Light Saber Colors: Significance?

[Thyrsos]

I pretty much got the idea that all the Sith have red light sabers, but is there any significance to the different colors wielded by the Jedi?

[RETURN_of_FETT]

I pretty much got the idea that all the Sith have red light sabers, but is there any significance to the different colors wielded by the Jedi?
According to Lucas:

Bad guys red, good guys blue or green.

Thanks to Sam Jackson, they can also have purple, although yellow has also been used in video games.

There is no real reason for this other than the psychology of red being mean and evil.

[MyStic.FlaMe]

I guess whichever color goes best with their complection.

[Thysus]

I pretty much got the idea that all the Sith have red light sabers, but is there any significance to the different colors wielded by the Jedi?
Blue is generally the colour of choice of Jedi Gaurdians. They are essentially masters of lightsabre combat.

Green is generally the colour of choice of Jedi Consulars. They are essentially masters of the force, less concerned with combat.

Yellow is generally the colour of choice of Jedi Sentinals. They are essentially a mix of the above two types.

Red is generally the colour of choice of the Sith. They are essentially bad guys.

Most of the other colours are just used by Jedis who want to be cute and unique, although some actually result in a superior blade.

[ashvirtually]

Red: used by Sith/Dark-side Jedi

Blue: used by Jedi Guardians (Luke Skywalker types); these are the Jedi that would obliterate an attacking Imperial squadron rather than use other methods

Green: used by Jedi Consulars (Leia Skywalker types); these are Jedi that would try reason through the Force to stop an attacking Imperial squadron first rather than brute strength

Yellow: used by Jedi Sentinals (can't think of any that fit this mold, maybe Mara Jade, or perhaps Qui-Gon); these are Jedi that try to strike a balance between the use of brute strength and negotiating skills

Purple: not sure; Mace Windu uses one, but in KOTOR only Sith/Dark-side Jedi used them; when I played through the game on the Dark side, I had a purple lightsaber and a red one (it's so badarsed to have double lightsabers, much better than the Maul-type lightsaber)

Ash

[EDIT: Thysus, you sure about the green and blue blades? Luke had a green blade; I could've sworn from KOTOR it's the other way around. Am I wrong?--Ash]

[EDIT 2: You were right, Thysus! ;)--Ash]

[Thysus]

[EDIT: Thysus, you sure about the green and blue blades? Luke had a green blade; I could've sworn from KOTOR it's the other way around. Am I wrong?--
Well I was sure... but now I'm not. :confused:

[Remy]

Does anybody know if Lucas added some more colors in ROTS? I'm actually kind of digging the different colors and their various meanings.........

[ashvirtually]

Well I was sure... but now I'm not. :confused:
LOL!

...oh well, one of us is right!...

:D ;)

Ash

[ashvirtually]

...all you ever (and never) wanted to know about lightsaber colours:


The lightsaber is the traditional elegant weapon of the Jedi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi) Knights in the Star Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars) fictional universe.

Lightsabers were invented in 9,990 BBY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBY). Using a lightsaber in combat takes skill, confidence and dexterity. Attunement to the Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Force) is very helpful as well. The first Archaic Lightsabers were developed as a siege weapon, using "frozen blaster" technology. These required a separate power pack which was often worn on the back. The power sources and components were miniaturized in the construction to create the simple weapon used in the later era.

In the original film trilogy, lightsabers were limited to blue and green for the Jedi, while red-bladed lightsabers were associated with evil Jedi Knights or Sith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sith). The various expanded universe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expanded_Universe_%28Star_Wars%29) (EU) sources and the prequel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prequel) films opened up the spectrum of blade colors to include (among others) purple, pink, orange, and yellow. Obi-Wan Kenobi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obi-Wan_Kenobi) primarily wielded a blue-bladed lightsaber, while Mace Windu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace_Windu) famously uses a purple-bladed lightsaber. The color of a lightsaber's blade is dependent upon the crystals used to focus it. Blue-bladed lightsabers are loosely associated with Jedi Guardians; green-bladed lightsabers are loosely associated with Jedi Consulars; yellow-bladed lightsabers are loosely associated with Jedi Sentinels; and red-bladed lightsabers are more closely associated with the Sith.

The very rare Great Lightsaber, similar to a standard lightsaber, had focusing crystals and a power supply producing a blade up to 300 centimeters in length. The rare Dual-Phase Lightsaber is any lightsaber constructed to operate at two different blade lengths. Darth Vader's lightsaber is an example of this, as he has buttons on his hilt allowing him to change the blade length at will. The Electrum Lightsaber are lightsabers with hilts forged from electrum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrum).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightsaber


Ash

[Mr. Right]

From IMDB Trivia:

"There is no mystical significance in the color of Mace Windu's lightsaber. Samuel L. Jackson, after a jokey conversation with stunt coordinator Nick Gillard, asked Lucas if he could have a purple lightsaber and George Lucas agreed. In an interview on UK TV, Jackson said he "thought it would be cool"."

[Ociredor]

Mace has a purple blade simply because Sam Jackson asked for one.

[Thysus]

The lightsaber is the traditional elegant weapon of the Jedi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi) Knights in the Star Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars) fictional universe.

Lightsabers were invented in 9,990 BBY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBY). Using a lightsaber in combat takes skill, confidence and dexterity. Attunement to the Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Force) is very helpful as well. The first Archaic Lightsabers were developed as a siege weapon, using "frozen blaster" technology. These required a separate power pack which was often worn on the back. The power sources and components were miniaturized in the construction to create the simple weapon used in the later era.

In the original film trilogy, lightsabers were limited to blue and green for the Jedi, while red-bladed lightsabers were associated with evil Jedi Knights or Sith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sith). The various expanded universe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expanded_Universe_%28Star_Wars%29) (EU) sources and the prequel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prequel) films opened up the spectrum of blade colors to include (among others) purple, pink, orange, and yellow. Obi-Wan Kenobi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obi-Wan_Kenobi) primarily wielded a blue-bladed lightsaber, while Mace Windu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace_Windu) famously uses a purple-bladed lightsaber. The color of a lightsaber's blade is dependent upon the crystals used to focus it. Blue-bladed lightsabers are loosely associated with Jedi Guardians; green-bladed lightsabers are loosely associated with Jedi Consulars; yellow-bladed lightsabers are loosely associated with Jedi Sentinels; and red-bladed lightsabers are more closely associated with the Sith.

The very rare Great Lightsaber, similar to a standard lightsaber, had focusing crystals and a power supply producing a blade up to 300 centimeters in length. The rare Dual-Phase Lightsaber is any lightsaber constructed to operate at two different blade lengths. Darth Vader's lightsaber is an example of this, as he has buttons on his hilt allowing him to change the blade length at will. The Electrum Lightsaber are lightsabers with hilts forged from electrum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrum).

Sweet I was right. :)

Now refresh my memory. Does Luke switch from a Blue sabre to a Green?

[hitmanyr2k]

Before the prequels I always thought the color of the lightsaber had signifigance....especially in ROTJ. I always thought Luke had picked the green color for his lightsaber because he was conflicted and didn't know which way he was going. It was also apparent because he wore Sith colors but still remained good. The green lightsaber represented him being in-between. It was neither good (blue) nor evil (red). That was my interpretation anyway.

[ashvirtually]

Sweet I was right. :)

Now refresh my memory. Does Luke switch from a Blue sabre to a Green? ...the one from his father was blue, but after he lost it (and his hand) on Cloud City, he constructed his own, a green one...

TRIVIA: I forget by whom and how, but in the Extended Universe, his father's lightsaber was recovered, and Luke gave it to Mara Jade, the woman who would become his wife.

Ash

[The Omnipotent Critic]

Before the prequels I always thought the color of the lightsaber had signifigance....especially in ROTJ. I always thought Luke had picked the green color for his lightsaber because he was conflicted and didn't know which way he was going. It was also apparent because he wore Sith colors but still remained good. The green lightsaber represented him being in-between. It was neither good (blue) nor evil (red). That was my interpretation anyway.
Except...he wasn't conflicted.

[JesusChrist]

Except...he wasn't conflicted.
You sure? He briefly turned to the dark side in order to defeat Vader. He gave in to anger and hatred.

[chocopop]

I'm with hitman on this one.

Blue = Good.
Red = Baad.
Green = Conflicted / in between.

Screw the yellows and purples - they just mess up the system.

[BadLieutenant]

Mace Windu's lighsaber is also longer than anyone else's. So the black Jedi gets a big, long purple one.

[Sxottlan]

I was going to point to a recent discussion on this over at the TrekBBS, but people have basically referenced most of the theories from over there, most famously from KOTOR.

That game's ideas on it are better than some I've seen, such as that green somehow implied the person using it was a "maverick" Jedi as opposed to blue being more "traditional", whatever that means.

Then there's the idea that crystals in Sith weapons are artificial and that's why they're red. Though if the other colors all occur in nature, why not red? Does the color even matter if non-living objects like these crystals presumably don't have anything to do with either side of the Force? Unless of course it's simply tradition.

That aside, I've always liked the idea of yellow and orange being more for people who are more attuned to to the Force but were never discovered by Sith or Jedi forces or else are used by non-Force users. Nothing to say they can't use them.

[Touchstone]

in the book I, Jedi by Stackpole you can find out quite a bit about lightsabers and how the Jedi build them. the main character, Corran Horn, uses two crystals to build his lightsaber so he can change the length of the blade. but as he does this the colour of the blade also changes because the two crystals produce different colours. also interesting to read how he goes into an 'emergency lightsaber-build trance'.

overal good book!

[vadermaul_2001]

Green always wins and blue always loses in a duel.

[Kevin]

in the book I, Jedi by Stackpole you can find out quite a bit about lightsabers and how the Jedi build them. the main character, Corran Horn, uses two crystals to build his lightsaber so he can change the length of the blade. but as he does this the colour of the blade also changes because the two crystals produce different colours. also interesting to read how he goes into an 'emergency lightsaber-build trance'.

overal good book!
I would have to check, but I am pretty sure he finishes a Yuuzhan Vong using this lightsaber in the New Jedi Order Series. In very cool fashion of course.

[Rowland]

The truth is that fans put far more thought into this than those involved in the movie do. There is no significance according to Lucas outside of red vs. everything else, and his canon is the only true canon.

[The Post Master]

The truth is that fans put far more thought into this than those involved in the movie do. There is no significance according to Lucas outside of red vs. everything else, and his canon is the only true canon.
Yep.

Red = evil.

Very clear.

[Mr. Right]

Green always wins and blue always loses in a duel.
Tell that to Darth Maul.

[vadermaul_2001]

Tell that to Darth Maul.
He was killed with Qui-Gon's green saber, just not by Qui-gon.

[The Omnipotent Critic]

You sure? He briefly turned to the dark side in order to defeat Vader. He gave in to anger and hatred.
Wow, yeah, that solitary moment of conflict of which he almost immediately discards as wrong is the basis for the premeditation of his lightsaber and his costume.

[Boba Sweat]

but is there any significance to the different colors wielded by the Jedi?
None.

[Boba Sweat]

Blue = Good.
Red = Baad.
Green = Conflicted / in between.

See...I disagree with this. Anakin is conflicted throughout Sith and only uses a blue saber from start to finish.

[hitmanyr2k]

Except...he wasn't conflicted.
At the end of ESB Luke is very conflicted...about where his path will lead to now that he finds out Vader is his father and his questioning of Obi-wan because of his "half-truths". I think he's at the crossroads and he doesn't know where he's going to end up which leads to him being in between. Up until ROTJ we had always seen red and blue lightsabers. Blue was always good, red was always evil. To me green represented the middle, undecided ground.


See...I disagree with this. Anakin is conflicted throughout Sith and only uses a blue saber from start to finish.
That's why I mentioned this was my belief BEFORE the prequels came along.

[HanShotFirst]

Okay-- so how does this fit in with everyting:

The original Luke Skywalker action figure was shipped with a yellow lightsaber.

In fact, when ObiWan first showed Luke "his father's lightsaber" on Tatooine, it had no perceptible color-- maybe it was blue, maybe it was yellow, maybe it was just a pale beige.

I think the red/blue thing was created between "A New Hope" and "Empire." Luke's saber is clearly blue in his fight with Vader. And as all Halo fans know, Red versus Blue makes for an excellent contrast.

[Joe_Banana]

Wow, yeah, that solitary moment of conflict of which he almost immediately discards as wrong is the basis for the premeditation of his lightsaber and his costume.
If the color arrangement is meant to reflect Luke's conflict over the light/dark side, I doubt it was to his own knowledge. He wasn't thinking "I'm conflicted, I better construct a lightsabre to display that, and wear the respective robe to boot," unless he was doing so as some cry for help.

[icekweem]

Then there's the idea that crystals in Sith weapons are artificial and that's why they're red. Though if the other colors all occur in nature, why not red? Does the color even matter if non-living objects like these crystals presumably don't have anything to do with either side of the Force? Unless of course it's simply tradition.

I don't think the reds are based on artificial crystals. If memory serves me right there were red crystals in that cave in Clone Wars in that episode where they showed how lightsabers were constructed.

[Sxottlan]

I don't think the reds are based on artificial crystals. If memory serves me right there were red crystals in that cave in Clone Wars in that episode where they showed how lightsabers were constructed.
The constructed crystal theory I think was another fan or novel-based one floating around long before Clone Wars, but considering how they try to make the books canon, that would be a conflict there. I'm not real sure where it came from.

[lookabunny]

All I know is you can have a saber of any color. It all depends on what color crystal you use. I read that in some Star Wars book.

As far as the meaning behind the color, I think that's already been addressed.

[G-MON]

Mace has a purple blade simply because Sam Jackson asked for one.
Purple must be his favourite colour He asked for his wardrobe in Unbreakable to be purple also

[hitmanyr2k]

If the color arrangement is meant to reflect Luke's conflict over the light/dark side, I doubt it was to his own knowledge. He wasn't thinking "I'm conflicted, I better construct a lightsabre to display that, and wear the respective robe to boot," unless he was doing so as some cry for help.
I agree. It could have been a sub-conscious thing. Just because we acknowledge it doesn't mean Luke does. He may have not realized why he was making a green lightsaber, or wearing a traditional Jedi robe with a black Sith-looking outfit. As far as appearance goes everything Luke wears or carries says he is borderline to going either way.

[Esoteric_Allusion]

Blue is generally the colour of choice of Jedi Gaurdians. They are essentially masters of lightsabre combat.

Green is generally the colour of choice of Jedi Consulars. They are essentially masters of the force, less concerned with combat.

Yellow is generally the colour of choice of Jedi Sentinals. They are essentially a mix of the above two types.

Red is generally the colour of choice of the Sith. They are essentially bad guys.

Most of the other colours are just used by Jedis who want to be cute and unique, although some actually result in a superior blade.
Knights of the Old Republic is a cool game.

Some of ya'll are reading way too much into it, if you're looking for symbolic intent.

[Delta-Cain]

I think the only real significance between the blue and green sabers is that Lucas thought a blue saber would be too hard to see against the sky when shooting Tatooine scenes for Return of the Jedi. He changed the blade color to green so that it would contrast with the sky and Vader's red saber.