Paz Vizsla

Paz Vizsla is a member of The Children of the Watch, a secret enclave of Mandalorian warriors on the planet Nevarro led by the Armorer, during the events of the first season of The Mandalorian. Vizsla is a heavy infantry warrior who uses a large, minigun-like blaster as well as a jet pack. and the two have a brief knife fight which is broken up by the Armorer. A pile of helmets belonging to the slain warriors is shown in the season finale "Chapter 8: Redemption", and fans noted that Vizsla's helmet was not among them, suggesting his possible survival. Vizsla returns in the third season The Mandalorian episode "Chapter 17: The Apostate", attending the initiation of his son Ragnar as a Mandalorian on a new covert planet where their enclave has moved. In "Chapter 19: The Convert", he witnesses the induction of Bo-Katan Kryze into his enclave and Din Djarin's redemption for breaking the Creed. In "Chapter 20: The Foundling", Paz is overseeing the training of young initiates when Ragnar is kidnapped by a pterodactyl-like creature. Paz and Djarin pursue the beast on their jetpacks only to run out of fuel. Bo-Katan is able to track the creature and rouses a rescue party, which Paz joins and consents the role of squad leader to her. Paz gets captured by the creature at her nest but is rescued by Kryze while Djarin rescues Ragnar. In "Chapter 23: The Spies", both the Nite Owls and the Children of the Watch tribes unite in order to reclaim Mandalore, requiring them to travel to the Great Forge alongside survivors from the planet's purge. However, the war party is ambushed by Moff Gideon's forces and subsequently trapped. In order to allow the others to escape, Paz remains to hold off their ambushers, where he is ultimately killed by Praetorian Guards. ==Characterization==

Paz Vizsla is physically imposing, displaying great height and tremendous strength. However, Vizsla has a respect for both his tribe and Mandalorian culture that supersedes his feelings of distaste toward the Empire. He willingly steps down from his confrontation with Din Djarin when the tribe's leader, the Armorer, reminds them of the moral code and way of the Mandalorian people. Despite their differences, Vizsla and Djarin display a mutual respect for each other. This is demonstrated when Vizsla places his own safety and that of his tribe at risk to help Djarin at the end of "Chapter 3: The Sin". When Djarin notes that this would place the sanctuary of the tribe's enclave at risk, Vizsla responds with the clan's credo, "This is the Way". Snowden called this "a genuine lump-in-the-throat moment as the Mandalorian's comrades have sacrificed everything to help the bounty hunter do the right thing". Din Djarin later returns the favor in "Chapter 20: The Foundling", in which he helps Vizsla rescue his son from a flying creature. ==Portrayal==

, the creator and showrunner of The Mandalorian. For The Mandalorian's first and third seasons and in The Book of Boba Fett, Paz Vizsla was voiced by Jon Favreau, the show's creator and showrunner. Favreau previously voiced another member of House Vizsla, the Mandalorian warlord Pre Vizsla, in the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In-universe, Vizsla is the name of one of the largest Mandalorian clans. Fletcher also appeared in the series premiere "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian", in which he played an unnamed man who gets into a bar fight with the Mandalorian. That was the role that Fletcher initially accepted when he joined The Mandalorian, and was not aware he would also be playing Paz Vizsla until later. He described Vizsla as "a galvanizing character that really exposes the ferocity and dignity with which we hold the Code of the Mandalorians." Despite never being referred to by name in "Chapter 3: The Sin", the character was identified as "Paz Vizla" in the closing credits. He was subsequently renamed "Paz Vizsla" (the previous surname confirmed as a typo) in merchandise and for his reappearance in The Book of Boba Fett. ==Critical reception==

Paz Vizsla has received a positive response from fans and reviewers. Inverse writer Jake Kleinman called him a "fan-favorite character" who "made a big splash" despite his relatively brief screen time, particularly describing his salute to the Mandalorian as an "iconic" moment. James Whitbrook of Gizmodo called him a "badass character" and "unsung hero" of the series who "looks cool as hell". Niner Times writer Noah Howell called the character "just the best", and particularly praised the scene in which Vizsla and the other Mandalorians rescue the protagonist at the end of "Chapter 3: The Sin". A headline for a /Film story by Ethan Anderton described him as an "awesome new The Mandalorian character that isn't Baby Yoda". Christopher Marc of HN Entertainment called Vizsla an "interesting new character" who he hopes to see again. Scott Snowden of Space.com said he "looks like the product of a marriage twixt Boba Fett and War Machine". ==Merchandise==

An action figure of Paz Vizsla has been released by Hot Toys, though it is identified only as "Heavy Infantry Mandalorian". The figure is in height, taller than most Star Wars Hot Toys figurines due to the character's larger size, and includes such accessories as a minigun blaster, alternate hands, a knife, a themed base to pose him upon, and special effects pieces for his jetpack to simulate rocket blasts. Hasbro also released a action figure of Paz Vizsla as part of the company's Star Wars: The Black Series toy line. ==References==