When you think of Star Wars you probably also think of one of the most iconic science-fiction weapons ever invented. The lightsaber is flashy, elegant, and instantly recognizable. The sleek beam weapon is better than any phaser or handheld blaster.
Much about the lightsaber has changed since the release of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977, more than 40 years ago. A great deal of new material has been added to the series's universe. A brand new trilogy of movies was produced with new unique lightsabers for a new generation of Jedi. It's only natural they'd evolve alongside their ever-expanding galaxy, but even still, something about their appeal remains fundamentally unchanged. Here are some ways lightsabers have changed over the years, and some they've stayed the same.
10. Changed: They Only Came In Two Colors
In the first two movies of the original trilogy, A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, lightsabers were only seen in two colors: blue for Jedi and red for Sith. Well, actually, the props themselves were just white and the blade colors were rotoscoped in after the fact. But the blue and red lightsabers became shorthand for what side of the Force you were on.
Right up until Luke Skywalker came along in Episode VI and built his own lightsaber to replace the one he lost in his fight with Darth Vader. The new blade was shown as blue in the original promotional material and even in some original edits of the movie. Ultimately, it was changed to the first new lightsaber color since the beginning of the series: green. Why? Because the color of the special effects showed up better against the blue Tattooine sky.
9. The Same: They Still Can't Cut Through Everything
The cutting power of a lightsaber is tremendous. They're shown to carve just as easily through metal as they do through flesh. And the heat from the blade is so intense that it cauterizes wounds as it es through them. Lucky for Luke and his lost hand. But there are some materials in the galaxy that can resist a lightsaber strike.
Mandalorian Iron and the gauntlets of the Elite Praetorian Guard can deflect a slashing blow (thought direct thrusts could still penetrate the armor). The hide of the extinct Zillo Beast can resist lightsabers as well, though it's very rare. In most cases, lightsaber-resistant armor is difficult to acquire, and is rarely used by common soldiers.
8. Changed: They Only Had One Blade
All the lightsabers in the original trilogy adhered to the same classic design. They had a single blade, like a fencing saber or rapier. The very first dual-bladed lightsaber made its appearance in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace wielded by Sith Lord Darth Maul. Since then, many other new designs have made their way into the canon, including spinning lightsabers, curved-hilt lightsabers, and even lightsaber pistols. One of the more recognizable new designs is Kylo Ren's crossguard lightsaber, with two smaller blades acting as raw power vents for his damaged kyber crystal.
7. The Same: They're Still Offensive And Defensive
The offensive powers of a lightsaber are clear and uncontested. Their ability to cut through most material makes them nearly unparalleled in combat, as the only weapons that can deflect their blows are other energy weapons, primarily other lightsabers. They are significantly more powerful when used in conjunction with the Force. There are seven established forms of lightsaber combat developed by the Jedi Order, from the most basic Form I taught to all recruits to the unstable and rarely mastered Form VII.
Those particularly skilled in lightsaber combat and in the Force can also use their blades defensively. Forms III and IV are specifically defense-focused and can be used to deflect incoming projectiles and blaster fire. And Form V can be used to reflect that same blaster fire back at your attacker, combining offense and defense in the same maneuver.
6. Changed: They Were Made Of Spinning Reflective Rods
The lightsaber visual effects of the original trilogy were fairly complicated. In A New Hope, the blades were made of three-sided rods covered with reflective material. The rods were attached to a compact motor in the lightsaber's hilt and spun rapidly. This would reflect set lights and make the blade seem to glow on camera. However, the props were fragile and any shift out of the light revealed the spinning rod beneath.
Since the blades were rotoscoped in post anyway, to give them their red and blue color, this effect was deemed more trouble than it was worth. During the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, they were replaced by simple carbon rods.
5. The Same: You Still Need To Make Your Own
This isn't technically a requirement to wield a lightsaber. After all, Luke manages to use Anakin's lightsaber just fine before he gets his hand cut off. But when he builds his own lightsaber in Episode VI, Luke finally comes into his own as a real Jedi Knight. It's not hard to assume that the discipline needed to construct a lightsaber is also important in learning the principles of the Jedi. In more recent canon, Jedi-in-training have been shown to harvest their own power crystals in order to build a weapon unique to their Force signature.
4. Changed: They Weren't Just For Force-s
In early drafts of the Star Wars storyline, using lightsabers wasn't reserved for the Jedi Order and other Force-s. They were apparently a much more mundane weapon.
Concept art showed them being wielded by both Rebel and Imperial soldiers. It was later decided to make them exclusive to the Jedi to make them more unique and mysterious. Also they were originally called "lazerswords," which isn't nearly as cool.
3. The Same: They Still Sound Great
The sound design of the lightsaber is second to none. Not only are they glowing swords, but they're glowing swords that hum and buzz in a way that really makes you feel their power. The sound effect was developed by Ben Burtt using a combination of idling movie projector motors and television set interference.
Every part of the lightsaber sounds incredible. The idle buzz, the hum as it moves through the air, the crash as two blades meet. Even just the sound of one activating stays with you long after you've watched the movie.
2. Changed: They Didn't Use Kyber Crystals
Kyber crystals, the naturally occurring Force-attuned crystals used to construct lightsabers, weren't mentioned on the big screen until Rogue One. However, they have appeared in various non-canon and Extended Universe material.
They were first shown in an episode of the Clone Wars titled "The Gathering." In the episode, younglings are instructed to harvest their own crystals from caves on Ilum to make their personal lightsabers.
1. The Same: They're Still Super Cool
Listen, everything about the lightsaber combines to make it one of the coolest and most pined after sci-fi weapons ever to exist. So many children are swinging around light-up telescoping lightsabers even more than four decades after the first movie's release. Disney reported that it sells more than 10 million toy lightsabers every year.
Lightsabers mix the romantic, swashbuckling energy of sword fights with excellent visual and sound design. They come in many colors and shapes so each one is unique. They let people a side just by picking a color. And they conveniently stow themselves away for travel. They're the definitive Star Wars prop, and that won't ever change.
