Lightsaber

A **Lightsaber** is a dueling weapon in the *Star Wars* universe, used by the Jedi and the Sith. It consisted of a plasma blade, powered by a kyber crystal in the weapon’s hilt. Lightsabers were often used in duels between Jedi and Sith, as they are light, agile, and extremely deadly. They burn to the touch but cauterize wounds inflicted, which stops bleeding. Lightsabers have been used by non-Force-sensitives in the past, although it is very rare.

## History

### Ancient History

The first lightsabers were unstable and raw, so the Jedi only used them in ceremonies. Over the years, lightsabers improved and began to be used in duels as well. The Jedi developed the first fighting form: the Form I: Shii-Cho. The Jedi then developed all the other lightsaber forms (like Form II: Makashi, Form III: Soresu, Form IV: Ataru, Form V: Djem So/Shien, Form IV: Niman, and Form VII: Juyo/Vaapad).

### The Clone Wars

   During The Clone Wars, the lightsabers were used by the Jedi (who became the Generals of the Republic Army). At the end of the Clone Wars, only a few Jedi survived, and most of the survivors hid their lightsaber not to be recognized by the Empire that was hunting the Jedi.

Many Jedi used Form VI during the Clone Wars, and many of them died because they were overconfident in using this Form.

### Imperial Era

During the Imperial Era, the only people﻿ allowed to use lightsabers were the two Sith Lords (Darth Sidious and Darth Vader) and the Inquisitors. Only the bravest Jedi dared to show their lightsabers in public. Obi-Wan Kenobi used, in this period, his lightsaber to cut off a criminal's hand. Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and Ahsoka Tano are also some of the known Jedi who fought against the Empire using their Jedi weapons.

Every Inquisitor had a double-bladed red lightsaber with a rotating handle, Darth Sidious had lost both his two lightsabers during the Clone Wars, and it's unknown if he built another weapon during the Imperial Era. Darth Vader used his red-bladed lightsaber against the Rebels Alliance and to execute the servants who failed.

### New Republic Era

After the Empire fall, the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker tried to found a new Jedi Order training some Jedi younglings a taking as Padawan Ben Solo. All the Jedi younglings used a lightsaber. Kylo Ren (Ben Solo turned to the Dark Side of the Force) built a new cross-guard red-bladed lightsaber.

After the First Order took control of the Galaxy, the Resistance tried to bring it to its knees. Rey found Anakin's old blue-bladed lightsaber and used it to fight. At the end of the war Rey, built a new yellow-bladed lightsaber.

## Mechanic

### Pieces

   A lightsaber consisted mainly of three different parts: an emitter, a switch, and a sleeve. The lightsaber worked thanks to the Kyber Crystals located approximately at the height of the switch. The lightsaber's blade came out from the emitter: the color of the lightsaber depends on the color of the Kyber Crystal (the color of the Kyber depends on the personality of the user).

### Appearance

The lightsabers, when not ignited, looked like some short metal pipes. The Jedi wore them hanging from their belts, usually on the opposite side of their main hand. When ignited, the lightsabers had a long and colored blade coming out of the emitter. The lightsaber's blade can only have one color, but it is possible (in a double-bladed lightsaber) to have two blades with different colors (in Legends, the Sith Lord Darth Gravid had a lightsaber with two blades, one red and one green). It is also possible to have two separate lightsabers with two unlike colors (the Jedi Master Pong Krell had two double-bladed lightsabers, one blue and one green).

## Different types

### Single-Bladed lightsaber

The most common lightsabers were single-bladed lightsabers. Quite every Jedi had a single-bladed lightsaber. In this type of weapon, there was only one emitter from which the plasma came out. Some of the most notable users of this type of lightsaber are Grand Master Yoda, Mace Windu, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

### Double-Bladed lightsaber

The double-bladed lightsabers were thought to fight against multiple enemies at the same time. Only a few Jedi, but a lot of Sith used a double-bladed lightsaber. In this type of weapon, there are two different emitters from which the laser came out. The first canon appearance of a double-bladed lightsaber is in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Some of the most notable users of this type of lightsaber are Darth Maul, Savage Opress, Pong Krell, Darth Zannah (Legends), Darth Cognus (Legends), Bastila Shan (Legends).

### Curved-hilt lightsaber

The curved-hilt lightsabers allowed the lightsaber user to have more precision in the movements. The curved-hilt lightsabers weren't common in the Jedi and the Sith Order. The curved-hilt lightsaber is quite identical to a single-bladed lightsaber but has a curved hilt instead of straight. Some of the most notable users of a curved-hilt lightsaber are Count Dooku (Darth Tyranus), Asajj Ventress, Ahsoka Tano (white lightsabers), and Darth Bane.

### Crossguard lightsaber

The Crossguard lightsabers were very rare types of lightsabers mostly used in ancient times. The Crossguards lightsabers had three emitters: a principal emitter (from which the long blade comes out) and two secondary emitters (from which two shorter blades come out). Some of the most notable users of a crossguard lightsaber are Kylo Ren, Stellan Gios, Roblio Darté (Legends), and Dazh Ranos (Legends).

### Inquisitor's lightsaber

The Inquisitor's lightsaber is a new type of lightsaber invented during the Imperial Age; every Inquisitor's lightsaber has three modes of use: single-bladed, double-bladed and double-bladed with a spinning hilt. The effect that the rotation of the lightsaber creates is reminiscent of that made by General Grievous. Every Inquisitor used an Inquisitor's lightsaber.

### Lightsaber Pike

The Lightsaber Pike was a type of lightsaber used by the Jedi Temple Guards during the Age of the Republic. A variant of the Double-bladed lightsaber, the lightsaber pike had slightly shorter blades on either side, but the staff-like handle in the middle was longer. Generally, the blade was yellow. Some of the only individuals ever seen to use the lightsaber pike were the Jedi Temple Guards.

### Shoto lightsaber

The Shoto lightsaber was a lightsaber whose blade was considerably shorter than a regular single blade. Shoto lightsabers were generally utilized either by dual-lightsaber wielders, such as Ahsoka Tano, or diminutive duelists whose size made a full-sized lightsaber impossible to maneuver, such as Grand Master Yoda.

### Guard shoto

The guard shoto is a lightsaber has hilt 90 degrees. This type of lightsaber was most effective when used with Form V (Shien/Djem-So).

### LightWhip

Lightwhips were lightsabers with flexible plasma blades .The lightwhip did not have as much cutting power as a lightsaber due to its flexible blade.

## Powers and uses

### Combat

In combat, lightsabers were used to attack the opponent and to defend the wielder. The lightsabers were very difficult to handle, and only the Force-users were able to use them well. Some non-Force-sensitives (such Pre Vizsla and Finn) also used lightsabers to fight but with worse results than the Jedi.

#### Attack

Many lightsaber Forms were very aggressive and less defensive: Form V (Djem-So/Shien) and Form IV (Ataru) were used the most in violent lightsaber duels.

#### Defend

The main defensive lightsaber Form was Form III (Soresu), which permitted the user to block all the opponent attacks until the opponent made a mistake; at that point, the attack began. The lightsabers could also deflect energy and blaster shots.

### Ceremonies

The lightsabers were used in Jedi ceremonies: the most important Jedi ritual was the Knighting ceremony, in which the Jedi Padawan was raised to the rank of Jedi Knight.

### Cutting power

The lightsabers were very ductile and were also used to cut hard metals and through anti-blaster doors. There were some materials that the lightsabers could not cut, such as Beskar, Cortosis, and Zillo Beast skin. The lightsabers could cut bones with incredible simplicity, which is why they were dangerous for both the opponent and the inexperienced user.

## Colors

Every lightsaber has one (and only one) blade color. The colors aren't random, but there is a meaning for every lightsaber color, although they aren't always accurate.

### Blue

Blue is one of the most common lightsaber colors, and it means that the wielders are strong warriors, who prefer fighting instead of discussing, although some blue-bladed lightsabers wielders (such as Obi-Wan Kenobi) are good ambassadors. The blue lightsaber also means that the wilder has the desire to protect the Jedi Order. Notable users of the blue lightsaber included Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Plo Koon.

### Green

The common green lightsabers indicate, most of the time, a Jedi Consular. This Jedi prefer to bargain rather than fight, but it doesn't mean that they aren't good duelists. Grand Master Yoda, one of the most powerful lightsabers fighters, used a green lightsaber. Commonly the wielder of a green lightsaber has a very strong connection with the Force. Notable users of the green lightsaber include Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano as a Padawan, Kit Fisto, and Qui-Gon Jinn.

### Red

"*A Sith lightsaber is taken, not given*"
―Darth Sidious to Darth Vader
To have a red lightsaber, the wielder must "torture" the Kyber Crystal using the Force to pour all his anger into the crystal. The Sith and the Dark Side of the Force users had, almost always, red lightsabers. It is possible to make any lightsaber red, although it is a very dangerous process for the Force-user. Red lightsabers were used by most Sith, including Darth Sidious, Darth Vader, and Count Dooku.

### Purple

The purple lightsaber colour is one of the rarest colors. The purple blade means that the Force-user is near to the Dark Side without ever ending up inside it. The wielders of a purple lightsaber are commonly the most powerful Force-users in combat. The most famous users of a purple lightsaber included Mace Windu, An'ya Kuro (Legends), Jaina Solo Fel (Legends), Mara Jade Skywalker (Legends), Darth Revan (Legends), and Ki-Adi-Mundi (Legends).

### Yellow

The Yellow lightsaber was maybe the rarest color. Only the Jedi Sentinels had yellow lightsabers: this type of Jedi defended the Jedi Temple. The yellow lightsabers indicated that the Jedi was balanced between fighting arts and knowledge. Rey had a yellow lightsaber because, after the fall of the Prime Oder, her prime goal was to protect everything related to the Jedi. Notable users of the yellow lightsaber included the Jedi Temple Guards, Rey, Loden Greatstorm, Asajj Ventress, and Ahsoka Tano.

### White/Silver

White lightsabers can only be created purifying a red Kyber Crystal. Every Kyber Crystal is white in the natural state, but when a Jedi (or a Sith) takes it, it immediately changes color. The only known Jedi who wielded two white lightsabers has been Ahsoka Tano as an adult. Ahsoka Tano took the Kyber Crystals from the Sixth Brother.

### Darksaber

 *See also: Darksaber*
The Darksaber was a unique lightsaber with a black blade. It was created by the first Mandalorian Jedi ever, and for reasons unknown, the blade turned black. The lightsaber gets passed from a Mandalorian to a Mandalorian, and the only way to obtain it is by defeating the current possessor. Some of the most notable owners of the Darksaber are Tarre Vizsla, Pre Vizsla, Bo-Katan Kryze, Sabine Wren and Darth Maul.

## Fun facts

### Stormtroopers

In the originals George Lucas scripts, the stormtroopers were supposed to use lightsabers too. George Lucas canceled this idea from the final script to make lightsabers more unique and special.

### Laser swords

George Lucas often called lightsabers "laser swords". This name remained in some translations: in Italian, they are called "Spade (Italian for sword) laser" and in French "Sabres laser".

### Samuel Jackson

The iconic Amethyst lightsaber was added to the officials' Star Wars scripts only because Mace Windu's actor, Samuel L. Jackson, wanted to wield a weapon that made him differ from all the others. Some other Jedi wielded a purple lightsaber after him, although it wasn't supposed to be so.