The lightsaber is an elegant weapon for a more civilized age and has been the choice accessory for Jedi since their inception in Star Wars. Varying in size, shape, color, and style, the lightsaber is a versatile weapon for non-force users both Jedi and Sith. Fan-favorite character Obi-Wan Kenobi wields an iconic lightsaber.
Obi-Wan has an interesting history with his lightsaber, including some that weren't even made or bonded to him. Both on and off-screen, there are a lot of interesting things to learn about from the Ewan McGregor era to the Alec Guinness era of Obi-Wan Kenobi and his lightsaber.
Updated on April 26th, 2022 by Melody MacReady: With the release of the highly-anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+, fans are looking excited to see Ewan McGregor wield his lightsaber yet again. From going against the Sith Inquisitors to a rematch against Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader.
As a result, now is the perfect time to look deeper into the history of Obi-Wan Kenobi's weapon of a more civilized era. Despite never being a focus, there are still many details about his lightsabers that even the most dedicated of Star Wars fans might not have noticed after all these years.
Ewan McGregor Chose His First Saber
When filming The Phantom Menace, the crew at Lucasfilm had a chance to play with Obi-Wan's saber hilt. This provided a fun bit of wish fulfillment for the younger Obi-Wan himself: Ewan McGregor.
In the lead-up to filming, the prop folks crafted multiple styles of saber hilt for Ewan to look over. Eventually, like a kid in a candy store, he landed on the definite look for Obi-Wan's very first lightsaber which is still an iconic piece of Star Wars history.
Obi-Wan Had Several Lightsabers
Jedi journey across the galaxy battling monsters, pirates, bounty hunters, and sith, just to name a few. The adversaries and obstacles are many, not to mention the risk. As a result, their equipment suffers a lot of wear and tear. Obi-Wan's lightsaber specifically has gone through three iterations because of this.
There was a fourth lightsaber that was given to Obi-Wan in the giant climax of Attack Of The Clones after losing his lightsaber on Geonosis. Technically, he also wielded a fifth red lightsaber in The Clone Wars when Asajj Ventress lent him one of her own to fight Maul and Savage Opress.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's First Lightsaber Was Inspired By Qui Gon Jinn's Lightsaber
The first saber of this Jedi Master was inspired by none other than his own movie-stealing mentor Qui-Gon Jinn. This rebellious Jedi master had a different bladed saber than his padawan, featuring a green blade as opposed to blue. However, Obi-Wan's hilt was directly designed after that of Qui-Gon's.
Qui-Gon's hilt was a simple design, consisting of a ringed structure painted black, a simple silver frame, and a signature red igniting button near the upper middle. Obi-Wan's had a similar black structure and red button, but with more flair in its silver framing. The base of the hilt though, bore a rounded end with silver edging, unlike Qui-Gon's simple base.
How Was Obi-Wan Kenobi's Lightsaber Powered?
When it comes to lightsabers, they are not as mysteriously powered as one might think. Most of the structure of the hilt is nothing more than a conductor for the blade. Obi-Wan's saber, a simple single blade, is not different than most in this regard.
The saber itself was powered by a Diatium power cell, which was the primary power source of the weapon. While the Kyber crystal itself was essential, to ignite its blade it needed a source of heat and power. This is where the power cell enters, fueling the Kyber enough to emit the classic blue blade.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's First Lightsaber Was Lost On Naboo
Obi-Wan's first lightsaber saw a decent amount of action. Battling Droids on Naboo, accompanying him to Tatooine, and on Coruscant, that saber experienced some mileage. Sadly, it wasn't going to last forever. This first saber saw its end when Kenobi faced off against Darth Maul in one of Obi-Wan's greatest duels.
This duel of fates saw the end of Qui-Gon Jinn at the hands of the Sith, leaving Kenobi alone against this foe. Cornering Kenobi in an air shaft, Maul kicked his first saber down toward the pit. For all fans know, Obi-Wan's original lightsaber with his bonded Kyber crystal is still on Naboo.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's Second Lightsaber Was Nearly Identical To His First Lightsaber
Obi-Wan soon constructed a new weapon after this duel with Maul on Naboo. Fans got their first view of this saber in Attack of the Clones. Once again though, this saber was a long call from the distinct design of the A New Hope model.
This second hilt was nearly an exact replica of his first saber from The Phantom Menace. Nearly identical, every aspect of this hilt is an exact copy of his first apart from the blade emitter; featuring a rounded and extended opening for the blade.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's Second Lightsaber Was Stolen By Geonosians
Out of all of his escapades before and during Attack Of The Clones, this second saber was never lost. Obi-Wan even had the gall to lecture Anakin for almost losing his saber during the pursuit of Zam Wesell. He should have followed his own directions.
While searching for Jango Fett, Obi-Wan followed the bounty hunter to the desert planet of Geonosis. It was here that Dooku and the Geonosians capture him and stole his saber, never to be seen again. Lightsabers are not simply discarded so there is a chance that Obi-Wan's lightsaber is buried on Geonosis.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Had A Fourth Temporary Lightsaber
Though he soon lost his saber at the hands of the Geonosians, Obi-Wan wasn't without a weapon during the first battle of the Clone Wars. Once the Republic and Jedi forces arrived to aid Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan, the Master and Apprentice were given temporary replacement sabers for the battle.
This was only used temporarily by Obi-Wan before Count Dooku AKA Darth Tyrannus proved that he was a top-tier duelist and incapacitated Kenobi. The lightsaber was used by Anakin but was discarded along with Anakin's arm, never to be seen again.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's Final Lightsaber Was The Most Important
When the Clone Wars began, Obi-Wan finally constructed his iconic saber hilt as seen in A New Hope. This hilt was far thinner in design, with no bulky rounded end and a thinner middle section. This allowed for far lighter and quicker fighting ability.
This blade took part in some of the most important moments in Obi-Wan's life. This weapon assisted in the Clone Wars, against his former padawan, and struck down Darth Maul. It marks the third time Obi-Wan was able to bond with a Kyber crystal.
The Blade Prop Is Visible In Some Versions Of A New Hope
Obviously, the special effects hadn't been perfected since A New Hope was the first of the franchise. While it still looks good after all these years, there are some errors every now and then. The lightsaber blades would change colors and even lengths.
Many versions including some Special Editions of A New Hope still feature the technical goof where the prop blade that Alec Guinness wields becomes visible while fighting Darth Vader. However, the current version found of Disney+ fixes this error.
Luke Fashioned His Lightsaber After Obi-Wan Kenobi's Lightsaber
Though this saber fell with its wielder, its legacy continued far beyond. Luke Skywalker constructed his second saber to highly resemble that of his former master's hilt. Like Obi-Wan before him, this sense of heritage was integral to construction.
The reason for many of their similarities is obviously in homage, but also due to availability. When constructing, Luke made his lightsaber from lost pieces found in Obi-Wan's hut on Tatooine, as shown in one of the franchise's most famous deleted scenes from Return Of The Jedi.
What Happened To Obi-Wan's Lightsaber?
In A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi finally met his end at the hands of his old apprentice: Darth Vader. He faded into The Force but his lightsaber dropped with his robe.
It is never confirmed if Darth Vader kept the lightsaber as a trophy or if it was destroyed along with the Death Star. This means that there are possibly three derelict lightsabers bonded to Obi-Wan in the galaxy, ready for someone to collect.