Lightsaber History: Understanding Saber Origins

Predecessors of the Lightsaber

As with so many cool inventions, the lightsaber did not always exist in the form that it is known for today. The first lightsabers and protosaber designs were far more primitive in design, which inspired the eventual development of the lightsaber. However, these precursors remain largely clouded in mystery due to spotty historical records.

Another key step in lightsaber origins was the protosaber, an early lightsaber design used by the Je'daii and the first Jedi. These first lightsabers required an external power pack connected by a cable, making them far less practical in combat than modern configurations.

One of these early protosabers was a weapon known as the Forcesaber, which was created and utilized by the Rakata thousands of years before the Republic. These weapons were constructed by the Force Hounds (Rakatan hunters in tune with the Force) and powered by a special crystal. Like contemporary lightsabers, these sabers came in a variety of colors.

Forcesabers were crafted in multiple designs, some of them closely resembling the later lightsaber. What limited the influence of the Forcesaber, though, was its association with the Dark Side. That meant members of the Je'daii Order (forebears of the Jedi) could not use the weapon without potentially becoming corrupted. But it’s clear that the basic idea of the Forcesaber was attractive to the Je'daii Order.

These early lightsaber inventions laid the foundation for what would eventually become the original lightsabers used by both Jedi and Sith. It is also known that the members of the Rebel Alliance found a prototype lightsaber, possibly belonging to Darth Vader, in an Imperial Base during their mission to Mustafar. 

Invention of the Lightsaber

The earliest original lightsabers that can properly be called as such were designed by the Jedi, but were eventually taken up by the Sith and the Dark Jedi as well. Like later lightsabers, these weapons used a focusing (kyber) crystal in the hilt to generate the blade. Unlike later lightsabers, they were reliant on a bulky external power pack, which was connected to the hilt with a cable. This naturally made the lightsabers somewhat unwieldy. These weapons saw action in the Hundred-Year Darkness and other conflicts during the Old Republic Era.

The Sith made technological improvements that gave rise to lightsaber designs that did not require a power pack. Wielders of the lightsaber now had much greater freedom of movement during battle. The new and improved Sith lightsaber first appeared during the Great Hyperspace War, and the Jedi soon adopted the design. These early weapons represent some of the first lightsaber designs in Star Wars history, bridging the gap between primitive Force-powered and the refined sabers seen in later eras.

It goes without saying that lightsaber history does not end here. From the first lightsaber prototypes to modern custom designs, the evolution of the lightsaber continues to expand across Star Wars canon and Legends.