The Star Wars films have featured around a dozen distinct lightsabers and countless more sabers during large Jedi battles. Each lightsaber has a slightly different design and several have unique functions.

This page also contains a few lightsabers from other canon sources, such as The Clone Wars and Rebels. All sabers are shown in canonical order, not in order of release.

"This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilised age." — Obi-Wan Kenobi , IV

Every Jedi and Sith, at some point, had to construct their lightsaber. Here are almost all the known hilts shown in the films, not including ones that weren't shown for very long (such as on Geonosis) or have no known pictures.

Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Master Qui-Gon Jinn used a very simplistic single-bladed lightsaber with a green kyber crystal. The hilt featured a single red activation button and a black deep-grooved body with a silver trim.

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Obi-Wan's lightsaber was more slightly complex in design than his master's, but clearly took inspiration from it, as was common for Padawans. It has a black and silver hilt with a segmented shroud that guided the blade from a blue crystal.

The zabrak Sith used a dual-bladed lightsaber (sometimes known as a saberstaff) that was designed to be wielded more like a polearm than a traditional blade. Maul's lightsaber kept his enemies off balance by featuring two red crystals, combined with grips and switches that allowed the weapon to become two separate blades if needed.

Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Anakin Skywalker's first known lightsaber only lasted during his Padawan years up until the battle of Geonosis. After its destruction on Geonosis, he had to forge a new one, which was eventually passed down to Luke. The design of this hilt is based on the Darth Vader saber from Episode IV, but with much more chrome.

After losing it during his battle against Darth Maul, Obi-Wan constructed a second lightsaber that he used until just before the Battle of Geonosis where it was confiscated from him. His second lightsaber is almost identical to his first, being made in the style of his late Master's, though it's ever so slightly longer and a bit narrower.

Count Dooku's lightsaber introduced a curved hilt that allowed him to perform large sweeping slashes that would come at his foes from unexpected angles as well as precision hits for his fighting form. While the films only show Dooku using a red crystal, he would have originally used an entirely different hilt (or at least a different coloured crystal) during his time with the Jedi. His once private assassin and apprentice Asajj Ventress used hilts that were very similar to this lightsaber's design.

At the time of writing this, it is not known if Dooku corrupted his original Jedi kyber crystal or used another for this weapon.

The wise Jedi Master was rarely seen in combat, but his lightsaber was featured in a few duels in the prequel trilogy, including one with Count Dooku and another with Darth Sidious. Yoda's lightsaber is the simplest of the canon sabers, which matches both Yoda's small size and reserved personality.

The hilt itself, along with the blade length, is a shoto. Shotos are typically side arms for Jedi who dual-wield with certain fighting styles, as seen with Ahsoka Tano during her tenure as a Padawan. They were also used as primary weapons by smaller Jedi. Its physical design was made with or based off of the Praco flashgun. This weapon was constructed for Episode I but was not shown on screen until Episode II.

Mace Windu is the only Jedi in the films to use a purple crystal in his lightsaber. The Jedi Master's design is a mix of silver & gold with black ridges similar to Anakin's saber and many others of the era.

The actor, Samuel L. Jackson, personally requested a unique blade colour so that he could spot himself in large fights. There is also an engraving on the blade's activation button that reads "BMF" but there are no known pictures of this engraving. "BMF" stands for "Bad(ass) Mother Fucker." Some say it is a long lost Jedi saying. Others say it's a reference to the actor's work in Pulp Fiction. None can be sure either way.

The purple blade typically signifies a Force user who has an understanding of both the light and the dark sides of the Force. The crystal, in one canon, was gifted to Windu after he spared someone who was trying to kill him and won their respect.

This is one of the few lightsabers that can fully function under water due to having two crystals: a primary crystal and a secondary focusing crystal. Anakin followed suit with his second known lightsaber's internals and it, too, had two crystals. Other Jedi, such as Anakin's apprentice Ahsoka Tano, also did this, though it was not common.

Her primary blue one is the one that she used the most. Sometimes, however, she'd use the second green-bladed lightsaber to dual-wield.

Shaak Ti and Adi Gallia used identical lightsaber hilts. Whether this is on purpose or just due to resource limitations is not known.

Dozens more Jedi appear in Episode II. Almost all of these Jedi are seen using single-bladed lightsabers with either green or blue kyber crystals and blades.

Anakin's Padawan learner started off with a single green-bladed lightsaber (right). The design takes many influences from Anakin's weapon. The activation box has a slight design similarity to Anakin's but the notable features are the charging port and the emitter. The emitter is a mirrored version of Anakin's lightsaber's. However, rather than have two "bunny ears" on both sides, it has one on each. The pommel is similar to Obi-Wan's, however.

Later in her Padawan career, she constructed a shoto that was very similar to her original weapon, except that it has no bunny ears and a lime green/yellow-green blade.

(Picture by Solo's Hold.)

Assaj Ventress

The Night Sister and apprentice to Count Dooku wielded two twin blades with curved hilts. The Count supposedly took these from a Jedi, though they are physically quite similar to his own. Like Darth Maul's, they can attach at their bases to form a single double-bladed lightsaber.

This weapon is styled similarly to Darth Maul's weapon as it is the weapon of his brother. It, however, does not split into two sabers.

(Pro created by Darth Serberus from the RPF.)

This weapon was once a Jedi relic wielded by the first Mandalorian Jedi but was eventually stolen by the Mandalorians during the Clone Wars. It passed to different users, including the likes of Darth Maul.

Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber has been featured in more films than any other. This simple silver hilt has a pommel surrounded by six black grips. The weapon's blue blade has been used by the likes of Anakin, Luke, Han, Finn, and Rey.

All iterations of this weapon are commonly known as the Skywalker lightsaber.

This version of the hilt underwent the most changes. The whole of it is metal and is a single piece unlike previous iterations where it was a flashgun that could be disassembled, it has a chrome finish to it, it has a large front-facing gold/copper button/bulb, and a red activation button.

The bunny ears and stabilization ring near the top of the emitter are connected to the hilt rather than separate from the hilt like past iterations, the circuit board/bubble strip was replaced on the activation box with a more detailed golden panel, the side lever was replaced with a golden slide switch, and the six t-tracks were solid without any screws or rivets holding them in. Additionally, the brass pins used near the top were made wider and shorter and the activation box's clamp had a texture added into it. Not seen above, there is a black, round covertec belt clip rather than the D-ring so it can be attached to a belt clip.

In canon, this saber can, presumably, be taken apart and is not a single solid piece like the prop. It is not yet clear or confirmed whether the Skywalker hilts look different due to artistic choice or if they canonically were modified between films.

Obi-Wan's third and final known canon lightsaber was the one he used until the end of his life, including throughout the Clone Wars. It was constructed after the events of Attack of the Clones.

Though this is canonically the same weapon as in Episode IV, there are some differences. Firstly, there is much less weathering over the weapon and much more vibrant colouring and shine, including chrome plating. The t-tracks/grips at the bottom are altered in design from the original prop and there's a covertec knob instead of the D-ring for mounting on a belt clip. There is also a circuit board clamp card rather than the bubble strip. Not visible are the altered greebles by the activation box.

General Grievous is special due to his collection of lightsabers. It is hard to pick out the hilt details on his blades, but the four he wields in the film are single blades of green or blue. Grievous took his lightsabers from the many Jedi he has killed. Additionally, in many shots, the lightsabers are iconic hilts and ones used by other Jedi in the films. These can be considered Easter Eggs as he is seen using lightsabers such as Anakin's which would not otherwise be possible.

Chancellor Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious

Emperor Palpatine's (Chancellor at the time) lightsaber has a unique, layered design and a small blade focus. The Sith Lord uses the traditional red crystal.

The hilt is considered to be extremely ornate for a lightsaber, verging on pompous. He had two twin sabers, though only one was used in Episode III. Both were seen in The Clone Wars.

The canon material used to make his weapon was extremely valuable and the overall design was more an artistic one than a practical one.

Visually/Entirely Unchanged From Previous Films

Episode IV - A New Hope

Luke Skywalker 's First Lightsaber (Skywalker Version 1)

Luke Skywalker used two sabers, the first (this one) being Anakin's old weapon. Despite looking different than the one from III, it is canonically the same lightsaber.

The notable features of it that make it stand out from the other versions are the off-centre activation box on the opposite side from all the others, seven t-tracks (the black plastic strips) without any screws or rivets, a bubble strip clamp card, an unaltered glass eye, and a D-ring riveted to the base.

This hilt was made primarily from a 3-cell Graflex camera flash and an Exactra 19 or 20 calculator. The t-track grips were part of a drawer.

Obi-Wan's Third Lightsaber (Version 1)

Canonically, this is the same lightsaber as the one Obi-Wan used in III, but it is visually different due to age (canon) and being an entirely different prop (real life).

The weathering, bubble strip, twin greebles, and lever all make this weapon stand out from its Episode III version, as well as the colour differences.

This hilt was primarily made from old plumbing equipment, a World War I British rifle grenade No.3 Mk.1, and some other random pieces the prop maker had lying around.

Darth Vader used a lightsaber that matches the appearance of his suit and pays homage to his first known Jedi weapon. While never specifically stated in the movies (though has been in visual dictionaries), it is believed that Vader used a multi-phase lightsaber that allowed the Sith Lord to adjust the length of his red blade. Whether this is still canon has yet to be confirmed.

This version of Darth Vader's lightsaber became the inspiration for the prop of Anakin's first known lightsaber (as seen above), though canonically it would have been the other way around.

The hilt itself is primarily made from an MPP camera flash.

Luke's First Lightsaber (Skywalker Version 2)

Canonically, this is the same Skywalker saber as III, IV, VII, and VIII, just with artistic modifications for the film. Such changes include a switch to a kobold clip and D-ring on the base of the hilt to hang it from a belt, using a circuit board clamp card, adding a second red button in place of the glass eye at the front, going from 7 to 6 t-tracks, and adding painted black screws to the t-track grips.

The activation box is no longer slight off centre and is on the opposite side from the IV hilt to fit Mark Hamill being left-handed. The activation box's clamp also has a strip of mylar tape going around the centre of it to cover up the Graflex logo.

Above is the "Hero" version of this hilt, meaning it's the main version in the film and promotional material. There were many other variants that used different parts throughout the film, but they were secondary to this. Such differences included using alternate clamp/activation box cards, the kobold clip being flipped, and even an empty socket where one of the red buttons are. This hilt is referenced most from the Wampa scene on Hoth.

Like the IV hilt, it is primarily made of a Graflex 3-cell camera flash, an Exactra 19 or 20 calculator, and tracks from a rolling drawer.

The screws were added to the t-tracks due to the cold conditions during the filming of the Hoth scenes and the wet conditions when filming for Dagobah. Even in IV, the tracks often fell off, so black pained screws were used on the various hilts to keep them in place, though these screws weathered to reveal the silver beneath them.

Other variants of this saber are the Dagobah version (missing back button) and the Skywaker Ranch display saber that is heavily modified (textured chrom clamp tape and missing the front button).

Main "Hero" version is seen above and was used in the film and promotional material. A far less used version is below. This also seems to be the version used in Rogue One and the STAR WARS comic lines.

Canonically, all of Vader's sabers are the same, just with artistic modifications. Such modifications include the activation box being in line with the "S" or opposite the greebles on the other side of the hilt rather than off centre, the wires added to the holes, the removal of the activation box's lever (for some versions), and the t-tracks going all the way up to the activation box clamp.

After his transition into a Sith Lord, Vader hunted down a Jedi for the kyber crystal he needed when constructing this saber. He enacted the bleeding ritual to turn the crystal red with his dark powers, though it was extremely dangerous and almost resulted in his death.

Like the IV version, this hilt is primarily made from an MPP flashgun.

Luke Skywalker uses two lightsabers, the first being his Anakin Skywalker's. After losing his father's weapon on Bespin, Luke crafted his own unique lightsaber in a design inspired by Obi-Wan's hilt that uses a green crystal. It is speculated that the green crystal might have originated from Obi-Wan's possession and that it had once been used by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, though has not been confirmed at the time of writing this.

This weapon is commonly known as the V1 or "Hero" variant of the lightsaber. This version, though, was seen rarely in the film itself and is mostly used for promotional purposes. This hilt has no leaver, has a triangle D-ring, and has illuminated arrows on the side of the activation box. The activation box itself has a copper and black striped activation card.

A more weathered, mostly monochromatic version is also seen much more commonly throughout Return of the Jedi. This version is known to fans as the V2. This hilt is actually the stunt version of Obi-Wan's hilt from IV, modified to fit the purposes of VI.

Other than the weathering, this hilt uses a Graflex clamp with a circuit board clamp card but has its own unique leaver at the side of the activation box. It has no D-ring of any kind.

There are other versions of this saber seen through the film (stunt, V3, V4, etc.), though they are modelled very closely after these two.

The larger visual change for this version comes from the fact that the original MPP-based lightsaber from IV and V was lost. Since the Graflex lightsaber Luke used was replaced in VI, they used that (specifically the stunt Skywalker hilt) to build this lightsaber. Noticeable similarities can be seen upon close inspection, though the hilt was heavily modified to look like the original.

It is not known if this is canonically the same saber as in Episodes IV and V at the time of writing this.

Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Kylo Ren uses a unique lightsaber that has a crossguard design. The smaller side blades actually serve as ventilation and help prevent the saber from overheating due to a cracked red crystal used inside. The blades themselves appear very unstable due to this damage.

This hilt is a blackened version of the hilt used by Padawan Ben Solo, as shown in The Last Jedi. It is speculated that his kyber crystal was cracked when he tried to bleed it (to turn it red) with the dark side of the Force, but his conflict during the dangerous ritual resulted in a failed result.

The image above is known by the community as the "Maz box" version of the lightsaber. This specific hilt only appears in the film while inside Maz's cantina. The only known difference between it and the "Hero" version (as seen below) is that the grips don't go all the way to the bottom.

There were also other promotional lightsabers that were used with varying clamp cards and glass eye modifications that didn't have their side knurling filed down to show the brass as seen in the film, such as some of the purchasable replicas.

This is one of the "Hero" version. It most aligns with the promotional pieces and has the most screentime, but it doesn't have a full reveal shot in the film to show it properly, only partial ones (such as the image above). The grips go all the way down to the bottom and the side of the glass eye has been filed down to show the brass beneath the nickel plating.

Additionally, all versions of this lightsaber had a clamp cover and base plate to cover up the Graflex logos and stampings of the vintage camera flashgun that was used to make it. The clamp card is similar to the one used in V though it is clear.

Episode VIII — The Last Jedi

Luke Skywalker 's Second Lightsaber (Prodigal Son Version 3)

(Replica by Lukyanov)

This hilt's first on-screen appearance came during a series of flashbacks by Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren.