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Does Princess Leia Use a Lightsaber?

If you’ve ever wondered about Leia’s lightsaber in Star Wars canon and Legends, you’ll find the answer here, along with a look at all of Princess Leia’s weapons, from her elegant Jedi blade to her iconic blaster.

Princess Leia Organa might just be the busiest woman in the Star Wars galaxy—whether you’re talking about modern canon or the expansive Legends continuity. Diplomat, general, resistance leader, royal, and yes, at one point, a Jedi in training. While she never formally joined the Jedi Order, Leia was trained in the ways of the Force—and in the art of wielding a lightsaber—by none other than her twin brother, Luke Skywalker.

Custom Lightsabers Inspired By Leia Organa

Leia’s Lightsaber Use In Modern Star Wars Canon

In the post-Return of the Jedi timeline, Leia begins training as a Jedi with Luke on the jungle-covered planet of Ajan Kloss. This is the same world where she would later establish a Resistance base—and ultimately, the place where she would pass away. During this period of training, Luke guided her through the construction of her own lightsaber: a refined, elegant weapon with a gold hilt—a subtle tribute to her royal upbringing on Alderaan. The blade of Princess Leia’s lightsaber glowed blue, just like her father Anakin Skywalker’s.

Leia didn’t just train casually—she became highly proficient in lightsaber combat. In fact, she was skilled enough to defeat Luke in sparring matches on more than one occasion. The first time we see Leia with a lightsaber is actually in a flashback scene to her training with Luke in Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker.

Still, her path as a Jedi was cut short by a powerful vision: she foresaw the death of her future son, Ben Solo (Kylo Ren), should she continue on this path. Already feeling that her destiny lay in political leadership and service to the galaxy, Leia made the painful choice to put down the saber and focus on other ways of making a difference throughout the galaxy.

Leia’s Lightsaber Use In Legends

In the now non-canon Legends continuity (previously known as the Expanded Universe), Leia’s Jedi journey is both longer and more active. One of the earliest moments where she wields a lightsaber comes under dire circumstances—facing off against Darth Vader himself. With Luke injured, Leia grabs his lightsaber and holds her ground. Though she loses the fight, she buys enough time for Luke to recover and ultimately defeat their father.

Over time, Leia would go on to formally train under Luke as he rebuilt the Jedi Order. She constructed her own lightsaber—a blue-bladed weapon symbolizing her commitment to the Light Side. Later in her journey, Luke would present her with a second saber: one that emitted a red blade, meant to balance and complement her original weapon. This unusual pairing made Leia one of the few Force users to wield both a blue and a red saber during her lifetime (at least in Legends lore).

Unlike in modern canon, Legends Leia regularly used her lightsaber in battle, especially when confronting Dark Side Force wielders in one-on-one lightsaber combat.

While Leia might never have worn the robes of a Jedi Master, her connection to the Force and her skill with a lightsaber are undeniable—whether you’re looking at canon or Legends. She remains one of the most complex and inspiring figures in the Star Wars saga, equally at home in a senate chamber or on a battlefield, lightsaber in hand.

Custom Lightsabers Inspired By Luke Skywalker

Could Leia Have Been A Jedi?

Leia Organa: Jedi? Many fans have imagined it, but her distinctive timeline instead gave us her remarkable leadership, political influence, and future with Han Solo. As noted earlier, Leia Organa’s lightsaber-wielding Jedi potential was undeniable in both Star Wars canon and Legends, but her destiny led her elsewhere.

To recap, in modern canon, she halted her training with Luke Skywalker after a vision showed her son Ben Solo’s tragic fate, devoting herself instead to leadership. In Legends, however, she embraced the Jedi way more fully, joining Luke’s new Order, constructing multiple lightsabers, and fighting Dark Side foes in open combat and lightsaber duels. While she didn’t end up following the traditional Jedi path, yes, Leia could have been a Jedi—both timelines prove she had the aptitude, discipline, and Force connection to become a mighty Jedi Knight.

Leia’s Blaster & Other Iconic Weapons

In the era of classic Star Wars, Leia’s lightsaber-wielding skills weren’t well known. That’s because, long before we see Princess Leia with lightsabers, we witness her standing her ground with her famous weapon of choice: a compact but deadly Defender sporting blaster pistol. Leia’s blaster was a sleek, practical firearm that became her signature in the original trilogy, from A New Hope’s opening moments aboard the Tantive IV to her daring escapes and rescues throughout the Rebellion era.

In both canon and Legends, Princess Leia’s blaster represented her quick thinking, precise aim, and readiness to face danger head-on. Plus, watching Princess Leia with a blaster gave viewers a peek into her character’s choices and style. The look was equally memorable—Princess Leia’s holster sat perfectly positioned for rapid draw. Leia’s weapon remains as iconic as she is, but she also occasionally supplemented it with thermal detonators, sporting rifles, and other sidearms when the situation demanded.

While her lightsaber connected her to her Skywalker heritage, watching Princess Leia with her blaster symbolized her unique identity—equal parts royal, rebel, and Resistance leader.

Channel Your Inner Jedi: Build Your Own Saber

Choose from our full selection of character lightsabers for book, video game, and screen-accurate replicas. Whether you want to honor the Light Side of the Jedi like Leia Organa or embrace your unique path, Ultrasabers makes it easy to create the coolest lightsabers that work for either dueling or display.

Explore the full spectrum of lightsaber colors, or even channel Leia’s wayward Sith son, Kylo Ren, and customize a double-bladed saber for an even more impressive design. We also welcome you to join like-minded fans on our large community platform at SaberForum.com! Questions? Contact us!