Lightsaber

The lightsaber was a melee weapon that projected a blade of pure plasma energy from a usually metal hilt, which could be ignited or shut off at the touch of a button. At the heart of every lightsaber was a kyber crystal attuned to the Force by its wielder, which amplified the energy of the weapon's power cell to create the blade and contain it within a blade-like field. The energy blade had no mass, yet the weapon operated on principles of controlled electromagnetic arc-wave energy that produced a gyroscopic effect, making it challenging to handle. Wielded by the Jedi and Sith for thousands of years, the lightsaber was regarded by the Jedi as their truest ally in battle and a symbol of their role as protectors rather than destroyers.

Mechanics and components#

A lightsaber drew power from an appropriately sized power cell and contained a kyber crystal at its core. The essential components included a blade emitter shroud, an emitter matrix, a focusing lens, cycling field energizers, energy modulation circuits, and an energy core housing the crystal, along with some form of activator to switch the weapon on and off. Other parts, such as handgrip ridges, a blade length adjuster, and control dials for the blade's intensity, were sometimes added. Single-bladed lightsabers usually had a belt ring or clip so they could be hung from a belt when not in use.

Assembly demanded precision. It was critical not to invert the emitter matrix, because doing so caused the power grid to backfire when the weapon was activated; at best the blade would quickly short out, but if left on the faulty weapon could violently explode, potentially killing those nearby. Hilts were built from multiple parts that protected the internal components, usually made of metal ranging from simple alloys to Haysian smelt. Some wielders chose unusual materials, such as the youngling Gungi, whose hilt was carved from the metal-strong wood of a Brylark tree, and inlays could be made of ore, onyx-like stone, or the bone of creatures such as the Cartusion whale.

Kyber crystals#

The kyber crystal was the heart of the lightsaber, focusing the Force channeled through it by its wielder. Finding a kyber crystal was a sacred part of a Jedi's duty. During construction, a youngling would activate the crystal and assemble the weapon using telekinesis while following a diagram provided by an engineer; once complete, the lightsaber was ready to ignite. The process also taught younglings the knowledge to build another should their weapon ever be destroyed.

Cutting power and resistant materials#

The plasma blade was so powerful that it could cut through almost anything, and lightsaber wounds rarely bled profusely even when a limb was severed. A few materials could resist a lightsaber, however. Beskar, the iron found only on Mandalore and its moon Concordia, could repel lightsaber strikes for a brief time in its purest form, as in the armor of Din Djarin. The rare metal phrik was impervious to lightsaber blades, and electrostaffs made from it were resistant though not invulnerable. Praetorian Guard armor could resist strikes, magical ichor weapons such as Mother Talzin's sword could clash with a blade, and a personal energy shield powered by rare kohlen crystals was impervious to a standard kyber-crystal blade.

A weapon of the Jedi#

Throughout the history of the Jedi Order, the lightsaber was considered the Jedi's only true ally in battle. The Jedi saw it as a symbol of the care with which they wielded their gifts and as a message to their opponents, since mastering the weapon required great skill and training. The choice of the saber marked their duty as protectors rather than destroyers, reflecting that the Jedi did not seek power but only to stand against darkness. Even so, the Jedi understood that they needed to be more than their weapons; a Padawan who lost her saber on a mission was reminded by her master that she would have to act as a Jedi without it. The weapon could double as a tool, serving as a light source in darkness and functioning underwater, as Jedi demonstrated on the ocean world of Mon Cala.

History across the eras#

Lightsabers were used thousands of years before the age of the Galactic Republic, seeing service in the Great Scourge of Malachor and in conflicts such as the Battles of Rashfond and the Peacekeeping of Parliock. During the Imperial era, the only lightsabers prominently in use were those of Darth Vader and the Inquisitors who served him, though Jedi survivors such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, and those they trained, still carried their own. After the Empire's defeat, Luke trained a new generation of Jedi. When those students were killed and the dark-sider Kylo Ren became the most prominent saber wielder, the scavenger Rey discovered the Skywalker lightsaber. After the final war, Rey ritually buried her masters' lightsabers at the Lars Homestead on Tatooine and ignited her own newly crafted blade, taking the Skywalker name to honor their legacy.