User:Jensaarai/Exar Kun

'''I maintain this article as my project page, my sandbox. Please do not delete.''' Jensaarai 05:19, April 23, 2011 (UTC)

'''Basic rule: no touchy without my go ahead. I welcome suggestions on the talk page, but please leave the article itself alone. I know I have probably made a whole laundry list of typos and I will get to them.''' Jensaarai 09:36, January 25, 2011 (UTC)

I hope. Jensaarai 00:27, October 20, 2011 (UTC)

Opening
"The Sith grew past the use of lightsabers. But we continue to use them, if only to humiliate the Jedi."

- Darth Sidious

Sith Lightsabers were a specialized type of the weapon that catered to the needs and preferences of the Sith Lords. For the most part, the design differences were minimal, due to the typical modern lightsaber being based off of original Sith designs. Sith lightsabers almost always utilized Synthetic lightsaber crystals as opposed to the natural crystals favored by the Jedi, a fact they considered to be a mark of superiority. Also, most Sith weapons featured an overall more aggressive design aesthetic. One of the variations on typical Sith lightsabers was the Double-bladed lightsaber. Being of Sith design, these staff-weapons were sometimes refered to as Sith lightsabers, though were not to be confused with the genuine article.

The design of these weapons changed greatly over the centuries since the founding of the Sith, sometimes featuring a standardized mold, other times being designed by individual wielders. Despite this evolution, they were almost always distinguished by their scarlet bloodshine blades, a result of the red coloration usually taken on by synth-crystals. Ultimately, the Sith wielded these weapons to mock the Jedi, a trait demonstrated by the regularly greater combat effectiveness the aggressive Sith Lords possessed.

Mechanics and Distinguishing Features
The early Sith lightsabers were simply an improvement on the preexisting Protosabers favored by the Jedi Order. The protosabers, while leaps and bounds ahead of the original lightsaber prototypes with their unstable blades, suffered from severe issues regarding energy consumption, necessitating a belt-mounted power pack. The Sith design introduced an internal superconductor, which transferred the returning looped energy from the negative-charged flux aperture back into an internal power cell. With this modification, the power cell would only expend power when the energy loop was broken, such as when the lightsaber cut something, solving the power supply problem.

The ancient Sith Lords took this miniturization a step further with the creation of the Double-bladed lightsaber. These original saberstaffs featured sophisticated designs, effectively a single mechanism with twin emitters on either end of a standard length hilt. Later designs would be considerably simplified, with the result being a double-length hilt consisting of two seperate lightsaber mechanisms.

However, the defining feature of Sith lightsabers was the use of Synthetic lightsaber crystals, as opposed to the Adegan and Ilum crystals favored by the Jedi. Almost all synthetic crystals used by the Sith featured a red coloration, as a result of the forging process used to create them, though adjustments to this process and manipulations through the Force did result in crystals of different colors. Synth-crystals typically produced stronger blades than the natural Jedi crystals, and had the rare potential to "break" the blades of standard lightsabers by overloading the energy matrix and instantly burning out the opponent's weapon. However, this added strength came at the cost of blade instability, and loss of maneuverability.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance
"The Sith grew past the use of lightsabers. But we continue to use them, if only to humiliate the Jedi."

- Darth Sidious



Originally, Sith Lords utilized synthetic crystals due to their lack of access to the traditional sites where crystals were harvested, as these were frequented by the Jedi Order. Eventually, the use of these synth-crystals became a tradition amongst the Sith, who believed the creation of a crystal suited to one's own needs was a display of strength over the Jedi, who relied on the "untamed wilds of space" to provide.

The red coloration was also a result of the forging process, though it too came to become a tradition. The aggressive crimson hue served to differentiate the Sith from their sworn enemies; the Jedi, who typically utilized softer colors, commonly blue or green. However, the bloodshine blades were not universal to all Sith, with notables such as Exar Kun and Darth Vader continuing to favor their blue Jedi lightsabers after defecting. However, Kun was likely unaware of the custom, and Vader replaced his Jedi weapon with a red-bladed Sith saber soon afterwards. Ultimately, Sith who wielded colors other than red were usually looking to disguise their dark affiliations. In fact, Palpatine was of the opinion that the Sith Lords had outgrown the use of lightsabers, and only continued to use them to humiliate the Jedi.

Certain Sith organizations appeared to view lightsabers as status symbols, indicating the completion of their training. During training, Sith apprentices typically utilized Sith training sabers, or were provided with Vibroblades when expected to engage in actual combat.

Origins


When the Dark Jedi dissidents rebelled against the greater Jedi Order and started the Hundred-Year Darkness, they retained the use of their Jedi Protosabers, wielding them against their former breathren. At the conclusion of the conflict, the Darksiders were disarmed and exiled from Republic space, founding a new society based around their corrupted Jedi philosophy and the necrotic Force magicks of the conquered Sith peoples. During this early era, notables such as Karness Muur continued to display their protosabers, indicating that some had managed to hold on to their weapons.

A militant culture, Sith weaponry developed quickly. The original protosaber design was upgraded, allowing for the removal of the belt-mounted powerpack and resulting in the modern lightsaber. The usage of red synth-crystals appears to have been standard amongst the Sith in this time period, at least amongst those who favored lightsabers. For the most part, many Sith Lords eschewed lightsabers in favor of Sith swords. When the Sith Empire engaged the Galactic Republic in the Great Hyperspace War, the swords were extremely prevalent, but certain groups, such as the crew of the Omen, were equipped with lightsabers. These early Sith lightsabers no doubt made their way into Jedi hands, who then copied the designs to upgrade their own weapons. The resulting irony is that all modern sabers are technically Sith lightsabers.

Use during the Great Sith War
"Time to make this more interesting. Do you like the modifications I made to my lightsaber, Master?"

- Exar Kun reveals the second blade of his lightsaber

A reasonably notable development was the creation of the Lightfoils by the Sith-aligned Mecrosa Order. Lightfoils were a masterwork of design and craftmanship; a perfectly balanced one-handed lightsaber that provided far greater precision. These weapons were designed for use by adherents of the Makashi lightsaber style, as the form's focus on precision and balance put the attributes of the lightfoil to good use. However, while the archaic lightfoil design was a sophisticated masterpiece, later imitations fashioned by nobles of the Tapani sector proved to be far less effective. These knockoff lightfoils were used by "Saber rake" duelists in honor duels between nobles.



When Exar Kun fell to the Dark Side of the Force and became the new Dark Lord of the Sith, he and his followers continued to wield their original Jedi lightsabers, likely due to their ignorance regarding the customary Sith bloodshine blades. However, this likely facilitated their infiltration of the Jedi Order, allow Kun to enter the Ossus Great Jedi Library and steal a Sith holocron, and his followers to get close to their former masters and carry out the Jedi pogrom.

However, while Kun failed to institute the widespread use of synth-crystals, he did modify his own lightsaber considerably, basing the changes on Sith designs accessed in a holocron. The result was his double-bladed lightsaber. Being based off of classical Sith schematics, Kun's saberstaff retained the standard hilt length, allowing him to pass it off as a regular lightsaber, before revealing the extra blade in the heat of combat and catching his opponent off-guard. Kun's weapon was infused with the negative energies of its creator, and those who faced him were unsettled by its insidious nature. Inheritors of the weapon who were sensitive to the Force found themselves infected with the lightsaber's residual malevolent power, while those with no such affinity remained unaffected.



After the war, one of Kun's former acolytes, the disfigured Haazen, would be taken in by Krynda Draay. His involvement in the war largely unknown, he became on of the founding member's of Draay's Jedi Covenant, gradually taking complete control of the organization as Krynda's primary lieutenant. During this period, Haazen constructed a Sith lightsaber to replace the weapon he lost during his failed Jedi apprenticeship. However, due to his need to keep the weapon and his continuing affiliation to Sith ideals secret, he fashioned an articulated hilt that folded into a hook-shape to become the handle of his cane. The make of the hilt overall followed the grisly design of his prosthetics, themselves of an archaic Sith design, and he utilized the traditional bloodshine blade. This lightsaber would be kept secret for decades before finally being unveiled during the Vindication incident, the culmination of all of Haazen's schemes. Haazen would wield the weapon against several Jedi before bestowing it on Lucien Draay, his would-be Sith apprentice. Draay initially operated as Haazen's willing dupe, attacking Zayne Carrick with the lightsaber before reconsidering his position and betraying Haazen. Draay disgarded the lightsaber, and it was destroyed by orbital bombardment during the destruction of the Draay Estate, along with Haazen himself.

Usage and Development during the Great Galactic War
During the reformation of the Sith Empire, the classical Sith swords were generally swept by the wayside in favor of lightsabers. Overall, the standard Sith lightsabers of the era featured aggressive, squared-off technical designs, in contrast to the more rounded weapons favored by the Jedi. In addition to the traditional scarlet lightsaber crystals, Sith lightsabers would often have elaborate emitter guard assemblies, with a double axe-head design being prevalent. This style of armament was exemplified by the Sith Warrior class, who favored standard lightsabers but emphasized power and aggression in their use.



The more esoteric models were favored by the Sith Inquisitor class, who often wielded saberstaffs. Inquisitor lightsabers, while still demonstrating the aggressive and angular design characteristic of Sith weapons, also featured strange design elements, such as exposed or oversized crystal chambers, or translucent hilts with electrical energy flowing through it. Also, Inquisitors would occasionally eschew the traditional scarlet crystals in favor of violet blades.

Despite the widespread standardization, many Sith Lords would favor more unique weapon designs. Darth Baras' lightsaber hilt was composed of a large fang or claw that lent it a slight curve, and the emitter featured a triple-guard. Darth Chratis, in contrast, wielded a long staff that collapsed to form a long-handled lightsaber. The Sith apprentice, Teneb Kel, wielded a double-bladed lightsaber of the classical Sith design, with a standard length hilt. However, he typically displayed his two-ended weapon immediately, rather than capitalizing on the smaller hilt to fool enemies into believing it a standard lightsaber.

Usage during the New Sith Wars


Little is known of the development of Sith lightsabers during the New Sith Wars, as the conflict itself tended to wax and wane with the passage of years, and many records were lost. Many of the Sith, such as Darth Ruin, appeared to favor standard lightsabers with crimson blades, though some diverged and wielded alternative weaponry.

When Lord Kaan came to power, Sith lightsaber designs were considerably standardized. Apprentices training at the Sith academies trained with Sith training sabers, and were provided with stock lightsabers upon their graduation. Apprentices appeared to have the option between standard and double-bladed lightsabers, and were armed accordingly. Jedi Master Pernicar was given the opportunity to examine one of these lightsabers, after taking it from his fallen student Wud Mortull. He noted the inferior quality of these lightsabers compared to Jedi weapons, and considered them an insult to their heritage.

Notably, the then-Sith Blademaster Kas'im gifted the lightsaber of his master to his prize pupil, Bane. The lightsaber was of a unique curved design, allowing the hilt to fit better into the hand. This facilitated both greater blade control and power, which complemented Bane's chosen fighting form. Bane would replace the ruby gem it contained with a traditional synth-crystal provided by the Academy staff. Kas'im himself normally wielded a double-bladed lightsaber, but when pressed, he would seperate the hilt of his weapon into two halves, wielding dual blades. To take further advantage of this feature, Kas'im actively discouraged the use of dual-blade combat, defending his decision by citing the deficiencies of such a method.

Usage under the Rule of Two
The institution of the Rule of Two drastically limited the number of advanced Sith practitioners, effectively reducing them to a cult rather than a cohesive organization. As such, Sith lightsaber designs were based more on personal needs and preferences, rather than standardized makes designed for specific classes. For example, Darth Bane's apprentice Zannah wielded a double-bladed lightsaber with a lengthened hilt and shortened blades to allow for improved speed and mobility, benefits she took advantage of to facilitate her practice of the Soresu lightsaber form. In combat, she would twirl the weapon to build up momentum, allowing her to redirect and parry even the fiercest attacks with relative ease, while the second blade allowed for rapid counters. One of the later Rule of Two Sith Lords, Darth Maul, also favored the double-bladed lightsaber. Maul felt that single-bladed lightsabers were two limiting, and opted for the double ended design because it made sense to him to be able to strike with both ends.



One of the most unique lightsabers carried by a Dark Lord of the Rule of Two was the weapon of Darth Sidious. Constructed during his apprenticeship under Darth Plagueis, Palpatine's lightsaber was of an elegant and streamlined designed, with a hilt composed of phrik alloy, precious aurodium, and gleaming electrum. During his tenure as Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, Palpatine's lightsaber was concealed in a neuranium statue in his offices, where it would rest for decades before finally seeing use. Palpatine retrieved the lightsaber just prior to a confrontation with the Jedi, killing three of his attackers with the weapon and dueling Mace Windu to a standstill. Windu managed to disarm and corner the Sith Lord, though he was killed by another almost immediately afterwards, and Palpatine already had an identical backup weapon prepared, which he wielded against Jedi Grand Master Yoda.

It was not uncommon for Jedi defectors to continue wielding their original Jedi lightsabers, and this was true for Palpatine's second apprentice, Dooku. Dooku was a master of the precise Makashi style, and wielded a custom lightsaber designed to facilitate his chosen fighting form. His refined weapon, featuring an elegant curved hilt, was taken with him when he left the Jedi Order and turned to the Sith. As a Sith lightsaber, the weapon had it's original blue Adegan crystal replaced with a scarlet Sith synth-crystal, which improved the weapon's cutting power at the expense of maneuverability. The lightsaber would see extensive use against Jedi in numerous lightsaber duels, but would ultimately be used against it's owner by his ultimate successor.

Usage under the Galactic Empire


One of the first Sith lightsabers to be created during the reign of the Sith-controlled Galactic Empire was Darth Vader's weapon. A former Jedi, Vader attempted to create a novel design to both impress Palpatine and distance himself from his former comrades. However, despite having Palpatine's lightsaber provided as a model, Vader's resulting weapon was little more than an enlarged version of his first Jedi lightsaber, machined out of black alloy. While the initial crystal Vader utilized was a synth-crystal provided by Palpatine, Vader would later use a red-hued adegan crystal. Vader's apprentice, Galen Marek, would also wield a unique lightsaber. Marek's design appeared to be based on the design utilized by Darth Vader, featuring an emitter shroud and a mostly solid casing. However, rather than follow the over-sized, bulky design of his master’s weapon, Marek opted for a considerably more skeletal make. His weapon featured an exposed crystal chamber, and rather than include a handgrip, the whole of the weapon was sheathed in somewhat tarnished looking bare-metal. The blade utilized a set of red crystals supplied by Vader.

While Palpatine continued to adhere to the Rule of Two, he did establish a number of organizations composed of Sith acolytes who served at the whim of he and Vader. Many of these groups favored the use of lightsabers, and often wielded red blades as a sign of their reverence for Sith ideals. Most of Palpatine's servants and disciples, such as his Hands or his Dark Side Elite, favored the simple standard lightsabers. Notably, Palpatine did not enforce the use of bloodshine blades amongst the Elites, and while most did later take to wielding such blades after a time, many favored blue lightsabers. However, other affiliates, such as the Emperor's Shadow Guard or certain members of the Royal Guard, favored more specialized weapons, such as Lightsaber pikes, and all favored the Sith bloodshine blades. One of his Hands, Lumiya, defied convention and wielded a lightwhip. Her whip was heavily inspired by Sith designs, with a hilt composed of nigh-indestructible Mandalorian iron, and producing numerous tendrils of energy, further backed up by the inclusion of several additional whip tails composed of studded leather and flexible metal.



Imperial engineers also found a way to mass produce lightsabers, though these weapons still had to be assembled by hand. These lightsabers were created on Kamino for the Imperial saber guard and the Galen Marek clones, and called for the mass importing of special crystals for them. The crystals in question were likely synthetics, due to the red coloration common to most, though the weapons supplied to most of the clones featured silver blades. Modified versions of the mass produced lightsabers utilized by the Marek clones would be provided to two of the more successful clones; Starkiller and the Dark Apprentice. Similar mass produced lightsabers were provided to the Sa Cuis clones.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Vindication
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic, Blood of the Empire
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Lost Suns
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic, Threat of Peace
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance
 * Red Harvest (novel)
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
 * Darth Bane: Rule of Two
 * Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * ''Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
 * ''Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
 * (video game)
 * (comic)
 * (novelization)
 * ''Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
 * (video game)
 * (comic)
 * (novelization)
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Legacy