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We can’t believe the first season of The Mandalorian is already over. The show arrived on our Disney+ services this November and immediately stole our hearts. Baby Yoda was just the beginning. This Star Wars series–the first live-action show set in the galaxy far, far away–is full of heart, love, friendship, action, and so much more. It’s got a little bit of everything for every kind of fan, and we’ll miss it so much.

Luckily, the show will be back for another season, so we don’t have to mourn too hard. And the season finale teased something huge in its final moments. Something that has us even more amped up for whatever comes next than we could have possibly imagined. But if you’re not steeped in Star Wars lore, the significance of a certain object that appeared in the finale might have you confused.

Here’s an explainer for what the weapon is, where we’ve seen it before, and what it means for season two of The Mandalorian.

Lucasfilm

We learn a lot about Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon in this episode, which was directed by Taika Waititi and is titled “Redemption.” Namely, that he was a leader in the Empire’s siege of Mandalore, that he knows Mando’s real name (Din Djarin), and that he’s in possession of a black lightsaber. If you’re a fan of the Star Wars animated series The Clone Wars and Rebels, then you’ll recognize this iconic blade. It’s called Darksaber, and it belonged to the first Mandalorian to join the Jedi Order, Tarre Vizsla.

The weapon was an invention of George Lucas–who wrote it into The Clone Wars–and The Mandalorian executive producer Dave Filoni, who came up with its backstory. We learn from Pre Vizsla, an ancestor of Tarre’s, that the Darksaber was stolen from a Jedi Temple during the fall of the Old Republic. “Since then, many Jedi have died upon its blade,” Pre explains. The Darksaber was passed through generations, acquiring a prideful symbol-like status for the Mandalorians, who see it as part of their heritage. It’s a sacred weapon, and knowing it’s in Moff Gideon’s possession has several terrifying implications.

For starters, it means that Bo-Katan Kryze is likely dead. Kryze was the leader of Mandalore (known as their Mand’alor) who was given the Darksaber by Sabine Wren in Rebels. According to Darksaber legend, one can only come into possession of the weapon by defeating its former master in combat. So, does that mean Moff Gideon killed her? Or is there more to the story?

Lucasfilm

Luckily, we might not have to wait for the second season of The Mandalorian to find out. The seventh season of The Clone Wars is set for release in February 2020 on Disney+ and will focus on the Siege of Mandalore. Maybe we’ll see an animated version of Moff Gideon, and learn how he came into possession of the Darksaber–and what really happened to Bo-Katan Kryze. It’s possible Gideon seized it without winning it, and his claim to its ownership is illegitimate. That opens up a world of possibilities for both The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian.

And what does it mean that Gideon has the Darksaber? Well, for starters, it means we’ll probably see Din Djarin try to reclaim it for his people. We’ve already seen the Empire try to crush out Mandalorian culture by turning beskar into Imperial currency. There’s no way Gideon’s possession of such a powerful piece of Mandalorian culture will sit well with Din.

But how will learn that Moff Gideon is not only alive, but alive and with the Darksaber? That one will have to wait for season two.

Featured Image: Lucasfilm

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