know why he chose to use his red lightsaber over the Darksaber. Equally unclear is why the Darksaber is enshrined beneath a portrait of Duchess Satine. After all, Maul killed the duchess with the weapon way back in season 5 of Clone Wars.

Ezra asks Maul if the Darksaber is a kind of lightsaber. Maul chuckles and replies, “Yes, but not like any that you would know. If your Mandalorian friend was here, she could explain it to you.” He then insists that he and Ezra get on with the ritual that will unite their minds.

To accomplish this, Maul is going to leverage Nightsister magic. What Maul fails to mention is that the use of such magic comes at a cost, namely that the spirits of fallen Nightsisters will want to merge with living hosts. Kanan and Sabine arrive just in time to provide two warm bodies.

A fight ensues in which Ezra is forced to combat his friends. Maul asks Ezra to officially become his apprentice, but Ezra refuses. Maul flees in disgust, leaving Ezra to find a way to save Kanan and Sabine. We see the Darksaber in action when a possessed Sabine wields it against Ezra.

Eventually, Ezra destroys the Nightsisters’ altar, which drives away the spirits. Neither Kanan nor Sabine remember being possessed. Before leaving the planet, Sabine spots the Darksaber on the ground and, intrigued, takes it with her.

S3E15: “Trials of the Darksaber”

This episode is purely optional. Just kidding — it has “Darksaber” in the title for goodness sake!

The story begins with Kanan showing the Darksaber to Fenn Rau. Rau then gives a brief history of the Darksaber and its symbolic meaning, which is so perfect that it defies summary. Instead, here’s the full clip from Disney XD.

Kanan and Rau proceed to ask Sabine if she’ll take the Darksaber. She is, after all, a legitimate claimant to the blade since Clan Wren is a member of House Vizsla. However, Sabine also knows what wielding the Darksaber entails and is reluctant for several reasons. For one thing, she’s estranged from her biological family and has found a new family in the crew of the Ghost. For another, it would require her to take a precarious leadership role that she’s not sure she’s ready for.

In the end, Sabine agrees to begin working with the blade. What follows is, for Star Wars, a fairly typical training sequence. Sabine struggles, reaches a point of crisis, and returns recommitted. In all honesty, this episode would be fairly paint-by-numbers if not for the important subject matter we’ve been following. And we do get to see the Darksaber in action again, so there’s that.



S3E16: “Legacy of Mandalore”

This episode is a direct continuation of the previous one. Kanan, Ezra, Fenn Rau, and Sabine travel to Krownest, a planet governed by Mandalore that serves as the ancestral home of Clan Wren.

At this point, we know a bit about how Mandalorian culture is organized. The smallest unit seems to be extended families or clans, which are organized into houses. Multiple clans make up a house, and houses themselves seem to draw their names from clans. This means that there is “Clan Vizsla” (the family) and “House Vizsla” (a collection of clans that make up the house). There are also groups, which I call sects, that can be made up of multiple clans or families. These include groups like Death Watch or the Protectors.

This leads to an interesting question: Do all clans, which are essentially the smallest unit of Mandalorian society, rule an entire planet? Or is it only certain elevated clans, a la Dune? The former is possible given that the so-called Mandalore sector is made up of nearly 1,000 worlds according to Wookieepedia.

In any case, Sabine receives the exact kind of reception that she expected upon her return home. Her family isn’t happy to see her and only agrees to postpone her arrest when Sabine shows them the Darksaber.

At this point, we are properly introduced to Sabine’s mother, Ursa, and her brother, Tristan. Tristan is working for Gar Saxon as a supercommando in order to rehabilitate Clan Wren’s standing after Sabine defected from the Empire.

Ursa and Sabine argue, as mothers and daughters are wont to do, before coming to an impasse. Ursa asserts that Sabine doesn’t have a right to the Darksaber since she didn’t win it from Maul in combat. Sabine also learns that her father is imprisoned on Mandalore as leverage for keeping Clan Wren in line.

While Sabine and Tristan do a bit of sparring for old time’s sake, Ursa has a secret meeting with Saxon. She agrees to hand over Kanan, Ezra, and the Darksaber in exchange for her daughter’s life. That’s about when all hell breaks loose. Ursa’s own betrayal is turned on its head when Saxon orders Clan Wren eliminated.



Now facing the death of their whole family, Ursa and Tristan fight on the side of the rebels against Saxon’s supercommandos. This faceoff culminates in a duel between Saxon, wielding the Darksaber, and Sabine, fighting with Ezra’s lightsaber. Let me just say that this moment is one to rival some in the films. John Williams’ classic theme soars as Sabine and Saxon battle across an ice lake. Sabine defeats her opponent to legitimately win back the Darksaber but refuses to kill Saxon outright. This is handled by Tristan, who shoots Saxon in the chest as he lunges at Sabine’s back.

As the episode comes to a close, Sabine decides to stay with her family for a while to try and rally the Mandalorians against the Empire. For now, at least, she’s leaving the crew of the Ghost.

S3E20: “Twin Suns”

As I mentioned earlier, the fate of Mandalore and the Darksaber has been inextricably tied to Darth Maul since the period of the Clone Wars. So while this episode doesn’t have anything to do specifically with Mandalore, it does close out one of the threads we’ve been following. It’s also considered one of the very best episodes in all of Rebels.

On Atollon, things are gearing up for the rebel assault on Lothal, but Ezra is once again having visions. He hears the voices of both Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi calling out to him and becomes convinced that he must seek out Obi-Wan to aid the rebel cause.

Of course, Hera is reluctant to let Ezra go because he’s needed for the upcoming battle. But Ezra, being the headstrong young Jedi that he is, sneaks into a shuttle and makes straight for Tatooine.

Once there, Ezra is attacked by Tusken Raiders and his ship destroyed. He wanders aimlessly into the desert in search of Obi-Wan, only to be further beset by sandstorms and thirst. At the end of his strength, he finally collapses on the hardpan.

When Ezra awakes, he has been found by Obi-Wan — exactly as Maul planned. The former Sith appears out of the dark desert to challenge his old foe. Obi-Wan sends Ezra on his way before squaring off against Maul.



What follows isn’t the epic duel that you might have been expecting in the lead up to this confrontation. On the contrary, the fight between Maul and Obi-Wan is short and quiet, with Obi-Wan dealing a killing blow almost at once. It could almost be considered anticlimactic if not for how bombastic Maul has become in his rage and near-madness. In this regard, the circumstances of Maul’s death seem almost appropriate. Obi-Wan cradles his one-time nemesis before closing his eyes for good.

And with that, Maul’s part in the story of Mandalore and the Darksaber comes to a close. The point of Sabine never having won the Darksaber from Maul is made moot, especially since she bested Gar Saxon in single combat to reclaim the blade. Furthermore, we won’t have to wait very long for the Mandalore thread to continue.

S3E21-22: “Zero Hour Part 1 & 2”

The assault on Lothal is endangered when Imperial Agent Kallus is finally outed as a rebel spy by Grand Admiral Thrawn. Eager to strike a crushing blow against the rebellion, Thrawn orders an attack on the newly discovered base on Atollon.

With an imperial blockade surrounding the planet, including an interdictor that prevents hyperspace travel, the rebels expend terrible resources to make an opening for Ezra to escape in Maul’s old ship. While the remaining rebel fighters go to ground on Atollon, Ezra is charged with finding reinforcements. And who better to ask than a certain Mandalorian who exited the crew of the Ghost just a few episodes prior?



Returning to Krownest, Ezra beseeches Ursa, Sabine, and Tristan for help. It is here that we learn that Clan Wren is now locked in a civil conflict with Clan Saxon. It’s unclear yet how much of Mandalore has been consumed by this conflict, but Ursa Wren is reluctant to grant Ezra any troops. Sabine, however, insists on helping her friends and is given permission to go with whatever volunteers she can round up.

There’s no need to summarize the battle that follows, except to say that the Mandalorian reinforcements from Clan Wren succeed in damaging the interdictor enough for the rebels to escape. As we close out the third season of the show, Ezra and friends are on route to Yavin with a few new allies.

S4E1-2: “Heroes of Mandalore Part 1 & 2”

In exchange for helping the rebels escape Atollon, Kanan and Ezra open the fourth and final season of Rebels repaying the favor for their Mandalorian allies. Specifically, they’re on a mission to free Sabine’s father, who is scheduled for execution.

Mandalore is now in the midst of a second, full-blown civil war as Clan Wren and its allies struggle against the clans aligned with the Empire. Leading the imperials is Gar Saxon’s brother, Tiber, who assumed governorship of Mandalore after Gar’s death. Tiber Saxon is, somehow, even more ruthless than his brother. He completely buys into the imperial cause to the extent that he is willing to sacrifice his own Mandalorian heritage in the pursuit of power.



Helping Tiber achieve his goals is a new weapon that we’ve heard whispers about for almost two seasons of the show. Sabine has mentioned several times that one of the reasons she left the Imperial Academy was because she had developed a weapon that was meant to be used against her own people. We didn’t know anything else about this weapon — until now.

In “Heroes of Mandalore” we finally meet The Duchess, a modified walker than can specifically target Mandalorian beskar armor without inflicting damage to anything else around it. In effect, The Duchess can fry Mandalorian warriors while safely bypassing stormtroopers.

In the first part of this duology, Sabine, wielding the Darksaber, leads an unsuccessful strike to rescue her father. She is aided at the last minute by Clan Kryze, led by Bo-Katan in her first appearance in Rebels. We learn that Bo-Katan briefly served as regent of Mandalore at the end of the Clone Wars but was deposed by Clan Saxon when Bo-Katan refused to recognize imperial rule.

Before long, the group receives intel that Sabine’s father is being transported to the capital. With Bo-Katan’s help, they launch a new rescue against the prisoner convoy and succeed in freeing Alrich Wren.

In part 2, Sabine finally has to face the consequences of her role in creating The Duchess years ago. The clans she has rallied to her cause are justifiably angry that Sabine had a hand in making a weapon that could wipe out her people. Bo-Katan reassures everyone that Sabine has not only realized the gravity of her mistake, but is also willing to risk her life to undo the damage.

The rebels launch a two-prong assault on Tiber Saxon’s star destroyer, where The Duchess is being held. Half the team is tasked with erasing all records of the weapon while the other half destroys the existing prototype.

Sabine and Bo-Katan are almost captured before turning the tables on Tiber. Sabine modifies The Duchess to target stormtrooper armor instead of beskar armor and is tempted to take possession of the weapon for the rebels’ fight against the Empire. But Bo-Katan sees where this path will lead and urges Sabine to make the honorable decision and destroy The Duchess once and for all.

When Clan Wren returns to base, they find that warriors from several other clans have chosen to join their cause. Sabine, having seen Bo-Katan’s natural wisdom and leadership during the assault, urges Clan Kryze to take possession of the Darksaber. Bo-Katan agrees to wield the weapon in her sister’s memory as the clans opposed to the Empire fight to reunite Mandalore once and for all.



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Even though we’ve come to the end of our list, there are a few unanswered questions that have not yet been addressed by the current Star Wars canon.

First, we leave the story of the Darksaber with Bo-Katan during the height of the second Mandalorian civil war. This takes place approximately two years before the Battle of Yavin. The Darksaber next appears at the end of season 1 of The Mandalorian, which takes place approximately nine years after the Battle of Yavin. That gives us a span of 11 years in which we know nothing about its whereabouts.

Another thing we know relatively little about is the Great Purge of Mandalore. This event is referenced several times during season 1 of The Mandalorian, but we don’t have many details. All we know is that it took place sometime during the span of 11 years between the second Mandalorian civil war and the fall of the Empire. Did Bo-Katan win the civil war on the side of Mandalore only to have the Empire respond with terrible retribution? Did the Empire punish Mandalore for being aligned with the Rebel Alliance? We don’t know. With Katee Stackhoff having been cast as the live-action Bo-Katan in season 2 of The Mandalorian (she also voiced the animated character), there’s the possibility we’ll get answers soon.

Finally, we know from the series finale of Rebels that Sabine Wren survived both the Great Purge and the Galactic Civil War. Did she survive the purge because she was fighting with the Rebel Alliance and wasn’t on Mandalore? Again, we don’t know. If Bo-Katan and Ahsoka appear in future episodes of The Mandalorian, it’s not outside the possibility that Sabine may show up as well. For all we know, we may even learn the final fate of Ezra Bridger.

So how did I do? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments. Otherwise, happy watching, and may the Force be with you!