Pre Vizsla

"For generations, my ancestors fought proudly as warriors against the Jedi. Now, that woman tarnishes the very name Mandalorian. Defend her, if you will."

- Pre Vizsla

Pre Vizsla was the leader of the Death Watch during the Clone Wars.

History
Pre Vizsla was originally the governor of the moon of planet Mandalore, Concordia, during the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, Vizsla was a descendent of the Mandalorian criminals who waged war on the Jedi years before the war and founded the terrorist organization called Death Watch and opposed Mandalore's new pacifist government, run by the New Mandalorians led by Duchess Satine Kryze.

During the war, Vizsla secretly teamed up with Count Dooku in order to assassinate Duchess Satine, so that Mandalore would be restored. With this, Death Watch launched many terrorist attacks on Mandalore in an attempt to undermine Kryze's peaceful rule. Eventually, Vizsla sent a warrior to attack a Republic cruiser, which made the Republic think that Kryze was planning to turn against the Republic and ally with the Separatists. The soldier commited suicide upon capture.

Later, Vizsla was informed of Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi's prescence on Mandalore and contacted Dooku for advice. When Dooku seemed unconcerned, Vizsla reminded him that if he informed the Republic of his actions, Death Watch would be destroyed. Dooku advised that he should let the Republic send military prescence to Mandalore, and overtime would spread discontent, causing a rebellion whith Death Watch as liberators.

Later, Vizsla met with Kryze and Obi-Wan. While there, Vizsla discussed about Death Watch with Kryze while Obi-Wan left to investigate Dath Watch's motives. Later, Vizsla was informed that Death Watch had captured Obi-Wan and left for his hideout to confront Obi-Wan. Upon arrival, Vizsla sent three men after Obi-Wan, who was rescued by Kryze, but Obi-Wan easily defeated them.

Vizsla decided to deal with Obi-Wan personally. In anger, Vizsla shot one of his men for his failure and removed his helmet, shocking Kryze. Vizsla told Obi-Wan that Kryze tarnished the name Mandalorian with the New Mandalorian government and returned Obi-Wan's lightsaber and then pulled out his own black Darksaber. Vizsla revealed that his Darksaber was stolen from the Jedi Temple on planet Coruscant, the Republic capital, by his ancestors and many Jedi have died by the blade and engaged in a fight with Obi-Wan. Despite the terrorist's best efforts, Obi-Wan defeated him with his skill. Finally realizing defeat, Vizsla ordered his men to kill Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan and Kryze escaped down a mineshaft. When one of his men asked if they should pursue the duo, Vizsla told them to let the two go and noted that they would "catch up to the Duchess soon enough".

After escaping Concordia, Obi-Wan and Kryze returned to Mandalore where they boarded Kryze's personal starship, called the Coronet and headed for Coruscant so Kryze could plead her case to the Galactic Senate directly.

However, before the Coronet's departure, Vizsla schemed with Tal Merrick, the corrupt senator of Mandalore, to kill Kryze, and Merrick was able to smuggle a large box into the Coronet's cargo containing many assassin probes, which he intended to use to kill Kryze. Later, Merrick contacted Vizsla and informed him of his success at capturing Kryze and that he needed help escaping. In response, Vizsla sent three boarding vessels containing super battle droids to intercept the Coronet to help Merrick evade capture. During the resulting skirmish, Merrick was killed by Obi-Wan's former Padawan and Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, allowing Kryze to reach Coruscant safely.

Later, Vizsla began to prepare Death Watch to invade Mandalore and contacted Dooku as he was growing impatient. Dooku reminded Vizsla of their plan to manipulate the Senate into sending a military prescence to Mandalore and when Death Watch attacked, they would appear as liberators and quickly gain the people's support. Dooku asked Vizsla to send a Death Watch assassin to Coruscant to kill Kryze to prevent her from interfering with their plan. After two failed assassination attempts, the assassin contacted Vizsla and told him that although he failed to kill Kryze, he was able to kill an informant that handed something to Kryze. Vizsla ordered the assassin to continue pursuing Kryze, as what was given to her could compromise his plans. However, Vizsla was soon informed that the assassin failed to kill Kryze and the Senate voted against sending a military presence to Mandalore, which infuriated Vizsla. Vizsla contacted Dooku and revealed his frustration and promised to attack. Dooku responded that if he attacked, his rule over Mandalore would be over before it began and that he had other ways to conquer Mandalore.

Some time after the postponed attack, Vizsla came into contact with Dooku in person. Vizsla somehow defied Dooku which made Dooku slash his lightsaber in his left cheek, which caused Vizsla to break all ties between the Separatists and Death Watch.

Later, Vizsla came into contact with Lux Bonteri, the son of the late Mina Bonteri, whose death was ordered by Dooku, on planet Carlac to get information on Dooku's whereabouts to get revenge on Dooku. To his suprise, Lux had Ahsoka Tano with him. At a feast, Vizsla was approached by several Ming Po and told to release slaves Death Watch had captured. Vizsla complied and released the slaves, but he ordered his troops to burn the village, horrifying Lux. Ahsoka fought against the terrorists and killed many of them, but was subdued and captured by Viszla, who took her back to his base. Upon returning, Vizsla expressed disappointment in Lux for bringing a Jedi, but Lux told him that he neever intended her to follow and pleaded him to release her. Vizsla refused, and Lux insisted that he wanted not revenge, but justice for his mother's death, though Vizsla would not have it. Vizsla stated he would kill Ahsoka for the Jedi's "crimes" against Mandalore before the war, which Vizsla also saw as justice. Before he could execute Ahsoka, the droid R2-D2 entered the scene with reactivated droids, which confused Vizsla's men and gave Ahsoka enough time to retrieve her lightsaber and swiftly decapitate four of Vizsla's soldiers and fought Vizsla who used his black lightsaber to fight her. Despite his best efforts, Ahsoka defeated Vizsla and caused his jetpack to self-destruct and she escaped with Lux, though Vizsla was able to survive.

At some point, Vizsla and his soldiers came across an escape pod lost in deep space which held Darth Maul and his brother Savage Opress: a pair of Zabrak siblings, who had laid claim to the titles of Dark Lords of the Sith, and who 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 that they shared a common enemy in the Jedi, and seeing potential for an allegiance.

Vizsla had the brothers transported to the Death Watch's encampment on Zanbar, where Maul was outfitted with new cybernetic legs to replace the crude, makeshift prosthesis crafted for him by the Nightsister matriarch Mother Talzin, and Savage provided with an artificial substitute for the arm severed by Obi-Wan Kenobi's blade. Maul and Vizsla found a common enemy in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and formed an unstable alliance.

After the creation of their alliance, Vizsla insisted that they attack Mandalore, stating that he had men standing by on Mandalore, waiting for their orders. However, Maul stated that 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. Vizsla, in addition to the members of Death Watch, would travel to the planet. When they met with the leaders of the Black Sun, Vizsla and the two brothers were mocked by the leaders, stating that 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 would argue over the vision of taking over Mandalore, each stating that there was only one vision in gaining their success, each vision being their own. Angered that Maul was still building his army, Vizsla quietly submitted to Maul's orders, though he began plotting to put matters into his own hands. Shortly after returning to Zanbar, the Pyke Syndicate, led by Lom Pyke, were willing to join them and help overthrow the Duchess.

After the Pykes joined Darth Maul's Shadow Collective, they headed towards Nal Hutta to enlist the help of the Hutt Grand Council. After negotiations have failed, bounty hunters pursued the brothers and Vizsla outside where Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls were awaiting the return of them. While Bo and her warriors fought on the Hutt guards, Maul, Vizsla and Savage faced off Sugi and Embo. After the fight had ended, the bounty hunters managed to flee to safety, but the Death Watch warriors were then able to capture Oruba. After stating that Jabba the Hutt had fled to his palace on Tatooine, Maul ordered Opress to execute him; Oruba died instantly.

Shortly after learning that the Hutts have fled to Jabba's Palace on Tatooine, the Brothers and Death Watch launched 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. However, outside the castle Vizsla told Bo to be aware, as they are going to take over Mandalore and they would finish with Maul and Opress, alongside the Duchess.

Once the Shadow Collective was created, 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 of Sundari, Maul sent Vizsla and Death Watch to 'capture' them and bring them to justice, acting as saviors. Vizsla gained the support of the people by demonstrating that the Dutchess was unable to protect them. He arrested Kryze, but when Maul arrived in the city, Vizsla informed Maul that he had no intention of spreading their success to the other 2,000 neutral systems. Maul was arrested by Vizsla's men, but before he and Opress were taken to the Sundari prison, Vizsla said that he would still honor their agreement about removing Kenobi, but that Maul would have to submit to Vizsla's rule.

After imprisoning Maul and Oppress, he proceeded to claim the title of Mandalore for himself. But to Vizsla's 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. He told Bo-Katan to give Maul his lightsaber. They fought across the throne room, Vizsla using his jetpack, blaster pistols, grenades and his Darksaber to try and gain an advantage with Maul, much as he had done with Kenobi much earlier. Vizsla's unpredictable fighting style allowed him to hold his own against the Sith Lord, but eventually, Maul proved the strongest. He forced Vizsla to the ground and performed a sai cha move with the Darksaber, Vizsla's own blade, killing him. Surprisingly Vizla accepted his fate.

Trivia

 * Vizla's appearance was based on actor Max Von Sydow, who will appear in the upcoming film Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.