UPDATE: The double-bladed red and blue lightsaber was not designed specifically for Kylo Ren.

Kylo Ren was originally going to receive another lightsaber design in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and that would've been much better. Ever since Kylo Ren debuted in the trailers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, his crossguard lightsaber has been discussed, debated, and speculated about: how does it work? Do the crossguards actually offer any advantage in battle? Everyone from talk show host Stephen Colbert to actor Ewan McGregor has weighed in about Kylo Ren's crossguard lightsaber

However, thanks to The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, by Phil Szostak, we know that Kylo Ren's crossguard lightsaber wasn't the original lightsaber design for his character. But while the crossguard lightsaber seems more like a gimmick, since the openings on the side of the lightsaber hilt are meant to account for the unstable energy from the Kyber crystal, the original lightsaber design would have contributed to the story by visualizing Kylo Ren's inner conflict.

Related: Star Wars Keeps Retconning What The Sith Are

Instead of the crossguard design, Michael Arndt, the original screenwriter for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, imagined Kylo Ren having a double-bladed lightsaber with a red beam on one side and a blue beam on the other. Erik Tiemens drew this lightsaber in early concept art that now appears in The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The "fire and ice" blade captured both the light and dark sides within Kylo Ren. While the "fire and ice" blade didn't make it into the final film, there is a moment during Rey's fight with Kylo Ren that their blades run parallel to each other, creating a similar visual to the "fire and ice" blade.

Star Wars The Art of The Force Awakens Concept Art Double-Bladed Lightsaber

The crossguard lightsaber is a unique design that generated buzz for The Force Awakens, but many fans remain skeptical about its functionality. The crossguard might be a cool aesthetic, but it doesn't seem to give Kylo Ren the upperhand in a duel that a double-bladed lightsaber would. Additionally, Kylo Ren bastardized his original blue lightsaber to make the crossguard lightsaber, which is part of the reason why his red crossguard blade appears to be unstable. The crossguard lightsaber isn't as powerful or as meaningful as the double-bladed lightsaber would be.

The "fire and ice" double-bladed lightsaber could have also played a larger role in the climax of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Because a lightsaber's Kyber crystal "bleeds" when wielded by a dark Jedi or Sith, the crystal (and blade) turns red. If the blue blade turned red at the moment that Kylo Ren stabbed Han Solo, it could have been the perfect way to show his commitment to the dark side. The transformation of the lightsaber blade would not only be an amazing visual, but it would also advanced the story in a fascinating, new way.

Next: Star Wars 9: How Kylo Ren’s Sith Troopers Connect To The Real Sith

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