‘Star Wars’ Finally Reveals the Real Reason Jedi Use Lightsabers

As every fan knows, lightsabers are one of the most important and beloved parts of the Star Wars universe, and they’re also among the top-selling merchandise. The franchise has demonstrated their power, and lightsaber battles have always been a highlight of the series.

The evolution of lightsabers since the Original Trilogy is fascinating. The franchise has expanded beyond the traditional three colors—red, blue, and green—to showcase various designs and types of lightsabers, giving us even more interesting details about this iconic weapon.

But why do the Jedi and Sith use lightsabers? This question has long gone unanswered, and we’re eager to learn the reason behind their choice. While they continue to wield these weapons, we’ve been wondering why they specifically use lightsabers. A new Star Wars book finally provides the answer we’ve been waiting for.

As mentioned, lightsabers are a crucial part of Lucas’ lore. From Yoda’s battles against Dooku and Palpatine to Grievous wielding four lightsabers in his duel with Obi-Wan, and the intense fight between Obi-Wan and Anakin on Mustafar, these weapons have brought joy to fans, and everyone loves a great lightsaber duel in the series.

This popularity is why lightsabers are such a hot item in Star Wars merchandise; fans want their own lightsaber.

While we know a lot about lightsabers today, some mysteries remain. For example, we understand how they’re made, the complexity of the process, and their designs.

We know how many colors exist, how those colors are formed, and what they symbolize. But do we know why they are favored by the Jedi?

This is an important question, and upon reflection, no one has explained why the Jedi choose lightsabers, especially since they are impractical weapons that require skill to wield, as shown in the series.

The Jedi could have chosen an easier weapon, yet they did not. Why? After many years, the book Star Wars: The High Republic: The Lightsaber Collection by Daniel Wallace finally offers an explanation through a definition of the lightsaber, revealing the following insight:

“Lightsabers were designed to end conflicts. They were designed to injure no more than necessary, and in the horrible circumstance where death was the only possible outcome, they would kill quickly. No more damage would be done by a lightsaber than its wielder chose.”

As you can see, this definition doesn’t provide a clear answer about why the Jedi use lightsabers, but it becomes clear when you read it in full.

The Jedi are peacekeepers, so they only use weapons when absolutely necessary. That’s why they needed a weapon that was both practical and humane— as humane as a weapon can be. And that’s where the lightsaber comes in.

Lightsabers don’t cause collateral damage, and as mentioned, if a Jedi does kill, it’s done quickly and with minimal pain. This is why the Jedi prefer lightsabers; they are likely the most humane and least torturous weapon in the franchise, which makes perfect sense.

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