Mand'alor

Mand'alor was the title assumed by the sole leader of the Mandalorian people. Their Protectors established a balance of control in the Mandalorians' warrior clan society. The Mandalorian Jedi, Tarre Vizsla, once ruled all of Mandalore, and a descendant, Pre Vizsla, leader of the Mandalorian splinter group Death Watch, took the title of Mand'alor during his takeover of Mandalore, the Mandalorian homeworld, but the title became vacant when Vizsla was killed in a duel with Darth Maul.

During the reign of the Galactic Empire, the former Mandalorian super commando Gar Saxon, had wished to be Mand'alor and rule over the Mandalorians. The leader of the Protectors, Fenn Rau, claimed Saxon had no honor, thus Saxon was unable to claim the title. He was, however, installed as Viceroy of Mandalore by Emperor Palpatine. After Gar Saxon's death, his brother, Governor Tiber Saxon, succeeded him and wished to gain control of all of Mandalore, but was killed before he could achieve his goal after Sabine Wren returned to Mandalore with her clan and the Darksaber to free her father.

After Saxon's death, Sabine passed down the Darksaber to Lady Bo-Katan Kryze, who accepted the Darksaber from Wren and with the support of clans Wren, Vizsla, Rook, Eldar, her own Clan Kryze, and the Protectors, represented by Rau, stepped into the role of Mand'alor to unite the Mandalorian people against the Empire.

Clone Wars
During the Clone Wars, Concordia's Governor Pre Vizsla, a descendant of Tarre Vizsla, became leader of the terrorist group, Death Watch. Vizsla believed he was continuing the Mand'alor ' s tradition despite the New Mandalorians' political dominance. In 19 BBY, Vizsla and his Death Watch forces were able take control of Mandalore away from Duchess Satine Kryze and her New Mandalorian government with help from former Sith Lord, Maul and his Shadow Collective. The Mandalorian people, in response to the threat posed by the Shadow Collective's attacks, accepted Vizsla's rule.

However, his rule was cut short when Maul challenged Vizsla for leadership of Death Watch. Vizsla was defeated after Maul beheaded him during their duel. Maul claimed the Darksaber, leadership over Death Watch and Mandalore. However, several members of the Death Watch under Bo-Katan Kryze refused to follow Maul due to him being a outsider. Maul's brief was cut short when he was captured by his former master, Darth Sidious and control of Mandalore went to Prime Minister Almec.

During the Siege of Mandalore, Bo-Katan was named Lady of House Kryze and Mandalore's Regent by the Jedi. Many saw her as the rightful ruler of Mandalore.

Age of the Empire
Following the Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire, Bo-Katan refused to do the Empire's bidding and was removed from her position. Gar Saxon of Clan Saxon attempted to claim the title for himself, but the Protectors saw that Saxon had no honor, thus Saxon was unable to claim the title. He was, however, installed as Viceroy of Mandalore by Emperor Palpatine.

Following Saxon's death at the hands of Clan Wren, Fenn Rau believed that Sabine Wren could lead Mandalore. However, Sabine knew that she was not the rightful ruler and would find Mandalore's true leader. Viceroy Saxon's brother, Tiber Saxon succeeded him as Governor and attempted take control of all of Mandalore by using a Arc Pulse Generator. However, he was killed before he could achieve his goal after Sabine returned to destroy her weapon and rally her people against the Empire. Bo-Katan was given the Darksaber and accepted the title of Mand'alor from the Protectors and the other Mandalorian clans.

Tarre Vizsla


Tarre Vizsla was the first Mandalorian accepted into the Jedi Order of the Old Republic. During his time as a jedi, Vizsla created the Darksaber, which was seen as a one of a kind lightsaber. Vizsla eventually became Mand'alor. After his passing, Vizsla was honored with a statue of himself on Mandalore. His darksaber was kept at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. However, it was stolen by members of House Vizsla. It was used by members of the House and Clan Vizsla to unify the people and strike down their enemies.

Pre Vizsla
"Listen, Duchess. Do you hear the people? They cry out for change. Your weak-minded rule of Mandalore is at an end. The resurrection of our warrior past is about to begin!"

- Pre Vizsla

Pre Vizsla was the leader of the terrorist Mandalorian faction known as Death Watch. Following Mandalore's Civil War, Vizsla became leader of Death Watch and attempted to overthrow the New Mandalorians' leadership in order to restore Mandalore's warrior past, seeing Duchess Satine as a tarnish to Mandalorians.

As Governor of Concordia, Vizsla pretended to support the Duchess and her government by supposedly tracking down Death Watch members. In secret, Vizsla led the Death Watch and used Concordia's mines to forge Mandalorian armor and weapons in order to take control of Mandalore. When the Clone Wars erupted, Vizsla agreed to ally the Death Watch with Count Dooku and the Confederacy of Independent Systems to overthrow Duchess Satine. As part of their alliance, Death Watch carried out a attack on a Republic cruiser.

However, this attack gained the attention of the Jedi Council, who sent Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to investigate the attack. The Duchess and Prime Minister Almec denied any Mandalorian involvement until Kenobi showed them footage of a Death Watch saboteur attacking a Republic cruiser. Satine then confirmed rumors of Death Watch's existence. A member of Death Watch carried out a Bombing on the Memorial shrine in Sundari. The bomber left behind a holographic statement against the New Mandalorian government that displayed the sign of the Death Watch, a shriek-hawk. Vizsla then spoke with Dooku, concerned about the Jedi's and Republic's intentions towards Mandalore. Dooku assured Vizsla that when the Republic sends peace-keeping troops to Mandalore, the people would rebel, and join Death Watch to which Vizsla agreed. However, Kenobi discovered the mines still operation and was briefly captured.

Vizsla then revealed himself as Death Watch's leader when he confronted Kenobi and the Duchess. Vizsla gave Kenobi his lightsaber and fought Kenobi with Tarre Vizsla's Darksaber that had been stolen from the Jedi temple during the fall of the Old Republic. Despite his skills, Vizsla was unable to defeat Kenobi and had his men use their rocket launcher to finish Kenobi. However, the rockets failed to kill Kenobi and Kryze as they escaped.

Vizsla eventually broke off his alliance with the Separatists after the Republic abandoned it's plans to occupy Mandalore. Vizsla fought Dooku, but abandoned the duel when he received a scar from their duel. Vizsla and the Death Watch were forced into hiding out on Carlac. There, he and the Death Watch forced the Ming Po women to serve them. After an encounter with Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano and former Separatist Senator Lux Bonteri, Vizsla and the Death Watch were forced to abandon their camp and establish a new one on Zanbar. On a patrol near Zanbar, Vizsla and Bo-Katan found two Zabraks; Maul and his brother, Savage Opress. With the Zabraks as his allies, Vizsla saw his chance overthrow Satine and take control of Mandalore by forming the Shadow Collective. As they gathered forces from criminal cartels such as the Black Sun, the Pyke Syndicate, and the Hutt Clan, Vizsla planned to eliminate Maul after they take control of Mandalore. With the Shadow Collective's help, the New Mandalorians and their guards suffered attacks in Sundari and were unable to stop them. Death Watch and Vizsla then moved in to fight the criminals, appearing as heroes to the people. After imprisoning Satine, Vizsla claimed the title of Mand'alor for himself. He then had Maul and his brother imprisoned.

Vizsla's reign as Mand'alor was cut short when Maul and his brother broke out of prison with the former prime minister Almec. In the Sundari's Royal Palace's throne room, Maul challenged Vizsla for leadership, which Vizsla accepted and handled Maul his lightsaber. At first, Vizsla had the upper hand in his duel with Maul by using his jetpack and blasters. However, Maul was able to defeat Vizsla. Vizsla, accepting his defeat, gave Maul the darksaber and was beheaded in front of the Death Watch. Despite Maul claiming leadership over Death Watch, Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls refused to follow the outsider and made her escape.

Bo-Katan Kryze
"I accept this sword for my sister, for my clan, and for all of Mandalore."

- Bo-Katan Kryze

Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls was a member of Death Watch during the Clone Wars. When Death Watch set up camp on Carlac, Kryze served as Vizsla's second in command. As a member of Death Watch, she took part in Vizsla and Death Watch's attacks on the Ming Po and their town and pursing former Separatist senator Lux Bonteri and Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano. During a patrol near Zanbar, Kryze and Vizsla came across two Zabraks;Maul and his brother Savage Opress. Kryze believed that the Zabraks should be killed, but Vizsla told her to keep them alive. As Vizsla and Maul formed the Shadow Collective to take Mandalore, Vizsla told Kryze that they would eliminate Maul after they take control of Mandalore.

Death Watch was successful in taking control of Mandalore away from Kryze's sister, Satine. Kyrze and Death Watch imprisoned Maul, during which Kyrze clubbed Maul with her blaster. However, Maul, his brother and Almec escaped and challenged Vizsla for leadership of Death Watch. Kryze handed Maul his lightsaber and watched as Vizsla fought Maul. When Maul defeated and beheaded Vizsla, Kryze and her Nite Owls refused to follow Maul. She and her followers made their escape

Behind the scenes
"Pre Vizsla—played by Jon Favreau—he is the person who's trying to maintain historic Mandalore. He is the one that's maintaining their history, the concept of the Mand'alor, the one leader, and he wants to usurp Satine. [...] He is the lineage of the Mandalorians—at least, he's convinced himself that he is."

- Dave Filoni

The title of Mand'alor first appeared in Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 1: Edge of the Whirlwind, the first issue in the Star Wars Legends Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi — The Sith War series of comics, which was published by Dark Horse Comics in 1995. The title became canon when it was mentioned in a featurette that was included in Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Complete Season Two, a box set available on Blu-ray or DVD that included the entirety of the second season of The Clone Wars that was released on October 26, 2010.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
 * Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore