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Hello there!
I can undoubtedly say that the most unique thing about Star Wars was the lightsabers. Anyone who saw these plasma swords for once could never get them out of their minds.
And that’s why after almost four decades, Star Wars is still immensely popular among billions of people worldwide, even if not all of them have even watched one complete episode.
When it comes to lightsabers, they exist in a wide variety. Jedis, Siths, Temple Guards, and even non-Force-sensitive warriors, all had their unique lightsabers. And many a time, it was these lightsabers that became their identity.
So, in today’s guide, we will be discussing one of the most revered lightsabers of the Galaxy that never fell victim to the Dark Forces, the Obi-Wan lightsaber.
In this Obi-Wan lightsaber guide, I will be talking about everything there is to know about Obi lightsabers’ blade emitter to their pommel cap. Furthermore, I will be giving a brief account of the major events or duels that made his lightsabers so famous among Star Wars fans.
Bottom Line Up Front
Obi-Wan was a true image of a Jedi. Because of his witty personality, composed demeanor, and lightsaber-wielding prowess, Obi-Wan was not only admired among the Jedi Order and the Senate, but his reputation also preceded him among his adversaries.
These qualities led him to be the most famous negotiator of the Republic. During his lifetime, Obi-Wan carried three lightsabers.
- 1st lightsaber: Obi-Wan manufactured it when he was a Padawan; however, it was lost in 32 BBY in Naboo.
- 2nd lightsaber: It was created in 28 BBY, a few years after the Invasion of Naboo, but Obi-Wan lost it during the first Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY.
- 3rd lightsaber: Manufactured shortly after the first Battle of Geonosis, this lightsaber remained with him until his demise on Death Star I in 0 BBY.
Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber Combat Style and Position
Talking about his combat style, as the title of the guide suggests, it was Form III of the lightsaber fighting style, aka Soresu, which was actually a defensive form.
Before mastering this form, Obi-Wan was a learner of Form IV, Ataru, the offensive wielding style preferred by his former master. Not to mention, Obi-Wan was also adept in Shien, a type of Form V lightsaber fighting style that was primarily oriented towards deflecting fires from blasters.
As far as his lightsaber combat position is concerned, attuned to a more defensive style, Obi-Wan used to pose with his right hand stretched above his head, holding the lightsaber towards the opponent. However, his left hand would be stretched forward with his index and middle finger pointing at the opponent.
Even today, this pose looks very similar to the Fencing positions, which greatly focuses on scoring a point while keeping the defense intact.
Obi-Wan’s First Lightsaber
History
Although there isn’t any exact account available when it comes to how Obi-Wan created his first lightsaber, being a padawan, the manufacturing of his first lightsaber can be traced back to the planet of Ilum.
This first lightsaber always remained by his side during his training period. Both the padawan and Master went on several missions where this padawan lightsaber proved its worth in uncovering many truths. And it was one such ill-fated operation where this lightsaber was forever lost with the death of Obi’s master, Jedi Master Qui Gon.
Description
Obi-Wan’s padawan lightsaber had a blue plasma blade and a 28-centimeter-long hilt with Adegan crystal as its Force-Sensitive element. The hilt of this lightsaber was divided into two portions.
Starting below the blade emitter, the top portion of the hilt had all the controls, such as the activation panel and power adjuster, and enclosed the focusing core as well.
The lower portion of the hilt, starting from a cut under the first portion, ran down to the access plate, with a round pommel at the end. This portion encased the kyber crystal and was well-grooved on the outside to provide a good grip.
Major Fights and Events
The Invasion of Naboo
Starring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui Gon, Episode I of Star Wars started with quite some action. On behalf of the Senate, this duo of master and padawan was sent to probe into the blockade of Naboo by the Trade Federation.
After realizing this was not just a blockade but a full-scale invasion, Obi-Wan used his padawan lightsaber to slice some battle droids on the Neimoidian ship, even entangling some destroyer droids, before landing on Naboo.
When they reached Naboo, Obi-Wan and Qui Gon swam through a marsh on Naboo. This resulted in the short circuit of Obi-Wan’s lightsaber, and he was unable to wield it against the droids chasing them through the jungle.
However, the lightsaber began working by the time they arrived at the Queen’s palace, and the duo was able to free the captives held by the droid army.
The Failure of form IV Lightsaber Combat
With the help of Gungans, the people of Naboo took the war to the droid army. In the meantime, Queen Amidala and her entourage, with the help of Obi-Wan and Qui Gon, attacked the palace to take it back from the occupiers.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan and Qui Gon ran into a Sith Lord named Darth Maul, a Dathomirian who was well-trained in the Sith arts by Darth Sidious himself. During this skirmish, both the master and his padawan tried their best to pin down the opponent with their lightsabers.
However, being a master of Juyo, Form VII of the lightsaber combat style, Darth Maul successfully fended off the Ataru strikes from both the Jedis and finished off Jedi Master Qui Gon in a quick blow.
Although Kenobi was able to cut Maul in half with the help of his master’s lightsaber, he lost his first lightsaber for good when Darth Maul kicked it into a smelting pit moments after killing Qui Gon.
Still, despite its haunting memories, this event led Obi-Wan to change his lightsaber combat style from Form IV to Form III, Soresu, the style that fit him well and became his identity later on.
Obi-Wan’s Second Lightsaber
History
It might be weird to know, but according to the Star Wars timeline, Obi-Wan remained without a personal lightsaber for almost four years; after all, building a new lightsaber was never child’s play. During this time, Obi-Wan mostly used his former master, Qui Gon’s, green-blade lightsaber.
In 28 BBY, Obi-Wan constructed his second lightsaber; however, this time, he was not a padawan but a Jedi Knight. This second lightsaber was lost again just after six years of its creation, in 22 BBY, before the first Battle of Geonosis took place.
Description
Obi-Wan’s second lightsaber was very similar in structure to his padawan lightsaber. They both had Agedan crystal at their core; their hilts were divided into two portions; they shared the same blue plasma blade; they both had knob-shaped pommels at the end.
However, unlike Obi-Wan’s first lightsaber, the lower portion of its hilt was relatively slender than its top portion containing the focusing core. Not to mention the silver color of the hilt was also shinier on this one.
Major Fights and Events
First Face-Off with Jango Fett
Despite its brief screen time, the Mission to Kamino was one of the turning events of Star Wars; after all, it introduced us to the Clones, who played a significant role in the Star Wars series.
All the puzzles of Padame’s assassination attempt led Obi-Wan to the planet of Kamino. And to his utter surprise, Kenobi came to know that a Clone army is being produced for the Republic on the DNA sequence of Jango Fett, a bounty hunter involved in the assassination plot.
Obi-Wan confronted Jango Fett when he was about to leave the Clone facility. Obi-Wan took out his lightsaber, and masterly deflected the blaster shots coming out from the most infamous bounty hunter in the Galaxy.
Although Obi-Wan successfully disarmed Jango and destroyed his jetpack, the temporary loss of Obi’s lightsaber allowed Jango to make an escape.
Finding Out the Droid Factory on Geonosis
This event led to one of the most celebrated events of Star Wars, the first battle of Geonosis. Although this battle was a Republic win, apparently, against the Separatists, it was actually the first decisive move of the clandestine Sith lord, Darth Sidious.
Following the homing beacon, Obi-Wan tracked down Jango’s ship to the planet of Geonosis. After some eavesdropping and probing into the caverns of the planet, Kenobi not only discovered that the Separatists High Council sits there, but, just like Kamino, this planet housed one of the biggest battle droid manufacturing plants.
Albeit it was a momentous discovery against the Separatists, Obi-Wan’s second lightsaber was not that lucky. Soon after making contact with Anakin, Obi-Wan was captured by the Separatists, and his lightsaber was confiscated. And to this day, no one knows what Separatists did to that lightsaber.
Obi-Wan’s Third Lightsaber
History
It was this lightsaber that kept the Star Wars fans hooked with Obi-Wan’s Jedi life. Being his third and last lightsaber, this Jedi weapon remained with Obi-Wan for most of his life before finally ending up with his former apprentice, Darth Vader.
This lightsaber saw the toughest of times. From Separatist attacks to coming face to face with his former “brother,” Anakin Skywalker, this lightsaber witnessed the most remarkable victories and the worst betrayals.
Description
Being one of the pioneer lightsabers of the Star Wars universe, the idea behind this masterpiece cannot be described better than the words of Daniel Wallace, the writer of Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection, 2020, according to which, “Obi-Wan Kenobi’s A New Hope lightsaber was constructed around a balance pipe from Rolls-Royce Derwent jet engine, a World War I-era No.3 Mark I British rifle grenade, and the same type of flash camera battery pack use for Luke’s saber.”
Obi-Wan’s third lightsaber was one of the most renowned lightsabers in the Galaxy. Although it also had the Agedan crystal at its core and bore a blue plasma blade, this lightsaber was nothing similar to Obi-Wan’s previous lightsabers in the overall design.
Talking about its hilt, it was almost a centimeter longer than the previous lightsaber hilts. However, its overall width was relatively short, with its significant portion offering an adequate ribbed grip.
Moreover, only the crystal lens assembly of the hilt was encased, while the blade emitter and focusing core had no covering, giving the lightsaber an old-school yet elegant look.
The control panel also consisted of fewer buttons, and, unlike previous lightsabers, it was present on the lower portion of the hilt. Furthermore, the access plate of this lightsaber lacked a round pommel and had a faucet-shaped pommel at its end instead.
Major Fights and Events
Two Jedis Against a Bounty Hunter
Obi-Wan faced Cad Bane, the most notorious bounty hunter of the Clone Wars, on many occasions. And every time they had a face-off, it was always a thrilling moment. However, following Ziro the Hutt, Obi-Wan ended up facing Cad Bane once again, but this time Kenobi was accompanied by an eccentric Jedi, Quinlan Voss.
If you ask me, this encounter was actually a show of Form III and Form IV of the lightsaber combat that allowed us to see how a defensive style, Form III, could also effectively pin down an enemy.
Being a proficient Ataru master, Quinlan went full offensive on the bounty hunter with his lightsaber, but Cad Bane successfully disarmed the cocky Jedi.
But before Cad Bane could escape, Kenobi rendered a marvelous show of Soresu and deflected almost every attack from the deadly bounty hunter, even making him defenseless, not to mention the short lightsaber duel between Cad Bane and Obi-Wan. Still, due to another trick up his sleeve, this Duros eventually succeeded in his escape.
Encounter with the Long Dead Enemy
Bo-Katan: “Maul must really want you dead.”
Obi-Wan: “You have no idea.”
If there were one person Obi-Wan really hated, it would have been none other than Darth Maul; after all, this Dathomirian killed the two most beloved persons in Obi-Wan’s life: Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn and Duchess Satine of Mandalore.
In Episode I, witnessing the death of his master, Obi-Wan literally sliced Maul in half and sent him down the smelting pit of Naboo. But his “power of hate” kept him alive, and Maul survived the unlivable conditions to take his revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi.
After killing a few Jedis with the help of his new apprentice, Savage Oppress, Darth Maul lured Obi-Wan to his ship. These Dathomirian brothers almost overwhelmed Kenobi, but luckily, he was joined by Dooku’s former apprentice, Ventress, and a show of red flashes began.
Initially, Kenobi fought with Ventress’s lightsaber. However, this Sith-bled lightsaber was not coping with the Soresu master’s defensive lightsaber combat fighting style, so Kenobi kept trying to get a hold of his Jedi weapon.
Even after obtaining his lightsaber, Kenobi was still overpowered by his revived archrival, consequently turning to more offensive lightsaber strikes. But again, this was not an effective strategy, and even Maul had to say, “Your rage has outbalanced you. That is not the Jedi way.” Resultantly, Obi-Wan had to escape with the aid of Ventress.
Skirmish on Florrum
With the revival of Obi-Wan’s sworn enemy, whenever there was a fight between Kenobi and Maul, it was always a nail-biting experience. And to be honest, these Clone Wars episodes were the best Star Wars production.
After their first unpleasant interaction, Obi-Wan met the Dathomirian brothers again in Florrum, who were there to intimidate Weequays, the pirates, to join their side. But unlike his previous encounter with Maul, Kenobi was joined by another Jedi, Jedi Master Adi Gallia.
A brawl broke out between the Hondo pirate gang and its renegades. In the meantime, Obi-Wan and Adi Gallia encountered Maul and Savage, and a strenuous lightsaber fight took place between the Sith lords and Jedis.
Kenobi dueled Maul, while Adi Gallia tried to keep up with the dual-sided lightsaber of Savage Oppress. However, she was soon overpowered by the Dathomirian beast who thrust his lightsaber right through her.
Following the loss of his fellow Jedi, Obi-Wan ran into a cave. But, soon after, he was confronted by both Maul and Savage, who had been chasing him. Obi-Wan wielded both Adi Gallia’s and his lightsaber against the Sith lords.
Despite witnessing the death of his fellow Jedi, Obi-Wan remained composed and displayed very fine lightsaber-wielding skills. After a few blocks and deflections, Obi-Wan was able to cut down Savage’s arm with his lightsaber, and the Dathomirians were left with no option but to flee the scene.
Soresu vs Makashi, Defense Against Elegance
If I were to vote for the best lightsaber combat style, it would definitely be Makashi. With its elegant, sassy, and classic maneuvers, this Form II of combat was most effective in a lightsaber duel.
Obi-Wan and Anakin engaged Dooku, the master of Makashi, during their rescue mission of the Chancellor. Obi-Wan used his iconic Soresu style against the master of his master, Count Dooku, and tried his level best to fend off the lightsaber strikes of that great Sith lord.
After a few successful blocks, Obi-Wan was greatly overwhelmed by the powerful strikes of Count Dooku, and he was consequently choked unconscious by the Sith lord. And if it weren’t for Anakin’s timely intervention, Obi-Wan would have easily lost his life at the hands of Count Dooku.
In my opinion, this fight made it clear that, although extremely powerful, the Obi-Wan lightsaber could not be considered an undefeatable weapon.
The Last Duel with Grievous
Windu: I am called a great swordsman because I invented a lethal style; but who is greater, the creator of a killing form – or the master of the classic form?
Kenobi: I’m very flattered that you would consider me a master, but really-
Windu: Not a master. The master. Be who you are, and Grievous will never defeat you!
Albeit General Grievous was the main antagonist of the Clone Wars, he only made one appearance in the Star Wars original saga. In Clone Wars, Kenobi faced Grievous on many occasions, and he usually emerged victorious. However, his decisive duel with Grievous was their last fight on Uttapu.
This skirmish undoubtedly confirmed Obi-Wan’s lightsaber-wielding prowess and his lightsaber’s power to take four opposing sabers at a time. After a few blocks, Obi-Wan was able to cut down two of General Grevious’ hands by following Form III of the lightsaber combat. Though Grievous tried to make an escape, he was eventually killed by Kenobi.
Obi-Wan almost lost his lightsaber while chasing Grievous. But thanks to Commander Cody who picked it up and returned it to Obi-Wan moments before he proceeded with executing Order 66.
The Unforgettable Soresu against Dejm Su on Mustafar
Darth Vader: If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy!
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must.
In my opinion, the Galaxy became out of balance the moment “brother” started hating his “brother.”
After the massacre at the Jedi temple, Darth Sidious ordered Darth Vader to go to Mustafar and end the Separatists once and for all. In the meantime, Padme’ and Obi-Wan reached Mustafar in an attempt to turn Vader back to Anakin.
But things didn’t go as planned, and after a few exchanges of dialogue, Darth Vader started blazing Obi-Wan with his famous Skywalker lightsaber.
In the beginning, Vader made some powerful blows with his lightsaber, giving Obi-Wan a tough time blocking them. Not to mention Obi-Wan was unable to make an offensive strike for quite some time.
After some time in the duel, it felt that Obi-Wan was getting familiar with Vader’s fighting style. By using his prowess in Soresu, Kenobi was deflecting almost every strike coming from his former apprentice, which made Darth Vader use Dejm Su more aggressively.
However, even when the lightsaber duel reached its peak, and Darth Vader started making the best use of Form IV of the lightsaber combat, Obi-Wan avoided any chance to make a deadly strike with his lightsaber; after all, he still wanted his “brother” to turn back to the Light Side.
But with nothing working on his former padawan, Obi-Wan consequently used his lightsaber to cut Darth Vader’s legs and leave him at the mercy of Mustafar’s volcanic land.
Three Deadly Strikes on Tatooine
After the execution of Order 66, Obi-Wan went into hiding at Tatooine. And although he was getting old, he underwent Jedi training to connect with the Cosmic Force.
Two years before the Battle of Yavin, Obi-Wan faced Darth Maul for the last time. One night in 2 BBY, Obi-Wan was approached by Maul in an open desert. And after having a small chat, Maul drew his dual-bladed Sith lightsaber.
In response to that, Obi-Wan also took his lightsaber out and got into his iconic duel position. They both stared into each other eyes, and Darth Maul broke the status quo by striking Obi-Wan with his dual-bladed lightsaber.
Using his lightsaber, Obi-Wan blocked the first two heavy blows made by the first and former apprentice of Darth Sidious. Then in an elegant manner, he struck right in the middle of Maul’s lightsaber that not only cut it in half but also went through Maul’s body, bringing one of the most anticipated rivalries to an end.
Although this duel between Maul and Kenobi was one of the briefest duels in the Star Wars history, it definitely showed the impressive prowess of Obi-Wan over Form III of the lightsaber combat.
The Last Goodbye on DS I
When Leia Organa was taken to Death Star to retrieve the stolen blueprint of this superweapon, Obi-Wan, Luke, Han, and Chewbacca came to her rescue.
After rescuing her, just moments before their escape, Obi-Wan faced off with his former apprentice, Darth Vader, now a Sith lord, for the last time on this most intimidating weapon of the Empire.
With his Sith lightsaber drawn, Darth Vader made the first strike against his former master, which was easily blocked by old “Ben.” But after a few strikes, Obi-Wan was trying hard to manage the defense, a fact that was also realized by the Sith lord.
Obi-Wan even tried to make some strikes with his lightsaber, but Darth Vader easily deflected them. When the rest of the rescue team was about to board the Millennium Falcon, Luke Skywalker called for Obi-Wan. However, old “Ben” gave Luke a goodbye look and, holding his lightsaber in a guard position, rendered himself defenseless to the mighty Sith lord.
Darth Vader, without any hesitation, gave a heavy blow with his iconic Sith lightsaber which brought the life of Obi-Wan Kenobi to an end. With his death, Kenobi became one with the Cosmic Force, and his lightsaber ultimately dropped on his Jedi robe.
Famous Quotes about Obi-Wan’s Lightsabers
“Silly thing. Was just working a minute ago.” – Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi
“This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” – Jedi Master Obi-Wan
“Exactly what lightsaber form were you using back there, Master?” – Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker
“Forget whatever they dug out of the ground. The laser sword… That’s what I want.” – Hudo Shaku, leader of the Krypder Riders
“Your swords, please. We don’t want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor” – Sith Lord Count Dooku
“Would it have been too much to ask for the order to have come through before I gave him back the bloody lightsaber…” – Commander Cody of the Clone army
Major Appearances of Obi-Wan’s Lightsabers in Star Wars
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars Film
- Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars: Rebels
- Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Was Obi-Wan’s Padawan Lightsaber Similar to Qui Gon’s Lightsaber?
Answer: It has been reported almost everywhere that Kenobi’s first lightsaber shared an uncanny resemblance with his former master’s lightsaber; some even stated that Obi-Wan, out of respect, tried to make this lightsaber as close to his master’s lightsaber as possible.
In reality, Obi-Wan’s lightsaber had fundamental differences in its construction. Unlike Qui Gon’s linear hilt, Obi-Wan’s lightsaber hilt was divided into two portions.
Similarly, Qui Gon’s lightsaber had a simple and straight access plate; however, Obi-Wan’s lightsaber had a knob at the end of its access plate. Not to mention, they both used different kyber crystals in the construction of their lightsabers.
Question: What Happened to Obi-Wan’s Second Lightsaber?
Answer: Following the bounty hunter Jango Fett, Obi-Wan arrived at the planet of Geonosis, where he made some decisive discoveries, such as locating the Separatists droid manufacturing factory and Separatist High Command. However, Kenobi was captured, and his lightsaber was confiscated.
Although Obi-Wan and his friends, Anakin and Amidala, were subsequently rescued, no one knew what happened to Obi-Wan’s lightsaber.
However, it would not be wrong to construe that, following the events of the Geonosian War, his lightsaber would either have been destroyed or lost for good due to the destruction of the droid factory and all the Separatists’ major outposts and command centers.
Question: Who had Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber after his Death?
Answer: After the infamous duel between the master and his apprentice, Obi-Wan’s lightsaber ended up with Darth Vader. Although nobody knew what Vader did to that lightsaber, years after his death, a group of padawans, including Anakin Solo, the third child of Han and Leia, went to Bast Castle, one of Vader’s fortresses, at Vjun.
This group of young Jedi found Asli’s Krimson Holocron and Kenobi’s lightsaber in the castle and, after surviving many traps, returned these artifacts to the Jedi Praxeum, a Jedi academy run by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker on Yavin 4.