Clan Vizsla

Clan Vizsla was a Mandalorian clan that was the leading clan of House Vizsla, one of the political factions of Mandalorian society and government.

The ancient emblem of the clan was a stylized shriek-hawk, or jai'galaar in Mando'a. Eventually, the Vizsla shriek-hawk was adopted by the entire Death Watch faction. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, Vizsla warriors adorned their armor with a different emblem, representing a flowered branch.

Clan Vizsla was formed prior to the foundation of the modern Galactic Republic. During this time, Tarre Vizsla was inducted into the Jedi Order as the first Mandalorian to do so. As a Jedi, Tarre created the Darksaber, a unique black-colored lightsaber that became the symbol of leadership for House Vizsla. Eventually, Tarre became Mand'alor and led his fellow Mandalorians. After Tarre's death, the saber was kept in the Jedi Temple until it was stolen by members of House Vizsla who snuck in and liberated it during the fall of the Old Republic. The members of House Vizsla used the Darksaber to unify the people and defeat those who opposed them, allowing them to rule all of Mandalore at one moment. During that time, the Darksaber was used to kill many Jedi.

Many years later following the end of the Mandalorian Civil War, the Mandalorian warriors were exiled to the moon of Concordia, where most of them were believed to have died out. The survivors, however, regrouped and secretly rallied behind Tarre Vizsla's who was Concordia's governor, Pre Vizsla and became known as the Death Watch. The Death Watch opposed the pacifist New Mandalorian government and its leader, Duchess Satine Kryze during the Clone Wars. The Death Watch believed that Duchess Satine presented a weak-minded rule and degraded Mandalorian traditions and their reputation as fierce warriors.

Early during the Clone Wars, Pre Vizsla and the Death Watch allied themselves with the Sith Lord Count Dooku, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems that fought against the Galactic Republic. After a bombing of the Memorial Shrine in Sundari, Mandalore's capital, and subsequent fight on Concordia, Pre Vizsla and his organization were exposed and forced to retreat. After an failed attempt to capture Duchess Satine on the Coronet by Mandalorian Prince and Senator Tal Merrik on behalf of Death Watch, Duchess Satine was able to present her case to the Galactic Senate to maintain her planet's neutrality in the Clone Wars.

Working with the Confederacy, Death Watch and Pre Vizsla attempted to orchestrate a Republic occupation of Mandalore, so that Pre Vizsla and Death Watch could move in to liberate the people, and thus usurp Duchess Satine from power. The coup ultimately fell apart, when Duchess Satine managed to persuade the Senate on Mandalore's position.

Following the failed coup, Pre Vizsla and with Dooku had a confrontation which resulted in Death Watch and the Confederacy severing ties. Eventually, Death Watch was located on Carlac, where they subjugated the local Ming Po population and entered in league with Lux Bonteri in an attempt to assassinate Dooku. Unknowingly, Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who was with Bonteri, was revealed as a Jedi and following a skirmish on Carlac, Tano and Bonteri escaped Death Watch and Pre Vizsla.

In 19 BBY, Pre Vizsla and Death Watch came across an escape pod containing the rogue Sith Lord Maul and his brother and Sith apprentice, Savage Opress. Curious about their situation, Pre decided to rescue them and bring them to Zanbar. After the two recovered, they agreed to an alliance to bring down Duchess Satine and seek revenge against Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Pre Vizsla and his Death Watch forces, alongside Maul and Opress traveld to Mustafar and recruited the Black Sun after killing their ruling council. The Pyke Syndicate also joined them after hearing of their move to build an army. Eventually, after a mission to Nal Hutta and attack on Jabba's Palace, the Hutt Cartel joined Pre Vizsla and the others, forming the Shadow Collective.

Now with an army and the resources required to sustain a war without the scrutiny of the Galactic Republic, Maul revealed to Pre Vizsla that after Mandalore was under Vizsla's control, Maul would then operate a new criminal underworld. Frustrated, Pre Vizsla suggested that Mandalore was the leader of the Council of Neutral Systems, which contained 1,500 worlds, and thus allowed for more opportunities. Satisfied, Maul then ordered Vizsla to send scouts to Mandalore in order to identify targets vital to Mandalore's security. Bo-Katan Kryze, top lieutenant to Pre Vizsla, expressed her concerns that Maul and Opress could not be trusted, but Vizsla assured her that Maul and Savage would be dead alongside Duchess Satine.

Vizsla's advanced guard acquired their targets, which allowed Maul and the Shadow Collective to devise their strategy. The crime syndicates attacked key targets, and, all according to plan, members of Death Watch arrested them, winning the hearts of the people. Duchess Satine was subsequently captured and removed from power by Vizsla and his forces. He declared himself Prime Minister and Mand'alor.

Then, he betrayed and imprisoned Maul and Opress. However, they managed to liberate themselves and bring former Prime Minister Almec under their fold. Subsequently, Maul challenged Vizsla for his place as leader of Mandalore and Death Watch, ultimately triumphing over the Mandalorian and beheading him. Bo-Katan and other Death Watch members refused to accept Maul and fled to create the Mandalore resistance, igniting another Mandalorian civil war.

Eventually, the Galactic Republic invaded Mandalore and Maul was removed from power. Bo-Katan was installed as Regent of the planet as the Republic transitioned into the Galactic Empire.

Lady Regent Bo-Katan Kryze was removed from power by the Empire during its occupation of Mandalore. Nearly two decades after the end of the Clone Wars, another civil war ignited when Imperial Viceroy Gar Saxon of Clan Saxon was killed during a skirmish on Krownest against Clan Wren. After a mission to Mandalore by members of Clan Wren and Clan Kryze, Governor Tiber Saxon was killed. Bo-Katan became the new Mand'alor, gaining the support of Clan Vizsla, Clan Rook, Clan Eldar, the Journeyman Protectors, Clan Wren, and others.

Paz Vizsla, and his son, Ragnar, were members of the Mandalorian sect known as the Children of the Watch, were members of Clan Vizsla and descendants of Tarre Vizsla. When he learned that Din Djarin had come into possession of the Darksaber, he attempted to claim it by dueling him on Glavis Ringworld. Although Vizsla managed to take the saber and briefly wield it, Djarin ultimately won the duel by placing him in a lock and putting a vibro-knife to his throat.

Paz Vizsla was eventually reunited with his son on a planet. There, Ragnar undertook the Mandalorian initiation ritual and was given a helmet. However, the ritual was interrupted by a Dinosaur turtle. Later, while under Imperial attack on Mandalore, Vizsla sacrificed himself to allow his fellow Mandalorians to escape.

In the seventh episode of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels third season, "Imperial Supercommandos," Fenn Rau mistakenly referred Sabine Wren and Gar Saxon as Clan Vizsla. The same mistake was repeated in the Gar Saxon's Databank entry on the official Star Wars website. On November 7, 2016, Lucasfilm Story Group's Pablo Hidalgo stated that Fenn Rau should have said "House Vizsla."

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