The 8 Lightsaber Color Meanings, Explained (2023)

The unique lightsabers the Jedi and Sith wield are among the most iconic imagery in the entire Star Wars series. Disney even promoted the highly-anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series on social media with images featuring his iconic blue lightsaber. Just seeing Darth Vader and Obi-Wan's lightsabers instantly calls back to some of the most captivating duels from the Skywalker Saga.

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Memorable moments in the Star Wars franchise are usually set to the flashing colors of the lightsaber. Eight official hues have been introduced across the various sagas. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order allowed players to pick their own impressive colors that further expanded the available hues, but fans may be left wondering what all the lightsaber colors actually mean.

Updated on May 24, 2023 by Ajay Aravind: The Star Wars franchise is continuing to expand with every passing year — there are numerous upcoming series and just as many movies waiting to become canon. The much-awaited Ahsoka is set to release in August 2023, and features a wide range of characters, both new and old. In fact, orange lightsabers have also been observed in the show's teaser trailer, prompting fan discussions across the board. As such, we've updated this list of lightsaber colors with some more information.

Blue

Jedi Guardians

One of the most familiar lightsaber colors, blue is used by characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker (during his time as a Jedi Knight). Jedi Guardians who exhibited a skill with the Force that supplemented their own lightsaber skills generally employed a blue lightsaber blade. This color helped signify that Obi-Wan Was one of the strongest Jedi.

Notable Users:

• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Anakin Skywalker
• Cal Kestis
• Kanan Jarrus
• Rey Skywalker

Jedi Knights who were skilled in the Force like the Guardians could utilize their talent during battle, by throwing objects and tripping up their opponents. The Jedi who were ready to fight on the frontline generally used the blue lightsaber blade to denote their place as Guardians.

Green

Jedi Consulars

While green lightsabers were also frequently seen on the field of battle alongside blue blades, they symbolized a different quality. Green lightsabers were often wielded by Jedi Consulars, deep thinkers and philosophers who studied the inner workings of the Force.

Notable Users:

• Qui-Gon Jinn
• Yoda
• Luke Skywalker
• Ezra Bridger
• Ahsoka Tano

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Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda both used green lightsabers and challenged the establishment in their study of the Force. Luke Skywalker also upgraded to a green skywalker after he became a Jedi Master and learned more about the Force in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Red

Corrupted By The Dark Side

Sith Lords like Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and the Grand Inquisitor all wielded red lightsaber blades. The Jedi had restricted the use of Kyber crystals for dark-side users, which led the Sith to create synthetic crystals that emitted the iconic red hue. This identified them among other Force users for their choice to tap into the dark side.

Notable Users:

• Darth Vader
• Darth Sidious
• Count Dooku
• Darth Maul
• Kylo Ren

Some red-bladed lightsabers were created using ancient dark rituals on Jedi crystals that tainted them to make the energy "bleed." The dazzling crimson lightsaber blade contributed to quite a few of Darth Vader's scariest moments.

Purple

A Balance Of Light And Dark

One of the more recent additions to Star Wars' iconic weaponry is the purple-bladed lightsaber. When Samuel L. Jackson joined the cast of the prequel trilogy, he requested his favorite color for his lightsaber. The Expanded Universe introduced incredibly rare purple Kyber crystals to explain the lightsaber, though a deeper meaning behind the purple hue was later revealed.

Notable Users:

• Mace Windu
• Jaina Solo
• Revan

The purple blade represented a perfect balance between the blue and red lightsabers, which equally represented the Jedi's understanding of the light and dark sides of the Force. Mace Windu was able to withstand the temptations of the dark side while continuing to study the light, which earned him a unique status among the other Jedi.

Yellow

Jedi Sentinels

A Jedi Sentinel blended the different schools of thought followed by the Guardians and the Consulars. This resulted in a new faction that chose to use yellow-bladed lightsabers. Jedi Sentinels sometimes relied on skills other than their mastery of the Force to work closely with the people who needed them.

Notable Users:

• Rey Skywalker
• Jedi Temple Guards
• Asajj Ventress
• Luke Skywalker
• Bastila Shan

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Jedi Temples were often guarded by Sentinels, who carried yellow double-bladed lightsabers. Rey Skywalker's new lightsaber blade was also yellow, representing her desire to work closely with people by using the other skills she gained in her mission. She was also tasked with protecting the ideals she had learned from the lost temple of the Jedi.

Orange

Trapped Between Jedi And Sith

Orange lightsabers have been around for quite a long time, but they've recently become a part of pop-cultural discourse. In the teaser trailer for the upcoming limited series titled Ahsoka, fans have noticed two seemingly villainous characters wielding neon orange blades.

Notable Users:

• Yaddle
• Freedon Nadd
• Baylon Skoll
• Shin Hati

Although there was a bit of confusion regarding the exact color — some viewers believed these lightsabers to be a dim shade of red — showrunner Dave Filoni has recently confirmed it to be orange. Given how rare these lightsabers are, even the most devoted fans of Star Wars have no idea exactly what this hue signifies. That said, it's possible that an orange lightsaber wielder is somehow trapped between the opposing sides of the Force.

White

Purified Kyber Crystals

The Imperial Knights of the Fel Empire were some of the first to use white lightsaber blades in the Legends continuity. They were Force-trained warriors who rejected the accepted beliefs of the light and dark sides before they were wiped out. However, former Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano also wielded a pair of white-bladed lightsabers after the Clone Wars.

Notable Users:

• Ahsoka Tano
• Fel Empire Imperial Knights

Ahsoka created them after she chose to fight for the Force on her own, proving herself to be one of the strongest Jedi. Tano purified the red crystals from the lightsabers of Imperial Inquisitors, who she had defeated to create her lightsabers. In the teaser trailer for Ahsoka, the titular character is seen wielding a pair of white lightsabers.

Black

The True Ruler Of Mandalore

While there are a few unique lightsabers in the Star Wars universe, there is only one Darksaber that features a black-hued energy blade. The Darksaber was created by the only Mandalorian to join the Jedi Order, Tarre Vizsla. The unique Darksaber features a flat, black blade that is shorter in length than a lightsaber. The blade is emitted from a hilt made from the Mandalorian metal beskar.

Notable Users:

• Din Djarin
• Darth Maul
• Pre Vizla
• Moff Gideon
• Sabine Wren

The Darksaber is further separated from other lightsabers due to the mental connection required with its wielder to properly wield the blade. It has been handed down for generations by the rulers of Mandalore. The Darksaber has been wielded by characters like Bo-Katan, Darth Maul, Moff Gideon, and Din Djarin from The Mandalorian.

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