Star Wars is one of the most beloved and iconic sci-fi franchises of all time. The Jedi Knights and their iconic lightsabers are some of the most memorable parts of the saga. Lightsabers come in a range of colors, each with its own meaning and bearing on the Jedi who wields it. Here’s a look at what color lightsaber each major Jedi character has in the Star Wars universe.
Blue
Blue is one of the most common lightsaber colors in the Jedi Order. It represents a Jedi’s duty to uphold justice and peace. Some of the most famous Jedi who wielded blue lightsabers include:
- Luke Skywalker: The protagonist of the original Star Wars trilogy, Luke constructed his own blue lightsaber under Obi-Wan Kenobi’s guidance after inheriting his father Anakin’s old weapon.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: Obi-Wan built his first blue lightsaber as a Padawan learner under Qui-Gon Jinn. He used it throughout his Jedi career, even in exile as “Old Ben” Kenobi on Tatooine.
- Anakin Skywalker: Before turning to the dark side as Darth Vader, Anakin wielded a blue lightsaber he constructed after losing his first weapon. He used this blue blade throughout the Clone Wars.
- Mace Windu: The senior Jedi Council member constructed his own uniquely hued blue lightsaber using an amethyst gem. The purple hue designated his status as a leading Jedi Master.
- Ki-Adi-Mundi: The Cerean Jedi Council member wielded a standard blue blade for most of his career as a Jedi General in the Clone Wars before his death on Mygeeto.
These influential Jedi helped define the image of the blue-bladed Jedi warrior upholding peace in the galaxy. It remains the most common and recognizable lightsaber color.
Green
The second most common blade color after blue, green indicates a Jedi’s focus on harmony with the Force. Notable green lightsaber wielders include:
- Qui-Gon Jinn: Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Master favored a green blade during the Naboo crisis, signaling his maverick and unorthodox approach to the Jedi Code.
- Yoda: The legendary Jedi Grand Master constructed his green lightsaber centuries before the events of the saga, using it to train generations of Jedi.
- Luke Skywalker: When constructing his new lightsaber after The Empire Strikes Back, Luke chose a green kyber crystal, signifying his growing Force abilities.
- Kyle Katarn: The Jedi Outcast built his first green-bladed lightsaber when embracing his Force sensitivity under Luke Skywalker’s New Jedi Order.
These influential Jedi helped define the green lightsaber as a symbol of a Jedi’s harmony with the living Force. It remains closely associated with wise counsel and Force mastery.
Yellow
The Jedi Temple Guards seen in The Clone Wars wield yellow-bladed lightsaber pikes. In the Ahsoka novel, this color signifies Jedi sentinels, who actively served the Jedi Order in Coruscant and the Jedi Temple:
- Temple Guard: Anonymous sentinels elected to form the Jedi Temple’s security force, armed with double-bladed yellow lightsabers.
- Barriss Offee: Ahsoka Tano’s friend wielded a yellow blade as a Jedi Padawan before later bombing the Jedi Temple.
The yellow color highlights these Jedi’s crucial role in guarding the Order itself and its facilities. It remains an uncommon color except among Temple guardsmen.
Purple
As mentioned previously, Mace Windu constructed his uniquely hued purple blade by bonding a violet-colored crystal to indicate his senior Jedi Master status. However, this color remains so closely associated with Windu himself that few other Jedi use it.
White
Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s former Padawan, wields a pair of white-bladed lightsabers in Star Wars Rebels after leaving the Jedi Order. Her crystals’ purifying ritual to remove the red Dark Side taint symbolizes her transition into a light-sided Force warrior outside the Jedi or Sith.
Black
The only black-bladed lightsaber known to exist belonged to the ancient Pre-Republic Jedi known as the Dark Acolyte, fitting for her descent into darkness as a Sith-like Dark Jedi. No other Jedi is known to have replicated it.
Red
Red blades symbolize Sith or Dark Jedi. Typical Jedi avoid red kyber crystals, with some exceptions:
- Galen Marek: Vader’s secret apprentice briefly used a red lightsaber before redeeming himself as a Jedi.
- Rey: Constructed her own yellow-bladed lightsaber after briefly wielding Anakin and Luke’s old blue lightsaber. She briefly ignited a red, double-bladed version in a Force vision.
No mainstream Jedi would willingly choose a red lightsaber, as the color marks one as a practitioner of the Dark Side.
Other Unusual Colors
Some Jedi have used unconventional kyber crystals producing orange, cyan, silver, or even rainbow-colored blades:
- Pong Krell: This double-bladed lightsaber-wielding Besalisk Jedi had an orange and cyan blade combination.
- The Temple Guardsmen in Jedi: Fallen Order use yellow-orange lightsaber pikes.
- A rainbow-bladed lightsaber appears in The Rise of Skywalker visual dictionary, belonging to an unnamed Jedi.
However, these colors remain extremely rare exceptions rather than the norm for Jedi knights and masters.
Conclusion
In summary, here are the standard lightsaber colors wielded by famous Jedi:
| Jedi | Lightsaber Color |
|---|---|
| Luke Skywalker | Blue, later green |
| Anakin Skywalker | Blue |
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | Blue |
| Yoda | Green |
| Mace Windu | Purple |
| Qui-Gon Jinn | Green |
| Ahsoka Tano | Green and yellow, later white |
| Temple Guards | Yellow |
Blue and green are the most common blade colors, symbolizing justice and harmony respectively. Purple, yellow, white, and orange blades appear occasionally for certain specialized Jedi roles. Red blades are almost always avoided by light-sided Force users.
While blade color is not the most crucial factor, it does reflect something about each Jedi’s personality and approach to the Force. The many hues of lightsabers help make the Jedi Knights’ weapons as varied and fascinating as the Order’s members themselves. The elegant weapons of a more civilized age continue to captivate fans’ imaginations.
