The History Of White Lightsabers

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In the Star Wars original trilogy, we only saw two types of lightsaber: blue and red. The blue was wielded by the Jedi and the red was wielded by the Sith.

But as the Star Wars universe has expanded, there are so many more colors that have been introduced. But what do they mean? One of the most distinctive lightsabers in recent times has been the white lightsaber.

This color of lightsaber has a special connection to the character Ahsoka Tano, who is an apprentice to Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars saga. So, what does a white lightsaber signify in general?

What do other colors of lightsaber signify? What is the story behind all the lightsaber colors? Well, we have a detailed history of all of them, especially focusing on the white lightsaber.

The History Of The Star Wars Lightsaber Color

What you might not have known is that when coming up with the original concept for lightsabers, George Lucas wanted them all to be white.

But further into the design concept stage, this was changed to personalize colors to make each character stand out more.

The reason why lightsabers have their color is due to the connection that is forged between the user and the blade itself. Lightsabers are made with Kyber crystals, which the Jedi meditate on before fusing them with their lightsaber.

The color then denotes that there is a connection between the person using the lightsaber and the lightsaber itself. This process usually takes a few days of extreme concentration.

The reason why the Sith have the red color is a lot more to do with the fact that they harness the dark side of the force. They are unable to forge any sort of connection with their lightsaber.

What happens with a Sith is that they actually put as much of their anger and pure hatred into the crystal, which then causes it to ‘bleed’.

This is why Sith lightsabers have a distinctive red coloring because the crystal is essentially wounded by the Sith.

What Are Kyber Crystals?

These types of crystals were a secret to the Jedi and were only found on an ice planet called Ilum. Naturally, they do not have any color, they only acquire their color when they are tampered with during the lightsaber creation process.

The process of acquiring a Kyber crystal is very special and involves a lot of input from the young Jedi who are seeking to earn their lightsaber.

The crystal will select the Jedi by allowing them to hear their song. If the crystal rejects the Jedi, then it will be cold to touch.

Which Star Wars Characters Have White Lightsabers?

If you are focusing mainly on canon Star Wars characters, then Ahsoka Tano is the only person that you might have seen with a white lightsaber, but there are actually a few more incidental characters carrying white lightsabers.

If you investigate Star Wars Legends (otherwise known as the Star Wars expanded universe), then there are some Imperial Knights who carry white lightsabers.

Contrary to what colors are traditionally associated with the Sith, these Imperial Knights do not wield the traditional red lightsabers.

The white lightsabers make them look far more imposing and suggest they are dealing with a higher and more arcane form of the dark side of the force.

There are also Kunda stones, which are used as a replacement for Kyber crystals. Sith Lords also use synthetic crystals, which is what accounts for their red coloring and often temperamental nature.

There are also multiple Star Wars games that will allow you to pick a white lightsaber.

What Do The Colors Of Each Lightsaber Mean?

Here is a breakdown of all the different types of lightsabers, who uses them, and what the colors mean:

Green Lightsaber

• Mood: Peaceful.
• Who uses green lightsabers: this is used by a Jedi who likes to practice balance and meditation when it comes to battling. These characters usually have a very strong capacity with the Force.
• Characters with green lightsabers: Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn.

Red Lightsaber

• Mood: Evil.
• Who uses red lightsabers: this is used mainly by Sith who practice bleeding their Kyber crystals, which stains them red. Some Sith lightsabers are also made from synthetic crystals.
• Characters with red lightsabers: Darth Vader, Darth Sidious, Darth Maul, Kylo Ren.

Blue Lightsaber

• Mood: Justice.
• Who uses blue lightsabers: these are skilled lightsaber warriors who protect the Jedi order as Guardians.
• Characters with blue lightsabers: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker.

Purple Lightsaber

• Mood: Ambiguous.
• Who uses purple lightsabers: this is a mixture of styles that conform to both Jedi and Sith tactics. The purple is meant to represent the mixture of both blue and red lightsabers.
• Characters who use purple lightsabers: Mace Windu.

Yellow Lightsabers

• Mood: Intrigue.
• Who uses yellow lightsabers: Jedis who are involved in subtly trying to take down the Sith. They rely a lot more on tactical espionage than regular Jedi.
• Characters who use yellow lightsabers: Plo Koon, Yarael Poof.

Orange Lightsabers

• Mood: Strength.
• Who uses orange lightsabers: this color is only used by the most powerful Jedi and is said to signify pure physical strength.
• Characters who use orange lightsabers: Lowbacca.

Black Lightsaber

• Mood: Self-obsession.
• Who uses black lightsabers: these are Sith lords that are usually totally self-absorbed. This blade is also known as a darksaber.
• Characters who use black lightsabers: Pre Vizsla.

We wrote an complete in-depth guide to all the lightsabers in more detail click here to check it out.

Why Does Ahsoka Tano Use A White Lightsaber?

When we are first introduced to Ahsoka, she was wielding green lightsabers under the tutelage of Anakin Skywalker.

However, she was framed for a murder she did not commit and had her green lightsabers taken away from her, and was expelled by the Jedi order.

While she was being held to account for the murder by the other Jedis, her green lightsabers were taken into the custody of Anakin Skywalker.

When she was exonerated for the murder, her lightsabers were returned to her, although Anakin had modified them so that they were blue now.

When it was discovered that she was not responsible for the murder, she was invited back to the Jedi order, but she refused as she no longer trusted the judgment of the light side of the Force.

For a while, Ahsoka used blue lightsabers, but when the shop she was traveling in crashed, she left these lightsabers at the scene to fake her own death.

Later, Ahsoka was in a battle with Bil Valen, who was an Inquisitor that sought out Force-sensitive children so that he could destroy them. He receives information that Ahsoka is on the moon of Raada and sets out to find her.

During the battle between Bil Valen and Ahsoka, Ahsoka hears the crystals in his lightsaber singing to her. She then uses her Force powers to forcibly remove the crystals from his lightsaber, which causes it to explode, killing Bil Valen.

Once she has retrieved these crystals, she purifies them using her force powers, which causes them to turn white in color. She then used pieces of scrap to augment her crystals, turning them into a lightsaber.

Over time, this Ahsoka’s lightsaber has been updated numerous times. Now they have a curved handle that helps with wielding.

The white of the lightsaber fundamentally represents the neutrality in which Ahsoka operates, not conforming either to the light side of the force or the dark side.

She operates in a space in the middle, following her own unique path.

However, even though Ahsoka is not affiliated with any one side, she does more often than not work alongside the Jedi, although she is not officially part of the Jedi order.

This allows her to be freer and the white color represents her autonomous and independent nature.

Where Can I Buy A White Lightsaber?

Well, if you cannot get to the Crystal Cave in the Star Wars universe, then you can always try picking up one of these unique sabers from a variety of different retailers.

Here is a link to the same lightsaber that Ahsoka Tano wields. This comes with one of the coolest handles that we have ever seen, replicating the later stages of Ahsoka’s self-designed lightsaber.

If you consider yourself an individual and you prefer to be your own agent, then what better way to represent that than by picking up Ahsoka’s white lightsaber?

This lightsaber makes a great gift for kids or cosplayers (although there are no rules to say that an adult cannot buy one), especially if your child knows about Star Wars lore, they’ll be aware of the special significance of the white lightsaber.

This lightsaber is made from durable plastic and can be extended with a flick of the wrist. This mimics the same way in which a lightsaber blade just ‘appears’ from nowhere.

Conclusion

We hope that this guide to the white lightsaber has given you a better idea of how unique this piece of Star Wars history is.

If you like to think of yourself as a lone wanderer, then this lightsaber might be something that you’ll want for your Star Wars character or cosplay event.