Villainy swells! With an army of the galaxy's most vicious criminals, Darth Maul and Savage Opress conspire with Pre Vizsla and the Death Watch to topple Duchess Satine, ruler of Mandalore. While the conspirators prepare to attack the Mandalorian capital Sundari from a base on Zanbar, the fate of 2,000 other neutral systems is under threat as Darth Maul moves closer to establishing a vast criminal empire....

At the Death Watch camp on Zanbar, Maul and his fellow conspirators examine a holographic map of Mandalore. Pre Vizsla has had scouts recon the planet and establish target locations to strike at as part of their takeover. The Death Watch leader warns Maul that should the conspiracy attempt to take the planet by force, the people will reject their rule.

Maul has accounted for that in his plans. He and his army of criminals will sow chaos across the Mandalorian capital of Sundari, weakening the Duchess' rule. Then Death Watch can sweep in and clean up the mess that Satine could not, proving their effectiveness.

As Bo-Katan and Pre Vizsla depart to make preparations, she exchanges private words of doubt and suspicion about this alliance with the Sith Lords. To Vizsla, it is all a means to an end: the elimination of Duchess Satine.

Savage shares similar words of doubt to his brother; he suspects Vizsla will betray them. Maul hardly seems concerned, and is more focused on creating his criminal underworld that will allow him to rule without becoming a visible target to the Jedi.

The gambit begins at the shipping docks of Sundari. Police and customs officer investigate a cargo container, which bursts open to reveal gun-toting Pykes and Black Sun foot soldiers. Lom and Xiton Moj take control of the docks. Xiton and his foot soldiers then ambush the Peace Park, disrupting a tranquil day with gunfire and chaos.

Lom and Savage Opress then lead an attack of the main banking center of Sundari. Spinning his double-bladed lightsaber with impressive dexterity, Opress easily deflects local guards' blaster shots before moving in for the kill.

Word of such acts spread quickly. Speaking from the balcony at the Sundari Royal Palace, Duchess Satine urges calm among the agitated citizenry. She tries to convince a frightened populace that she can ensure safety in the capital.

The sudden arrival of Death Watch surprises the Duchess. Vizsla calls Satine out on her failure to protect Mandalore. He offers a solution: armed opposition against the criminals.

Satine pleads for the people not to give in to fear, but the Death Watch argument is compelling. Mandalorians by the hundreds chant Vizsla's name, and call for war.

At Maul's command, Death Watch begins cleaning up the city of criminal interlopers. Armored Mandalorian warriors reclaim the shipping docks from the Pyke and Death Watch foot soldiers. Bo-Katan and her Nite Owls capture the criminals at the Peace Park. The beleaguered citizens declare them saviors. Vizsla himself dispatches Savage in a lightsaber duel -- a carefully staged battle that sees Vizsla victorious and heroic.

In the palace throne room, Satine sadly comes to realize that Vizsla has swayed the will of her people. Death Watch guards rush into the room, but Satine orders her guards to lower their arms. Vizsla revels in his victory, and the inevitable rise of Mandalore's warrior past.

In the main square of the palace, Bo-Katan addresses the gathered citizens. She stands before the shackled forms of Ziton Moj, Lom, and Savage and proclaims a Death Watch victory over the criminal invasion. Pre Vizsla has declared himself prime minister before the adulating crowd.

Satine is imprisoned. Her cell is next to the former prime minister, Almec, who was jailed for his involvement in a black market conspiracy. Almec is hardly regretful of his actions, and he enjoys the irony of Satine's sentence.

In the royal chambers, Vizsla declares victory to Maul: they now have rule of Mandalore, and a captive Satine with which to lure Obi-Wan Kenobi into a trap. Maul calls Vizsla's proclamation premature -- the shadow conspiracy does indeed have a base, but they will now expand to other neutral worlds.

But Vizsla has no interest in expansion -- he wanted only Mandalore under his command. He is done with Maul, and his Mandalorians pull their blasters on the Sith Lord, taking him prisoner.

Vizsla addresses the people of Mandalore, declaring peace on the planet. He parades a shackled Maul before the citizens as an example of the predators looking to pounce on a pacifist Mandalore. Under Vizsla's new leadership, no one will threaten Mandalore ever again.

In the royal prison, Maul and Savage share a cell. Maul does not seem fazed at this reversal -- indeed, he has anticipated it. The Sith intend to replace Vizsla with a more malleable leader, and Vizsla has unwittingly placed them within reach of several candidates. At Maul's command, Savage uses the Force to break free of their cell and overpower their prison guard.

Maul approaches the imprisoned Duchess Satine but finds her too willful to be of value. She does, however, mention the corruptible Almec -- a personality trait Maul finds useful. Maul recruits Almec to his cause, offering him a return to office.

In the royal chamber, the liberated Maul calls out Vizsla to a duel before his soldiers. Per Mandalorian tradition, Vizsla has no choice but to accept. Vizsla ignites his ancient darksaber, and does battle with the Sith Lord. Though Vizsla has trained well with his blade, he is ultimately no match for Maul, who defeats and decapitates the Death Watch leader.

Maul declares himself Death Watch leader, but Bo-Katan refuses to accept his rule. Under fire by Mandalorian traditionalists, Bo-Katan and several of her Nite Owls flee the palace.

In short order, Almec appears on the royal balcony before the people of Mandalore. He spins a shocker of a lie: that Duchess Satine has murdered Pre Vizsla. Satine is now under arrest, and Almec has been reinstated as prime minister.

From the wings, Maul watches. He has his puppet in place and a world under his command.