Pre Vizsla - Star Wars Guide - IGN (2024)

Pre Vizsla was the leader of the Mandalorian Death Watch faction during the Clone Wars. Seeking to overthrow duch*ess Satine, and her pacifistic New Mandalorian government, in order to restore Mandalore to its ancient warrior ways, Vizsla secretly allied himself with Count Dooku and his Confederacy of Independent Systems. While governing Mandalore's moon, Concordia, and maintaining loyalty to the duch*ess in public, Vizsla led the Death Watch in secret.

Biography

Pre Vizsla was the Mandalorian leader of the Death Watch splinter group in opposition to the pacifist duch*ess Satine Kryze, and her peaceful New Mandalorian organization's political dominance on Mandalore. Vizsla believed the peaceful government dishonored the Mandalorians' generations-old warrior traditions. While secretly leading the Death Watch, Vizsla publicly supported the duch*ess — seemingly renouncing his clan connections — and became one of her trusted allies. Rising to the position of governor of Mandalore's moon, Concordia, Vizsla transformed several abandoned mining camps into secret staging areas for Death Watch.

Vizsla eventually came into the possession of the Darksaber, a black-bladed lightsaber his ancestors stole from the Jedi Temple during the fall of the Old Republic. Many Jedi subsequently died to its blade. Vizsla desired to reignite the feud between the Jedi and the Mandalorians, as the two factions had previously been enemies.

In order to overthrow Satine and her New Mandalore, Vizsla sought the allegiance of Count Dooku, and his Confederacy of Independent Systems, which promised their support to Vizsla in his fight to undermine the duch*ess’ rule and take over Mandalore. The Death Watch began to engage in acts of terrorism on Mandalore in the New Mandalorian capital city, Sundari, and on the neighboring world of Kalevala, to undermine Satine's rule and breed discord among the people. Vizsla himself maintained the duch*ess' trust by appearing to spearhead the search for the Death Watch.

Campaign for Mandalore

Allegiances revealed

When a Mandalorian saboteur attacked a Republic cruiser, word spread to the Galactic Senate, Satine —the duch*ess of Mandalore — was secretly building her own army to fight for the Confederacy. Fearing the rumors to be true, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was sent by the Jedi High Council to investigate the rumors of treason.

duch*ess Satine of Mandalore

Learning of Kenobi's presence on Mandalore, Vizsla contacted Count Dooku from the Death Watch's secret Concordian military camp. Vizsla could not understand Dooku's lack of concern with the Jedi's arrival. The point was brought up, if Dooku didn’t intervene, Death Watch would not be able to overthrow the Mandalorian government. Dooku advised patience, proclaiming the Republic's continued involvement in Mandalorian affairs — combined with the Senate's impending order to send troops to keep the peace on Mandalore — would spread discontent throughout the populace.

Realizing Dooku’s plan to set up Death Watch as the people's liberator, and strengthen the renegade faction's insurgency, the Mandalorian warrior continued to follow Dooku.

After being introduced to Kenobi, Vizsla attempted to refute the rumors of Kryze's alliance with the Separatists, to which Kenobi replied that his only instructions were to "seek the truth."

Later, while Vizsla was writing a condolence letter to the man's and making arrangement for the body, the duch*ess arrived, saying Kenobi would be along after he meditated. Satine shared her concerns, someone was feeding misinformation to the Republic about Death Watch was taking over Mandalore. She explained her suspicion of an external force assisting the Mandalorian renegades. Vizsla speculated the party would have to be very influential in the Separatist Alliance. The governor said the duch*ess was being targeted for her role as leader of the Council of Neutral Systems, which directly conflicted with the Separatists' conquest of the galaxy.

As time passed, Vizsla noticed Kenobi's meditation was taking longer than expected suggested they should begin dinner without him. Saying she needed air after receiveing a secret message from Kenobi, left. Satine headed to Kenobi’s position, to save the Jedi. Vizsla arrived in full Mandalorian armor at the mining base where Kenobi was being held. Upon escaping the facility, Vizsla and his men were waiting.

After a brief firefight with the Mandalorian warriors, Vizsla approached. Removing his helmet, he revealed his true identity as the leader of Death Watch. Vizsla claimed the duch*ess’ rule was an insult to the old ways. Proclaiming himself a great warrior, Vizsla challenged Kenobi to a duel.

Brandishing an ancient Darksaber, Vizsla explained his ancestors stole the lightsaber from the Jedi during the fall of the Old Republic. Though skilled with the ancient weapon, Vizsla was no much for Kenobi’s saber skills and mastery of the Force.

After escaping Concordia, Kenobi and the duch*ess returned to Mandalore, where they then departed for the Republic capital of Coruscant under Republic escort aboard Satine’ starship, the Coronet. Senator Tal Merrik — a Death Watch agent — and one of the Coronet's passengers, to capture the duch*ess. After a failed kidnapping, Merrik was killed by Anakin Skywalker.

Preparations for battle

Following the unsuccessful attacks on Mandalore’s leader, Vizsla mobilized a Death Watch army to take over Mandalore. With his army in place, The Death Watch leader was impatient, and his men were anxious to fight. However Dooku recalled the plot they had set in motion, manipulating the Republic Senate into ordering an occupation of Mandalore. Once occupied by Republic troops, Death Watch would strike, appearing to be freedom fighters and winning the people’s trust.

Word reached Vizsla the assassin he sent after the duch*ess had failed to kill Satine, and the Senate had voted against sending an occupational force to Mandalore, ruining the Death Watch's opportunity to gain the Mandalore populace's support during the invasion.

Following Vizsla's aborted conquest of Mandalore, the Death Watch leader met with Dooku. Following a heated argument, the Sith Lord slashed Vizsla across his left cheek with his lightsaber, leaving a prominent scar. Furious, Vizsla broke ties with Dooku and the Separatists, vowing to kill the Count.

Plot against Dooku

Seeking revenge on Dooku, Vizsla found alliance with Lux Bonteri, a young Separatist from Onderon who also held a personal vendetta against Dooku for killing his mother, Mina.

Going to Mandalore, Bonteri openly accused the Count of treachery during the peace summit, and was able to provoke the Count into confronting him. Speaking with Dooku through a hologram, Bonteri traced the connection, revealing the Sith's whereabouts. Bonteri rendezvoused with the Death Watch on Carlac.

To Vizsla's surprise, Bonteri brought the Jedi, Ahsoka Tano, who was masquerading as Bonteri's betrothed, and her droid R2-D2. Vizsla was initially fooled by Tano's illusion, and welcomed her into the Death Watch ranks. At a feast later that night, several members of the Ming Po, who demanded Death Watch leave the planet, approached Vizsla. Promising to leave then attacking the villagers, Tano revealed herself. After a duel with Vizsla, Tano and Bonteri escaped Carlac.

An unstable allegiance

Following the events on Carlac, the Death Watch established a camp on the swamp moon of Zanbar, and once again set about plotting the downfall of duch*ess Satine.

During an expedition through space the Death Watch came across the escape pod of fugitives Darth Maul and Savage Opress: a pair of Zabrak siblings who had laid claim to the titles of Dark Lords of the Sith. Both were critically wounded following their previous defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Despite Bo-Katan's suggestion of executing the brothers, Vizsla spared them, realizing they shared a common enemy in the Jedi, and seeing potential for an alliance.

Mission to Mustafar

After the alliance, Vizsla insisted they attack Mandalore, stating he had men standing by, waiting for orders. However, Maul said the Death Watch warriors were not yet ready to takeover Mandalore. As an alternative, Maul suggested enlisting the help of the Black Sun, who were located at Mustafar to begin creating an army.

When they met with the leaders of the Black Sun, the leaders mocked Vizsla and the two brothers, stating they were not mercenaries for hire. However when Opress killed the leaders of the Black Sun, Ziton Moj decided to join Maul.

After the submission of the Black Sun, Vizsla stated that they had gained the supplies that they needed for their cause. However, Maul and Vizsla argued over the vision of taking over Mandalore. Each stated their vision was the only vision for success, each vision being their own.

Mission to Nal Hutta

After the Pykes joined Darth Maul's Shadow Collective, they headed to Nal Hutta to enlist the Hutts. After negotiations failed, a fight between the Shadow Collective and Hutt bounty hunters broke out. After the fight, the Hutt, Oruba was captured. He told the Shadow Collective Jabba the Hutt and the rest of the Hutt council had fled to his palace on Tatooine.

Mission to Tatooine

Shortly after learning that the Hutts have fled to Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, the Shadow Collective a small attack to give Jabba a last chance to join them. After briefly seeing what the Shadow Collective was capable of and how they performed in action, the Hutts agreed to join them.

Mandalore Takeover

Once the Shadow Collective was at full strength, Maul forced his leadership upon Death Watch, leaving Vizsla and Bo-Katan plotting his death. Using his army to attack various targets across the capital city, Sundari, Maul sent Vizsla and Death Watch to “capture,” making Death Watch appear as saviors. The events persuaded Mandlore’s population the duch*ess couldn’t protect them, and she was arrested.

When Maul arrived in the city, Vizsla informed Maul he had no intention of spreading their success to the other 2,000 neutral systems and Maul was arrested.

Downfall

After imprisoning Maul and Oppress, Vizsla claimed leadership of Mandalore. But to his surprise, Maul and Opress, in addition to Almec, were able to escape from the prison. Once they entered the throne room, Maul challenged Vizsla to a duel in single combat, which he accepted.

Vizsla's unpredictable fighting style allowed him to hold his own against the Sith Lord, but eventually, Maul proved the strongest, and Vizsla was killed.

Legacy

After Vizsla’s death, Almec succeeded him as prime minister of Mandalore. Almec would declare in front of the people that duch*ess Satine had murdered Vizsla, and the people of Mandalore would remember him as a hero who had saved them in time of need. Meanwhile Maul claimed the Darksaber as his own and declared himself the new leader of the Death Watch.

Some members of the Death Watch gave their loyalty to Maul, and became known as Mandalorian super commandos. Those, including Bo-Katan and the Nite Owls, refused to follow an outsider, and remained loyal to Vizsla's memory. The conflict between the two factions resulted in the Battle of Sundari.

Description

Standing six feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, Vizsla dawned the traditional blue and silver mandalorian armor, armed with blaster pistols, guantlets and a jetpack. However the leader of Death Watch also wielded the Darksaber.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Mandalore Plot"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Voyage of Temptation"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "duch*ess of Mandalore"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "A Friend in Need"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Eminence"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – “Shades of Reason”
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Lawless"

Legends

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