How Lightsabers Work In Star Wars
The lightsaber is undeniably the most iconic weapon in the Star Wars universe. Introduced by Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi in the first film, A New Hope, the lightsaber was described as “an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” However, as the franchise progressed, it became much more than just a weapon. Ewan McGregor’s younger Obi-Wan insisted that “This weapon is your life” to his student Anakin Skywalker.
While the movies and TV shows don’t delve too much into how the lightsaber actually works, Star Wars books and comics have provided more insight. Since their debut in 1977, Star Wars has shown many different types of lightsabers. From Darth Maul’s double-bladed saber in The Phantom Menace to Kylo Ren’s unstable crossguard in The Force Awakens, lightsabers have come a long way from the basic blades seen in A New Hope.
Crafting a lightsaber was a special rite of passage for almost every Jedi in the Order. Aspiring Jedi traveled to the frozen planet of Ilum in the Unknown Regions to find the kyber crystal that called to them. Each lightsaber was made up of five simple parts: the casing, the kyber crystal, the focusing lens, a blade emitter, and a power cell. With a plethora of different casings and decorative elements to choose from, almost every lightsaber was uniquely designed to perfectly suit the wielder.
The kyber crystal is the most crucial part of a lightsaber. Kyber crystals are rare and expensive objects imbued with the Force itself, making them immensely powerful. Jedi younglings didn’t simply choose any crystal they found in the Ilum caves. Instead, they often searched or endured a small trial before feeling a specific kyber crystal calling to them. The crystal would then bond with the user for life through the Force.
There are many different lightsaber colors. Originally, George Lucas intended them to be blue for the heroes and red for the villains. Luke Skywalker’s new blade was changed to green in Return of the Jedi for practical reasons, and Samuel L. Jackson asked for his character, Mace Windu, to have a purple lightsaber in the prequel trilogy. Since then, there have been a wide range of different colors.
In Star Wars canon, all kyber crystals are naturally attuned to the light side of the Force. However, a Sith could use a process known as “bleeding” to dominate the crystal through the Force, turning it red. This process is seen in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor when Dagan Gera removed his kyber crystal and bled it from yellow to red, pouring his rage into the crystal to represent his new dark ideals.
There are several different types of lightsabers in the Star Wars universe. Dual-phase lightsabers contain two kyber crystals, with a Jedi or Sith cycling between them to extend their blades. Double-bladed lightsabers use two crystals as well. In the upcoming Ahsoka Disney+ TV show, orange lightsabers with unique properties are set to make an appearance, leaving fans wondering if these are a result of unusual kyber crystals or represent a whole new type of lightsaber.
The lightsaber is easily the most iconic weapon in all of Star Warsand here’s all you need to know about how it works. Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi described the lightsaber as “an elegant weapon for a more civilized age” when it was introduced in the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope. It is far more than a weapon, though, as viewers discovered in the prequel trilogy. “This weapon is your life,” Ewan McGregor’s younger Obi-Wan insisted to his student Anakin Skywalker. While the movies and TV shows are somewhat vague on how the franchise’s most important weapon actually functions, Star Wars books and comics have fleshed out more of how the lightsaber works.
Star Wars has shown many different kinds of lightsabers since their debut in 1977. From Darth Maul’s iconic double-bladed lightsaber in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menaceto Kylo Ren’s unstable crossguard in Star Wars: The Force Awakenslightsabers have evolved from the simple blades seen in A New Hope. The weapon now comes in all kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes, but even the most sophisticated lightsaber has the same basic elements.
How A Jedi Constructs Their Lightsaber (And Why Each Is Unique)
Crafting a lightsaber was a special rite of passage for almost every Jedi in the Order, and it was overseen by the ancient architect droid, Huyang (voiced by David Tennant in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ahsoka). Aspiring Jedi traveled to the frozen planet of Ilum in the Unknown Regions, a world rich in kyber crystals. There, they found the crystal that called to them, which they would use to power their first lightsaber. Each lightsaber was made up of five simple parts: the casing, the kyber crystal, the focusing lens, a blade emitter, and a power cell. “The rest is just wiring, an on/off switch and whatever fancy extra bits people want to build in,” a lightsaber expert named Dr. Cuata explained to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars #35, by Charles Soule and Madibek Musabekov.
Oftentimes, younglings had difficulty crafting their first lightsabers without going into a meditative state. In both Star Wars Legends and canon, letting the Force guide them in their crafting has always been an essential step in making a lightsaber. This act often deterred those who weren’t Force-sensitive from attempting to craft a lightsaber, because fine-tuning the weapon without the Force was perilous; a poorly-constructed lightsaber can explode. With a plethora of different casings and decorative elements to choose from, almost every lightsaber was uniquely designed to perfectly suit the wielder. Most lightsabers were made of metal alloy, but some Jedi, such as Gungi the Wookiee, used wooden hilts.
The Kyber Crystal Is The Heart Of A Lightsaber
The most crucial part of a lightsaber (as well as the rarest and most expensive) is the kyber crystal. Kyber crystals are naturally attuned and imbued with the Force itself, making them immensely powerful objects. In other words, each kyber crystal is a small, physical manifestation of the Force. Jedi younglings didn’t simply choose any crystal they found in the Ilum caves. Instead, they often searched or endured a small trial before feeling a specific kyber crystal calling to them. The crystal would then bond with the user for life through the Force.
A Jedi’s Lightsaber Is Far More Than A Weapon
Once a bonded kyber crystal was used in a lightsaber, any Jedi could activate and use the saber. However, without having a bond to the kyber crystal, other Jedi would be at a disadvantage in battle. The bond with the crystal allowed a Jedi to heighten their concentration and awareness of the Force. Non-Force-sensitives saw the lightsaber as an overpowered sword, whereas the Jedi viewed it as a sacred tool that enhanced their awareness of the Force. Without their lightsabers, a Jedi’s connection to the Force was greatly reduced.
Even after Order 66, many Jedi — such as Kanan Jarrus — continued to carry their lightsabers with them because of their connection to the kyber crystal. Despite the risk involved with openly possessing them, they found it hard to let go of their sabers due to the unique bond they shared with the crystal through the Force. Some older Jedi found creative solutions, concealing lightsabers inside walking sticks. They knew the lightsaber wasn’t just a handy weapon to have in battle, it was a window into the Force. Without it, Jedi were effectively blind.
Why Are Lightsabers Different Colors?
There are many different lightsaber colors. George Lucas originally only intended them to be blue for the heroes and red for the bad guys, a simple visual representation of allegiance. This began to change with Return of the Jediwhen Luke Skywalker’s new blade was changed to green for practical reasons. A new addition later came in the prequel trilogy, when Samuel L. Jackson asked for his character, Mace Windu, to have a purple lightsaber. Since then, in both canon and Legends, there have been a wide range of different colors – and even more in games like Jedi: Fallen Order and Eat: Survivor.
There are different explanations for the variety of colors. Some sources indicate the colors represent kyber from different locations, with green and blue common of kyber crystals from Ilum. Others suggest a kyber crystal is originally white, changing color when it bonds with a Jedi based on their own character and relationship with the Force. The latter means it is theoretically possible for a kyber crystal to change color over the course of a Jedi’s lifetime.
Ahsoka Tano’s white lightsabers have been purified from darkness by the Force, explaining their color. Meanwhile, the Mandalorians venerate a unique lightsaber called the Darksaber, which has a mysterious black blade. The Darksaber is the only known black lightsaber in the Star Wars galaxy, and it shares other unique properties as well. It is unclear why this millennia-old lightsaber is black, or whether there are any similar blades.
Why Sith Lightsabers Have A Red Blade
In Star Wars canon, all kyber crystals are naturally attuned to the light side of the Force, which is why the Jedi relied on them so heavily. However, a Sith could use a process known as “bleeding” to dominate the crystal through the Force, turning it red. This process can be seen in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor when Dagan Gera removed his kyber crystal and bled it from yellow to red, pouring his rage into the crystal to represent his new dark ideals. This element is a refinement on Legends, where Sith were known to use synthetic kyber crystals.
What Different Types Of Lightsaber Are There?
There are several different types of lightsabers in the Star Wars galaxy, most of which are variations of the standard one-bladed lightsaber. Dual-phase lightsabers contain two kyber crystals, with a Jedi or Sith cycling between them to extend their blades; double-bladed lightsabers use two crystals, as well. Star Wars: The High Republic‘s Vernestra Rwoh modified her lightsaber so she could transform it into a lightwhip when needed. In the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren used a crossguard lightsaber to channel the energy of a cracked and unstable kyber crystal. Star Wars is set to introduce mysterious orange lightsabers in the upcoming Ahsoka Disney+ TV show, reportedly with still stranger properties, and it remains to be seen whether these are a result of unusual kyber crystals or instead represent a whole new type of lightsaber.
