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::''For in-depth details on the fighting style of lightsabers see Lightsaber Combat .'' and Darth Vader duel on Mustafar in Episode III with blue lightsabers.]] A lightsaber is a as "glowsticks." Lightsabers are Science Fiction versions of their namesake, the Saber , the curved metal blade replaced by a solid, glowing bar of Light that resembles a tubular Fluorescent Light Bulb , so as to create a flashier version of traditional swordfighting in the ''Star Wars'' films. Though they often behave like regular swords, they've been depicted as able to penetrate and cut through most solid materials with little or no resistance, and to deflect shots from Blaster s. The lightsaber first appeared in the film '''' ( 1977 ). At first, the effect was created by having the actors hold rods covered with highly reflective tape and pointing high-intensity light in their direction. The outcome was not satisfying, so in post production the effect was augmented through Rotoscoping the rods. For episodes V and VI the use of reflective tape was abandoned and the effect was achieved by rotoscoping carbon stunt rods. For the prequel trilogy, the effect was created using Computer Animation . Within the fiction of ''Star Wars'', the lightsaber "blade" is made by a very tight loop of highly focused energy. LIGHTSABERS IN THE STAR WARS GALAXY ignites his red lightsaber.]] A lightsaber emits a blade of pure energy at a certain length. It's unclear how this energy only exists for a specific length to form a saber. One common explanation is that the emitter matrix forms a tight magnetic field which holds the energized beam in place, while creating a recharge loop back to the power cell. Thus, lightsabers only expend energy when actually cutting something. The beam can cut through most solids, although some materials display resistance towards it. This includes another lightsaber blade, the rare mineral Cortosis , force-fields of various sorts, an alloy used in Magna Guards ' electrostaffs and Dark Trooper armor called Phrik , Alchemically-enhanced Sith Sword s and superconductors. Some of these stop the blade altogether, while others are simply difficult to cut. Mandalorian iron is also known to resist the effects of a lightsaber, and very dense materials, such as heavy armor, have been shown to marginally slow them down. In the New Jedi Order series, the Yuuzhan Vong Vonduun Crab armour is able to repel lightsaber cuts and stabs. Both the Vonduun Crab armour and the Vong Amphistaffs are biologically engineered and able to produce a force field. Some Force Adepts are capable of charging ordinary melee weapons with the Force, which enables the weapon to withstand a few lightsaber strikes even when made from simple wood or another substance normally vulnerable to a lightsaber's blade. One of the Witches of Dathomir was able to deflect 2 strikes from a lightsaber with a Force-charged wooden staff. However, she simply could not keep that up, and the third strike cut through her weapon. When the Old Republic was forming, the first lightsabers were developed as siege weapons. These required a separate power pack, which was often worn on the back, and later, a belt worn power source. The power sources and components were eventually miniaturized to fit inside the hilt and create a simple weapon used in later eras, which was adopted by the recently-formed Jedi Order in the early days of the Old Republic . LIGHTSABER COLORS In the original film trilogy, lightsaber blades were blue, green and red. The various Expanded Universe (EU) sources, Action Figures and the Prequel films opened up the spectrum of blade colors to many variations of the afore-mentioned colors, as well as yellow, purple, orange, silver, turquoise, pink, bronze, viridian, brown, grey (and possibly white), gold, and black, among others; the full variety and extent of focusing gems, and consequently, of colors, is unknown. According to the Expanded Universe , these gems merely determine the blade color. However, in Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic , different gems may alter the intensity or damage type of the blade (making the blade more accurate, or more effective against droids, for example), in addition to altering its color. Though it might be worthwile to note that in these games, seperate crystals are used to perform different functions, and only one type of crystal is used to change the blades color. Red and bronze colors are usually associated with the Sith . Purple, turquoise, yellow, blue, and green colors are associated with the Jedi . Orange, silver, pink, white, gold, and viridian typically do not represent either side. However, the Expanded Universe establishes no direct relationship between a lightsaber's blade's color and its user's affiliation. For example, the Dark Jedi Sariss used a blue lightsaber while her erstwhile ally Yun used a yellow blade. Both are from the computer game Jedi Knight II . Usually, the reduced amount of colors present in later eras is attributed to the Empire, which destroyed the caves that housed the lightsaber crystals used to focus energy and create the blade's unique color. Synthetic crystals were created to replace the natural crystals found in caverns, typically having either a blue or green color. It should be added that during the Old Republic era, Jedi kept strict traditions that kept most padawans from creating their lightsaber crystals synthetically, either within a furnace, taking a gem and restructuring it via the Force , or a combination of both. The color of a lightsaber blade depends on the crystals used to focus it. Blue-bladed lightsabers are associated with Jedi Guardians; green-bladed lightsabers are associated with Jedi Consulars; yellow-bladed lightsabers are associated with Jedi Sentinels; and red-bladed lightsabers are more closely associated with the Sith and dark Jedi. Note however, that the color of the lightsaber does not indicate in absolute the nature of the Jedi. Mace Windu 's purple-colored lightsaber in the movie is rumored so that viewers can distinguish Samuel L. Jackson 's character in the battle scenes in Attack Of The Clones . However, Samuel L. Jackson simply chose his lightsaber color himself as he was the first to pick a lightsaber at the start of production on the prequel trilogy. In the expanded universe purple, being a mix of red and blue, shows the mastery of a lightsaber form known as Vapaad or form VII and the light side of the force which allows Windu to use his fighting style and Force powers dangerously close to the Dark Side without being tainted. It is also said that a purple crystal is a choice only the most skilled masters in lightsaber combat can make, which might also explain his unusual blade color. Usually the lightsaber crystal will call out to its chosen master during the trials to become a Jedi when the padawan travels to Ilum or Adega . This in part is why some sources claim that Jedi traditionally use Adegan crystals. Prior to the Battle Of Ruusan , Jedi used lightsabers in a vast array of colors. Afterwards, Jedi relied on more common Ilum crystals such as blue and green. During his Knight Trials, Mace Windu braved the rock-encrusted world of Hurikane on the orders of his own Jedi Master to obtain his lightsaber crystal. He encountered the planet's natives and, in a moment of panic, accidently threw them over a cliff. Realizing his mistake, the young Padawan saved the natives. It was from this mission that Mace Windu was given the rare crystals as a gift. In the New Jedi Order Era, Jedi had a wide array of colors such as orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and light blue. The synthetic red crystals favored by the Sith can create a somewhat more powerful blade than blue or green crystals, but are generally not as pure due to their artificial nature and can thus be undesirable as the focus of a lightsaber. The Sith apparently had a large supply of red crystals and also favored red as a symbol for blood. It was not uncommon for the Sith masters to supply their learners with the synthesized red crystals. However, Darth Vader, at the beginning of his Sith period, wielded a blue lightsaber, as shown in Revenge Of The Sith . Likewise, Exar Kun used a blue double-bladed lightsaber in the Sith War. Sith lightsaber crystals tend to be red due to Sith Alchemy. When making their own lightsaber crystals, the materials they use and the way they make them almost always turn out crimson. Though most Sith wield a Red lightsaber, the color does not effect their decision to use the lightsaber. For example, if the blade turned yellow when first ignited, it would make no difference to the user. Luke Skywalker constructed his lightsaber, using instructions hidden in Obi-Wan Kenobi 's abandoned hut on Tatooine . Instead of using natural crystals however, he synthetically created the focusing gems within a compact molecular furnace, also found inside Kenobi's home. While the intense heat of the kiln molded the base materials that Luke had placed inside, he channeled his Force energies through them, which in turn shaped and modified their internal properties. With this process, a completely functional lightsaber crystal can be created. Darth Maul was known to have created his double-bladed lightsaber in much the same way, but with one major difference. During the forming of the crystals within the furnace, the Sith focused all of his blinding rage, aggression, and malice into the gems. This leads one to believe that it may be possible to mold the alignment of the completed crystal itself through this process. During the initial editing of '''', Luke's lightsaber was colored blue in a trailer. However against the desert blue sky environment, the decision was made to change it to green for a better visual effect, hence the birth of the green lightsaber. It has later been Retconned to be the color of a "Jedi Consular", a Jedi who focuses on mastery of the Force rather than lightsaber combat. LIGHTSABER TYPES Dual-Phase Lightsabers The uncommon Dual-Phase Lightsaber is any lightsaber constructed to operate at two different blade lengths. Historically, these complex blades were constructed mostly by ancient Jedi and Sith in their many heated wars; the surprise advantage of a blade which could shoot forth several feet or inches was worth the additional difficulty of constructing a lightsaber with several focusing gems, and further outweighed the fact that a lengthy blade was often inferior from a pure fencing perspective. 's lightsaber is "Dual-Phase" capable for example. Short Lightsabers / Lightdaggers There are also variant lightsabers with shorter handles and blades (known as Short Lightsabers or '''lightdaggers''') that can be wielded as offhand (weaker hand) secondary weapons. These are for Jedi who fight with two lightsabers for the dual-bladed lightsaber combat style that those who practice dual sword wield have a tendency to rely too deeply in their swords. Double Bladed Lightsabers / Saberstaffs |
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