Din Djarin (Still) Struggles With the Weight of the Darksaber in 'The Mandalorian' – Why?
Published March 9 2023, 9:29 p.m. ET
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 2 on Disney Plus.
There's a reason why the entire kingdom of Camelot was unable to lift the sword in the stone until that guy named Arthur came along — withstanding the weight of the weapon was more of a mental hurdle than a physical one.
It's a lesson Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) still hasn't learned in The Mandalorian Season 3 with the Darksaber.
Back in The Book of Boba Fett, Din struggled to wield the Darksaber when he engaged in practice duels with the Armorer (Emily Swallow). She warned Din that his issue was his lack of focus, not his physical strength.
Given that it's been a while since Din's Darksaber practice sessions, why is the Darksaber still so heavy for him in The Mandalorian Season 3? Here's what we know.
Why is the Darksaber still so heavy for Din in 'The Mandalorian'?
To say that Din's attempt to wield the Darksaber against the frightening Alamite beasts in the ruins of Mandalore was less than graceful would be an understatement. Din struggles with the heavy Darksaber, nearly abandoning the weapon altogether and using his fists instead to defeat the hungry Alamites.
Meanwhile, Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) grabs the Darksaber later on in the episode and handles it with the grace of a ballerina en pointe, deftly wielding the legendary blade.
The Armorer actually explained the reason why the Darksaber is still so heavy for Din in The Mandalorian Season 3. Back when she was sparring with Din, his mind was still focused on Grogu.
According to the Armorer, the wielder of the Darksaber had to channel their focus solely into the weapon. If their thoughts were elsewhere, the Darksaber would feel heavier as a result. And what is Din focused on in The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 2? Redemption.
Men will literally try to redeem themselves in the ruins of an abandoned planet instead of getting therapy.
OK, it's not that Din needs therapy per se, but he's staked his entire sense of identity in being a Mandalorian, so it makes sense that his mind would be more focused on the Armorer's redemption mission to bathe in the living waters as opposed to, you know, learning how to wield the weapon the Mandalorian people prize above everything else.
It makes perfect sense why Bo-Katan is able to wield the Darksaber more efficiently. She knows exactly what she wants. She's more focused than Din.
However, Bo-Katan technically didn't win the Darksaber from Din, so he's still the rightful owner of the weapon. So will the Darksaber still be ridiculously heavy for him moving forward? Will he have to hit the intergalactic gym?
We'll just have to wait and see when The Mandalorian Season 3 drops new episodes every Wednesday on Disney Plus.