Why Is the Darksaber Heavy For Din Djarin (Only)?

The Mandalorian Season 3 has shown us that Din Djarin, the show’s titular hero, has not yet learned how to wield the Darksaber.

We first witnessed his struggles with this iconic blade in The Book of Boba Fett. Every time Din tried to fight with the Darksaber, it seemed to grow heavier.

So, why is this? Why is the blade so heavy for Din, and why do none of the other Star Wars characters who wielded it have the same struggles?

Din Djarin and Sabine Wren felt the weight of the Darksaber. This is likely because both of them struggled to accept the leadership responsibilities associated with the blade. In fact, Din forsook those responsibilities from the beginning.

What Is the Darksaber?

The Darksaber is a unique black lightsaber. Tarre Vizsla, the only Mandalorian to become a Jedi, made this relic around 1,000 years before the time of the Empire.

This saber remained in the Jedi Temple after Vizsla’s death until Mandalorians of House Vizsla stole it, claiming it as their own.

As time passed, the Darksaber changed hands many times. It came to be seen as a symbol of leadership and the right to rule.

The Darksaber was sometimes passed down or given as a gift, but most often it had to be won in combat.

Notable wielders of the Darksaber include Pre Vizsla, Maul, Sabine Wren, Bo-Katan Kryze, Moff Gideon, and Din Djarin.

Din, the protagonist in The Mandalorian, unintentionally won the Darksaber when he defeated Moff Gideon.

Djarin did not intend to rule with the Darksaber and was not interested in possessing it; however, it passed to him as a result of his victory.

Why Is the Darksaber Heavy for Din Djarin?

In The Book of Boba Fett, Paz Vizsla challenges Din Djarin to a duel, hoping to win the Darksaber from him.

As they fought, Din found that the Darksaber became heavier as he wielded it.

Why did this happen? What caused the Darksaber to become heavy and hard to wield?

Earlier in this same episode, the Armor told Din that he was fighting against the weapon. This may clue us in on why he had so much trouble wielding it.

A more thorough explanation is given in Star Wars Rebels, when Mandalorian Sabine Wren ignites the blade for the first time. She remarks, “It’s heavier than I thought.”

Jedi Kanan Jarrus replies, “Energy constantly flows through the crystal. You’re not fighting with a simple blade as much as you are directing a current of power. Your thoughts, your actions, they become energy. They flow through the crystal as well and become a part of the blade.”

Later, Sabine remarks that the blade seems lighter, and Kanan says that she is forming a connection with it.

What does all this have to do with Din Djarin?

When he wields the Darksaber, it seems to grow heavier over time, not lighter. This suggests not only a lack of connection with the weapon, but a lack of mental discipline and control.

Din’s thoughts are far from the Darksaber during his training sessions and even during his duel with Paz Vizsla. He is more focused on missing Grogu; as a result, his conflicted thoughts pour negative energy into the blade, fighting against it and making it feel heavier.

The reason he has struggles with the blade may go deeper than that, though.

Remember, the Darksaber is an old and unique relic. It must be won in combat, and the one who wields it is the one who has the right to unite Mandalore and rule the people.

Din Djarin had no desire for these responsibilities. He initially tried to give the Darksaber to Bo-Katan Kryze because she was the one seeking it. Djarin was not interested in ruling Mandalore.

So, it’s possible that, just as Din’s mixed emotions and lack of control fought against the Darksaber, the blade was also fighting against him because he gave up his right to rule.

Why Don’t Other Characters Have Trouble Wielding the Darksaber?

Throughout the Star Wars franchise, we’ve seen many different characters wielding the Darksaber. Some of them, like Maul, were not even Mandalorians.

Why didn’t these characters have the same struggles to wield the blade as Din Djarin?

Though Din has had the greatest amount of trouble learning to fight with the Darksaber, he is not the only one who found it heavy.

As mentioned above, Sabine Wren also found the blade heavy at first. She struggled to wield the Darksaber until she learned to focus her thoughts, deal with the negative emotions she kept buried, and form a connection with the weapon.

Sabine also struggled to think of herself as a leader and ruler of her people. She was considered a traitor to the Mandalorians and did not think they would accept her or consider her worthy to wield the Darksaber.

So, just like Din Djarin, she may have unintentionally fought against the leadership component of the blade.

The other characters who wielded it did so with the intent of leading Mandalore. Maul craved the power the Darksaber granted him, Bo-Katan considered herself the rightful ruler, and even Moff Gideon planned to use the saber to unite the Mandalorians.

In this sense, they were fighting with the blade instead of against it. As such, all of them had an easier time wielding it than Sabine and Din did.

Conclusion

The Darksaber feels heavy if the one wielding it lacks mental discipline or is focused on something other than the blade. It may also feel heavy if the wielder has forsaken their right to lead Mandalore, which the blade grants them.

Din Djarin’s thoughts were elsewhere while he was wielding the blade, and he had no interest in ruling Mandalore; thus, he was not only fighting against the blade, but it may have been fighting against him as well.

Sarah Hood

Sarah Hood is a freelance content writer and editor with a love for all things Star Wars. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the great outdoors.