Lightsaber shoto The lightsaber shoto , commonly referred to as simply shotos , but also known as short lightsabers or lightdaggers , were essentially miniaturized lightsabers , whose purpose was primarily to serve as an off - hand weapon for those duelists seeking to employ the twin - bladed technique of Jar ' Kai , but were also utilized by those Jedi and Sith whose diminutive stature made wielding full sized lightsabers impractical , or , in some cases , impossible . Design and construction . Technically the lightsaber shoto was nothing more than a scaled version of its larger sibling , and differed very little in its internal mechanism and construction . Generally speaking a shoto would be half the size of a standard lightsaber in both blade and grip length , and usually featured hilts that were considerably slimmer and more streamlined to allow for maximum dexterity . Although relatively rare in comparison with common lightsabers , shotos were in great vogue during the Jedi Civil War , to the point where a standard design was adopted , and saw considerable usage , particularly among the Dark Jedi of Revan and Malak ’ s empire , who wielded shotos with blades of crimson or violet . Like their more traditional counterparts , these sabers were constructed by hand , and were as unique as the individuals who wielded them . Shotos that followed this basic blueprint all shared several common traits , including conical shaped pommels , ringed handgrips and cylindrical emitter shrouds with a pair of wide vertical slits down either side . Typically a duelist seeking to incorporate a shoto into their arsenal would recreate their original lightsaber in miniature for the sake of convenience and familiarity , although many also opted to make their second blade a different color from that of their primary weapon . Purpose and usage . The primary purpose of a shoto in lightsaber combat was to counter attacks by an opponent ' s weapon while freeing the primary lightsaber for a return strike . To this end , shoto wielders were required to become proficient in the lightsaber techniques of Jar ' Kai in order to reduce risk of injury to themselves due to the increased dexterity needed to master the use of both blades simultaneously . Masters of this technique could deliver a high number of attacks in a very short time , potentially overpowering opponents quickly rather than engaging in a protracted duel . Shotos were also used to counter lightwhip s . Some ambitious duelists took this strategy a step further by dispensing with the use of a regular lightsaber entirely , and instead wielding two shotos simultaneously . By doing so a combatant sacrificed reach and leverage in exchange for unparalleled speed , dexterity and range of motion . It is worth noting that any handicap inherent in this form could be compensated for with sufficient knowledge of Ataru , whose acrobatic maneuvers could be used to regain the ground automatically lost when shortening one ' s own blades . The renowned Jedi Master and High Council member during the Old Sith Wars Vandar Tokare was a prolific applicant of this technique , as was the Dathomirian Dark Acolyte Saato . For some , however , the use of a shoto is not a choice , but a necessity . Throughout history many diminutive individuals both Jedi and Sith have adopted the shoto due to the physical impracticality of wielding a full - scale lightsaber . The Jedi Grand Master Yoda , for example wielded a shoto as his primary weapon , as did his contemporary Yaddle and the ancient Sith Acolyte Toki Tollivar . Unlike a normal - sized lightsaber , the lightsaber shoto was crafted so that it could be used effectively as a thrown weapon . History . The first shotos , referred to as short lightsabers , were introduced during the Old Sith Wars ; one of the most notable users of this secondary blade was the ancient Jedi Master Kavar , who used a matched lightsaber and shoto with blue beams . Uthar Wynn ' s Sith apprentice and deputy at the Sith academy on Korriban , Yuthura Ban , wielded a red - bladed shoto as her primary weapon . The Sith Lord Freedon Nadd ' s lightsaber was a bronze - bladed shoto , which was later taken from his tomb on Dxun by a strike team sent by Meetra Surik . During the Clone Wars era , the rebellious Jedi Master Sora Bulq carried a shoto of the same color as his standard lightsaber which he used in a duel against the Jedi Master , Mace Windu . Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker ' s Padawan Ahsoka Tano wielded a yellowish - green shoto . The Grand Master of the New Jedi Order , Luke Skywalker , constructed one during the Galactic Civil War to counter the unusual nature of his opponent , Lumiya ' s , lightwhip . The Dark Jedi Picaroon C . Boodle ' s and the Jedi Grand Master Yoda ' s lightsabers were small enough that they may actually have been technically classifiable as a shoto , though they were not used as such . During the Swarm War , the Dark Jedi Lomi Plo also used a shoto in her duel against Jacen Solo and Luke Skywalker . When Luke Skywalker became aware of the re - emergence of Lumiya during the events of the Second Galactic Civil War , he had his wife Mara Jade construct a shoto . Shotos were considered an essential item to have when fighting a lightwhip because they countered the advantage that the lightwhip had : the ability to go in more than one direction . Mara Jade constructed a shoto with a blue blade , while Luke ' s shoto had a red blade . Behind the scenes . In the RPG video games " " and " " , the shoto is referred to as a " Short Lightsaber . " Its main purpose is as a side weapon . Shotos as depicted in other media , however , seem to have significantly shorter blades .