Lightsabers are pretty much synonymous with Star Wars, as integral to the saga as an epic John Williams score or a hairstyle that defies the laws of physics. But easily the finest among the glowing blades is a weapon only glimpsed in the animated universe.

The Darksaber is an ancient and unique black-bladed sword with the power to unite an entire planet and a bloody past filled with duels and defeats. In order to own the Darksaber, one must emerge victorious in battle.

To judge it purely on aesthetics is to marvel at the delicate yet ominous black and white blade, vibrating with an energy unlike any other lightsaber before or since. The straight guard and blocky hilt are the picture of no-nonsense efficiency.

And yet, what makes the Darksaber particularly fascinating is its history.

For most Jedi, creating a custom lightsaber is a part of their training, an individualized exploration that determines the exact look and feel of the hilt and even the color of the crystal-powered blade. Others happen upon the elegant weapon through inheritance or a connection to the Force.

The Madalorian Darksaber craves not these things. As the story goes, the blade was forged by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian Jedi, a one-of-a-kind relic later entombed in the Jedi Temple upon his death. Other members of his clan reclaimed the weapon, then used it to unify the planet by striking down the opposition. In The Clone Wars, it became a divisive tool used to rob the planet of its leadership and undermine everything the proud warrior people stood for. It was used to murder, enslave, and divide.

Only now, after reappearing in Star Wars Rebels, does the Darksaber have a chance to complete the circle in the hands of Sabine Wren. Although she was reluctant to take on all that this weapon stood for, her journey to train with the Darksaber and eventually defeat the crooked leader of Mandalore in a duel was a pivotal turning point for the young weapons expert long estranged from her family.

Finally, the Darksaber has regained its rightful status as a symbol of strength and unity, a keeper of the peace as the Jedi intended, and a way to put a loyal Mandalorian back in charge.

And the journey from forgotten cast-off to literal status symbol makes the tale all the more empowering.