Top 10 Lightsabers Ranked By Design
Admittedly, when it comes to lightsabers, I do not tend to memorize their designs by heart. In putting together this list, however, I tried looking back at what lightsaber designs stand out to me the most (in a good way). It just so happens that the ones I selected are from canon. Here is a top ten list of lightsabers ranked by design.
10. Luke Skywalker's Green-Bladed Lightsaber
When Luke Skywalker ignited the green in Return of the Jedi, it was the first time that fans saw a lightsaber blade in film that was not blue or red. It opened up many possibilities. Whether it be a green blade against a blue sky, or a green blade in a dark smoky hallway, lots of fans are excited to see Luke Skywalker "ignite the green." The hilt design actually makes me nostalgic for the stud bar in the Lego Star Wars video games.
9. The Skywalker Lightsaber
The blue-bladed lightsaber wielded by Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Finn, and Rey. While the design might look simple compared to others that we have seen since its introduction, it is still beautiful nonetheless and has been through a lot of history.
8. Tera Sinube's Lightsaber
This old Jedi Master's saber is sheathed in his staff, which is a very creative choice even if we do not see enough of it in action. One cannot help but admire the multiple uses that it can serve.
7. Ahsoka Tano's White-Bladed Lightsabers
This is kind of a cheat since it involves two lightsabers, but I cannot really talk about one without the other. These lightsabers were actually red-bladed when they belonged to an Inquisitor known as the Sixth Brother. After she defeated him, the crystals within the hilts turned white. In this healed form, the lightsabers suited Ahsoka more. The symbols on them are very much her aesthetic, and the blades light up pretty well in the dark.
6. Darth Maul's Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber left people in awe when they saw it in motion in The Phantom Menace, accompanied by the excellent music piece "Duel of the Fates." With two red beams coming out of this saberstaff, a skilled warrior such as Maul can make the weapon very intimidating.
5. Darksaber
The Darksaber is very much tied to Mandalorian history. A black-bladed lightsaber used to be difficult to imagine, but this weapon brought that idea to life without it feeling too generic. It is complete with what appear to be symbols or etchings, which give it an ancient feel. It has gone through the hands of Pre Vizsla, Maul, Sabine Wren, Bo-Katan Kryze, Moff Gideon, and now Din Djarin. And it looks like the story of the Darksaber is not over quite yet.
4. Luke Skywalker's Yellow-Bladed Lightsaber
It might be considered sacrilege to rank this above Luke's more iconic blue and green blades from the films, but hear me out! For those of you who may not have been following the Marvel Comics, Luke Skywalker finds this High Republic era lightsaber in an old Jedi Temple shortly after The Empire Strikes Back. And he uses it to fight a specter of the Grand Inquisitor. The yellow blade matches with the gold on the hilt. The yellow blade is actually a shoutout to an old Kenner toy. It is understandable that Luke would want to build his own lightsaber, but I have to imagine that he ends up losing this one somehow, because it is just way too cool to toss aside and not use.
3. Stellan Gios' Lightsaber
Stellan Gios is a Jedi from the High Republic publishing project, and his lightsaber looks so beautiful. It is essentially a more elegant version of Kylo Ren's lightsaber (which is, frankly, very ugly). The white and gold go so well together, and the design really displays how high of a place the Jedi are at in the High Republic era.
2. Mace Windu's Lightsaber
I have always been fascinated by the fact that Mace Windu's lightsaber has a purple blade. But I never really took that close of a look at the hilt before doing research for this article. I absolutely love the gold on this and how it goes well with the purple blade. Purple and gold are pretty much complementary colors, of course.
1. Cal Kestis' Lightsaber
Cal Kestis' lightsaber could end up being just about anything. Anyone who plays Jedi: Fallen Order can form an attachment to whatever lightsaber customization they choose. Since choosing every possible design for his lightsaber would be a cop-out, I will say that my preferred design would be something like the one in the picture below: a gold (or close to gold) hilt with two purple blades.
So those are my top ten lightsabers ranked by design. My rankings could change with time, but a list like this is a fun exercise to try out.