History Recap / StarWarsTheCloneWarsS5E15ShadesOfReason

* BatmanGambit: The only reason Maul's gambit to seize Death Watch from Pre Vizsla works is because Maul knows what kind of person Vizsla is: A narrow-minded, stubborn traditionalist who lacks the imagination to even take over Mandalore without outside help. He tricks Vizsla into legitimatizing Maul's claim for the throne because he knows Vizsla wouldn't back from a challenge, even if it could prevent an outsider from hijacking Mandalore and sending the planet to further ruins.

* XanatosGambit: Maul pulls a truly epic one on Vizsla. First, he challenges him in front of his inner circle; Mandalorian culture states they must honor the challenge, even if it would not benefit them. Second, he knows that should Vizsla decline to fight and just execute him on the spot, he defies culture and loses the respect of his soldiers while Maul is safe due to having Savage as backup. Third, during the fight proper, he knows that Vizsla will do anything necessary to take him out, potentially even resorting to "non-warrior" methods such as his rockets and flamethrower, while Maul just continually fights with his lightsaber and agility. Fourth and finally, when the pair lose their swords, Maul opts to beat Vizsla senseless with martial arts rather than using the Force, as it would mean he "honored" the fight by fighting as a warrior right to the end. For the Mandalorians, honor is a major contributing factor to their loyalty. By doing so, he ensures they will accept him, as he wins the challenge and follows all the resulting rules. The one thing that doesn't go his way is Bo-Katan's loyalty to Vizsla, not Death Watch as a whole.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: In accordance with Mandalorian tradition, Darth Maul's victory over Pre Vizsla gives him the right to assume leadership of Death Watch.

* AssholeVictim: Pre Vizsla, although arguably a lesser evil compared to Maul, was still a terrorist leader and a killer of innocents and children

* EngineeredHeroics: Maul has his new minions attack Sundari to sow chaos and allow Death Watch to swoop in, solve the crisis, and he hailed as heroes.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: The whole point of Death Watch was take Mandalore back to its traditional roots as a [[ProudWarriorRace warrior nation]]. Maul exploited those traditional roots to usurp power from Pre Vizsla, challenging him into a traditional duel for control over Death Watch knowing that Vizsla couldn't refuse lest he be called a hypocrite and a coward. When Maul won the duel, Death Watch broke into two fractions: Mandalorians who pledge their allegiance to Maul as part of their oath, and Mandalorians under Bo-Katan who refuse to acknowledge Maul as their new leader.

* OffWithHisHead: Following the climactic fight, Maul takes the Darksaber and exceutes Pre Vizsla in this fashion.

* CardboardPrison: While effective at holding powerless humans like Satine and Almec, the Mandalorian prison is laughably ineffective at containing Maul and Savage, who treat the imprisonment as a minor inconvenience and escape with casual ease.

* PlayAlongPrisoner: Maul and Savage. Once they decide that they want to get out, they do it casually with no effort. It's a wonder that the Death Watch didn't even expect that prison doesn't make the brothers helpless.

* DramaticIrony: For all their talks about restoring Mandalore back to their warrior traditions, many members of Death Watch end up breaking those said-traditions when Maul becomes the new ruler of Mandalore via the traditional way. As Mayfeld will say in far future in ''Series/TheMandalorian'', everybody got their lines they don't cross until things get messy.

* FamousLastWords:
-->'''Pre Vizsla:''' Like you said, only the strongest shall rule.

* BondVillainStupidity: Pre Vizsla earns this trope in this episode. He betrays Darth Maul, but doesn't kill him (despite saying that he would to Bo-Katan) and sends him to prison instead. Maul predictably breaks out, challenges Vizsla to a duel, and kills him.

-->'''Maul''': ''[raising the Darksaber]'' I claim this sword and my rightful place as leader of Death Watch!

* {{Demonisation}}: Vizsla's new regime wastes no time smearing Satine's good name, publicly criticising her philosophies and claiming that she "fled in cowardice" (Vizsla had her thrown in prison). Maul, through Almec, keeps it going, framing Satine for Vizsla's death to cover up Maul's involvement.

-->'''Pre Vizsla:''' Like I said, only the strongest shall rule.

-->'''Maul''': ''[raising the Darksaber]'' I take this sword, and with it, claim my rightful place as leader of Death Watch!

* EvilIsPetty: After overthrowing her, Vizsla imprisons Satine and demonizes her, claiming that she fled in cowardice.

-->'''Pre Vizsla:''' As you said, only the strongest shall rule.

* FightsLikeANormal: Despite being a Force user, Maul demonstrates that he doesn't need to use the Force against Pre Vizsla, despite Vizsla using [[CombatPragmatist Combat Pragmatism]] throughout the duel.

* TheBadGuyWins: When you have {{Villain Protagonist}}s fighting each other, this is the obvious outcome.

* EvilVersusEvil: Other than Duchess Satine, who is quickly deposed and imprisoned without much of a fight, the main characters in this episode are {{Villain Protagonist}}s who betray each other and battle for control of their underlings.

-->'''Pre Vizsla:''' Like I said, only the strongest shall rule.

* EvilVersusEvil: Other than Duchess Satine, who is quickly deposed and imprisoned without much of a fight, the main characters of the episode are {{Villain Protagonist}}s who betray each other and battle for control of their underlings.

* TheChessmaster: Maul plays Vizsla like a fiddle the entire story arc, plotting first to unite the syndicates to form an underworld under his control, with Vizsla providing the muscle in exchange for the throne of Mandalore (considering Mandalore leads 2000 neutral systems, handing one over is chump change to Maul). When Vizsla betrays him and imprisons him, he sees it coming a mile off and [[BatmanGambit incorporates it into his plans]], requiring a visit to prison to break out Almec. Lastly, Maul fights Viszla directly in single combat and uses Mandalorian culture against him so that Vizsla is screwed no matter what.

* HonourBeforeReason: Maul preys on this aspect of Mandalorian culture to force Vizsla into a duel for the crown. Should Vizsla refuse, he would be seen as weak by his underlings, and unfit to be their leader. If he accepts and loses, trying to double-cross Maul would be seen as dishonorable and he would suffer an even worse fate than refusing outright.

* PlayAlongPrisoner: Maul and Savage. Once they decide they want to get out, they do it casually with no effort. It's a wonder that the Death Watch didn't even expect that prison doesn't make the brothers helpless.

* FightsLikeANormal: Despite being a Force user, Maul demonstrates that he doesn’t need to use the Force against Pre Vizsla, despite Vizsla using [[CombatPragmatist Combat Pragmatism]] throughout the duel.

* MasterSwordsman: Darth Maul, obviously, but Vizsla's prowess with the Darksaber is considerable. Note that he fought Obi-Wan Kenobi (a Master of Form III) and won only due to having his soldiers as backup and later fought Ahsoka (a Padawan half his age with [[DualWielding Jar'Kai]] training) to a stalemate in a one-on-one duel. Vizsla is good, but he's nowhere near Maul's calibre, even with [[CombatPragmatist pragmatism]] on his side.

* XanatosGambit: Maul pulls a truly epic one on Vizsla. First, he challenges him in front of his inner circle; Mandalorian culture states they must honour the challenge, even if it would not benefit them. Second, he knows that should Vizsla decline to fight and just execute him on the spot, he defies culture and loses the respect of his soldiers while Maul is safe due to having Savage as backup. Third, during the fight proper, he knows that Vizsla will do anything necessary to take him out, potentially even resorting to "non-warrior" methods such as his rockets and flamethrower, while Maul just continually fights with his saber and agility. Fourth and finally, when the pair lose their swords, he opts to beat him senseless with martial arts rather than the Force, as it would mean he "honoured" the fight by fighting as a warrior right to the end. For the Mandalorians, that honor is a major contributing factor to their loyalty. By doing so, he ensures they will accept him, as he won the challenge and followed all the resulting rules. The one thing that doesn't go his way is Bo-Katan's loyalty to Vizsla, not Death Watch as a whole.

* SlouchOfVillainy: Maul, sitting on Satine's throne at the end of the episode.

* EvilIsPetty: After overthrowing her, Vizsla imprisons Satine and demonises her, claiming that she fled in cowardice.

* ChallengingTheChief: Maul preys on Vizsla's honour, challenging him to see who's the most worthy of leading Death Watch and Mandalore.

* BondVillainStupidity: Pre Vizsla earns this trope in this episode. He betrays Darth Maul, but doesn't kill him (despite saying that he would) and sends him to prison instead. Maul predictably breaks out, challenges Vizsla to a duel, and kills him.

* XanatosGambit: Maul has pulled a truly epic one on Vizsla. First, he challenges him in front of his inner circle; Mandalorian culture states they must honour the challenge, even if it would not benefit them. Second, he knows that should Vizsla decline to fight and just execute him on the spot, he defies culture and loses the respect of his soldiers while Maul is safe due to having Savage as backup. Third, during the fight proper, he knows that Vizsla will do anything it took to take him out, potentially even resorting to "non-warrior" methods such as his rockets and flamethrower, while Maul just continually fights with his saber and agility. Fourth and finally, when the pair lose their swords, he opts to beat him senseless with martial arts rather than the Force, as it would mean he "honoured" the fight by fighting as a warrior right to the end. For the Mandalorians, that honor is a major contributing factor to their loyalty. By doing so, he ensures they will accept him, as he won the challenge and followed all the resulting rules. The one thing that doesn't go his way is Bo-Katan's loyalty to Vizsla, not Death Watch as a whole.