Lightsabers with turquoise blades are quite rare in the Star Wars universe. Most Jedi and Sith lightsabers have blue, green, or red blades. But a handful of characters over the years have wielded uniquely-hued turquoise lightsabers. Here we will explore who these characters are and the stories behind their unusual weapons.
What is a Lightsaber?
For those unfamiliar with Star Wars lore, a lightsaber is a powerful melee weapon usually wielded by Jedi and Sith. It consists of a blade made of pure plasma energy that can cut through nearly anything. The blade emerges from the hilt and makes a distinctive humming/buzzing sound when activated. Lightsabers come in a variety of colors, with blue, green, and red being the most common. The color of the blade depends on the kyber crystal used in its construction. Turquoise is one of the rarest blade colors seen.
Turquoise Crystal Meanings
In Star Wars lore, different lightsaber crystal colors have symbolic meanings. Blue blades represent Jedi Guardians who focus on combat training and physical skills. Green blades signify Jedi Consulars who prefer negotiation, philosophy, and building consensus. Red blades are used by Sith Lords and others who tap into the dark side of the Force.
Turquoise crystals are exceptionally rare, found only in certain parts of the galaxy. The turquoise blade is said to represent a balance between the light and dark sides of the Force. Characters who wield turquoise lightsabers walk the line between Jedi and Sith teachings. They tend to be more morally grey and open to using powers from both sides of the Force.
Notable Characters with Turquoise Lightsabers
Mara Jade Skywalker
One of the earliest turquoise lightsaber wielders in the Star Wars Expanded Universe was Mara Jade Skywalker. Mara Jade was introduced in Timothy Zahn’s famous Thrawn Trilogy novels (1991-1993). She was a former Imperial assassin and Emperor Palpatine’s Hand. Later in life after Palpatine’s death, she became a Jedi Master and married Luke Skywalker.
Mara Jade constructed a unique turquoise-bladed lightsaber during her transition from the dark side to the light side. The color represented her redemption and balancing of light and dark teachings. She used this lightsaber until her death battling her Sith-aligned nephew, Jacen Solo, in the Legacy of the Force novel Sacrifice (2007).
The Jedi Exile
The main character of the video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (2004), nicknamed the Jedi Exile, constructed a turquoise lightsaber after awakening her Force abilities. Canonically, the Jedi Exile was a female human named Meetra Surik. Surik had been cut off from the Force after the Mandalorian Wars but reconnected during her quest to stop the Sith Triumvirate.
Her turquoise blade reflected her grey Jedi status of walking between the light and dark sides. She could wield both Jedi and Sith powers. Surik used this weapon to defeat Darth Traya and restore balance to the Force.
Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus
Jacen Solo, son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, constructed a turquoise lightsaber late in his Jedi training as a symbol of balance and his openness to exploring all aspects of the Force. But he eventually fell to the dark side, becoming the Sith Lord Darth Caedus.
Caedus kept using his turquoise lightsaber as a Sith, representing how he combined both Jedi and Sith teachings. He dueled his sister Jaina with this lightsaber often. She ultimately killed him with her own purple blade in the novel Invincible (2008).
The Grand Inquisitor
One of the main antagonists in the first season of the television show Star Wars Rebels (2014) was an ominous Pau’an Inquisitor tasked by Darth Vader with killing any surviving Jedi Knights. This Grand Inquisitor wielded a spinning double-bladed turquoise lightsaber that could also separate into two single blades.
The Grand Inquisitor’s turquoise color again symbolized his role of walking the line between Jedi and Sith affiliations. He tapped into both the light and dark sides of the Force. The Seventh Sister Inquisitor later obtained his lightsaber after his death.
Rey Skywalker
At the very end of the film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), protagonist Rey Skywalker is seen wielding her own new turquoise lightsaber. This lightsaber’s distinct color hints that Rey has found balance between the Jedi and Sith ways, no longer strictly conforming to Jedi dogma. Her weapon represents unity and synthesis of all Force teachings into a cohesive whole.
Other Rare Lightsaber Colors and Meanings
In addition to turquoise, lightsabers have appeared in many other colors over the years within Star Wars canon and legends. Here are some other rare lightsaber colors and their significance:
| Purple | Used by Jedi who have studied both Jedi and Sith teachings, balancing the two sides of the Force. |
| Yellow | Signifies Jedi Sentinels, who actively seek out and destroy dark side threats. |
| Orange | Represents a Jedi who embraces emotions without succumbing to the dark side. |
| Black | Utilized by Sith or dark side assassins for stealth and intimidation. |
| White | Denotes great power and wisdom; used by light side Force adepts aligned neither with Jedi nor Sith. |
| Silver | Marks a wielder open to reflection and illumination of the self. |
| Gold | Indicates strong connection to the foundation of the Force itself. |
As we can see, lightsaber colors have deeper meaning in the Star Wars universe than mere decoration. The turquoise blade specifically represents a balance between light and dark, Jedi and Sith. Only select characters have wielded turquoise lightsabers over the years.
The Difficulty of Finding Turquoise Crystals
Turquoise kyber crystals are exceptionally rare in the Star Wars galaxy. They can only form under very specific and unusual circumstances that balance the light and dark aspects of the Force. This explains why few characters in Star Wars lore wield turquoise blades.
In the old Jedi Order, padawans would harvest crystals for their first lightsaber by visiting the Crystal Caves of Ilum. But turbquoise crystals could not be found there. Only blue, green, yellow, and violet were available. To get a turqoise crystal, a Jedi had to embark on a complex quest spanning many worlds to locate one attuned to them through the Force.
Sith Lords who desired turquoise blades had an even more difficult task of synthesizing them through the dark side using Sith alchemy. This dangerous process would bend and merge different kyber crystals together to produce the rare turquoise color.
Overall, turquoise lightsabers stand as a testament to the dedication and Force skill of the few Jedi and Sith able to construct them. Their wielders walk a fine line between the light and dark, displaying an exceptional balance.
Famous Lightsaber Duels Involving Turquoise Blades
Turquoise lightsabers have been used in some climatic battles over Star Wars history. Here are a few famous duels where a turquoise blade was wielded against another lightsaber color:
Mara Jade Skywalker vs. Jacen Solo (Sacrifice novel)
This was the final duel of Mara Jade Skywalker’s life. She confronted her Sith-corrupted nephew Jacen Solo, who had assumed the name Darth Caedus. In an epic lightsaber battle, her turquoise blade dueled against Jacen’s own turquoise saber. Their shared color represented Jacen’s fall from the light side. In the end, Caedus killed his aunt, but her sacrifice enabled his eventual defeat.
The Grand Inquisitor vs. Kanan Jarrus (Star Wars Rebels)
Former Jedi padawan Kanan Jarrus dueled the Grand Inquisitor and his spinning double-bladed turquoise lightsaber numerous times as Kanan helped lead the rebellion. Their climatic duel took place over the planet Malachor. Kanan ultimately bested the Inquisitor, who chose to commit suicide rather than face Darth Vader’s wrath for his failure.
Rey Skywalker vs. Kylo Ren (The Rise of Skywalker)
After constructing her new yellow-bladed lightsaber, Rey dueled Kylo Ren amongst the ruins of the second Death Star. When Rey proved hesitant to deliver the killing blow, Leia’s Jedi spirit summoned Rey’s turqoise saber to her hand, allowing her to defeat the resurrected Palpatine. The duel represented the balance between Dyads Rey and Kylo.
Conclusion
Turquoise lightsabers are incredibly rare but powerful weapons in the Star Wars universe. They denote Force adepts who walk the line between the light and dark sides, incorporating both Jedi and Sith teachings. Over the years, only select characters like Mara Jade, The Jedi Exile, Jacen Solo, the Grand Inquisitor, and Rey Skywalker have wielded the distinct turquoise blades. Finding the special crystals required to construct them is an arduous quest across the galaxy. When turquoise blades have appeared in major lightsaber duels, they often foreshadow a balancing of the Force. The unique turquoise color stands as a testament to these warrior’s skill in balancing and mastering all aspects of the Force.
