Skirmish on Krownest

A skirmish on Krownest occurred in 2 BBY between members of the rebellion, the Mandalorian Clan Wren, and Imperial Super Commandos led by Mandalorian Viceroy Gar Saxon. The brief battle took place during a mission by Mandalorian warrior and rebel Sabine Wren, Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, and Padawan Ezra Bridger to recruit Clan Wren into the rebellion. Ursa Wren, Sabine's mother and leader of the clan, initially turned the rebels over to Viceroy Saxon, but Saxon declared Clan Wren traitors and sparked a battle between the clan and his Super Commandos. The contingent of Super Commandos were defeated, and Sabine bested Saxon in single combat. Following Saxon's death, at the hands of Ursa, Sabine remained with her family to help Clan Wren reunite the Mandalorian people, using the Darksaber she held in her possession as an ancient symbol of Mandalorian unity.

Prelude
During the Age of the Empire, Clan Wren was one of the important Mandalorian clans that answered to Gar Saxon, the Viceroy of Mandalore who ruled his people on behalf of the Galactic Empire. After learning that the Empire was building weapons used to subjugate the Mandalorian people, the Imperial cadet Sabine Wren spoke up against the Empire. When her family failed to support her, Sabine ran away from the Imperial Academy of Mandalore and later joined the Spectres rebel cell, which was part of a larger rebellion against the Empire.

Sabine's actions undermined the standing of her family with Viceroy Saxon. In retaliation, Saxon detained Sabine Wren's father as a hostage on Mandalore. He also conscripted Sabine's older brother Tristan Wren into his Imperial Super Commandos. Sabine's mother Ursa Wren was allowed to continue ruling over the Wren Stronghold on Krownest in return for her and her family's fealty to Saxon. For years, Ursa did not search for her daughter in order to avoid endangering Sabine.

In 2 BBY, Saxon attempted to impress Sabine into his service on the third moon of Concord Dawn. However, she defied him and escaped with the help of the Spectres and the former Protectors' leader Fenn Rau. Later that year, Sabine obtained the Darksaber, an ancient lightsaber, on Dathomir. At the urging of the Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus and Fenn, Sabine agreed to learn how to wield the Darksaber so that she could win the Mandalorians over to the rebellion.

Homecoming
Sabine and her fellow Spectres Kanan, Ezra Bridger, Chopper along with Fenn Rau traveled on the Phantom II shuttle to the snowy forested planet of Krownest. Upon entering Krownest's atmosphere, Sabine attempted to contact her family but found her communications being jammed. The Phantom II came under attack from a squadron of Clan Wren warriors led by Sabine's brother Tristan. Tristan's warriors damaged the Phantom II main thrusters, forcing Sabine to crash the shuttle on the snow.

After landing, Sabine along with Ezra and Kanan went to greet the Mandalorians while Fenn hid inside the ship with Chopper. Shortly later, Tristan and his men arrived. A brief firefight ensued when Ezra ignited his green lightsaber. However, Tristan ordered a ceasefire after recognizing Sabine's voice. After exchanging pleasantries, Tristan escorted the visitors to the Wren stronghold where Ursa Wren was waiting.

Ursa was initially displeased to see her daughter Sabine and ordered her warriors to detain the visitors. However, Sabine convinced her mother that they need to talk and showed her the Darksaber. Ursa reluctantly agreed to grant Sabine and the Jedi an audience but ordered them to surrender their weapons. Once inside, Ursa briefed her daughter about the gravity of her past actions and stressed the importance of preserving Clan Wren. Following an argument about the Protectors, Ursa summoned her daughter for a private meeting.

In private, Ursa chastised Sabine for endangering her father and their family's fortunes. She also questioned Sabine's claim to the Darksaber because she had not taken it from Maul by besting him in combat. Ursa also refused her daughter's request to aid the rebellion, fearing the retribution of the Empire. Sabine in return criticized her mother for siding with the Empire and Saxon and putting politics above family. The conversation was interrupted by a hologram meeting between Ursa and Viceroy Saxon. While Ursa conferred with Saxon, Sabine and her brother Tristan sparred for recreation.

From foes to allies
In private, Viceroy Saxon informed Ursa that he would be coming to apprehend the Jedi Kanan and Ezra. He also promised to "take care" of Ursa's family. Unknown to Ursa and Saxon, they were being spied upon by Fenn Rau, who subsequently recovered Kanan and Ezras weapons. Kanan then requested an audience with Ursa Wren to discuss a possible alliance between Clan Wren and the rebellion. Fearing trouble with Saxon and the Empire, she turned down Kanan's requests. Ursa was even more troubled to learn from Ezra that Sabine had fought with Saxon earlier. She then apologized for having to turn them over to Saxon.

Shortly later, Saxon arrived with his Super Commandos and proceeded to take Kanan and Ezra into custody. Sabine tried to intervene Saxon revealed that Ursa had made a bargain with him in order to protect Sabine. Ursa then demanded that Saxon uphold his side of the bargain but the Viceroy decided to exterminate Clan Wren for consorting with the enemy. Before Saxon could order his men to attack the Wrens, Fenn Rau burst into the throneroom with his jetpack and handed the Jedi their lightsabers.

A gun battle ensued and the Wrens managed to defeat Saxon's Super Commandos with the help of the Jedi and Fenn. Sabine then took on Saxon in a lightsaber duel. After blasting their way out of the stronghold, the two landed on a nearby ice lake and parried with their blades. Sabine borrowed Ezra's lightsaber while Saxon wielded the Darksaber. During the fight, Saxon flew his jetpack and attempted to shoot Sabine. Sabine deflected his blows with her small portable shield and managed to damage his jetpack, forcing Saxon to fight on the ground.

After parrying with their blades for a second round, Sabine managed to knock the Darksaber out of his hand. She then held the Darksaber and Ezra's lightsaber above Saxon's neck and demanded that he yield. Refusing to surrender to Sabine, Saxon demanded that she execute him per the Mandalorian tradition. However, Sabine refused to strike him down since she did not believe in killing others. Saxon then tried to shoot her but Ursa shot Saxon in the chest, killing the Viceroy.

Aftermath
The Mission to Krownest succeeded in helping Sabine to begin rebuilding ties with her estranged mother Ursa and brother Tristan. While Sabine decided to stay behind with her family to help reunify the Mandalorians, the rebellion gained a tentative ally in the form of House Wren. Fenn Rau also decided to stay behind with his Mandalorian brethren to help Sabine and House Wren. Meanwhile, the other Spectres departed Krownest on the Phantom II. Gar Saxon's death created a power vacuum in Mandalorian society. Sabine and Fenn hoped to reunify the Mandalorians and ally them with the rebellion. However, Sabine did not believe that she was the leader that Mandalore needed and vowed to help find Mandalore's true leader.

Behind the scenes
The Mission to Krownest forms the main plot element of the Star Wars Rebels episode "Legacy of Mandalore", which premiered on Disney XD on February 18, 2017. It introduced Sabine's brother Tristan Wren and her mother Ursa Wren.