Lightsaber

Lightsaber
Star Wars franchise element
Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber
Publisher	Lucasfilm
First appearance	Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Created by	George Lucas
Genre	Science fiction
In-universe information
Type	Energy sword
Function	Dueling Blaster bolt deflection Cutting through solid materials Deflecting Force lightning Light source
Affiliation	Jedi Sith Inquisitorius Knights of Ren Mandalorians (Darksaber)

A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout Star Wars. A typical lightsaber is shown as a luminous laser sword about 3 feet (0.91 m) in length emitted from a metal hilt around 10.5 inches (27 cm) in length.^[1] First introduced in the original Star Wars film,^[a] it has since appeared in most Star Wars films, with at least one lightsaber duel occurring in each installment of the "Skywalker saga". The lightsaber's distinct appearance was created using rotoscoping for the original films, and with digital effects for the prequel and sequel trilogies.

In the Star Wars universe, the lightsaber is the signature weapon of the light-side-wielding Jedi Order and the dark-side-wielding Sith Order. However, the lightsaber can also be wielded by non-Force-sensitive characters as an ordinary weapon or tool.^[2] The Jedi use different colored lightsabers. The most common lightsaber colors are blue and green, but other colors also exist, those being purple, white, black, and yellow. The Sith wield exclusively red-bladed sabers to distinguish themselves from the Jedi. The color of a lightsaber's blade is given by kyber crystals. A kyber crystal has no color until it is approached by a Jedi. It then turns into a color determined by the wielder's connection to the Force.^[3] A lightsaber's hilt is built by its wielder and is, therefore, unique in design. There are several variations outside of the traditional single-bladed lightsaber, such as the double-bladed lightsaber (most famously wielded by Darth Maul), the curved-hilted lightsaber (wielded by Asajj Ventress and most famously by Count Dooku), crossguard lightsabers (used by Kylo Ren and occasionally by Jedi), and the Darksaber, forged by the Mandalorian Jedi Tarre Vizsla, but primarily wielded by the non-Force-sensitive Mandalorian rulers of Mandalore (including Pre Vizsla, Maul, Bo-Katan Kryze, Moff Gideon, and Din Djarin).

As presented in the early films, a lightsaber's energy blade can cut, burn, and melt through most substances with little resistance.^[4] It leaves cauterized wounds in flesh, but can be deflected by another lightsaber blade, by energy shields, or by the metal beskar (found in Mandalorian armor) and phrik (the metal used to create electrostaffs). The blade has even been used as a tool to weld metal. Other times, the lightsaber has been shown to cause bleeding wounds in the flesh, sometimes accompanied by burns. Some exotic saber-proof melee weapons have been introduced in the Expanded Universe as well as later episodic films. Lightsabers can also deflect blaster bolts, allowing a wielder with Jedi reflexes to turn an enemy's own gunfire against them. An active lightsaber gives off a distinctive hum, which rises in pitch and volume as the blade is moved rapidly through the air. Bringing the blade into contact with another lightsaber's blade produces a loud crackle.

The lightsaber has become one of the most widely recognized elements of the Star Wars franchise. In 2008, a survey of approximately 2,000 film fans found it to be the most popular weapon in film history.^[5][6]

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