The 10 Coolest Lightsabers In Canon & Legends

Star Wars has introduced a number of incredible lightsabers throughout the franchise’s long history, but these 10 are the very coolest. Star Wars movies and TV shows have the difficult task of constantly introducing innovative ideas while staying true to the franchise, and one key way new shows and movies have accomplished this is through lightsabers. Indeed, many of Star Wars’ best TV shows and Star Wars’ best movies have created fascinating new lightsaber designs.

Star Wars has also expanded lightsaber colors and their meanings considerably over the years. At first, many of these innovations were included in Legends but not in canon; however, more recently, Star Wars canon has also confirmed the existence of various creative lightsaber designs and colors. Of all the lightsabers throughout canon and Legends, though, these 10 are the coolest.

10 The Inquisitors’ Lightsabers

The Inquisitors’ Double-Bladed Spinning Lightsabers Are Truly Terrifying

Darth Vader’s Imperial Inquisitors have been a fascinating addition to Star Wars, as they reveal so much more about the Dark Times. In addition to their horrible task of hunting down and killing Force-sensitive beings across the galaxy, children included, the Inquisitors also wield some of the coolest lightsabers in the franchise. As shown in both animation and live action, the Inquisitors use double-bladed red lightsabers that spin on a wheel.

This lightsaber design is reminiscent of General Grievous’ spinning attack with four lightsabers, although that required four limbs. This weapon used by the Inquisitors is perhaps even more intimidating than that, as they can use just one arm to wield the saber, making them more limber and therefore more capable in battle. Either way, though, this design is not only effective but also extremely intimidating, making it one of the franchise’s best.

9 Kylo Ren’s Crossguard Saber

Kylo’s Chaotic Blade Is Perfect For His Character

The sequels may still be considered some of Star Wars’ worst movies, but Kylo Ren was generally well-liked, and many viewers found his lightsaber design compelling. In addition to the crossguard hilt, Kylo’s lightsaber had a chaotic red blade, which was absolutely perfect for his characterization. Evidently, when bleeding his kyber crystal, Kylo lost control and cracked it, giving his lightsaber the crackling blade showcased throughout the sequels.

This truly does reflect the person Kylo Ren was, as any lightsaber should. Throughout the three sequel movies, although Star Wars: The Force Awakens in particular, Kylo Ren proved to have a remarkably bad temper, essentially throwing full-blown temper tantrums when something didn’t go his way or he received bad news. This lightsaber blade is therefore not only an innovative design but also a thoughtful weapon perfectly suited to the character.

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8 Tera Sinube’s Lightsaber Cane

Tera’s Unique Clone Wars Lightsaber Was A Surprise

Tera Sinube was introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as an elder Jedi Master, and he quickly became more important to the plot of the show when Ahsoka Tano’s lightsaber was stolen. Ahsoka sought assistance from the older Jedi, but she was clearly not thrilled with the arrangement, as she frequently expressed annoyance at his antics (including some cheesy jokes) and slower pace. However, Sinube proved himself to be much more than he seemed with the help of his unique lightsaber.

While, yes, Master Sinube might have initially been literally asleep on the job, when it came time to confront the thief who had Ahsoka’s lightsaber, Sinube saved the day by revealing that his cane concealed his lightsaber. In fact, as he battled the thief, he wielded the lightsaber still using the top of the cane as a hilt. This was a truly original design that coincided with a brilliant Clone Wars arc, making it one of the best in Star Wars canon and Legends.

7 Ezra Bridger’s Lightsaber Blaster

Ezra’s Original Lightsaber Design Was Undeniably Cool

Star Wars Rebels introduced a number of now-beloved Star Wars characters, Ezra Bridger chief among them. Ezra began the show as a spunky Force-sensitive orphan (although his parents were later revealed to still be alive, but they died soon after). However, he developed throughout the show into a true Jedi. Before this massive character growth, though, he had a lightsaber again befitting his character: a lightsaber-blaster hybrid.

This lightsaber was truly unique, especially considering that most Jedi preferred not to use blasters; after all, this is precisely why Obi-Wan Kenobi said “so uncivilized” and tossed General Grievous’ blaster aside in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. However, Ezra was still learning the ways of the Force, and he wasn’t yet confident with a lightsaber. Over time, because he developed so much as a Jedi, he ditched this design and went with a more traditional saber. Nevertheless, Ezra’s original lightsaber design was one of the coolest in the franchise.

6 Jocasta Nu’s Lightsaber Rifle

Jocasta’s Lightsaber Takes Ezra Bridger’s One Step Further

Despite it being true that most Jedi preferred lightsabers to blasters, Ezra wasn’t the only character who had a combined blaster and lightsaber. Surprisingly, none other than Jocasta Nu, the Jedi Temple archivist from the prequel trilogy, wielded a lightsaber rifle. In truth, this takes Ezra’s lightsaber design one step further, as Jocasta’s lightsaber rifle was clearly designed in a way that prioritized the rifle over the saber.

In the Star Wars comics, Jocasta Nu was revealed to be one of the few Jedi survivors of Order 66, and, more importantly for the Empire, she had access to data on Force-sensitive children in the galaxy. Because of that, Emperor Palpatine sent Darth Vader on a mission to acquire the data. Notably, Palpatine wanted Jocasta taken alive. Sadly, Vader’s anger got the better of him, and he killed Jocasta, interestingly also destroying the data on Force-sensitive children for unclear reasons. However, Jocasta did show off the lightsaber rifle in battle before her death.

5 Qimir’s Dagger Saber

The Newest Sith Saber Has A Fascinating Design

Qimir/the Stranger was introduced as the newest Star Wars Sith in The Acolyte, and that reveal came with incredible battle sequences and the debut of a brand-new lightsaber design. The Acolyte episode 5 not only showcased how violent Qimir truly was, as he cut down multiple Jedi in gruesome ways without hesitation, but also included some of the best lightsaber fights in Star Wars since the prequel trilogy. Part of that was due to Qimir’s unique lightsaber, which consisted of a more traditional red blade but also concealed a smaller dagger blade within the main lightsaber’s hilt.

Sadly, this design was precisely how Qimir killed Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon, who impressively held her own against the Sith even more than many full-fledged Jedi had earlier in the episode. However, this lightsaber gave Qimir the element of surprise, and he used it to gain the upper hand, stabbing Jecki through multiple times before she had time to block the surprise second saber. While it was tragic to see Jecki go, this new Sith lightsaber is still incredibly cool and one of Star Wars’ best designs.

4 Tenel Ka Djo’s Rancor Tooth Lightsaber

This Legends Saber Is Truly Something Special

Tenel Ka Djo is a truly fascinating character in Star Wars Legends, and her lightsaber design matches her interesting backstory. Tenel Ka was a member of Luke’s Jedi Temple, and she was close friends with Jacen and Jaina Solo, Leia and Han’s twin children. Moreover, she was related to the Nightsisters of Dathomir through her mother, Teneniel Djo, whose grandmother was in fact the Queen of Dathomir.

Although the Nightsisters are different in Legends than they are in canon, this is nevertheless an interesting tie between Tenel Ka and current Star Wars canon. In fact, it was Tenel Ka’s great-grandmother, Queen of Dathomir, who inspired her lightsaber design. In addition to a turquoise blade, the lightsaber had a hilt made of a rancor tooth that was evidently her great-grandmother’s favorite rancor. This is certainly a unique design in Star Wars, the likes of which still haven’t been seen in canon.

3 Vernestra Rwoh’s Lightwhip

The Acolyte Finally Brought This Iconic Lightsaber To Live-Action

Vernestra Rwoh’s iconic purple lightwhip was finally brought to the Star Wars screen in The Acolyte, which was a thrilling update to the franchise. The lightwhip, as the name suggests, is a lightsaber with a blade that can become a long whip, which is a radical departure from the typical Jedi weapon. Sadly, though, the lightwhip had minimal screen time in The Acolyte, and it was never used in battle.

This was shocking for multiple reasons. For one, this lightsaber really is one of the coolest in Star Wars, so it was expected that the show would take advantage of being the first to bring it to live-action. More confusingly, it was heavily hinted that the lightwhip would be seen in a fight sequence, as Qimir’s scar is a perfect match for a lightwhip attack, and Vernestra Rwoh was confirmed to be his former master. Nevertheless, this lightsaber design remains truly epic in the franchise; perhaps a second season of The Acolyte could finally see it in action.

2 Kouru’s Lightsaber Parasol

This Star Wars: Visions Lightsaber Is One Of The Franchise’s Coolest

Star Wars: Visions was a controversial addition to the franchise in part because it deviated so much from the typical Star Wars art form, but the show isn’t canon. Perhaps for that reason, Visions seemed to take much greater creative liberties with the concepts in Star Wars, lightsabers certainly included. Although there were various innovative designs in the show, one of the most exciting was a lightsaber parasol, wielded by Kouru.

As the name indicates, the lightsaber forms an umbrella shape, with multiple blades in a wheel. This gives the user a massive advantage in battle, as the design not only allows for a much greater range for attacks but also protects the user by making blocking significantly easier. Although this design is unlikely to ever make its way into canon or live-action because it is so creative and unusual, it is nevertheless one of the coolest lightsabers in Star Wars.

1 The Darksaber

The Mandalorian Saber’s Incredible History Makes It The Coolest Of All

The single coolest lightsaber in Star Wars is the Mandalorian Darksaber, which has now been wielded by multiple characters in animation and live-action. For one, this lightsaber has an incredible history, as it was the lightsaber of the first Mandalorian Jedi, Tarre Vizsla. Moreover, the design of this blade is simply beautiful. Not only does it have an incredibly unique black blade, but it also combines the dark and the light in a way that looks stunning on-screen.

The Darksaber also has massive significance in the franchise, as the person who wins it in battle is thought to have a legitimate claim to be ruler of Mandalore. Sadly, the Darksaber was destroyed in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 8, by Moff Gideon, and it’s unclear whether it will have a future in Star Wars, as it seems to truly be broken beyond repair. Even so, the Darksaber remains the very coolest of all Star Wars lightsaber designs in both canon and Legends.