The lightsaber is perhaps the most iconic weapon in the Star Wars universe. The melee sword symbolises both the Jedi and their opposites, the Sith.
When Rey forged her green blade, she joined the ranks of Jedi, who embody hope and peace in the galaxy. But how do these warriors construct their inspiring weapons?
Origin
The lightsaber is the weapon of choice for most Jedi and Sith, a plasma blade that cuts and burns. It also symbolises a Jedi’s bond with the Force and their dedication to it. But where did this iconic weapon originate?
A member of the ancient Jedi order known as the Weapons Master forged the first lightsaber. The Jedi had no other weapons of this kind, and the Weapons Master carved all the information about how to make one on the hilt. He then handed it over to droid keepers to be safeguarded for future generations. This hilt would eventually become the prototype for modern lightsabers.
During the era of the Protosaber, both Jedi and Sith used kyber crystals to create their blades. This energy source differed from modern-day lightsabers using a battery-powered cyber core. The original Protosabers were also powered by a cable connected to the hilt, which limited their mobility and caused them to fail if the cord was cut.
When George Lucas was assembling Star Wars, he needed a weapon to be thrown and retracted quickly to mimic hand-to-hand combat. He was influenced by movie swashbuckling and historical Asian swordplay, and the resulting gun became the saberforce.com.au lightsaber.
The sound design for the sabre was done by a legendary sound designer named Ben Burtt, who created the fantastic noises of R2-D2 and WALL-E. He also crafted the “pew!” sound of the blaster guns in earlier films.
It’s interesting to note that, despite the hilt and blade’s iconic look, it is straightforward in its design. The handle is a long piece of aluminium, with a pommel on the bottom for stability and a katar on top to hold the blade in place. The pommel is then attached to a chassis with two tactical switches and battery contacts.
Function
The lightsaber must harness enormous energy reserves to produce a blade of such tremendous power. And that’s why it looks like a small nuclear reactor: a round, metal hilt with one or two sleeves as hand grips on its hilt’s pommel, a switch to turn the blade on, and a crystal that supplies the energy for its edge.
When a Jedi activates their lightsaber, the crystal ignites, producing a blue or green laser-like beam of plasma that can cut through almost anything and emits a distinctive hum. Felici explains that this plasma also contains ionised gases, creating a magnetic field that can sculpt the doughnut-shaped plasma into various shapes. The varying temperatures of the ionised gases account for the different lightsaber colours, from blue to red—although impurities in the plasma could also play a role.
Interestingly, the hilts used by Jedi can have a variety of modifications to increase their functionality, including blade length adjusters and extra features for more aggressive combat techniques. For instance, the dual-phase model used by Darth Vader has two cyber crystals in their emitters and allows the user to rotate them at the flick of a switch to change the length of the blade. But using one of these can be dangerous for a Jedi not in full connection with the Force and requires special training to wield correctly.
Many people have created versions of this iconic weapon outside the Star Wars universe. Toys and replicas often use LEDs and emit sounds when they hit something. Still, a few manufacturers, such as Electrum SaberCrafts and WickedLasers, have designed lightsabers that can cut through materials with an actual blade.
Design
The saberforce.com.au lightsaber, that glowing blade of laser light that’s a sword and a flashlight simultaneously, is one of the most iconic details of George Lucas’ sprawling space opera. The Force-powered weapon symbolises a Jedi’s power and honour and is an elegant weapon for a more civilised age. It requires immense strength and skill to wield, but it’s also a powerful symbol of peace.
In the Star Wars universe, constructing a lightsaber is the first step in becoming a Jedi or Sith. It’s also a moment of truth, indicating that an individual is ready to ascend the ranks within their respective order. Jedi often choose single-blade hilts, while Sith opt for double-bladed hilts to showcase their dark side.