Lightsaber / Legends Designed as much for elegance in combat as for ceremony , the lightsaber , also referred to as the " laser sword " by those who were unfamiliar with it , was a distinctive weapon , the very image of which was inextricably bound with the mythos of the Jedi Order and their polar opposites , the Sith . The lightsaber also became synonymous with the Jedi Order ' s values to uphold peace and justice throughout the galaxy . This perception endured , despite the many conflicts with lightsaber - wielding Sith and Dark Jedi . The weapon consisted of a blade of pure plasma emitted from the hilt and suspended in a force containment field . The field contained the immense heat of the plasma , protecting the wielder , and allowed the blade to keep its shape . The hilt was almost always self - fabricated by the wielder to match his or her specific needs , preferences and style . The hilt was also built similarly to his or her master ' s lightsaber as a mark of respect . Due to the weightlessness of plasma and the strong gyroscopic effect generated by it , lightsabers required a great deal of strength and dexterity to wield , and it was extremely difficult — and dangerous — for the untrained to attempt using . However , in the hands of an expert of the Force , the lightsaber was a weapon to be greatly respected and feared . To wield a lightsaber was to demonstrate incredible skill and confidence , as well as masterful dexterity and attunement to the Force . History . Origins . The Forcesaber was a precursor created by the Rakata , which would eventually evolve into the lightsaber . Users were able to channel the dark side of the Force through black laboratory - grown crystals which would create the glowing energy blades . The first lightsabers came into being when the precursor Je ' daii Order combined advanced offworld technology with a forging ritual , learning how to " freeze " a laser beam . The earliest known functional lightsaber was the First Blade , built on Tython prior to the Force Wars by an unknown Je ' daii Master known only as the Weapon Master . With the formation of the Jedi Order after the Force Wars , ceremonial weapons were an integral part of their order . For millennia afterwards , the Jedi continued to use bladed weapons like swords , as lightsabers had not yet been refined for regular use . By the time of the Duinuogwuin Contention around 15 , 500 BBY , Jedi studies and researches with " frozen blaster " technology yielded success ; they developed a method to generate a focused beam of energy that arced in a circumferential path back to its source , creating a controlled energy circuit and leading to the first portable high - energy blades . However , these preliminary lightsabers were highly unstable and inefficiently guzzled energy from a belt - mounted power supply ; they could only be used for a brief duration before overheating . As a consequence of these flaws , the first lightsabers were little more than ceremonial objects , seldom worn , and much less utilized . Early refinements . The extreme lack of stability that plagued the weapons ' early designs were gradually corrected through the ages , and the cumbersome and rarely used siege - weapons gave way to elegant and much more commonly used lightsabers . However , while these archaic lightsabers were far more stable than their ungainly predecessors , they still suffered from energy consumption issues , requiring the belt - worn power pack of previous generations . The power - cable tended to restrict the wielders movements in battle and prevented the usage of Force - powered and long - range telekinetic saber combat . However , despite the shortcomings , the highly stable blades granted them a superior advantage in hand - to - hand combat against heavily - armored foes , and saw a great deal of use during the period of the Hundred - Year Darkness . Sith developments and usage . It seems the Dark Lords of the Sith Empire were ultimately responsible for the advancement of lightsabers , replacing the belt - mounted power pack with a power cell within the hilt . An internal superconductor was introduced , which transferred the returning looped energy from the negative - charged flux aperture back into an internal power cell . With this modification , the power cell would only expend power when the energy loop was broken , such as when the lightsaber cut something , solving the power supply problem . According to the Tedryn Holocron , the Sith also created the schematics for the first double - bladed lightsabers . Wielders of these original modern lightsabers include Karness Muur , a Dark Jedi who had wielded an archaic lightsaber , but later switched to a curve - hilted modern lightsaber . . The Sith crew of the " Omen " were also equipped with modern lightsabers . Muur also appears to have been one of the Sith Lords to establish the tradition of wielding lightsabers with synthetic lightsaber crystal s , which was maintained until its resurgence in 3653 BBY . However , this tradition was disregarded by Exar Kun during his reign , as he and his followers opted instead to continue using their Jedi lightsabers in combat , though at least one follower used a lightsaber with a red crystal . However , this tradition was reestablished by the Sith acolyte Haazen and the Dark Lords Revan and Malak . After Revan and Malak , the tradition continued to be observed by virtually every noteworthy Sith Lord . Despite the advancements in lightsaber technology apparently pioneered by the Sith , most Dark Lords of the era spurned the use of lightsabers in favor of Sith sword s . Adoption by the Jedi . With Naga Sadow ' s invasion of the Republic in 5000 BBY and the subsequent start of the Great Hyperspace War , the technological innovations pioneered by the Sith Empire were brought to the Republic and the Jedi . However , the majority of Sith forces held to the use of Sith swords , while the Jedi continued to use the protosabers , as they had not yet had time to adapt and implement these new designs . With the Sith defeat at the end of the war , modern lightsabers were adopted by the Jedi Order . By 4800 BBY , they were almost universally utilized by Jedi . During the Great Sith War , Jedi converts who flocked to Exar Kun continued using their Jedi lightsabers , disregarding the tradition laid down by the original Sith Empire . However , other innovations entered their ranks , with Kun modifying his lightsaber into a double - bladed lightsaber , using schematics from a Sith holocron . While Exar Kun ' s insurrection ultimately failed , he did introduce the double - bladed lightsaber to the Jedi , and it began to see relatively widespread use during the period leading up to the Jedi Civil War . Jedi Civil War . The Jedi Civil War was a conflict started by former Jedi Revan and Malak in the aftermath of the Mandalorian Wars . During their conflict against the Mandalorians , Revan and Malak were turned to the dark side and invaded the Republic , at the head of their own Sith Empire . Revan waged war against the Republic for several years , attracting numerous rogue and Dark Jedi to his cause . When he founded his own branch of Sith , Revan observed the tradition of using red - hued blades laid out by the original Sith . Many of his followers followed suit , and red lightsabers became recognized as the mark of a darksider . Double - bladed lightsabers also saw common usage among the Dark Jedi and Sith Lords . The usage of red lightsabers continued among the surviving darksiders after the fall of Revan ' s Empire . This era saw a surge in the usage of personal energy shields by armed forces , rendering blasters partly obsolete . As blaster usage experienced partial decline due to the shields , melee weapons such as swords became more common . In order to make the weapons more durable , almost all weapons of the era were created using cortosis woven into the blade , allowing them to stand up against lightsabers . Great Galactic War . In 3681 BBY , the resurgent Sith Empire invaded the Galactic Republic . The conflict culminated in the Sacking of Coruscant in 3653 BBY . This forced the Republic to sign the Treaty of Coruscant that led to the Cold War . During the years of these two conflicts , the Sith Empire ' s warriors and inquisitors almost uniformly wielded lightsabers instead of Sith swords . As with the Sith of Revan ' s Empire and the Empire of the Sith Triumvirate , red blades were customary for Sith to wield , solidifying the red lightsaber as emblematic of the Sith . Another typical design feature on Sith weapons was the usage of dual - blade guards . The Jedi continued to wield lightsabers , and some Jedi adopted the dual - bladed design as well . Aftermath and Sith rebirth . Eventually , the Republic managed to reclaim its lost territory . During this period , lightsaber usage and technology remained largely unchanged , although it should be noted that the usage of naturally formed crystals from Ilum became almost universal among Jedi , causing the variety of lightsaber colors to drop , as the vast majority of crystals that formed on Ilum took on either a blue or green hue . It is notable that during the reign of Kaan , Sith apprentices were provided with stock lightsabers rather than having to create their own . After the institution of the Rule of Two , this policy was reversed , and apprentices had to create their own lightsabers , although synthetic crystals were often provided . However , a notable exception to this rule was Darth Maul , who self - fabricated the four synth - crystals required for his saberstaff after several days of nonstop work . Maul considered the creation of the crystals he used as a mark of Sith superiority over Jedi . When the Clone Wars began , Jedi lightsabers experienced a change in focus . Rather than being created as a meditative exercise , heavy - duty lightsabers built to stand up to the rigors of war became the norm . Also , the war saw the reemergence of a rare lightsaber long thought lost ; the Darksaber . Stolen from the Jedi Temple by the Mandalorians several millennia prior , the weapon had been passed down the line among the warriors , eventually coming into the possession of Pre Vizsla . Vizsla wielded the weapon against Obi - Wan Kenobi in a brief duel . At least one lightsaber was sold at a storefront for 500 , 000 at Pons Ora during the Clone Wars . Jedi Purge and reformation . With the Great Jedi Purge , lightsabers were outlawed . To further hinder surviving Jedi , Palpatine had many of the sites where Jedi traditionally collected lightsaber crystals razed or quarantined , and placed strict sanctions on any crystals available on the market that could be used on such , such as Corusca gems . Jedi were forced to refrain from drawing their lightsabers during this era , as openly displaying their traditional weapon would only draw attention . Ultimately , the only individuals permitted to wield lightsabers were Palpatine ' s own Dark side servants , such as Darth Vader or his Shadow guardsman , to name a few . As the widespread outlawing of these weapons made an already rare artifacts now almost impossible to find save in the hands of surviving Jedi , Jedi hunters would often collect the weapons as proof of kill , either turning them over to the Empire or keeping them as trophies . Most of Palpatine ' s servants and disciples , such as his Hands or his Dark Side Elite , favored the simple standard lightsabers . However , other affiliates , such as the Emperor ' s Shadow Guard or certain members of the Royal Guard , favored more specialized weapons , such as Lightsaber pikes . One of his Hands , Lumiya , wielded a lightwhip . Imperial engineers also found a way to mass - produce lightsaber components , though these weapons still had to be assembled by hand . These lightsabers were created on Kamino for the Imperial saber guard and the Starkiller clones , and called for the mass importing of special crystals for them . The crystals in question were likely synthetics , due to the red coloration common to most , though the weapons supplied to most of the clones featured silver blades . Similar mass produced lightsabers were provided to the Sa Cuis clones . In 15 BBY , landspeeder racer Thall Joben was in possession of a lightsaber that had been left in his speeder by its previous owner . When Luke Skywalker set about constructing his lightsaber , he based the design on schematics supplied by Obi - Wan Kenobi that he found in a journal . Notably , he was forced to use a synth - crystal for his weapon , as he lacked any knowledge of the sites where Jedi traditionally gathered crystals , most of which having been razed during the Purge . The resulting crystal possessed a green coloration , due to Skywalker ' s meditations upon it during its formation . When Skywalker ' s reformed Jedi Order arose , many of the original crystal sites would be reclaimed , but early apprentices would rely on synth - crystals . During Skywalker ' s brief apprenticeship to Palpatine , he was forced to replace the green crystal in his lightsaber with a red one , though he would quickly switch back after escaping the Sith Lord . Notably , Palpatine did not force his other disciples to wield red lightsabers , but as they were mere Dark Jedi rather than true Sith , he may have felt that the tradition did not apply . He himself wielded a trophy lightsaber with a blue coloration at this time . Dark side resurgent . After Palpatine ' s final death , there remained several dark side cults and groups either formed by surviving Dark Jedi . A notable group were the Reborn . Due to the large number of Dark Jedi within the Reborn , supplied by a special cloning method that granted Force - sensitivity , Desann was forced to manufacture lightsabers for the group . This resulted in a notable innovation in lightsaber construction techniques , as beforehand lightsaber manufacturing was impossible due to the non - uniform nature of the crystals , which required painstaking , individual fine - tuning . These manufacturing processes also appeared to have been applied by the Disciples of Ragnos , a Sith cult formed by Desann ' s apprentice , Tavion Axmis , and surviving members of the Reborn . Also , as all the lightsabers were identical assembly line creations , they all utilized red crystals . While the development of lightsaber - manufacturing techniques was a significant advancement in lightsaber technology , the Jedi , as well as most other Force - using traditions , kept to the old methods where lightsabers were self - fabricated by students in order to individualize the weapons , and test the abilities of the adept in question . Many years later , as the Imperial Remnant recovered in strength , they also formed a new Force Order ; the Imperial Knight s . The Knights were noted for their self - fabricated weapons , although they all followed the same design and used white crystals in their weapons . This helped individualize their weapons but still mark them out as Imperial Knights . Emperor Roan Fel eventually formed an alliance with the Sith , led by Darth Krayt . While the Empire and the Sith worked together , the Sith turned on the Empire and usurped the throne , causing a civil war within the Empire . The lightsaber construction methods of the Sith differed from the Jedi and Imperial Knights in that many of their lightsabers were apparently constructed from a material similar to the Yorik coral used by the Yuuzhan Vong . They also utilized synthetic crystals , in observance of tradition . Mechanics and specifications . Mechanics . The typical lightsaber hilt consisted of a metal cylinder between twenty - four and thirty centimeters in length . However , the size of individuals hilts varied drastically , as the weapon was tailored to the creator ' s specific needs and preferences . The hilt had a pommel cap at the bottom which sometimes held a backup power cell . The lightsaber mechanisms were contained within the hilt . High levels of energy generated by a high - output Diatium power cell was unleashed through a series of focusing lens es and energizers that converted the energy into plasma . The plasma was projected through a set of lightsaber crystal s that lent the blade its properties and allowed for the adjustment of blade length and power output . The ideal number of crystals was three , though only one was required . A power insulator was installed on the hilt to protect the wielder from any energy discharges . Activating the lightsaber usually required a button of some sort . A blade power adjustment knob was sometimes installed to allow the wielder to vary the power of the blade . A discharge energy cell could also be installed to increase a lightsaber ' s power output . Once focused by the crystals , the plasma was sent through a series of field energizers and modulation circuitry within the emitter matrix that further focused it , making it into a coherent beam of energy that was projected from the blade emitter . The blade typically extended about a meter before being arced by the blade containment field back to a negatively charged fissure ringing the emitter , where it was channeled back to the power cell by a superconductor , completing the circuit . This containment field also caused the blades to make contact with other lightsabers blades without passing through like other forms of energy . This trait is seen when lightsaber wielders can block and parry other lightsaber blades . Cutting power . A lightsaber blade was a mass - less form that neither radiated heat nor expended energy , other than that emitted as visible light , until it came into contact with something solid . The power of the energy blade was so great that it could cut through almost anything , although the speed through which it cut depended on the density of the subject . One important note about lightsaber wounds is that they rarely bled profusely , even when a limb had been severed . This is because the energy blade cauterized the wound as it passed , and thus even a severe wound did not tend to bleed heavily . When cutting through dense material , the immense electromagnetic field generated by the arc caused resistance rather than letting solid matter enter and interrupt the arc . This gave the blade a feeling of being solid when immersed in dense material . Rarely , some solid materials could actually pass through the electromagnetic field and short out the arc . Other electromagnetic energy fields and coherent energy were also repelled by lightsabers ' arcs . These include most force fields , blaster bolts , and other lightsaber blades . Lightsaber - resistant materials . Aside from the blade of another lightsaber , there were rare materials that could withstand a lightsaber blade , but with varying degrees of success : Other counteracting materials existed in the galaxy , such as various energy shields . Some animals , such as lava dragons and Orbalisk s possessed natural armor that reflected the blade . Superconductive materials ( e . g . ultrachrome , Quantum - crystalline armor ) deflected lightsaber strikes . The skin of the Tikulini worms of Jazbina was able to withstand a lightsaber strikes . The Zillo Beasts native to Malastare also had plate - like armor resistant to lightsaber blows . Variations and specializations . Hilt variations . Standard lightsaber Protosaber Retrosaber Double - bladed lightsaber Guard shoto ( also referred to as " lightsaber tonfa " ) Crossguard lightsaber Curved - hilt lightsaber Long - handle lightsaber Lightsaber pike Sabercane War Dragon rider ' s saber Electrum detail New Jedi Order hilts Blade variations . Training lightsaber Dual - phase lightsaber Shoto Lightclub Lightwhip Lightfoil Underwater Darksaber Usage and application . Combat . Lightsaber combat was the preferred fighting method used by lightsaber wielders , many of the forms and styles being designed to compensate for the gyroscopic effect inherent in lightsabers , and take advantage of the Force - sensitivity common in most wielders . The different styles of lightsaber dueling were initially based on ancient sword - fighting techniques . Throughout the millennia , these many combat styles were refined into the seven " classic " forms that serve as the standard , and numerous other fighting methods that call for advanced levels of skill . Lightsaber combat was difficult to master for a number of reasons , one of them being that all of the weight a lightsaber had was in its hilt , and the gyroscopic effect caused resistance to changes in motion , or built up momentum so quickly than an untrained wielder could lose control of the weapon . Rituals . Lightsabers were an integral part of the knighting ceremonies of the Jedi Order . During the ceremony , a Padawan would have his or her Padawan braid ritualistically severed by the presiding Jedi Master . This event would often be witnessed by a number of fellow Jedi , who would stand in a circle around the Padawan with their lightsabers ignited . Only three Sith " knighting " ceremonies are known ; a lightsaber was only used during one of these . During the ceremony , Galen Marek was made to kneel before his master , while Darth Vader simply lowered his lightsaber next to both sides of Marek ' s head , formally declaring the Force Adept his apprentice . The Concordance of Fealty was a Jedi tradition of entrusting one ' s lightsaber to a fellow Order member . This exchange represented a serious , even sacred bond — the establishment of a reciprocal , master - less learning relationship . Behind the scenes . Early concepts . The usage of the lightsaber was originally inspired by many of the serials that George Lucas watched and enjoyed as a child , which featured many characters wielding swords . When he began conceiving " Star Wars " , he wished to include swords , creating the " lightsaber " to allow them to better mesh with the futuristic setting . In the early incarnations of the " Star Wars " storyline , lightsabers were not exclusive to the Jedi and other Force - users , but were in fact very mundane . Early concept art depicts lightsabers being wielded by Rebel and Imperial soldiers alike . George Lucas later limited the lightsabers to exclusively the Jedi in order to make them feel more unique , and heighten the mystique of the Jedi . Also , in early drafts of the script , lightsabers were referred to as " lazerswords . " Crystals first appear in " Star Wars " simply as an embedded decoration on the hilt in the " A New Hope " novelization . Aside from this single instance , there are no crystals mentioned in any of the movies or their novelizations . Prop design and effects . During the filming of " " , the Anakin / Luke lightsaber was made from a Graflex camera side - attach flash , while the Vader lightsaber was made from a Micro Precision Products flash attachment . The handle grips were made of rubber windshield wipers , and D - rings were attached to the bottoms of the units so that they could be worn on belts . The Obi - Wan lightsaber was the most complex hilt at the time . It was assembled from parts of an Armitage Shanks Starlite model Handwheel , Browning ANM2 machine gun booster , WWI No . 3 Mk . 1 British Rifle Grenade and a Rolls - Royce Derwent Mk . 8 / Mk . 9 Jet Engine Balance Pipe . The lightsaber effects during the original trilogy started out in a very complicated manner . During the filming of " A New Hope " , the blade was made of a three - sided rod covered with reflective material . The rod was then rapidly spun by a compact motor in the hilt , reflecting the lights on set and creating an in - camera glowing effect . However , these props were highly limited ; they were cumbersome and fragile , often breaking during fight scenes . Also , the glowing effect was not absolute , as whenever the blade moved out of the light or pointed at the camera , the glow disappeared and the actual spinning rod could be seen . In order to partially compensate for this , the blade was rotoscoped and an animated glow was added by tracing onto a blown - up copy of the frame with pen and colored ink , one frame at a time . It was at this phase that blades were given colors , as the props were simple white blades . During the filming of " " , it was decided creating an in - camera glowing effect was more trouble than it was worth , so the spinning rods were swapped for carbon rods . While these new blades were less cumbersome than before , they were still very fragile and frequently broke . However , they continued to be used for " " . When filming began for " " , the new lightsaber blades were steel and aluminum rods , which were highly durable , but frequently bent and flexed , requiring constant replacement . Despite this , these rods still saw usage during the filming of " " , as they had no alternative at the time . However , for the filming of " " , the blades were replaced by carbon fiber rods laminated with glass and plastic . These new props were highly durable and didn ' t flex , though due to this , they were extremely hard , often causing bruising and leaving scars . While lightsaber effects were still done by rotoscoping for the prequels , they were done digitally , rather than by hand . Colors . Lightsabers depicted in the first two released films , " A New Hope " and " The Empire Strikes Back " , had blades that were colored either blue ( for the Jedi ) or red ( for the Sith ) . This color difference was a decision during post - production when the lightsaber blades were being rotoscoped , as the original blades were simply white . In " Return of the Jedi " , Luke Skywalker ' s newly - constructed lightsaber was colored blue during the initial editing of the film , and appears so in both an early movie trailer and the official theatrical posters , but in the final film , it was ultimately colored green in order to better stand out against the blue sky of Tatooine in outdoor scenes . It also appeared as green in re - release posters . Both green and blue became standard blade colors for Jedi lightsabers in the " Star Wars " prequel trilogy . Mace Windu ' s amethyst - bladed lightsaber , as first seen in " Attack of the Clones " , was a personal request from actor Samuel L . Jackson as a way to make his character stand out among other Jedi . Jackson ' s favorite color is purple and he frequently requests the characters he plays to use an item of the color . Various blade colors appear in the Expanded Universe and in other Star Wars products . The original Kenner figure of Luke Skywalker in his Tatooine costume from Star Wars was released with a yellow - bladed lightsaber . A multitude of other colors have since been used , including orange , silver , cyan , viridian , gold , bronze , and even black . Choreography . While the usage of lightsabers was originally inspired by rapiers featured in the old serials George Lucas enjoyed , the final choreography in " A New Hope " looked nothing like fencing . As Jedi and their Sith counterparts were heavily inspired by , the fighting styles utilized were based more on . The slower , more strength - oriented moves of kendo used in the duel also helped mesh with Lucas ' concept that it was a battle between what were essentially two old men . During the filming of " The Empire Strikes Back " , Lucas began ramping up the speed of the duels , making them " faster and more intense , " the idea being that Luke Skywalker was becoming increasingly proficient with the lightsaber . Also , rather than utilize David Prowse , the actor within the Darth Vader costume , for the duels , they instead had professional swordsman Bob Anderson perform the fights , due to Prowse ' s tendency to repeatedly break the fragile prop blades . Anderson continued to serve as Prowse ' s fighting double during the filming of " Return of the Jedi " . When filming began for " The Phantom Menace " , the new stunt coordinator Nick Gillard ramped up the speed and agility the characters demonstrated in lightsaber duels , the idea being that the prequels took place when the Jedi Order was in " full flower , " at least in terms of combat techniques . Gillard was careful to avoid giving the fight scenes a choreographed look , drawing upon his extensive knowledge of martial arts to create the moves . The end result was a very fast - paced style of fighting , which he described as being like a chess game between grand masters , with every move being a check . This style of choreography was continued on throughout the prequel trilogy .