Why did this character accept the Darksaber?

Question

spoilers for The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian season 2

The Darksaber is established as being forged by Tarre Vizsla and then passed down through the Vizsla clan. This shows that the Darksaber can be peacefully passed, and it stayed within the Vizsla line, as Pre Vizsla is the one wielding it in The Clone Wars.

According to the rules of the Darksaber, Maul became its rightful wielder and the ruler of Mandalore when he won it from Pre Vizsla in combat. From here, its path becomes looser - no one wins it from Maul, but Sabine steals it from him. Then Gar Saxon steals it from Sabine, and Sabine fights him and wins. While the Wookieepedia page says that this made Sabine the rightful wielder of the Darksaber, this doesn't seem to be confirmed, as she didn't technically win it from its last owner.

Despite all of this, when Sabine offers the Darksaber and the rule of Mandalore to Bo-Katan in Rebels season 4, Bo-Katan willingly accepts it. Season 2 of The Mandalorian says that the Darksaber can only be claimed in combat, but this is at odds with the passing of it from Sabine to Bo-Katan.

I've heard theories that, since the Darksaber was never technically Sabine's, she passed it on to the next person who it would have gone to - Bo-Katan, who was second-in-command next to Pre Vizsla.

Is this why Bo-Katan accepted the Darksaber from Sabine - because it would have naturally gone to her? If it is the case that Bo-Katan would've taken the Darksaber after Pre Vizsla, then maybe it's about that, instead of having to fight for it? Clearly the Darksaber can be peacefully passed down, as it stayed in Clan Vizsla for years.

It is interesting that Bo-Katan accepted the Darksaber under these circumstances in front of all of Mandalore, whereas in The Mandalorian she refused to despite not having any witnesses.

Answer 1

I believe that the Darksaber should have actually rightfully passed to Paz Vizsla! In case you're unclear on exactly who that is, Paz is the heavy infantry in the first season of The Mandalorian and disagrees with Din Djarin on several different points. So this points out a

potential plotline for the third season: Din Djarin, who is in current possession of the Darksaber, is challenged for it by Paz.

So this altogether means that either Bo-Katan is aware of Paz Vizsla and his potential threat to the throne or it could be that Rebels is about to get retconned.

It could also be that Bo-Katan does not want to fight Din (there does seem to be a bit of a romance blossoming in my opinion) or simply does not want the Darksaber anymore.

A final theory states that Bo-Katan is trying to get Din to become more like her and the other Mandalorians, and attempting to have him leave behind his history as a Child of the Watch.

Of course this also could have been remedied by Din taking off his helmet to say farewell to Grogu at the end of Season 2.

However, it's feasible that Bo-Katan sees Din as a worthy leader and doesn't want that to go to waste. My favorite theory, though, is that she's using it as an excuse to keep him around so that they can retake Mandalore.

(P.S. Knowing Disney, the issue of Din possessing the Darksaber will be resolved in the first five minutes of episode 3x1.)

Answer 2

Moff Gideon does say it has to be won in combat. However, there is another line:

The Darksaber doesn't have power. The story does.

So, looking at Star Wars Rebels:

Bo-Katan was reluctant to accept the mantle of leader, but with the support of the other clans, agreed and accepted the Darksaber.

From the Fandom article on the Darksaber

So, the people were behind her, wanted her. She therefore had a story she could tell. Something along that she fought Darth Maul, the weapon Sabine built and that the people elected her as their leader, therefore, she accepted the leadership and the Darksaber.

In Mandalorian, the situation is another:

During the New Republic Era, Kryze led fellow warriors Axe Woves and Koska Reeves on the ocean moon of Trask. Kryze and her companions were intent on reuniting the scattered survivors of the Great Purge and eventually reclaiming Mandalore.

From the Fandom article on Bo-Katan Kryze

She will proclaim herself as the leader and needs to convince the Mandalorians that she is a worthy ruler. The way to convince them is the story, which she doesn't have.

Answer 3

All that "technically" this or that stuff makes no sense. Bo is just spineless who bends the rules all the time. She had no problem to take the Darksaber from Sabine - who won it fair and square - and the clans agreeing to that is a total nonsense in the first place.

Then in The Mandalorian, she would take it again if Moff Gideon didn't shame her in front of everyone. He also exposed her shadiness and manipulations to Din, who was just used by her the whole time.