Kyber Crystals Explained: Canon vs Legends
"The crystal is the heart of the blade, the heart is the crystal of the Jedi, the Jedi is the crystal of the force. The force is the blade of the heart, all are intertwine, the crystal, the blade, the Jedi, you are one."
- Master Luminara Unduli, Clone Wars microseries (Legends)
There is no cooler weapon than a lightsaber. Today, fans of all ages, would love to own a real lightsaber from the Star Wars universe. Yet many forget that, in Star Wars, what gives a lightsaber its power is not the Jedi or the Sith, but a crystal. Here are the difference between how lightsabers as they operated in Legends and current canon:
Legends:
In Legends, a lightsaber is powered by several different crystals and gems that the Jedi use to give their lightsaber its color. Sith, on the other hand, obtain their lightsaber color by using a synthetic red crystal, created by the Sith Order. In Legends, a lightsaber can have any color its wielder wants. The different crystals and gems can also be found all over the galaxy, and are very abundant.
There are also many more colors than the ordinary red, green, blue, and purple. In fact, there are colors such as pink, orange, and black. A lightsaber in Legends can also have different energy blades; a blade could be pulsating or fiery depending on the different type of crystal or gem used for the saber itself.
Canon:
One of the big changes that Star Wars received in the "new canon" was how the lightsabers operate. In the new canon, a lightsaber is powered by a specific type of crystal called a Kyber crystal, which was also used in Legends. These Kyber crystals are living organisms that are connected to the Force, and they call to their specific Jedi. The crystals are very rare, and can only be found on several planets like Jedha and Ilum.
During training, a Jedi youngling is taken to planets like Ilum to search for their Kyber crystal. Since the planet is covered in ice, it is very hard for them to find crystals, yet only the crystal that has chosen them will reveal itself to the young Padawan. The Padawan must then meditate with the crystal, and infuse their feelings with the crystal, in order for the Kyber crystal to get its color. For Sith and dark side users, it’s a bit more complicated, as they must first kill a Jedi, steal their crystal, and, during meditation, infuse all their hate into the crystal. Once the crystal is filled with anger, hate, and suffering, the crystal will turn red. This dangerous process is referred to as "bleeding" the crystal. The process itself can be very dangerous. One example of this is Kylo Ren’s crystal, which, during the bleeding process, cracked, making it unstable.
There are also a lot more limits to the saber colors in the current canon, as the Jedi don’t get to choose the color of their blade; the Force does. Jedi are usually limited to green, purple, and blue, depending how strong their connection to the force is. Jedi temple guards carry yellow lightsabers, yet it has not been explained in why this color is given to the temple guards. Rey also has a yellow-bladed lightsaber at the end of the sequel trilogy.
Another rare color within canon is black, which has been seen in one lightsaber, that being the Darksaber. Sith can only wield red-bladed lightsabers due to their hate and anger. Red Kyber crystals, were believed to be cursed forever, but this is proven wrong by Ahsoka Tano, as she purifies two red Kyber crystals whom she stole from an Inquisitor. After she purifies the crystals, they turn white, becoming the first white sabers we see within the current canon.
One thing that we can all agree on is that the expanded knowledge of how a lightsaber operates is by far one of the coolest things within the Star Wars universe.
Source(s): Screen Rant, Star Wars Explained, StarWars.com