Darth Vader's lightsaber/Legends

Darth Vader's lightsaber was the weapon used by the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader. This lightsaber was created in 19 BBY by Vader.

Specifications


Darth Vader's lightsaber was originally powered by a crimson synth-crystal supplied by Palpatine, who also provided his own lightsaber to serve as a model. However, Vader considered his master's weapon to be an antique, and sought to create a more personalized weapon with more ballast. Wishing to impress Palpatine, Vader attempted to create a novel design, but the resulting weapon was little more than a black-alloy version of his first Jedi lightsaber.

This weapon featured a thick, ridged handgrip, a high-output diatium power cell, a dual-phase focusing crystal, forward mounted adjustment knobs, and a beveled emitter shroud. However, due to the size of his mechanical hands, Vader was forced to make the grip considerably thicker and longer than his original lightsaber, resulting in an inelegant weapon, verging on ungainly.

Due to the many modifications featured by his lightsaber, it is possible that Vader in fact created multiple weapons. Vader appears to have experimented with a rounded emitter shroud similar to his second Jedi weapon. He is known to have utilized a scarlet Adegan crystal rather than a synth-crystal on at least one of these weapons.

History


When he originally joined the Sith, Darth Vader simply continued wielding his second lightsaber that he created as Anakin Skywalker. However, this lightsaber was taken from him by Obi-Wan Kenobi after his defeat at the Jedi's hands. Deprived of his weapon, Vader was forced to create a new one.

Utilizing a synthetic lightsaber crystal supplied by his master, Vader constructed his new weapon in the shadow of the Death Star I. It would be two standard weeks before this weapon tasted first blood.

Behind the scenes
Technically, the first Sith lightsaber designed was Darth Vader's. However, there were no early plans to make Vader's weapon distinct from the other lightsabers depicted, beyond the black styling on the hilt itself. The concept art of Vader's lightsaber hilt was based off of George Lucas's descriptions of the weapons as jewel-studded cylinders. Ultimately, the hilt carried by David Prowse in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back was made from the flash attachment of a British 3-cell MPP Microflash, a flash tube attachment used on forties-era press cameras, with the ridged grip made by gluing portions of hard plastic 'T' track used for the sliding doors of display cabinets (often mistaken for wiper blades) onto the bare cylinder, and the switch plate fashioned from the LED display of a 1974 calculator. In Return Of The Jedi however the original prop was misplaced and a similar 'lookalike' was created by modifying a 3-cell Graflex Flash tube like the one used for Luke Skywalkers first lightsaber, it is believed by some to be a stunt saber used in the first two movies as the MPP Microflash was much harder to find than the Graflex or possibly even one of the original Skywalker sabers heavily modified. The original lightsaber effect was provided by the reflective, spinning dowel that made up the blade, which appeared to glow to the camera. However, Lucas was unsatisfied with these early effects, and had the glows further augmented by rotoscoped animation. During this phase, it was decided to make the lightsabers have different color blades to further differentiate them, and Vader was given a red blade. While the methods used to create the lightsabers would change over the course of the next two movies, the presentation of Vader's lightsaber itself would remain consistent.

Alternative depictions
Revenge of the Sith

The alternate ending of the Star Wars Episode III video game depicts Darth Vader defeating Obi-Wan Kenobi, impaling him through the chest. When Vader meets with the recently arrived Palpatine, his master provides him with a new Sith lightsaber. This lightsaber is of identical design to the lightsaber he constructs in the canon storyline, hinting that Palpatine may have provided the completed weapon to Vader. Vader briefly inspects the weapon before tossing it in the air in an elaborate flourish and impaling Palpatine.

The Force Unleashed In the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Vader is depicted as being able to channel Force energy into his lightsaber, charging it up when he throws it. This technique is similar to the mechanics of Force weapons.

During the final boss battle against Darth Vader, Galen Marek is given the choice between attacking the Emperor and saving Rahm Kota, or finishing Vader. If the player chooses to kill Vader, he engages in a lengthy lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord before telekinetically pummeling him. As he is battered about by Marek, Vader drops his lightsaber, which is retrieved by Marek and rammed into his chest. After Marek is badly injured and subsequently "rebuilt" by Palpatine, his belt is seen to hold several lightsabers, Vader's included.

Non-canon appearances

 * The Rebel Club
 * The Long, Bad Day
 * The Lost Lightsaber
 * Soulcalibur IV