While everyone loves the Star Wars universe for the Jedi and their unique powers, one of the most iconic things about the Jedi is their lightsabers. These weapons are so ubiquitous with Force-users that light, dark, and gray warriors all use them.
However, different colored lightsabers have different meanings and sometimes even encourage different skills. It's not just all about what the Jedi's favorite color is (other than Samuel L Jackson's Mace Windu). Each lightsaber says something about its wielder, with every aspect relating directly to the character; even down to the Kyber Crystal.
Updated on July 14th, 2021 by George Chrysostomou As the Star Wars universe continues to expand, more and more lightsaber variations are brought into the canon. Whether they are linked to a specific character or serve a specialist purpose, fans are always intrigued to see what kind of weapon a new member of the Jedi or Sith may wield in battle. The debate will continue to go on surrounding a key question: what is the best lightsaber color?
Blue
While this is the classic, go-to lightsaber color, it isn't just the most common because it looks cool or because the first lightsaber ever seen in Star Wars is blue. Blue blades symbolize a Jedi Guardian, AKA a trained Jedi Knight (or higher) who dedicates themselves to protecting other people, using their skills in missions or combat rather than staying at the temple.
No wonder both Obi-Wan and Anakin were blue lightsaber people. They were generals, not scholars. Where Star Wars is mostly a space opera full of action and drama, Lucasfilm and all the creators deserve credit for putting so much thought behind the Jedi Order, down to the last Kyber Crystal.
Green
Many people probably know the green lightsaber as the "cool one Luke changed to" or "Yoda's signature color". But this classic Jedi color actually has a deeper meaning. Green blades signify a Jedi Consular, who focuses more on learning the complex ways of the Force instead of fighting battles.
It fits a mature Luke and Yoda, right? They'll fight when they need to, but otherwise, they'd rather train, meditate, truly become one with the Force. It also makes complete sense why this was not the color of the headstrong Anakin Skywalker. It's also still one of the coolest lightsaber colors.
Orange
While some Jedi have the orange blade just for fun (The Young Jedi Knight's Lowbacca, for instance), others use the color very purposefully. Both Zekk and Freedon Nadd used the color to symbolize their struggle with the dark side. Darkness tempts many Jedi, but some more than others, and it's even worse for those who aren't given a choice (like Zekk).
In the end, they both committed to the Jedi and the light side, but they honored their temptations and internal battles with their blades. Considering players can buy Cal Kestis from Jedi: Fallen Order an orange lightsaber, is that just for fun cosmetics, or mean something more? It's a color that poses a lot of interesting questions.
Red
The franchise's iconic red lightsabers are exclusive to the Sith, and for very good reason. The crystals to make red blades are imbued with the evil intent and ability of the users, making them all the stronger. There have been cases of these particular crystals being magenta (Mara Jade) or orange, but those are very rare cases.
So yeah, a red lightsaber literally means someone is a bad person and has bad intentions. The Sith really don't pull punches when it comes to making their people an oozing pile of festering bad vibes.
Brown
There is only one truly brown lightsaber in the galaxy (not just Gungi's unique handle). However, that blade is so unique that it deserves credit all on its own. Bnar's Sacrifice was a brown-crystal blade with a very distinct rule: once someone used the brown crystal of Bnar's Sacrifice to make their own weapon, it could not be used by another unless completely disassembled.
Bnar left it after his life ended, a symbol of loyalty and becoming one with the power a Jedi wielded. Sure, the whole thing might be sort of gimmicky, but it has a great message behind it and would come really handy if anyone tried to use the blade against its owner.
Purple
Samuel L Jackson really just had to mess up the whole color system, didn't he? Where almost every other color has a meaning, purple lightsabers basically just exist because they're cool. Other than perhaps speaking to the soul of their wielder, they do not correlate to any roles, ideologies, rules, etc.
And perhaps that's the point. The users of purple blades are flexible, adaptive people. Mara Jade. Mace Windu. Jaina Solo. They are willing to be wrong as long as it means they keep fighting for something they believe in. It's certainly one of the best lightsaber colors.
Yellow
Where many lightsabers have a specific goal or purpose, yellow lightsabers can be a little vague. They were intended to symbolize equal dedication to protection, battle, and scholarly pursuits. However, many gray Jedi (AKA those who abandoned the Jedi but did not turn to the dark) use them. For example, when Ventress left the dark side, she abandoned her red blade for a yellow one.
What does that mean for Rey, getting a yellow lightsaber at the end of her trilogy? Well, considering The Rise of Skywalker did imply she wanted to give the Jedi new life, it probably means she's dedicated to knowledge and protecting the galaxy.
White
Whether the user was Ahsoka Tano or the Imperial Knights from the Legends-verse, white lightsabers do not change their meaning: this is a blade for someone who serves a purpose higher than themselves, be it their order or a distinct purpose, like bringing the Empire itself to justice.
Wielders of white-sabers don't follow countless rules like the Jedi. They just follow one rule: loyalty to their cause. They are somehow more morally gray and yet more idealistic than the Jedi all in one.
Magenta
A pink or magenta lightsaber has turned up in Star Wars lore numerous times and is another color that Cal Kestis can wield. However, notably, characters like Mara Jade have utilized the color in the past, demonstrating it has strong ties in the expanded universe.
Pink is usually linked to romance and affection, but in the Star Wars universe, it can also signify great passion. It's no coincidence that the Sith lightsabers sometimes verge on looking pink rather than red, due to the passionate hatred within them. On the opposite end of the spectrum, magenta lightsabers represent a more caring type of emotion.
Hybrids
While there are several pure, main colors on the Jedi lexicon of lightsabers, there were quite a few Jedi that used hybrid colors to make their blades. The color mixes tended to reflect the Jedi themselves.
For example, Tenel Ka's turquoise blade reflected her dedication to study and battle using the Force, but also her Hapan heritage. She used the blade, a Rancor tooth hilt, and a blue-green blade, to represent the cultures she came from. However, hybrid blades also indicate the fact any Jedi wielding them is fairly unorthodox. Ultimately, these hybrids can create a variety of colors of lightsabers.
Cyan
A slightly lighter version of the blue lightsaber, the cyan choice of color is extremely rare. However, players can choose to wield it in a number of video games, with Cal Kestis notably picking up the blade. There are very few Jedi in canon who have come to claim the color as their own.
Symbolically, it's a peaceful color. Often associated with nature, there's an elemental tone to this type of blade, with the color linking to sources of water (which are also usually symbolic of the force itself). It's unlikely for a vicious warrior to use a cyan iteration of the saber in the field.
Black
Canonically, the first Darksaber was a black blade made by the first Mandalorian ever to join the Jedi order, Tarre Vizsla. His family stole the artifact back from the Jedi Archives, though, when the Republic fell.
Over time and many missions, it fell from terrorists into the hands of Sabine Wren, a rebel that trained alongside Ezra Bridger in some Jedi combat and ways. However, her true goal was to become a symbol of the influence her people could have on bringing the galaxy back to justice. At some point, the blade fell from Sabine's hands into those of Moff Gideon. With so much history, a unique look, it's not hard to see why the black blade stands out so much to fans.