Since 1977, children (and adults) have been fascinated by lightsabers. While they may seem magical, there's a lot of science behind these elegant weapons of the Jedi Order—and their evil opposites, the Sith.
Besides their mystical properties, the blades of Jedi and Sith are also pretty cool to look at. It is what makes them so popular.
Blade
The blade of a lightsaber is not light as one might expect from its name. Instead, pure plasma—a moldable electromagnetic state of matter—can cut through nearly anything. It is emitted from the hilt of a saberforce.com.au lightsaber and suspended in a force containment field, protecting the wielder as it slices through material or people.
The weapon can also change its power depending on the emotional state of its owner. Thanks to the connection with the Force, all kyber crystals have. The wielder's thoughts, actions, and emotions can cause the blade to glow brighter or dimmer and emit different sounds.
There are a few variations to the blade of a lightsaber, most notably seen with Jedi Master Mace Windu's purple-bladed sword and the red-bladed weapon of Sith Lord Darth Maul. These colours represent the opposites of the Jedi order and its sworn enemies, the Sith.
Most lightsabers have a straight blade, though some can be curved, as with Count Dooku's katar. Other variations include a double-bladed version that can be side-by-side or folded into a single blade. It was first introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with a switchblade wielded by treacherous Jedi Master Pong Krell. The weapon returned in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with a double-bladed blade used by a dual-wielding Rey.
Although there are a few different lightsaber blades, they all have similar parts inside the hilt. The central element is the crystal energy chamber, which contains at least two crystals. The primary crystal converts the energy from the power cell into the arc wave that creates the blade. The arc wave then passes to the secondary crystal, which holds one or more focusing crystal activators that have and align the blade's neopixel LED strips.
Neopixel LEDs shine more brightly than standard RGB LEDs. It gives the blade a more realistic look and a range of special effects but requires a bigger battery, which can add up quickly when using the weapon for extended periods.
Hilt
The hilt is the all-encompassing part of a saberforce.com.au lightsaber, including the handgrip, blade emitter, activator switch and power source. Force users create their grips from various materials, such as metal or wood (the Jedi Initiates' training weapons were made from the wood of black trees, for example). Jedi and Sith wielded a hilt that was unique to them, often incorporating personal mementos into it.
A hilt's emitter connects to the blade and typically has windows and precisely cut gaps that allow the blade light to shine through them. Some handles have special "emitter features", such as claws and other shapes to enhance their aesthetic appeal. In the case of double-bladed sabres, such as the one wielded by Darth Maul, a coupler must join two hilts together.
For a Jedi or Sith to construct a lightsaber, they must first obtain a kyber crystal found on Ilum and mined by younglings. The Jedi then use the Force to connect with the crystal and Bendu, who imbues it with a Force-binding energy that makes it glow and activate the lightsaber blade. The Sith have a different method to obtain their red-bladed sabres, using a process called bleeding the crystal to pour their hate, anger and malice into it, turning it from its original blue to red.
Once the cyber crystal is installed in the hilt, the Jedi or Sith activate it by touching the handle to the ground and extending their arm in front of them. The hilt ignites, producing a blade that cuts through anything that might oppose it. In the case of Jedi, contact with a lightsaber set to full power would only result in welts and bruises rather than limb amputations or death.
Kyber Crystal
The lightsaber is more than just a weapon; it symbolises the Force. A lightsaber's hilt, blade, and pommel are mechanical, but the Force-attuned kyber crystal inside gives it the power to create and destroy. The cyber crystal defines the colour of a Jedi's blade and determines whether or not a lightsaber is active.