Lightsaber

This article is about the weapon in Star Wars. For details on the fighting style of lightsabers, see Lightsaber combat.

The lightsaber is the name of a fictional weapon that plays a key role in the movies, games and novels that constitute the Star Wars universe. Lightsabers are science fiction versions of their namesake, the saber, but with the metal blade replaced by something resembling a solid bar or cylindrical beam of laser light about one meter long. Lightsabers differ in color (red, blue, green and purple have appeared in the six films, and other colors appear in the Expanded Universe) based upon the specific crystal used in construction. Though they often behave like regular swords, they have been depicted as able to penetrate and cut through most matter with little or no resistance (due to their energy-based nature), and to deflect shots from blasters, the ranged weapons used in the Star Wars franchise. Obi-Wan Kenobi described them as "an elegant weapon from a more civilized age."

File:Lightsabers negwt.jpg

An assortment of lightsaber hilts

The lightsaber first appeared in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). At first, the effect was created by a handle with a motorized spinning reflector and pointing high-intensity light in their direction. The outcome was not satisfying, so in post-production the effect was augmented through rotoscoping. For episodes V and VI the use of reflective tape was abandoned and the effect was achieved by rotoscoping rods made of aluminum and later carbon fiber rods. For the prequel trilogy, the effect was created using computer animation.

File:Dooku yoda.jpg

Fighting with lightsabers. (Count Dooku vs.Yoda)

Within the fiction of Star Wars, the lightsaber "blade" is made by a very tight loop of highly focused energy, possibly a loop of plasma contained in a strong magnetic or other field which compresses the circular loop so much that it looks like a cylindrical bar. When deactivated, a lightsaber appears as a polished metallic handle, about 30 centimeters long, with an ignition button. Lightsabers have a distinctive hum when active.

To carry a lightsaber is a reflection of confidence, dexterity, and attunement to the Force. Although use of the lightsaber is not strictly reserved to Jedi (see General Grievous), the only others widely known of being capable of handling the difficult weapon are the Sith: Darth Maul, Darth Tyranus (Count Dooku), Darth Vader and Darth Sidious (Palpatine), as well as other Sith characters in the Expanded Universe.

Colors

In the original film trilogy lightsaber blades were blue, green, or red. The various Expanded Universe (EU) sources, action figures and the prequel films introduced a new color, purple, which is now canon to the series.

Red is usually associated with the Sith whereas blue and green colors are usually associated with the Jedi. Silver and violet are sometimes associated with Gray Jedi, technically non-Jedi Force users that stay in the middle and are neither darkside nor lightside. Orange, cyan, pink, white, gold, yellow (apart from in the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic), and viridian typically do not represent either side, and have been seen used by both. However, the Expanded Universe establishes no direct relationship between a lightsaber's blade's color and its user's affiliation. For example, in the computer game Jedi Knight the Dark Jedi Sariss used a blue lightsaber while her erstwhile ally Yun used a yellow blade. Also, in the "Corellian Trilogy" Luke creates a lightsaber for Leia that is red, although in the "Heir to the Empire" trilogy by Timothy Zahn, Luke builds a lightsaber with a green blade for her, and Mace Windu, a Jedi master from the films has a purple blade.

The color of a lightsaber blade depends on the crystals used to focus it and its filter. According to Knights of the Old Republic games, blue-bladed lightsabers are most often associated with Jedi Guardians (Jedi who focus more on swordplay and prefer action to words); green-bladed lightsabers are generally associated with Jedi Consulars (Jedi who focus more on the Force and its abilities); yellow-bladed lightsabers are usually associated with Jedi Sentinels (a balance between the two); and red-bladed lightsabers are almost always associated with the Sith and Dark Jedi. The reason for this is said to be that the Sith cannot get the same crystals as the Jedi and must use synthesized ones that come out red.

Mace Windu

Mace Windu's violet-coloured lightsaber in the movie was coloured differently because Samuel L. Jackson asked for it in Episode II. In the expanded universe, violet, being a mix of red and blue, shows the mastery of a lightsaber form known as Vaapad or form VII and the light side of the Force which allows Windu to use his fighting style and Force powers dangerously close to the Dark Side without being tainted. Windu met with great controversy over his choice of crystal, as it was a colour often associated with the Sith. Due to the great difficulty involved in attaining such a rare type of crystal, it is also said that a violet crystal is a choice only the most skilled masters in lightsaber combat can make, which might also explain his unusual blade colour. Usually the lightsaber crystal will call out to its chosen master during the trials to become a Jedi when the Padawan travels to Ilum or Adega.

Prior to the Battle of Ruusan, Jedi used lightsabers in a vast array of colours. Afterwards, Jedi relied on more common Ilum crystals such as blue and green. During his Knight Trials, Mace Windu braved the rock-encrusted world of Hurikane on the orders of his Jedi Master to obtain his lightsaber crystal. He encountered the planet's natives and, in a moment of panic, accidentally threw them over a cliff. Realizing his mistake, the young Padawan saved the native, reconstructing the alien's rocky body by will of the Force. It was from this mission that Mace Windu was given the rare crystals as a gift. In the New Jedi Order era, Jedi had a wide array of colours such as orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and cyan.

The Sith

The Sith "synthetic" crystals were usually created by the will of the Sith, as by Darth Maul in the book Shadow Hunter. (Note: not all red crystals are synthetic, in Knights of the Old Republic, there is a crystal cave on Dantooine where red crystals are found by breaking alien eggs and "snuffing out innocent life inside.") The synthetic red crystals favored by the Sith can create a somewhat more powerful blade than blue or green crystals but are generally not as pure because of their artificial nature and can thus be undesirable as the focus of a lightsaber. The Sith apparently had a large supply of red crystals and also favored red as a symbol for passion. It was not uncommon for the Sith Lords to supply their learners with the synthesized red crystals. However, Exar Kun used a blue double-bladed lightsaber in the Sith War; likewise, Darth Vader began his career with a blue-bladed saber, eventually taken from him by Obi-Wan Kenobi and passed to his son Luke. (Vader might have done this simply because the saber constructed during his Jedi tenure was the only one on hand but in the video game Revenge of the Sith, it is revealed that Palpatine gave him the red lightsaber after the battle with Obi-Wan. If Anakin had won the fight, Palpatine would have given Anakin the new lightsaber anyway. Certainly the saber he uses in Episode IV is red.)

In Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Luke Skywalker constructed his lightsaber using instructions hidden in Obi-Wan Kenobi's abandoned hut on Tatooine. Instead of using natural crystals, however, he synthetically created the focusing gems within a compact molecular furnace, also found inside Kenobi's home. While the intense heat of the kiln molded the base materials that Luke had placed inside, he channeled his Force energies through them, which in turn shaped and modified their internal properties. With this process, a completely functional lightsaber crystal can be created. In the Young Jedi Knights novel "Lightsabers", his niece Jaina Solo created her violet lightsaber crystals in a similar manner. Darth Maul was known to have created his double-bladed lightsaber in much the same way, but with one major difference: during the forming of the crystals within the furnace, the Sith focused all of his blinding rage, aggression, and malice into the gems. This leads to the belief that it may be possible to mold the alignment of the completed crystal itself through this process.

During the initial editing of Return of the Jedi, Luke's new lightsaber was blue, and appears so in an early trailer. However, it was difficult to see against the blue desert sky, and the decision was made to change it to green.

Types

Triggersaber

The triggersaber is a variation of the shortsaber which, in summary, is a shortsaber that has had its activation panel replaced by a dead-man's trigger (de-activates when released) and generally has as a safety switch. Its handle size, even in comparison to the shortsaber, is remarkably small because its focusing crystals are in a fixed position and therefore need no room to move. This causes the blade to jump immediately to its full length once activated, unlike its brethren that must focus into their length (hence the term "focusing crystals"). The safety switch can be applied when the blade is activated, but this defeats the purpose of using the triggersaber at all. Those who have mastered the triggersaber have been able to use its advantages to quickly dispose of their opponents by first attacking, then quickly de-activating and reactivating the blade as it crosses their competitor's lightsaber, easily bypassing their defenses.

Dual-phase

The "dual-phase lightsaber" is any lightsaber constructed to operate at two different blade lengths. Historically, these complex blades were constructed mostly by ancient Jedi and Sith in their many heated wars; the surprise advantage of a blade which could shoot forth up to approximately one meter in length, was worth the additional difficulty of constructing a lightsaber with several focusing gems and outweighed the fact that a lengthy blade was often inferior from a pure fencing perspective. Darth Vader's lightsaber is an example of this, as he has buttons on his hilt allowing him to change the blade length at will. Similarly, in Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Luke Skywalker adjusts the controls of his saber to produce a short, pencil-thin blade, which he uses to cut through the bolt of a door lock. Corran Horn, a Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Order, also used one of these, which he created using the help of the spirit of Exar Kun, Gantoris, and Nejaa Halcyon; however he tended to keep the shorter blade ignited. The weapon originally had three settings, however, one of the focusing crystals was destroyed soon after the weapon's manufacture. After that, the weapon only had two settings—standard and extended, with no fine control over the lengths of either. It is possible for dual-phase lightsabers to extend blade length to surprising measurements, possibly two meters, creating a lance-like effect. However, when using such a weapon in the cramped corridors of a starship, the potential of accidentally carving into the hull when deflected, causing explosive decompression, makes such a weapon impractical.

This type of lightsaber can be achieved by any lightsaber with two or more actively used crystals in the energy loop, or it can be a property granted by a special functioning of the power cell. Its most basic manifestation within the weapon is the ability to alter the length of the beam or cutting section. Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber is dual-phase capable, for example. Corran Horn's is a special case, in that the crystal is mechanically swapped for another, which yielded a longer blade. It is entirely possible that external control dials alter the distance and/or alignment between the internal crystals, thereby changing the blade's properties. Most lightsabers have a length setting, however, which may suggest that Dual-phase Lightsabers can be switched much faster than normal sabers.

Short

There are also variant lightsabers with shorter handles and blades (known as short lightsabers or lightdaggers or shotos) that can be wielded as offhand (weaker hand) secondary weapons. These are for Jedi who fight with two lightsabers for the dual-bladed lightsaber combat style Jar'Kai, which is used by Ancient Jedi Master Kavar and fallen Jedi Sora Bulq. It also was used as the primary lightsaber of a small Jedi like Yoda, Yaddle or (presumably) Even Piell.The Sith Freedon Nadd also had possession of a short lightsaber. This technique was possibly inspired by the Japanese art of Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu or European sword and dagger fencing. Luke Skywalker built a shortened lightsaber which he called a shoto, for the specific purpose of defending against a lightwhip. His wife, Mara, also made one when they went hunting for Lumiya during the attempted coup at Hapes.

Double-bladed

The double-bladed lightsaber, saberstaff, doublesaber, sith lightsaber, battlestaff, staff saber or lightstaff, is a variant in which the handle is about twice the length of a standard lightsaber and has two beam emitters; one at each end. The beams can be activated and deactivated independently, allowing for much versatility. This variant was invented by the Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun nearly four thousand years before the Battle of Yavin. Kun was able to carefully adjust its length, from half a meter to one and a half meters (1.5 to 5 feet), as well as its intensity, allowing the blades' power to vary from that of a deadly blade to an intangible, harmless beam of light. Asajj Ventress, a fallen Jedi, used two red lightsabers with curved hilts, each similar to Darth Tyranus' (Count Dooku's) lightsaber. They were designed so that she could connect the two ends to form a double-bladed saber, with an "S" shaped hilt.

Besides Exar Kun, notable wielders of this weapon include Bastila Shan, Darth Maul and Asajj Ventress.

Despite the strength of the double-bladed lightsaber, the long size of the handle itself seems to be a weakness in battle against another lightsaber-wielding foe; it was cut in half (Although it should be noted that once cut in half at least one of the blades was still functional and took up the role of a normal lightsaber) when Darth Maul used it in the duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. One was also cut in half in the Dark Horse comic book Star Wars: Resurrection, when the resurrected Lord Maul dueled Darth Vader for the apprenticeship of Darth Sidious. Also, the Double-bladed lightsaber was used by the Jedi Brutes, blue on both ends, green on both ends, or both, one color on each, in the Revenge of the Sith Video Game.

Electrum

The electrum lightsaber is simply a lightsaber with a hilt forged from electrum. Mace Windu's lightsaber in Episode II and III is an example; Sidious's lightsaber is also similar. In the Jedi Order, only council members are allowed to have an electrum-covered lightsaber.

Linksaber

Linksabers apparently have a bond between them, which allows for use similar to nunchaku. This weapon exists as Asajj Ventress' weapon in the patch for the Xbox version of Star Wars: Battlefront II.

Lightwhip

A lightwhip was previously invented by the New Sith Githany and later used by Lumiya. It was a lightsaber crafted out of Kaiburr crystal and Mandalorian iron but with the ability to flex and move like a leather whip. Unlike a regular lightsaber that creates a 'blade' from a highly focused arc of energy, the lightwhip works by sending a highly focused electrical current through metallic strands. This weapon is closer to an "electrowhip" but is referred to as "lightwhip" due to it creating a charge energy aura around the strands making it very similar to a lightsaber blade. One was built by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who designed it from a whip he had seen a bounty hunter use (in the Jedi Apprentice series of Star Wars books). It was used by the Nautolan Jedi Kit Fisto and Obi-Wan during their mission on Ord Cestus. In the PC game Forces of Corruption by Lucasarts entertainment, the Nightsister Silri also carries a lightwhip. The lightwhip makes an appearance in the fourth issue of the Dark Horse graphic novel series Star Wars: Legacy. It is used by the Sith Lord Darth Maleval.

Outside of the Star Wars universe, a weapon similar to a lightwhip is used by Samus Aran when she is no longer encased in her protective suit ("Zero Suit Samus") in the Wii video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Y-saber

Used by Jedi Master Roblio Darté, in the battle of Parcelus Minor. (In the Star Wars Clone Wars comic book, volume 5.) It looks like a normal light saber with an added 4-inch blade. The smaller blade comes off the side of the top of the hilt, creating a shape which suggests the letter Y.

Hilt styles

As well as there being a variety of lightsaber blade colors, there are also many different styles for the hilt. Jedi must fashion their own sabers so there is no uniform look to the hilt. Jedi students building lightsabers are usually told that their lightsaber should reflect them or what is important to them. Many apprentices will model their lightsabers in a style similar to their master's as a sign of respect. Training sabers are usually of one or two different hilt styles, as evidenced in Attack of the Clones. Some Jedi, when replacing their old lightsaber hilt due to loss, damage, or destruction (i.e. Obi-Wan lost his first lightsaber in his duel with Darth Maul; one of Anakin's lightsabers was chopped in half while he was attempting to free himself from the assembly line in the Droid Foundry on Geonosis), will create an identical one (like Obi-Wan's second saber in Ep. II.). Others have many additional unique and interesting styles of lightsaber, such as Count Dooku's curved "pistol grip" lightsaber hilt. Many Jedi will make their own hilt out of various machined or found parts, such as the case of Corran Horn building a lightsaber out of a wrecked speeder bike throttle assembly in I, Jedi. In Young Jedi Knights, Tenel Ka, builds hers out of a Rancor tooth. At the time of the Old Republic Era, a Wookie Jedi named Tyvokka was known to carry a uniquely crafted lightsaber with a wooden outer casing.

Use and construction

Forms of lightsaber combat

See also: Lightsaber combat § The seven forms of lightsaber combat

Lightsaber forms are characteristic styles of lightsaber use in battle. Unlike real-world martial arts forms, which are primarily training routines, lightsaber forms are more akin to different theories and methods of fencing. There are seven named forms described so far:

• Form I Shii-Cho - The basic and most simplistic form, first form taught to younglings. Known users are Stass Allie and Kit Fisto. Being the first form learned, almost all Jedi and Sith use some aspect of Shii-Cho in their dueling.
• Form II Makashi - Most advantageous in lightsaber against lightsaber dueling. Elegant, effective and deadly. Few Jedi use it because of the relative rarity of this type of combat. Known users are: Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus, Ki Adi Mundi (possibly) Shaak Ti.
• Form III Soresu - Form which strongly emphasizes on defense and blaster fire deflection. Used by Jedi beset by multiple blaster-wielding opponents to defend themselves from incoming fire. Known users are: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Episodes II, III, and IV), Barriss Offee, and Luminara Unduli.
• Form IV Ataru - Acrobatic form, emphasizing agility. This technique mainly involves the Force to perform some of the maneuvers. Relatively aggressive and tends to open defense. Known users are: Master Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Aayla Secura and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Episode I).
• Form V Shien / Djem So - Takes some of the defensive powers from Form III and channels them to offensive powers. Form V users can use the lightsaber to deflect blaster bolts back at attackers. Known users are: Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Darth Bane, and possibly Cin Drallig.
• Form VI Niman - Diplomatic form, used by many Jedi in the period when Chancellor Palpatine was in power. Very well rounded, but does not excel anywhere. Note that all Jedi who practiced Niman in the Battle of Geonosis were killed. Often used as a basis for dual lightsaber styles. Known user is Coleman Trebor.
• Form VII Juyo/Vapaad - Dubbed the Way of the Vornskr or The Ferocity Form, Juyo, a term from High Galactic, was originally considered an incomplete form for millennia. Generally viewed as undeveloped and rarely used by the Jedi and the Sith, Juyo was not seen as one of the main forms for generations of Jedi. Jedi Master Mace Windu completed Form VII when he developed the form of lightsaber combat known as Vaapad, named after a creature from Sarapin which moved with incredible speed. It was considered the most powerful form, but because of the intensity involved, it was thought dangerous because it bordered on the Dark Side of the Force. Practitioners of standard Juyo include General Grievous, Darth Maul and Kavar.

The seven forms are introduced by Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary and Star Wars Insider #62. The names of these forms were written for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which was then adapted and introduced in "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords". It was expanded upon within other Expanded Universe Materials.

According to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, there are 11 forms but a Jedi/Sith can only learn 7 of them. This is likely referring to the "Force forms" that you can learn in the game as well.

History

Lightsabers are the principal weapons of the Jedi, but are also used by the Sith. Their use is usually restricted to the Jedi, for several reasons: for non-Jedi, blasters are more effective; it is rare when lightsabers are constructed by someone who is not Force-sensitive. However, lightsabers remain prized by some collectors, and some black market sales do occur.

The Jedi who fought in the First Great Schism of 24,500 BBY wielded non-vibrating swords that pre-dated vibroweapons and the resultant dark Jedi who were exiled from the known galaxy had only these weapons when they found their way to Korriban. In the time around 5000 BBY at the conclusion of Marka Ragnos' reign, with the coming of the Great Hyperspace War, the Sith became exposed to lightsaber technology and adopted it for their own use. Concurrent with the Jedi creating the lightsaber was the Sith creating the Sith sword, which proved effective against lightsabers because of the way its alchemically altered metal refracts a lightsaber’s energy. In the subsequent time leading to and from Exar Kun's Sith War, the dark Jedi who proclaimed themselves Sith, followers of the dark side, came to preferring the lightsaber as their mainstay weapon over the archaic Sith sword.

Lightsaber technology was developed over thousands of years. The first lightsaber models, used thousands of years BBY, had to be connected to an external power source since a power source small enough to fit in a saber's hilt had not yet been discovered. Power sources often consisted of a power pack worn on the back and connected to the lightsaber's hilt by a power cord. Some of these sabers also had flat blades, resembling a broadsword, but these would presumably be useless against blasters. The technology was vastly improved as smaller, lighter power sources were discovered and implemented.

Typically, Jedi are given (training) lightsabers on the first day of training. Jedi Masters emphasize that the lightsaber is a measure of progress for an apprentice because lightsaber techniques take great skill and concentration. To construct his own lightsaber is considered the final test for a Jedi padawan before his Jedi Trials. The construction traditionally takes place in a cave on Ilum, though other circumstances may prevent this, and lightsabers can be crafted anywhere as long as the proper tools and components are present. Some Jedi claim to fall into a meditative trance, where their vision helps determine what the results of their construction are. Others simply follow a more ceremonial approach that fully emphasizes the individual's completeness. Corran Horn described several changes within himself as he crafted his lightsaber, coming to terms with his past, his present, and his future.

Luminara Unduli

The crystal is the heart of the blade.

The heart is the crystal of the Jedi.

The Jedi is the crystal of the Force.

The Force is the blade of the heart.

All are intertwined:

The crystal, The blade, The Jedi.

You are one.

When younglings begin their training at the Jedi Temple, they are issued lightsabers set on a low power setting so as to prevent unnecessary injury or fatality due to awkwardness when first learning how to wield the dangerous weapon. These weapons are not capable of cutting through matter, but will deliver a burn or "stun" sensation nasty enough to make for an effective deterrent. After an initiate has been accepted to train under a master, he or she must construct his or her first lightsaber. Padawans usually base their lightsaber designs on their masters' lightsabers; Obi-Wan Kenobi constructed his lightsaber from The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones with similarities to that of Qui-Gon Jinn and his friend Quinlan Vos. Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back is the lightsaber his father used in Revenge of the Sith. It was taken away from Anakin Skywalker, after his near fatal battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and given to Luke, while Luke's lightsaber from Return of the Jedi closely resembles that of Obi-Wan Kenobi's final lightsaber.

Blade characteristics

The standard blade for a human or human-sized wielder appears to be one meter (3.28 feet) long or slightly longer, with a diameter of approximately 20-25 millimeters (0.75-1 inches). However, these numbers may vary depending on the wielder's own size and preferences. The blade itself holds no weight at all, requiring keen senses to keep in mind its positioning to avoid personal injury.

The blade is rounded, sometimes with a pointed tip, and capable of instantly burning human flesh into a carbonized mass and melting high density alloys within seconds. However, when piercing tip-first through denser materials, a greater degree of physical effort is required to guide the blade, as seen in Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, when Qui-Gon Jinn forces his blade through the blast door of the Trade Federation vessel. Due to Lucas' desire to make Star Wars a more family oriented film, lightsaber strikes instantly cauterize wounds, thus eliminating bleeding after a lightsaber wound; however in some cases in the Expanded Universe, a limited amount of blood flow does occur. In the original trilogy blood can also be seen in A New Hope when Obi-Wan cuts off Ponda Baba's arm, and in Empire Strikes Back when Luke cuts off a wampa's arm thus displaying the original intent Lucas had concerning damage induced by a lightsaber. In Phantom Menace when Obi-Wan severs Darth Maul, a flash of red appears during the cut, this is meant to be a mild display of blood. The blade does not radiate any heat (although there is some confusion about this in the EU) and only loses energy when it cuts through something. The idea behind blood and lightsabers is that a strike to smaller areas of the body, or prolonged exposure to a part will cauterize a wound, however quickly cutting off a limb or large extremity will allow the presence of blood. Lightsabers work in the rain but let off steam when doing so, as seen by Obi-Wan Kenobi's use of his lightsaber in the rain on Kamino in Attack of the Clones, the Yavin section of Jedi Knight II and in Anakin's battle with Asajj Ventress on Yavin.

A lightsaber is a difficult weapon to master, mainly because there is very little weight or substance to the blade, making it almost seem unbalanced. The ability to use The Force make this much easier because one can feel the presence of the blade through The Force. Attempting to use it as one would use a sword will result in uncontrollable swings that are just as likely to damage the wielder as the opponent. Using one effectively requires precise measurement of force with no overswing. Soara Antana, a Jedi Master swordsmanship instructor during the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series, tells students that they must use a lightsaber "like a feather, not a stick."

In the Expanded Universe, the cutting area of a lightsaber is portrayed as being only a few micrometres wide, with all of the rest being coronal discharge, as is illustrated in "Dark Force Rising".

Non-Force users

Although the lightsaber was used primarily by the Jedi and Sith Force users, several non-Force users were known to have used a lightsaber:

• In the Star Wars: Droids animated series, Thall Joben once used a green lightsaber, as he explained to his droid C-3PO that he once did some work for someone who owned a speeder but they left the speeder with him and never reclaimed it; the lightsaber was one of the things left in the speeder by the person. It is unknown if this customer of Thall's was actually a Jedi or was simply someone who discovered a deceased Jedi or a Sith and took the lightsaber from them.
• In Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Leia Organa used Luke Skywalker's lightsaber in a nearly fatal attempt to hold off Darth Vader. This was before she had any training in use of the Force or lightsabers, and it showed. Only the sacrifice of the Yuzzim Hin and Vader's own overconfidence prevented her untimely demise.
• In A New Hope, Luke Skywalker manages to activate his father's lightsaber immediately after receiving it from Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite having had no Force-training at that time.
• In The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo used Luke Skywalker's (formerly Anakin Skywalker's) lightsaber after he rescued Luke from a snowstorm on Hoth. Solo used the lightsaber to slice open the body of a dead Tauntaun, whose insides he then used to keep Luke warm while he constructed a proper shelter for both of them.
• Mara Jade's lightsaber was also used by Han to chop down Killiks shortly before the Swarm War. When he briefly lost it, Tarfang, an Ewok smuggler, viciously wielded the lightsaber to dice up Killiks to great effect.
• Han Solo used Leia Organa Solo's Lightsaber in Heir to the Empire to cut into a YT-1300 light freighter that was posing as the Millennium Falcon on Bpfassh.
• Anja Gallandro, daughter of the deceased bounty hunter Gallandro, wielded an acid-yellow lightsaber of particularly ancient make in service to the Black Sun figure known as Czethros.
• Darca Nyl, an ex-mercenary, used the green lightsaber of a dead Jedi during his pursuit of Lycan. Though he rarely used it in battle, it often gave him the advantage of being able to pass for a true Jedi. It was destroyed along with Lycan in a trap laid by Darca in a Force-sensitive cave on Molavar.
• Suvam Tan the eccentric Rodian inventor was such a mechanical genius that he managed to construct his own lightsaber from scratch despite not having any Force sensitivity. It is unknown whether Suvam was actually able to use his lightsaber.
• General Grievous is probably the most famous non-Force-sensitive user of lightsabers. He used lightsabers during the Clone Wars, all of which were taken from Jedi he had either killed or defeated in battle, except for Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas' lightsaber, which was a gift from Count Dooku.
• Boba Fett has been shown wielding a lightsaber in the Expanded Universe, most notably against Darth Vader. Vader was so impressed by Fett's skill that Vader then commissioned him to track down Han Solo.
• Jaden Korr constructed a lightsaber before he had any training in the use of the Force; it was never stated how, although he was a very talented and force sensitive individual.
• In the Tapani Sector of the Galaxy, a subculture of saber rakes developed who fought duels with a lightsaber-like weapon called a lightfoil.

Lightsaber effects in the films

The original film prop hilts were constructed from old camera-flash battery packs and other pieces of hardware. The 'switched-on' sword props were designed with the intention of creating an 'in-camera' glowing effect. The 'blade' was three-sided and coated with a retroreflector array—the same sort used for highway signs. A lamp was positioned to the side of the taking camera and reflected towards the subject through 45-degree angled glass so that the sword would appear to glow from the camera's point-of-view. A motor in the hilt caused the blade to spin so that a reflective surface was always presented directly to the camera. This also created the familiar 'flickering' effect. Ultimately, this process yielded unsatisfactory results and animation was employed to enhance the brightness of the sabers. At this point, the artistic decision was made to assign different colors to the blades.

For The Empire Strikes Back, the lightsaber-blade props were simple white rods, and the glow effect was achieved entirely through a special kind of animation called rotoscoping, in which animation is drawn over live footage to maintain precision. In Empire of Dreams on the 2004 DVD release, Mark Hamill originally thought that the sabers would simply be post-production "cartoon" blades, but a real rod was necessary to have something to hit against in knowing where to stop a swinging sword.

For Return of the Jedi and the later movies, the hilts were machined from aluminum. In place of the glowing blade, carbon rods were used as blade reference during fight scenes. In the first two prequel films, they upgraded to resin "stunt" handles and aluminum tubes. Early on, the intense activity of recording these scenes revealed powdery flakes of debris against the green/bluescreen backdrops, a dust produced when the stunt blades slammed together. This was corrected by simply wrapping the stunt blades in color-coded construction paper. For the final film of the Star Wars saga, Revenge of the Sith, the aluminum was replaced by a carbon-fiber blend specifically manufactured for the production. These props had to be reinforced because during the early stages of these props' use, they would often snap from the impact when the actors used them to film combat sequences. The filming of one lightsaber sequence, such as the final Obi-wan/Anakin duel on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith, could take several months because each actor had to memorize a complex sequence of 1000+ moves and execute them perfectly. Also in Revenge of the Sith when Anakin and Obi-wan are walking up the stairs to confront Dooku, you can see the shadow of one of their lightsabers on the floor. In Return of the Jedi, the prop blades' shadows can be seen during the fight sequence between Luke and Vader.

In the prequel movies, the blades were created digitally. In the 2004 DVD releases of the original trilogy, the blades were remastered to look more like they do in the prequel trilogy. However, Luke Skywalker's lightsaber on board the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope is for most of the scene not colored at all and remains white; although in a true special effects gaffe, in a short shot where it was colored, it was greenish rather than the blue color it had earlier in the movie (and in the next film). A similar instance can be seen in the same movie when Luke and the rest of our heroes are battling the stormtroopers on the Death Star as they are about to board the Millennium Falcon and make good their escape. As the blast doors to the landing bay are closing, Darth Vader is seen walking towards them, and his lightsaber appears white rather than red.

It is interesting to note that there is a visual inconsistency throughout the Star Wars saga in regard to the light the sabers themselves cast. Light is typically cast across the face of a digital character, such as Yoda in Episodes II and III. When a saber passes by a human figure, there is very little glow cast across the figure or face. An exception is that during the Dooku/Skywalker fight in Attack of the Clones, the actors shot close-ups while holding, essentially, neon tubes colored appropriately for their blades. This was not done to contradict anything previously stated but purely dramatic effect.

Creators of fan films have used various techniques for creating the coveted "lightsaber effect," most of which involve programs such as FXhome's EffectsLab (which includes many lightsaber or "lightsword" presets), Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, MainVision, The GIMP, LSMaker, crimsonfx (for Mac), or Blender.

The characteristic sound is added later by the sound effects team, but Ewan McGregor mouthed his own lightsaber noises before being asked to "leave it to the professionals" when filming The Phantom Menace. Liam Neeson and Hayden Christensen did the same. The characteristic lightsaber sound is a combination of a film projector's idling motor and interference caused by a television on an unshielded audio cable.

When the prequel trilogy began filming, George Lucas said that all Jedi would have blue, green, or similarly-colored lightsaber blades, not only to differentiate themselves from the Sith, but also to give them their own visual identity. Whenever there were flashes of blaster fire or explosions around, the color of a Jedi's lightsaber would shine through.

Arguably one of the most lusted-after props in film history, various toy replicas have been released, ranging from essentially a flashlight with a plastic tube attached, to accurate copies of the original film props, complete with motion-sensitive sound effects and colored blade. Toy lightsabers are consistently the best-selling of all Star Wars related merchandise.

Theories on possible inspirations for the idea

The strongest inspiration for the lightsaber may be the "force-blade" from the Lucky Starr series of science fiction novels for young adults, originally published 1952-1958 by Isaac Asimov under the pen name "Paul French." The force-blade is described as: "The most vicious weapon in the Galaxy. Outwardly, it was merely a short shaft of stainless steel that was a little thicker than the haft of a knife but which could still be held nicely in the palm. Within it was a tiny motor that could generate an invisible nine-inch-long, razor-thin force-field that could cut through anything composed of ordinary matter. Armor was of no use against it, and since it could slice through bone as easily as through flesh, its stab was almost invariably fatal." In the documentary Empire of Dreams, George Lucas stated that the origin of the lightsaber stemmed from his desire to place swordfights similar to those in The Adventures of Robin Hood in the Star Wars films. The laser property was inspired simply by the need to make it futuristic (metal swords would feel out of place in futuristic setting that relied on lasers for its firearms). In fact, the first draft of The Star Wars names the weapons "laser-swords."

Inspiration for a "power sword" may have come from an episode of Lost in Space, called "The Challenge", in which The Ruler (played by Michael Ansara) proves his bravery, as much to his son Quano (played by Kurt Russell) as to the humans. He challenges Professor Robinson to a duel with what appears to be electrified épée, powered by a cumbersome battery pack attached to the belt. The sound made by the parrying blades was very reminiscent of the movies.

Larry Niven mentions a weapon called a "variable sword" in The Soft Weapon, one of the Known Space stories. The sword is a monomolecular filament held rigid by a forcefield, resulting in a weapon that could cut through nearly anything.

Lightsaber-like devices in other contexts

The compound term "lightsaber" has become a popular but informal Genericized trademark for any science-fiction energy blade or similar device. Originally, Lucas intended the weapon to be referred to as a "laser sword." An allusion to this was made in The Phantom Menace. Here, the young Anakin Skywalker remarks to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, "I saw your laser sword. Only a Jedi carries that kind of weapon." In the directors commentary for Revenge of the Sith George consistently refers to the weapon as a "laser sword," while the rest of those providing commentary call it a "lightsaber."

Toy lightsabers powered by a 9-volt battery have been constructed with a plastic electroluminescent lamp constructed with conductive materials zinc sulphide and indium tin oxide, with electrical circuitry screen-printed onto the plastic.

The lightsabers are spoofed as the Schwartz Rings in Spaceballs.

The 1994 Transformers characters called the Laser Rods, a group hot rod cars that turn into sword wielding robots, carry "light sabers" according to their Hasbro biographies. The toys themselves come with clear plastic swords illuminated by a light emitting diode in the base.

In the 2001 Gamecube game Super Smash Brothers Melee, there is a weapon called a "Beamsword" that resembles a purple lightsaber, although it's shape is more katana like. It is set to make an appearance in the upcoming Wii game Super Smash Brothers Brawl

In the 2006 Xbox 360 and PC Massive Multiplayer game Phantasy Star Universe, the "S" Rank double saber weapon, "Crea Doubles", appears to have astonishing similarities to Darth Maul's modified double bladed lightsaber/saberstaff, the only difference being that the ends of the blades are pointed instead of round, and it cannot be deactivated. Ironically, even though the weapon makes no official reference to the lightsaber in the game,the weapon description states that the blade is crafted after a "legendary photon weapon" possibly referring to the popularity of the weapon, and even makes similar noise to a lightsaber.

In the upcoming Nintendo Wii game, No More Heroes, the protagonist, (Travis Touchdown) wields a "beam katana" that he won on an internet auction. Though no information has been given that the beam katana is based on said lightsaber, it is an obvious nod to the series.

Also, in a 2000 episode of Futurama, a show that is set in a futuristic enviroment, Turanga Leela uses what would appear to be a light-knife, a lightsaber that is only about two inches long, to open an envelope.

In the fighting game series Tekken, the character Yoshimitsu weilds a sword called the "Manji clan sword". It is unkown if it is based on a lightsaber or not.(Many say it is because it can glow green and red)

See also

• Lightsaber combat

External links

• Lightsaber entry in the Star Wars Databank
• Lightsaber on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
• Sith lightsaber entry in the Star Wars Databank
• Sith lightsaber on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
• Bob Brown's How They Work Speculation of lightsaber operation.
• Lightsaber: Darth Vader on the MPP Microflash
• Lucas' Light Saber Battle, (26 July 2001, E! Online) George Lucas suing Minrad Inc. over copyright of Light Saber name on their laser medical equipment
• "Origins of the lightsaber." - (Theories on the origin of this sword.)
• "Science behind creating real light sabers."
• "Lightsaber Simulator"
• "Howstuffworks - Inside the Lightsaber"
• Lightsaber Creator - (Two of his original designs have been used in the expanded universe.)