Obi-Wan Kenobi called them “an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” However, lightsabers are much more than the iconic weapon of the Jedi – and of the Sith.
Each lightsaber color carries a unique meaning and significance, reflecting each Force user’s character, philosophy, and moral alignment. Colors are produced by the Force user’s unique bond with their kyber crystal, rare, Force-sensitive gemstones that power lightsabers.
Red, blue, and green are the most well-known, but there are 12 unique colors of lightsabers. Let’s explore the spectrum of lightsaber colors, the traits closely associated with each, when each first appeared, and the notable Force users who wielded them.
How Many Different Colors of Lightsabers Are There?
There are 12 distinct lightsaber blade colors: blue, green, red, purple, yellow, white, orange, black, cyan, indigo, magenta, and pink.
The color of each saber is determined by the kyber crystal, a rare, Force-attuned crystal. Although kybers are colorless, they bond with their Force-user and reflect the color associated with their connection to the Force.
Here are all the colors of lightsaber blades:
| Color | Meaning / Traits | First Canon Appearance | Notable Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | Justice, bravery, protection | A New Hope (1977) | Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Cal Kestis |
| Green | Wisdom, harmony, strong Force connection | Return of the Jedi (1983) | Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn, Ahsoka Tano (The Clone Wars), Kit Fisto |
| Red | Power, aggression, corrupted by the dark side | A New Hope (1977) | Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Palpatine, Kylo Ren, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress (The Clone Wars) |
| Purple | Balance, moral ambiguity, unorthodox methods | Attack of the Clones (2002) | Mace Windu, Vernestra Rwoh, Lys Solay |
| Yellow | Protection, vigilance, transition | The Clone Wars (Season 5, 2013) | Rey Skywalker, Jedi Temple Guards, Asajj Ventress (Tales of the Underworld), Loden Greatstorm |
| White | Neutrality, redemption | Star Wars Rebels (2016 series) | Ahsoka Tano (Rebels / Ahsoka), Orla Jareni, Jora Malli |
| Orange | Independent, believed to be outside Jedi/Sith orthodoxy | Master & Apprentice (2019 novel) | Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, Drya Thornne, |
| Black | Unknown, Mandalorian heritage | The Clone Wars (2008 series) | Tarre Vizsla, Pre Vizsla, Maul, Sabine Wren, Din Djarin, Bo-Katan Kryze |
| Cyan | Unknown | Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023 video game) | Anoth Estra |
| Indigo | Unknown | High Republic Adventures (2022 comic book) | Vix Fonnick |
| Magenta | Unknown | Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023 video game) | Cleland Cudds |
| Pink | Unknown | Disciples of Harmony (2017, roleplaying game sourcebook) | Seeker crystal users (canon), Mara Jade (Legends) |
Blue Lightsabers
First introduced in the 1977 Star Wars, the iconic blue lightsabers symbolize justice and bravery.
One of the most common colors, this lightsaber color is also identified with Jedi known for protecting the innocent and defending the Jedi Order.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker both famously carried blue sabers.
Luke Skywalker and Rey are also closely associated with blue sabers because they both wield the Skywalker lightsaber for a time.
This blue-bladed lightsaber was Anakin’s second lightsaber, built after the First Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones.
Obi-Wan Kenobi took the saber following his duel with Darth Vader on Mustafar, eventually passing it on to Luke.
Other notable Force users who wielded blue color sabers include Adampo, Ferren Barr, Depa Billaba, Ezra Bridger, Cere Junda, Porter Engle, Stellan Gios, Kanan Jarrus, Cal Kestis, Plo Koon, Elzar Mann, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Jocasta Nu, Nubs, Barriss Offee, Leia Organa, Aayla Secura, Sol, Sskeer, Shaak Ti, and Cohmac Virtus.
There also might be a distinction between blue and light blue. Jedi known to use light blue-bladed sabers include notable Jedi Master Tera Sinube during the Clone Wars and the Jedi Knights Imri Cantaros & Lyssa Votz during the High Republic era.
Within the Legends continuity, blue sabers were closely related to the Jedi Guardian archetype, one of the three distinct branches of the Jedi Order.
Green Lightsabers
Green lightsabers represent harmony and wisdom. They are most often used by those with a strong connection to the Force or who take a philosophical approach to the Jedi path.
Green sabers first appeared in Return of the Jedi in 1983 and have since become one of the three most common blade colors in Star Wars.
Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Luke Skywalker all carried green-bladed lightsabers.
Ahsoka Tano is also closely connected with green colored saber blades. Her primary lightsaber was green, while her shoto-bladed saber was a yellowish-green.
However, she abandoned those sabers after the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar in Season 5 of The Clone Wars.
Anakin Skywalker returned those sabers to her shortly before the Siege of Mandalore in The Clone Wars Season 7. Due to Anakin’s tinkering, the blades had turned blue.
Other green saber users include Kit Fisto, Gungi, Indara, Jecki Lon, Cere Junda, Kelleran Beq, Avar Kriss, Oppa Rancisis, Reath Silas, Luminara Unduli, Quinlan Vos, Sabine Wren, and Bell Zettifar.
In Legends, members of the Jedi Consular archetype typically used green blades.
Red Lightsabers
Red sabers are most famously associated with the dark side of the Force. Darth Vader first appeared on screen with a crimson red lightsaber in the original Star Wars.
Red crystals are not found naturally, but are corrupted in a process called bleeding.
Using their hatred and anger, dark side Force-users bend the will of their kyber, creating distinctive red or crimson-bladed lightsabers.
Within the current canon, bleeding is first mentioned in the novel Ahsoka by E. K. Johnston. It later appears in the Dark Vader (2017) and Star Wars (2020) comic book series and in the 2024 video game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
It is first depicted on screen in the final episode of the 2024 series The Acolyte. Ohsa bleeds Master Sol’s saber, turning the crystal – and the blade – from blue to red.
Aside from Vader, other notable Sith with red-bladed lightsabers include Darth Maul (once Darth Sidious’ apprentice), Count Dooku (Darth Tyranus), and Darth Sidious (Senator, and later Emperor, Palpatine).
Asajj Ventress carried dual red-bladed sabers while serving as an assassin and Sith acolyte to Dooku. Red sabers were also used by all members of the Inquisitorius.
After assuming the mantle of Kylo Ren, fallen Jedi apprentice Ben Solo wields a red-yellow saber.
Other Force-users to use red blades include Mae-Ho “Mae” Aniseya, Verosha “Ohsa” Aniseya, Darth Atrius, Darth Bane, Darth Caldoth, Dagan Gera, Kiza, Komat, Taron Malicos, Darth Momin, Darth Noctyss, Savage Opress, Ren, and The Stranger (also known as Qimir, the Sith Apprentice to Darth Plagueis).
Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World also sells obsidian shards that emit red blades.
While no canon Force-user is known to use them, these shards are considered canon. That said, the lore behind these shards is unclear.
Purple Lightsabers
Quite rare, purple lightsabers are typically used by Jedi who command a balance over both the light and dark sides of the Force.
They are also closely associated with Jedi known for their moral ambiguity. Force users with purple blades often use unorthodox methods and can stray from the rigid ideals of the Jedi Council.
Perhaps the best-known Jedi with a purple blade is Master Mace Windu.
Purple-colored lightsabers first appeared in 2002’s Attack of the Clones. Samuel L. Jackson famously asked George Lucas to make Mace’s lightsaber blade purple so he could find himself on screen.
Other Jedi known to use lightsabers with purple blades include Lys Solay from Young Jedi Adventures and Vernestra Rwoh from The High Republic book series and, later, The Acolyte.
In Legends, Revan, Jaina Solo, and Anakin Solo were all known to use purple lightsabers.
Yellow Lightsabers
Yellow lightsabers are often carried by Jedi Temple Guards, both as a sign of protection and vigilance, as well as to protect their anonymity. Yellow-bladed sabers first appeared in canon in Season 5 of The Clone Wars.
They are also used by Force-users in a period of transition. Notable examples include Rey in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker and Asajj Ventress in a 2024 episode of The Bad Batch and the 2025 series Tales of the Underworld.
Other notable Jedi with yellow blades include Loden Greatstorm & Indeera Stokes from The High Republic multimedia series and Yord Fandar & Torbin from The Acolyte.
Yellow blades were closely associated with Jedi Sentinels in the Star Wars Legends continuity.
White Lightsabers
Extremely rare, white lightsabers are created by purifying corrupted red kyber crystals. Once cleansed of the dark side, they shine white, representing their neutrality.
First seen in Star Wars: Rebels, Ahsoka Tano crafted a new set of lightsabers with the crystals of an Inquisitor, the Sixth Brother. She continued to use these sabers in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
Jedi Masters Orla Jareni and Jora Malli both used white blades during the High Republic era. However, it is unclear if their sabers held any additional significance.
In Legends, the Imperial Knights of the Fel Empire used white sabers built with synthetic crystals.
Orange Lightsabers
Another rare saber color, Star Wars canon does not clearly define orange lightsabers. Orange-bladed sabers could represent mavericks or Force-users outside the traditional Jedi and Sith archetypes.
Although officially called orange-red, the best example of orange blades so far are Baylan Skoll and his apprentice Shin Hati in Ahsoka. While aligned with remnants of the Galactic Empire, they do not appear to be Sith.
However, the canonical first appearance of an orange saber is in the 2019 novel Master & Apprentice.
Obi-Wan Kenobi temporarily powers his saber with a kohlen crystal. Similar to kyber, kohlen crystals are much less powerful, shining with a distinctive orange hue.
Other examples of orange colored lightsabers include Darth Bane’s lightsaber pike, outlined in the 2021 canon reference book Star Wars: The Secrets of the Sith, and the saber used by Drya Thornne in the video game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Both Jedi Master Yaddle and Sith Lord Tulak Hord wielded orange lightsabers in the Legends timeline.
Black Lightsabers
The only known black lightsaber in Star Wars is the Darksaber, which first appeared in The Clone Wars. It later plays an important role in the Mandoverse series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Created by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian in the Jedi Order, it is an ancient saber made out of beskar.
The black is a unique black color that glows white along the edges. The shape and surface of the blade are also quite different from most other lightsabers.
After Tarre Vizsla’s death, the Jedi stored it in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. It was later stolen by members of the Mandalorian House Vizsla and used as a symbol to rule Mandalore.
The Darksaber has been wielded by Pre Vizsla, Maul, Sabine Wren, Din Djarin, Bo-Katan Kryze, and Moff Gideon.
Even within Legends, the Darksaber is the only known black bladed lightsaber.
Other Lightsaber Colors: Cyan, Indigo, Magenta, & Pink
There are four additional saber colors that are canon. However, they are extremely rare. It is also possible that they are variants of other similar-hued blades.
- Cyan: Bedlam Raiders lieutenant Anoth Estra wielded a cyan double-bladed lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
- Indigo: Jedi Padawan Vix Fonnick built an indigo colored lightsaber during the High Republic era.
- Magenta: Cleland Cudds, another Bedlam Raiders lieutenant, used a double-bladed magenta lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
- Pink: Seeker crystals, one of the types of kyber, are known to produce pink lightsaber blades. It is unclear if any Jedi use a seeker crystal in the current canon. In Star Wars Legends, Mara Jade carried a pink saber.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Color of Lightsabers
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about lightsaber colors. Still have more questions? Join the discussion on the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Discord. Perhaps best known for holding lightsaber meetups in the Disney Parks, we talk about lightsabers, the latest news about Star Wars movies, shows, books, and comics, and much more.
What determines a lightsaber’s color?
The color of a lightsaber is determined by the kyber crystal. The crystal hue reflects their alignment with the Force.
Can a lightsaber change color?
Yes, a lightsaber can change color in several ways. First, the color can change by replacing the crystal. It can also turn red if corrupted by the dark side of the Force in a process called bleeding. A corrupted crystal can be purified, leaving it white. Finally, colors can change if the saber is modified or damaged.
What is the rarest color of lightsaber?
Canonically, black is the rarest color, with the Darksaber the only known example. Other extremely rare colors include pink, cyan, indigo, magenta, white, and orange. Yellow and purple are both rare, with blue, green, and red the most common saber colors.
What color lightsaber does Luke Skywalker use?
Luke originally wielded his father Anakin’s blue saber. After losing it in The Empire Strikes Back, he constructs a green-bladed lightsaber seen in Return of the Jedi.
Why do Sith always use red lightsabers?
Sith always have red-colored lightsabers because their kyber is corrupted by the dark side of the Force, which turns the crystal – and therefore the blade – red.
Are the different colors of lightsabers in Jedi: Survivor Canon?
Yes, the cyan and magenta blade colors in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are canon. However, they have not yet been fully explored in other media. They could be variations of other, more common colors.
Is the Darksaber a real lightsaber?
Yes, the Darksaber is a unique, ancient lightsaber forged by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian Jedi. It has a distinct shape with a black blade, and it plays a major role in Mandalorian history.
Do different colors mean different power levels?
No, lightsaber color does not indicate the strength or power level of the saber or the Force user wielding it. The color symbolizes the wielder’s traits or philosophy, not their combat ability.
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