Among all the lightsaber colors in the known Star Wars universe, yellow is one of the most uncommon—but it recently became less uncommon with the release of The Rise of Skywalker. The ending of TROS features the first sighting of an actual yellow lightsaber in the entire nine-episode theatrical series that began back in 1977. It can be seen in the hand of Rey—or “Rey Skywalker,” to use the name she chose for herself in honor of her mentors—as she flicks it on in rather dramatic fashion during her visit to Luke’s old hometown on the desert planet Tatooine.
It’s a big moment that the filmmakers surely knew would inspire discussion among fans. Not only does Rey finally have her own lightsaber (one that activates with a cool rotating ring mechanism), it emits a blade with a yellow coloration. Because this event occurs at the very end of the movie, the audience is left with no real explanation about how the lightsaber came into being or what its significance might be. What is well established, however, is that Star Wars lightsaber colors are never random.
What Rey’s yellow lightsaber means is only speculation at this point, but it’s possible to make some educated guesses by taking a look at other appearances of the yellow lightsaber, in both the canon and non-canon history.
Past Appearances of the Yellow Lightsaber
The yellow lightsaber has never been widely seen, but it does have a significant history behind it, albeit a history that has been partly pushed into non-canon status. Here are a few past sightings of yellow lightsabers:
- The Jedi Sentinel were known for their use of the yellow lightsaber. In the Jedi Order, the Sentinels essentially stood between the Guardians (who emphasized fighting skill) and the Consulars (who emphasized diplomatic abilities), and blended aspects of each. The Jedi Sentinel are now considered non-canon.
- The Jedi Temple Guard wielded yellow lightsabers while performing their duties as protectors of the Jedi Temple. These masked guards, considered part of the current canon, can be seen with their yellow sabers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
- The bounty hunter Asajj Ventress has been spotted with a yellow lightsaber, although it should be noted that she obtained it on the black market and was not involved in its creation.
In addition to the above, Ahsoka Tano is widely credited with using a short yellow lightsaber, or shoto, during the Clone Wars, but some commentators have pointed out that its coloration is really yellow-green. If so, Ahsoka’s saber should not be judged to have the same symbolic significance as a true yellow lightsaber.
The Future of the Yellow Lightsaber?
Due to the events of The Rise of Skywalker, the yellow lightsaber is likely to become chiefly linked to Rey. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Rey and her newly created saber, but there is no doubt that yellow has always been associated with the Jedi cause. In all likelihood, it will remain so. But it’s also likely that Rey’s influence will eventually expand the meaning of yellow as a lightsaber color.
Perhaps it is not a coincidence that the color yellow is situated between green (the Jedi color) and red (the Sith color) on the visible spectrum and stands closer to the former than the latter. That would certainly befit an individual who is a blood relative of the odious Palpatine but rejects everything he stood for.
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