50 Star Wars secrets that will blow your mind
By Josh Hill
33. Luke’s Lightsaber Almost Wasn’t Green In Return of the Jedi
It’s not the size, but really the color of your lightsaber that matters. The hue of a lightsaber is a telling clue as to which side of The Force you’re fighting on, and up until 1983 there were only two colors for the weapons.
That all changed in Return of the Jedi, as George Lucas decided that a green lightsaber is what Luke Skywalker needed.
The reason for the switch was practical, as the blue lightsaber showed up poorly against the backdrops that were used for sets, and it needed to pop. Specifically, the lightsaber needed to stand out against the light background during the battle in the Dune Sea on Jabba’s Yacht. The color that showed up best was green, which is what Lucas ended up going with.
As we found out a decade later, basically every color under the rainbow can be used for a lightsaber — and it was.
Next: 32. Darth Maul Voice Change