One of the things that had Star Wars fans losing their minds when the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens dropped back in 2014 was the glowing red lightsaber with two flaming side spears wielded by a shadowy figure lurking in the forest. It would later be revealed that this shadowy figure was none other than the Dark Warrior himself, Kylo Ren, and the lightsaber he was wielding was no ordinary weapon.
Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, which is of the crossguard type, has now become a highly recognised weapon synonymous with the Star Wars sequel trilogy. However, many details about this medieval-style weapon remain a mystery to many fans, which is why, in this piece, we have curated a list of 5 fascinating facts about Kylo Ren’s lightsaber.
1. The Lightsaber Features an old Design
The crossguard design of Kylo Ren’s lightsaber is actually an ancient design that was mostly used by the practitioners of the lightsaber combat form known as Makashi during the time of the Great Scourge of Malachor.
Later on in Star Wars Rebels, the remains of this great battle would be discovered together with a green-bladed version of a crossguard lightsaber found by Ezra Bridger. It is the exact model of this green-bladed crossguard lightsaber that Kylo Ren based his own lightsaber design on.
2. The Saber Had a Cracked Kyber Crystal
Kylo Ren’s lightsaber may feature an old design, but the technology he used for its construction is very new, and it is quite safe to say that he didn’t really know what he was doing. Because Kylo Ren didn’t finish his Jedi training before being seduced to the Dark Side by Snoke, he never got to learn how to properly build his lightsaber.
This inexperience was quite evident when he tried to use the dark side of the force to bleed his kyber crystal but ended up cracking the kyber crystal in the process. The cracked kyber crystal exerted so much power and heat that Kylo had to modify his lightsaber by adding twin lateral vents (quillons) to either side of its hilt. These quillons diverted the extra heat generated by his cracked kyber crystal.
In addition to his inexperience, Kylo Ren also tried to build his lightsaber with inadequate parts which further contributed to the unstable appearance of his lightsaber.
Kylo Ren’s inexperience, cracked kyber crystal, and the inadequate lightsaber parts he utilised are the reasons why the Kylo Ren lightsaber looks and sounds the way it does in the movies.
3. It Made a Crackling Sound
On activation, Kylo Ren’s lightsaber made the familiar humming sound of a regular lightsaber but with another distinctive noise mixed into the sound. The unstable nature of his kyber crystal caused his lightsaber to make a sputtering, popping, and crackling sound whenever it was turned on. This unnerving sound was put in by Star Wars sound engineers on purpose to make his lightsaber seem more menacing and dangerous.
4. A lot of Jedi Were Killed With the Lightsaber
While wielding his crossguard lightsaber, Kylo Ren murdered so many people that he even earned the nickname “Jedi Killer”. He wielded the weapon against many notable characters, including Han Solo (his own father), Snoke (who was his former Dark Master), and Lor San Tekka, who he murdered while trying to get information on Luke’s whereabouts.
5. The Lightsaber Represents His Inner Conflict
In the Star Wars universe, a lightsaber is a reflection of its wielder, so it makes sense that Kylo Ren’s unstable blade mirrors the unstable nature of Kylo Ren himself.
Unlike other Dark Side villains (Count Dooku, Snoke, Vader, Maul), Kylo Ren had a lot of internal conflict as he struggled with both the light and dark side of the force. He was essentially cracked in two like his lightsaber’s kyber crystal.
Conclusion
Kylo Ren was one of the most memorable characters from Star Wars, and the unique red-bladed crossguard lightsaber he wielded played a huge role in reflecting his personality and internal struggles. Above are just some of the interesting facts about his iconic weapon.