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parragone · 10 months

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The Darksaber is not a Fencing Foil.

The strangest thing about the idea of Bo-Katan using the Darksaber as a fencing foil being evidence that she's somehow more suited to it is that... it's not a fencing foil. A better way to phrase what he was trying to say is that it was lighter to her, but I also think that the initial phasing betrays a sort of fundamental lack of... creativity, I suppose, with how the Saber could have been handled.

Like, don't get me wrong, and let me preface this immediately; I do think Bo-Katan should be the Mand'alor. It's the natural conclusion to her story; Mand'alor or death, that is. I just think the narrative of Mando's episodes of bobf + season 3 doesn't lend itself to a strong presentation of why, nor did they show strong character development away from her dark past. Din Djarin isn't a leader because he doesn't want to be, and frankly that itself makes him a better hand of the Mand'alor than anything else. I think that the writers ran into walls they didn't know how to handle, and a sub-par story is the result.

Now, I don't know how many people who read this are familiar with star wars legends, swordfighting, sword making, and how different swords are typically wielded. I've done an absurd amount of research and even some training on how to wield blades of multiple types effectively, and so I speak with some authority [ but certainly not a professional one ] when I say that Bo-Katan wielding the Darksaber as a fencing foil is a fundamental representation of her own character's misunderstanding of the position and power she craves.

Let's start with the basics. This is the Darksaber; I tried to get multiple angles and resources.

Even without the official description, we can see that the Darksaber is unique among all lightsabers. It has a one-edged blade with a thick, weighted handle and a slanted guard. It's the hilt as a whole, the style of the guard, and the design of the blade that gives way to this weapon simply not functioning as a fencing weapon in the slightest.

In fact, for all his clumsiness, Din Djarin had a better idea of how to use the weapon than Bo-Katan Kryze.

Let's begin with the obvious; this is not a fencing foil. To those who are uninitiated, fencing is done with one of three standard weapons; foils, epees, and sabers. The last one would make you think oh, that might be what he was referring to, but I assure you it most certainly is not.

Witness; the foil.

Notice something key about both the pistol grip and the standard grip; they are thin and lightweight, intended for one-handed use and swift movement. They also have a distinct trait among martial combat weapons, being their rounded guards that protect the whole hand in combat. Fencing, as a combat style, is one where your hand is at the most risk of immediate reprisal in the event an opponent manages a strike back at you. You are throwing your arm forward and piercing, attacking with jabs and thrusts. You do not swing a foil.

It's simply impractical.

Now, the epee.

Basically the direct sister of the Foil, with a guard meant to defend from swings. Arguably better suited for combat, I haven't seen it as much in actual fencing sport, so I can't say much on it. It can be clunky to wield, especially given that your hand must fit inside the guard, but... to each their own. It's safer than the foil, and often provides more coverage for the limb you place at most risk.

At last, the saber.

Please forgive the garbage picture for this one.

This one's handle is iconic, used across fantasy and historical fiction alike in one way or another. [ Note; you may actually know this as a rapier. It's how most of my friends seem to know it. ] Again, the notable round guard, thin hilt, and a distinct hand guard to defend the back of the hand.

All of these weapons have one thing in common. They are designed for jabs and thrusts, with thin blades meant to pierce. They have no distinct blade to them, and while a slash would... hurt, it certainly wouldn't be effective in any way. They are also historically used by light-weight combatants; watch a fencing competition, see how they bounce and leap and practically twirl around their arenas. They don't wear heavy armor; the best someone wielding a fencing weapon would wear is leather armor, not plate or even much chainmail.

These weapons resemble, interestingly enough, actual lightsabers; the only difference is that there are no circular guards, likely because if a lightsaber hits you in combat, it's taking way more than your fingers.

All of these are thin, light, and - while customized to the wielder - are all visibly small in the hand. They're meant to be used in quick, acrobatic combat that likely isn't prolonged. Remember that the Jedi would end fights quickly, and all of their fighting styles would only... prolong the inevitable, so to speak, if they were cornered by too many enemies.

Now, again, the darksaber.

This is a weapon wielded one-handed, though it can be wielded with two. It deals a majority of damage through slashing and cutting, it bears a single bladed edge, and the weapon's hilt is clunky enough that it takes the entire hand to hold it. A comparison would be holding a broom stick versus holding a... beer or wine bottle. One is significantly thicker, taking more room in your hand.

The Darksaber is also made from metal. A lot of lighter weapons throughout history tend to prefer wood, or leather wrapped wood, as a hilt; metal or metal wrapped handles tend to be considered more of a medium or heavy weapon feature, as wood could splinter, develop dry rot, or simply crack under the weight of a heavier weapon.

The weapon has a high resemblance to a legends weapon that's a heritage piece for the Mandalorians; the beskad. This is a one-edged blade often the length of the wielder's arm, forged from beskar and carried by those who practice that particular strain of Mando martial arts. In legends, it would sometimes be wielded in conjecture with a kai dagger in the off-hand, but that was optional.

shoutout to Tyler Broyles on artstation for this particular reference.

This weapon is designed for short, devastating slashes and to crack open weaknesses in armor plating. More importantly, it was heavy. It was designed to break through an enemy's defenses through sharpness or strength, and so it was designed to be both precise and brutal. This method of fighting allowed Mandalorians to get in close to an enemy and deny them the space to escape, and a single swing of a well-made beskad could embed itself into the bone of an opponent. Those made in beskar could stop lightsabers.

So, we have a cultural precedent for the design of the Darksaber. More notably, though, the beskad visually presents much closer to a different sort of blade altogether in the real world;

The infamous falchion. No, not the curved fantasy one; the one used in history. One straight or nearly-straight blunt side, one honed to a sharp edge, ending in a tapered point.

including some more modern presentations of the same blade;

Do you see, by chance, the way this mirrors the Darksaber? Let's take one more look at it.

You see it?

This is a weapon designed by a Mandalorian who, according to legend, became Mand'alor and designed this weapon specifically for himself. You don't do that without significant combat prowess. He understood what the weapon was designed for; heavy slashes, close combat, and aggressive, overwhelming force. This is not the weapon of a fencer, this is a weapon of a knight. To use it as a fencing weapon fundamentally misunderstands the point of the weapon.

And he's right. She jabs and thrusts with it, she uses the fact that it's light to her to her advantage, but it's awkward. She puts no weight behind it, or maybe she can't put weight behind it. She uses it as she sees power; something light, to toss around and nearly flaunt even in the heat of battle. It's how she's always seen power; somethign easily passed from hand to hand [ perhaps too easily, as she watched Maul claim it so easily ]

Din Djarin, meanwhile, finds it incredibly heavy. And while he himself is clumsy, he seems to know how to use it, as his first instinct is to slash and cut with the weapon. It's less a lack of embracing the weapon and more a discomfort with the power it carries, one that shows itself the more he knows about the significance it holds, especially as he doesn't appear to find it heavy when he first picks it up in season 2's finale.

From a narrative standpoint, this would have been something fun to explore. Make the Darksaber heavier for Bo-Katan as she comes into the position of Mand'alor and having earned it, having truly changed to embrace all of her culture and people for better or for worse. Have the great reveal about the Darksaber be that it never gets lighter for those who realize the weight of their station, but rather serves as some physical reminder of their responsibility. Rather than some indicator of worthiness or moral compass, have it reflect one's acceptance of their position and the weight that comes with it. Or, if you want it to be some mystical indicator of the worthy, have it only be heavy for those who are.

Use it to show that she truly doesn't understand the weight of what she wants. Use it to show that she's disregarded the culture she comes from and the history of her people. Use it to show that she's finally understanding that she wants what her sister wanted by bringing peace and unity to her people, she's just doing it a different way. Use it to show that Pre Vizsla didn't understand either, which is why it was just as clumsy and awkward for him to use as it is for Bo.

Use it to show that Bo understands that Death Watch was wrong.

The weapon was never designed for lightweight fighting. The fact she uses it for that shows that she doesn't understand the station or the culture behind it. The fact that Din Djarin, unwilling and clumsy as he is, uses it more appropriately? Yeah. It's telling.

The fact the producers somehow missed the whole purpose behind a blade's design and function? Yeah.

#the mandalorian spoilers #the mandalorian #the mandalorian season 3 #the mandalorian s3 #din djarin #bo katan kryze #swordplay #sword design #star wars #star wars canon #star wars legends #mandalorians

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