Lightsabers are so deeply embedded in pop culture that even the most casual Star Wars fan knows the weapons' basics. The Darksaber, however, didn't become a more mainstream item until it appeared in The Mandalorian in 2019. Its lore runs as deep as its body count, which makes it a character just as intriguing as its wielders. The question of who is most worthy of its power has remained even after its destruction, but the answer is more straightforward than it may seem.
The complicated history of the Darksaber dates back centuries. It changed hands many times among warriors before it landed in the hands of Bo-Katan Kryze in Season 3 of The Mandalorian. She may have been the last one to ever wield it, but she was not the only one worthy of the title of Mandalor -- the rightful ruler of the Mandalorian people by creed. Din Djarin was arguably one of the strongest in the saber's long line of owners despite never ruling the people it represented.
Din Djarin isn't a Traditional Mandalorian Leader
Din's strength has always come from his heart; he has never been interested in holding a position of power, fighting a war, or leading a world. His most successful missions have involved connecting with others and seeing them for who they really are. Meeting Grogu and recognizing him as a child worthy of love and protection instead of an asset to be dismantled changed the entire trajectory of his story. Din was once a bounty hunter in the profession solely for the credits. Now, everything he does revolves around creating the best possible life for his son.
It is Din's capacity to see the worth and value in others that led him to vouch for Bo-Katan in Season 3, even though she technically did not earn the Darksaber by traditional Mandalorian creed -- there was no duel to the death. Din saw through her tough exterior, however, and knew that when she saved his life, she didn't do it for personal gain. Bo-Katan saved him because she would do anything to protect one of her own -- something Din saw as a vital trait of a future Mandalor.
Bo-Katan Claimed the Darksaber Twice for a Reason
Din saw something in Bo-Katan that many others could not. The former princess was out for blood from the moment the two met, and she scoffed when she learned he was raised in Children of the Watch. She also turned him away when he flew all the way to her castle to beg for her help. When she learned his life was in danger, however, she sprung into action without hesitation. Bo-Katan even treated Grogu like a fellow Mandalorian as they searched for his father, telling him stories and trusting him with fragments of her past. Her grief hardened her heart for a long time, but Din saw the loyalty and empathy in Bo-Katan from the start.
In The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 7, "Chapter 23: The Spies," Din told Bo-Katan, "Your song is not yet written." Speaking these words, from Mandalorian to Mandalorian, meant that Din believed she would go down in history as a warrior and leader for selflessly serving her people. Not long after this, Bo-Katan revealed a difficult truth about her past: she had surrendered herself and the Darksaber on the Night of a Thousand Tears so her people could live. She had long ago proven that she would put Mandalore and its people before herself and her claim to power. Though she didn't need to prove it again, Din knew she would -- and he watched her do so in the battle that followed.
Mandalorians Never Needed the Darksaber After All
Deep down, Din knew the Darksaber was never a valid measure of worth when choosing a Mandalorian ruler. Tarre Vizsla forged the weapon from beskar and channeled the Force through its unique crystal, but he was also a Jedi. He did not seek to gain power through his creation -- he simply made a one-of-a-kind tool that would serve him until his death. Eventually, the saber fell into the hands of control-seeking beings such as Darth Maul and Moff Gideon, and the original purpose of the weapon warped into something sinister and corrupt.
It took someone like Din to finally understand that what makes a worthy Mandalor is not the sword they carry -- it's the reason they carry it. Maul and Gideon sought to avenge and conquer; they were never invested in the future of Mandalore. Din recognized that he didn't have the prerequisites to lead either, but not because he was unworthy. Rather, he felt the next leader of the Mandalorians needed to be able to see the worth in themselves without having to challenge an opponent to a duel to uncover it. This is why he told the tale of how she saved him from the spider-tank. Bo-Katan needed to hear that even without the saber, she was enough; she deserved a second chance to lead.
The strongest leaders are those who make peace with their own weaknesses. Strong, capable leaders do not strike people down or stand in the way in order to keep the most power for themselves. Din saw that Bo-Katan had strengths he did not have and ambitions he did not share. He could have easily kept the Darksaber and all it symbolized for himself -- technically, he earned that right. His heart allowed him to soften Bo-Katan's battle-scarred exterior to reveal the Mandalor underneath the armor. He is one of the most worthy of that title because he gifted it to another despite the power he held over her. Few Mandalorians before him have shown this level of strength, and like Bo-Katan, he will be remembered in Mandalorian history for his unique worth.
Centuries from now, the Darksaber will exist as nothing more than the skeletal remains of an artifact of Mandalore's great history. Bo-Katan Kryze and Din Djarin, however, will be the subjects of songs sung to honor the heroes of the clans' many battles. Din never held the title of Mandalor, as there wasn't a habitable Mandalore to rule when he held the Darksaber at his side. Nonetheless, his selfless acts of service to Bo-Katan will mark him as a historical figure among the Mandalorians for the rest of time.
Although Din was one of many who wielded the Darksaber before it was destroyed, among those notable names, he was one of only two wielders who noted the worth in someone else and granted them the chance to rule instead. Mandalorian creed once stated that the title of Mandalor and the right to the Darksaber could only be won through the death of another. Din Djarin changed that rule forever -- not because he wanted to be remembered, but instead because he wanted someone else to be seen for who they were.