The Darksaber storyline ended shockingly and disappointingly in The Mandalorian's third season, and fans continue to debate its conclusion.
While animation gave the Darksaber a certain amount of prestige, and there was always a hope that the fabled Mandalorian weapon would one day fall into the right hands, it ended up destroyed during The Mandalorian Season 3 finale. Even though some fans found this a satisfactory conclusion to a divisive weapon that corrupted anyone who used it, others believe the Darksaber deserved better.
The Darksaber was forged by the only Mandalorian Jedi in history, Tarre Vizsla, and the weapon represents that rare aspect of Mandalorian lore. Mandalorians have been seen as warriors. Their philosophy differs from Jedi, so they've been traditionally disconnected from the Force. Of course, that has changed recently. Mandalorian Sabine Wren is training to be a Jedi Knight under the guidance of Ahsoka Tano. Grogu, a Force-sensitive child with years of training at the Jedi Temple, is brought up by a devout Mandalorian father. With the growing closeness between Mandalorians and Jedi, this wasn't the best time for the Darksaber to have been destroyed.
However, according to a new theory from ScreenRant, the Darksaber's origins may hint at Din Djarin's future. Although Djarin gave the Darksaber to Bo-Katan Kryze in Season 3, this may not be the end of the weapon's importance to Mandalore's future. At this year's MEGACon, Director Bryce Dallas Howard revealed the Darksaber was inspired by Excalibur, the sword belonging to the legendary King Arthur. That's not all; Excalibur was also George Lucas's inspiration for the Lightsaber.
In Arthurian lore, the Excalibur would be wielded by the "One True King," King Arthur, to unite all Britons the same way the Darksaber was meant to be wielded by the Mand'alor, who united all Mandalorians. Arthurian lore also reveals two swords, with the first destroyed in battle. Similarly, the Darksaber was destroyed by Moff Gideon when he fought Bo-Katan Kryze.
Along with the parallels drawn by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni between The Armorer and Merlin, ScreenRant's theory questions whether Bo-Katan Kryze is the true Mand'alor, or more like the Lady of the Lake, who gives Arthur the second sword after his first one was destroyed. Have we seen the end of the Darksaber, or will it return and find its way to its rightful owner? Is Bo-Katan the rightful owner, or will Din Djarin be the next to rule Mandalorians?
There's also the matter of theories that Grogu will become Mandalore's next great leader as a Mandalorian Jedi. It seems more fitting for Grogu to inherit the title of Mand'alor from his father instead of anyone else. How else will he say, "I'm Mand'alor, like my father before me"?
If the Darksaber makes a return, it is unlikely to fall into Bo-Katan's hands, as she has already claimed her throne and returned to power. It is likely to belong to a new owner, and with Sabine Wren not interested in returning to Mandalore and Grogu still quite young, Din Djarin's leadership arc may not be finished after all, and his true destiny may not be fulfilled until much later.
Perhaps Season 3 and The Mandalorian and Grogu, are the middle chapters of a much larger journey that will lead Din to the kind of leadership he rejected for so long. With Grogu now much more capable of defending himself and the duo working more like partners, Din could find it much easier to be a leader.
The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+.