The legacy lightsabers of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge explained
By Danny Pham
A canon guide to the legacy lightsabers sold at Disney Parks’ Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Arguably the most iconic sword in film, the lightsaber has come a long way since debuting in 1977’s Star Wars. Appearing throughout the franchise, the weapon has branched out to various designs and been wielded by many prominent characters.
Over four decades, toys of the weapon helped the franchise earn $20 billion in merchandising sales alone. So there was little surprise that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney Parks’ latest expansion, would have a lightsaber collection available for purchase. But unlike the plastic swords sold on toy shelves, these hilts are comprised of high-quality materials and warrant prices to match.
Dubbed legacy lightsabers, the collection is sold exclusively in Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Each hilt is based on a Star Wars character’s personal weapon, complete with authenticity and details fans will appreciate.
While some of these lightsabers are more known than others, each one tells a part of Star Wars history. Spanning comic books, novels, animated titles, and live-action films, these stories date back from the prequels to the upcoming installment, The Rise of Skywalker (2019). The following canon guide collects the history and lore of the most famous lightsabers in a galaxy far, far away.
Anakin, Luke, and Rey’s lightsaber – Debuted in Star Wars (1977)
The original and arguably most iconic hilt, Anakin Skywalker’s blue-bladed lightsaber was wielded through the Clone Wars and briefly after he became Darth Vader. He lost it in a duel against his former master Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar. Two decades later, Kenobi passed the weapon down to Skywalker’s son, Luke, who utilized it in campaigns against the Galactic Empire.
The lightsaber was briefly reunited with its original owner in 2015 comic Star Wars No. 1, set after the destruction of the Death Star. The meeting between Luke and Vader — with the Sith Lord recognizing his former weapon — further encouraged their eventual duel in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Outmatched by the Sith Lord, Luke lost his right hand along with the weapon.
The hilt was not seen for 30 years until it was discovered at pirate Maz Kanata’s castle in The Force Awakens (2015). After a brief period with former stormtrooper Finn, it has since remained with Rey, a Jakku scavenger. She was last seen using the lightsaber in The Rise of Skywalker, although with a black plate covering where it was recently sheared. Visitors to Dok-Ondar’s can buy the original hilt, sans the latest modification.
Darth Vader’s lightsaber – Debuted in Star Wars (1977)
The replacement for his Jedi weapon, Vader’s black-and-silver hilt holds significance as the original villain lightsaber. Its origin was revealed in 2017 comic Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith No. 12, set shortly after Revenge of the Sith.
With the Galactic Empire in power and the remaining Jedi scattered, Vader is sent to Mon Cala to assassinate a Jedi Purge survivor. After successfully killing Master Kirak Infil’a, Vader takes the kyber crystal from his hilt and travels to Mustafar to bleed it. With Vader’s hatred and anger poured inside it, the corrupted crystal is used to produce a crimson blade.
Vader used Infil’a’s hilt briefly before it was destroyed in an assassination attempt on the Sith Lord. He managed to recover the kyber crystal and used it as a foundation for his next lightsaber. The new hilt, built entirely by him, resembled his first Jedi lightsaber from Attack of the Clones (2002). Despite having a rare weapon, Vader seldom needed it due to his powerful Force abilities. As a result, the lightsaber was only wielded on occasion.