The Mandalorian S3 Finale: [SPOILER]'s Demise Isn't One That Makes Sense

Contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" Season 3 finale, "Chapter 24: The Return"

"The Mandalorian" Season 3 finale is here, and boy, did Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni prove once again that they know how to end a season. "The Return" has all that any "Star Wars" fan could want: Mandalorians doing aerial combat with their jetpacks, Din Djarin going full "John Wick," and Grogu finally putting his Force training to work. However, there's one casualty in the episode that didn't make much sense.

The Darksaber has been a contentious object throughout "The Mandalorian." Whoever wielded the ancient weapon had the right to rule Mandalore, so Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) spent much of their time trying to win it back. However, in the season finale, Gideon does a complete 180, destroying the legendary weapon in his fight against Bo-Katan.

While Gideon's motivations are confusing, the bigger question is how he even crushed the Darksaber with his hands. In "The Book of Boba Fett," Din mentions that the hilt of the weapon is made from beskar with a level of quality he has never seen before. With that information in mind, it seems rather odd that Gideon would be able to crush the saber's hilt, even if his Mandalorian armor gives him heightened strength. In fact, not only does he destroy it, but he does so with relative ease while also somehow leaving Bo-Katan's hand perfectly fine in the process. It's not enough to ruin the finale, but it feels like a bit of a plot hole that needs more explanation.

"Star Wars" fans aren't exactly known for their ability to let things go, so "The Mandalorian" getting rid of a powerful "Star Wars" weapon like the Darksaber has proven to be a controversial move within the fandom. "Kind of upset that the Darksaber got destroyed," u/Frohawk1011 commented after the episode aired. Other users had similarly strong opinions on the fate of the legendary artifact, with u/Phantom_Cavalier calling it "the second most emotional death of a non-character" in the greater "Star Wars" canon. 

While it seems that most fans agree that the weapon's destruction was fittingly impactful, the conversation quickly shifted to how its demise ultimately made sense within the "Star Wars" universe. As u/Mr_rairkim asked, "How was Gideon able to squash the hilt like that?" Other users offered possible ideas, with u/BrohzGraff suggesting: "I think his suit may have had some mechanical improvements." Nonetheless, u/singsardy reiterated that the beskar still should have withstood the hydraulic-assisted fist, while u/Mr_rairkim noted that Gideon should have completely broken Bo-Katan's hand with that apparent amount of force. Perhaps u/Ockanator gave the most fitting answer for the question, however: "Who knows."

Other users moved past the strange circumstances under which the Darksaber was destroyed, suggesting that its death was for the best. U/figgityjones admitted they were happy to see it go, saying, "Now the Mandos will just have to actually pick the best leader in the future." U/piazza suggested that it plays into Bo-Katan's character development, writing, "[She] needed to realize she is still the ruler of Mandalore even without the Darksaber."

Fans certainly have opinions on how the Season 3 finale of "The Mandalorian" dealt with the Darksaber, but there's a slight chance that the weapon isn't gone for good. From what fans know about how lightsabers work, all variants of the weapon are powered by a core kyber crystal. If Gideon didn't crush the kyber crystal that the Darksaber presumably contains within, then its most vital component is still intact.

Some fans are even pretty confident that the Darksaber will see a comeback in Season 4 of "The Mandalorian" or beyond. "There's definitely a good chance it will get remade, yeah. The kyber crystal inside is probably still fine," u/UnseenTardigrade wrote. Some even took the theory a step further, with u/Jamesonthethird suggesting it will be none other than the newly-anointed Din Grogu who reforges the Darksaber. After all, the fresh Mandalorian apprentice needs a fittingly powerful weapon.

Whatever the ultimate fate of the Darksaber is, its ostensible destruction in "The Mandalorian's" Season 3 finale will certainly have ripple effects. It seems, at least for a time, that the Mandalorians will have to learn to live without the ancient weapon.