Every Lightsaber in the Star Wars Universe (Canon)

“This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi

How many lightsabers are there in Star Wars? A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away … there were over five hundred lightsabers! Lightsabers are one of the most iconic and influential science fiction weapons of all time. Chances are, you’ve pretended to wield one (or two!) at some point in your life. Since the very first on-screen lightsaber ignition by Luke Skywalker 34 minutes into Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, these illuminated blades and their distinctive sounds have captivated audiences, especially when they are whirling and clashing against each other in epic duels.

Many of the team at PixlParade have been long-time Star Wars fans, so we decided to create this ultimate guide to every lightsaber in Star Wars canon.

How many color lightsabers are there?

There are eight lightsaber colors in canon Star Wars: blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, red, white, and black. The most common lightsaber color is blue, often associated with Jedi Knights and the virtues of peace, hope, discipline, and truth that they strive for.

Blue lightsabers

One of the most iconic lightsabers, the Skywalker lightsaber, had a blue blade. Who created the Skywalker lightsaber? Anakin Skywalker handcrafted the Skywalker lightsaber during the twilight years of the Republic. It would go on to be used in both atrocities and triumphs, passing through many hands on both the light and dark sides of the Force.

Green lightsabers

Yoda, a legendary Jedi Grand Master with a Force connection stronger than most, wielded a green lightsaber with a shoto blade. Green lightsabers represent a more harmonious, spiritual connection with the Force, facing the dark side at the heart rather than through physical prowess.

Yellow lightsabers

While Rey was the first live-action character to wield a yellow lightsaber, Star Wars: The Clone Wars featured Jedi Temple guardians wielding yellow-bladed lightsabers. Yellow lightsabers may represent a balanced path between fighting prowess and intellectual acuity, or they may suggest the wielder approaches the Force in a more nuanced, less traditional way.

Orange lightsabers

Orange lightsabers did not appear in the original films, but they do appear in the Ahsoka series, wielded by mercenary lord Baylan Skoll. Darth Bane, the last survivor of the Jedi-Sith War, wielded a terrifying orange lightsaber pike.

Purple lightsabers

The most iconic purple lightsaber was wielded by Mace Windu, one of the greatest champions of the Jedi Order. More on why Windu had a purple lightsaber below!

Red lightsabers

Red lightsabers, also known as Sith sabers, were wielded by those who followed the dark side of the Force. Sith did not have symbiotic relationships with the crystals that fuel lightsaber blades; instead, they bent them to their will through a process called “bleeding.” More on that below!

White lightsabers

Ahsoka Tano wielded two curved-hilt white lightsabers, one with a standard blade and one with a shoto blade. The striking white hue was achieved through purification, a process by which a tainted kyber crystal was cleansed through a profound trance that explored and emphasized the suffering of the dark side being that originally bled it.

What is the rarest lightsaber color?

There was only one black lightsaber — the Darksaber. The Darksaber was an ancient, black-bladed lightsaber created by Tarre Vizsla around 1050 BBY. To put that date into perspective, BBY stands for “Before the Battle of Yavin,” the colossal Galactic Civil War clash that ended with the destruction of the Death Star. Therefore, events of A New Hope unfolded in year zero, so the Darksaber was created over a millennium before that.

So, who was Tarre Vizsla? Tarre Vizsla was the first Mandalorian ever to be inducted into the Jedi Order. The hilt was crafted from beskar, a Mandalorian-created alloy known for its extreme tolerance to damage. The Darksaber became a symbol of power and leadership for House Vizsla as Tarre Vizsla succeeded in conquering and uniting all of Mandalore for a time.

Why did Mace Windu have a purple lightsaber?

Prior to the release of Attack of the Clones, only blue, green, and red lightsabers had been seen in the Star Wars cinematic universe. In Episode II, Jedi Knight Mace Windu flourished a marvelous purple lightsaber, the only one of its kind in canon (writer’s note: my KOTOR characters always dual-wielded a purple and green lightsaber).

So, how did Mace Windu end up with a purple lightsaber? Turns out that when you are a superstar like Samuel L. Jackson, voicing your preferences can make magic happen! Jackson is known to frequently request that the characters he portrays sport a purple item of some kind, his favorite color. After George Lucas explained that good guys have blue and green lightsabers, and bad guys have red ones, Jackson had one simple but effective question. You can watch the lighthearted moment here where Jackson asks about purple lightsabers and Lucas is glad to oblige, making Star Wars history.

Another fun Samuel L. Jackson Star Wars fact — he allegedly claimed that his lightsaber was engraved with “bad mother****er.”

What gives lightsabers their color?

The color and energy of a lightsaber blade are produced by a kyber crystal that has been bonded with a Force-sensitive individual. Kyber crystals are rare crystals that grow on planets with a high natural concentration of Force energy, such as Ilum or Jedha. They have a unique symbiotic resonance with the Force, exhibiting a collective near-sentience that enables nonverbal communication among themselves and with other living beings. The Force would guide Jedi initiates to their destined crystal; to those not meant for it, a crystal would be cold to the touch, but its chosen would hear its “song” and be drawn to it. Upon harvesting, the colorless crystal would produce a shade that reflected the nature of the individual.

“Each kyber crystal starts out clear, but once it is awakened by the Force, its color shifts to match the nature of its master. The color of the crystal determines the color of the lightsaber’s blade. Some of the most common colors for Jedi lightsabers include blue, green, and violet. Red lightsabers are typically attuned to those who have succumbed to the dark side of the Force.” — Luke Skywalker

Kyber crystals are inherently light-side entities, so the mission of choosing one for a dark-side adept was starkly different. To obtain a kyber crystal to fuel their weapons, Sith initiates would seize a crystal from a lightsaber stolen from a Jedi they vanquished in battle. In a process called “bleeding,” the victor would pour their rage, hatred, fear, pain, and other dark emotions into the crystal, forcing it to become crimson. The crystals would often resist this forced corruption, leading to unpredictable outcomes. They might shatter, become unstable, or prevent the process entirely. Yet, if a crystal was fully bled, its primal power became all the more deadly in the hands of a Sith.

Why is Kylo Ren’s lightsaber unstable?

Before becoming Kylo Ren, Ben Solo attempted the kyber crystal bleeding procedure on his Jedi lightsaber. This onslaught of dark emotions cracked the crystal, rendering it volatile. To control the unstable energy, Ren modified his weapon into a crossguard lightsaber with vents to divert the excess heat. Crossguard lightsabers are one of the many types of lightsabers we explored on this list, and arguably, one of the coolest!

“To harness the damaged crystal’s full fury, Kylo Ren modified his weapon’s hilt, adding quillon emitters to emulate an ancient crossguard design once used by the Sith Lord Darth Atrius. The crystal’s energy remains raw and unfocused…just like Kylo Ren himself.” ― Darth Sidious

If you enjoyed this guide to every lightsaber in Star Wars, be sure to check out another resource we are super proud of — an illustrated chart of 100 Vehicles of Star Wars. May the Force be with you!

See more:

Source:

Wookieepedia