Star Wars: What Are Lightsabers Really Made Of?

The most iconic weapon in all of science fiction, the lightsaber from Star Wars, is also one of the most technically, scientifically, and even story logic complex, as well. It’s time to dive in and figure out just how realistic it might be.

In the vast galaxy of science fiction, few weapons shine as brightly as Star Wars’ lightsaber. From its classic hum to its array of colors, the lightsaber has captivated generations, transcending its origin to become a timeless artifact of adventure and heroism.

And as a kid, who didn’t have imaginary battles with their lightsabers? Now, imagine if those weapons really existed! We delve into the world of Star Wars and analyze the science behind the lightsabers as well as the importance of this crazy device in the movies but also in our lives…

The lightsaber exists at the nexus of advanced technology and timeless mythology, serving as a powerful symbol of the “Star Wars” universe. Their unique designs, impactful glow, and distinctive sound make them an iconic piece of sci-fi history.  But with this great honor comes a lot of questions. What are lightsabers actually made of? Are there any existing modern technologies that could bring us closer to a real life lightsaber? And just how important is this mystical weapon to the Jedi and Force users in general?

All this and more will be explored in our latest episode…

SUGGESTED VIEWING

The lightsaber and its lore plays an integral role in all nine films of “The Skywalker Saga” and those are the movies that make up the spine of the Star Wars universe. We assume you’ve probably seen them, but if you want a refresher just for this episode, you should consider revisiting Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), all of which have points we referenced in our discussion.

And while the Star Wars universe on television already seems a little overwhelming, our hosts also took a dive into some episodes which specifically expanded and explored lightsaber function and history. If you want to check those out, they are…

Star Wars: The Clone Wars S5E6 “The Gathering”

This one shows Jedi students on a quest to find kyber crystals to complete their lightsabers. 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars S5E16 “The Lawless”

The first glimpse of the mysterious Darksaber in action. 

Star Wars Rebels  S3E15  “Trials of the Darksaber”

More info and context for the Darksaber, arguably the most important lightsaber variant in current Star Wars canon!

The Mandalorian S2E8 “The Rescue” 

If you’re hoping to see the Darksaber in a live action context, this is the episode for you.

For those of you looking to really dive into the entire Star Wars universe and don’t know where to begin, well…good luck! When it comes to viewing orders for big franchises that take place across long periods of time, we generally endorse watching everything in “release order” rather than “timeline order.” For example, that means you watch the original trilogy first, then the prequels, and so on down the line. 

But especially with Star Wars, there’s always the temptation to try and do things in story chronological order. And who are we to say no? So for you brave souls who want to try and “start at the beginning” for the galaxy far, far away, here’s how you’d do it…

Star Wars lore has become so sprawling that it’s now broken up into distinct storytelling eras. 

THE HIGH REPUBLIC

Star Wars: The Acolyte (TV)

Currently the earliest piece of live action Star Wars lore, The Acolyte takes place 100 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga films.

THE FALL OF THE JEDI

These films and TV series detail the period when the Jedi lost influence over the galaxy, the Clone Wars, and Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side. 

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (Film)

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (Film)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV)

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (Film)

REIGN OF THE EMPIRE

These films and TV series set the stage for the classic, original trilogy of Star Wars films, as the Empire rampages across the galaxy and the seeds of the Rebellion are sown.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (TV)

Solo: A Star Wars Story (Film)

Obi-Wan Kenobi ( TV)

Andor (TV)

Star Wars Rebels (TV)

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Film)

AGE OF REBELLION

The most famous period in Star Wars history! You probably know all about these already.

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (Film)

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (Film)

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (Film)

THE NEW REPUBLIC

So far, this era has only been explored on TV and not in film, but it details the “lost years” between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

The Mandalorian (TV) – Seasons 1 & 2

The Book of Boba Fett ( TV)

The Mandalorian (TV) – Season 3

Ahsoka ( TV)

Star Wars Resistance (TV)

RISE OF THE FIRST ORDER

The latest period in Star Wars history thus far explored!

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (Film)

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (Film)

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (Film)

And these anthology shows take place throughout the Star Wars timeline, but are fun additional viewing:

Star Wars: Visions (TV)

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (TV)

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (TV)

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Here are a few recommendations!

Plasma

“It looks like a metal thing. It could be like a sonic screwdriver or something like that. But when it is initiated, a beam of light or a beam of plasma, depending upon who you ask, is emitted. And it’s like a weapon. It’s like a solid object that’s really hot, can cut through metal.” 

How Plasma Cutters Work

“Everybody wants to own a lightsaber, but no one should… That is a dangerous piece of equipment. If it’s going to slice through things the way it does. We have technologies that do that. We have lasers that cut metal. A plasma cutter is what it’s called.”

What is a photonic crystal? The reason why photonics-electronics convergence technology is needed, and the details of research

“But if you hit a light beam from the side, it’s not a solid thing. Right? So you know what we see with the battles where lightsabers are bouncing off of each other, just pure light of any no wavelength would not be able to do that. When I started looking into could you confine light in such a way, I discovered something that’s new and it’s called a red Rydberg blockade, where they create what is known as a photonic crystal, where you can make photons sort of bond with each other in a sort of way.”

See also: Creating heralded hyper-entangled photons using Rydberg atoms and Rydberg atoms in hollow-core photonic crystal fibres

Ben Burtt & the Sounds of Star Wars

“I think that one of the reasons that this has become such an iconic thing is in part due to the production design of it, and specifically the sound design of it. Ben Burtt was the sound designer, and he actually has said that the lightsaber sound was the very first thing that he worked on for the Star Wars universe, when the original trilogy was being done.” 

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