Lightsaber pike

Lightsaber pike
Production information
Model	Lightsaber
Type	Single-bladed Double-bladed
Culture	Eternal Empire Jedi Galactic Empire
Owners	Senya Tirall (Senya Tirall's lightsaber pike) Kazdan Paratus (Kazdan Paratus's lightsaber pike) Judd (Judd's lightsaber pike)
Cost	4,000 credits
Physical and technical specifications
Shape	Cylindrical, straight
Weight	2 kg
Usage and history
Purpose	Lightsaber combat
Affiliation	Eternal Empire Knights of Zakuul Jedi Order Jedi Temple Guard Galactic Empire Emperor's Shadow Guard Emperor's Royal Guard Imperial Senate Guard

"The lightsaber pike employs the same combat style as the dual-bladed saber. Both are staff weapons, but the pike has a shaft of saber-resistant metal, and a short blade on only one end."

―Skarch Vaunk entry on lightsaber pikes in The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force

The lightsaber pike, also known as the lightsaber lance, was a unique weapon that resembled a primitive halberd or spear in many aspects. As staff weapons, they were typically considered the domain of exotic weapon specialists among the Jedi. They were notably used by all Jedi Temple Guards during the Clone Wars.

Many members of the Knights of Zakuul, the enforcers of justice in the Eternal Empire, were also users of these weapons.

Description

A Jedi Temple Guard wielding a double-bladed lightsaber pike

There were two different forms of lightsaber pike, with the first being much like a spear, glaive, or other, similar polearms. Its long handle was made of a lightsaber-resistant material; phrik alloy being a prime choice. At the end of the handle was a lightsaber blade that was shorter and thicker than a normal one. The blade could be activated by a switch further down the weapon's shaft. Including the blade, the weapon was almost as long as the wielder's body and could keep enemies at a distance, giving the advantage of a longer reach. A similar weapon was the cortosis staff used by the Morgukai.

The second type of lightsaber pike sported another blade at the other end and to all appearances seemed identical in both form and function to a double-bladed lightsaber, with which it shared a "nearly identical" combat style. The most prominent examples of this model were used by the Jedi Temple Guards, which had yellow blades that appeared relatively shorter than the ones found on a double-bladed lightsaber.

History

Knights of Zakuul, wielding lightsaber pikes.

In the time of the Old Republic, both the Sith Empire and the Republic were overwhelmed by the sudden reveal and subsequent invasion of the Eternal Empire of the planet Zakuul. Among the forces from Zakuul were the famed Knights of Zakuul who had sworn to guard the Emperor of the Eternal Throne and his family. The knights were Force-sensitive and used a wide range of lightsaber weapons, the most prominent of which was the lightsaber pike. These pikes were often used along with a blaster bolt reflective shield.

Two Arkanians, one wielding a lightsaber pike.

Millennia after the fall of Zakuul, a different model of lightsaber pike was the trademark weapons of the Jedi Temple Guards during the Clone Wars. These pikes were a variation of double-bladed lightsaber, each emitting yellow blades. Following the Clone Wars and Order 66, the Jedi Kazdan Paratus wielded a lightsaber pike closer in design to those used by the Knights of Zakuul, taking the weapon into exile with him on Raxus Prime during the Great Jedi Purge. When the Aleena Jedi built his mechanical legs to move around in haste, his lightsaber pike was the requirement for his mechanical arms to use with deadly precision. He ultimately wielded it against Darth Vader's apprentice, Starkiller, and the weapon was destroyed in the ensuing melee. After he attempted to fix it in meditation, Starkiller realized that his lightsaber focusing crystal lens were damaged, so they could not be realigned and thus the pike was discarded.

During this time, lightsaber pikes were also the favored weapons of the Emperor's Shadow Guard, elite guards with minor knowledge of the Force and lightsaber-wielding skills. Starkiller fought several of these elite guards, once on Bespin as he attempted to rescue the Jedi Rahm Kota, and also on Raxus Prime when he returned to destroy an Imperial Star Destroyer shipyard so as to eliminate a source of fear and gain the confidence of others. Saber Pikes also saw occasional use by the Emperor's Royal Guard and the Imperial Senate Guard.

Behind the scenes

Concept art by Carlos Sanchez, dated September 2011

The lightsaber pike first appeared in The Force Unleashed, a novel written by Sean Williams that was released on August 19, 2008 as part of the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed multimedia project. Kazdan Paratus wields a blue lightsaber pike in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, but a yellow lightsaber pike in the Nintendo DS version, and a yellow double-bladed lightsaber with an elongated hilt in the Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable versions. The novelization also describes his lightsaber staff as having two blades, one significantly shorter than the other.

In the planning stages of "The Wrong Jedi," the lightsaber pikes carried by the Jedi Temple Guards were originally to have green blades. However, they later became yellow.

It is unknown why the weapons used by the Temple Guards are called "pikes" since they are all but identical to a double-bladed lightsaber in both form and function, and the name had previously been used to refer to an actual polearm.

Sith lightsaber pike

Unused concept art of Darth Bane's lightsaber pike, from The Clone Wars episode "Sacrifice"

A single-bladed lightsaber pike dubbed the "Sith lightsaber pike" was designed for use by Darth Bane in "Sacrifice," the thirteenth episode of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars' sixth season, though it didn't appear in the episode's final cut.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Old Republic Cartel Market
• "Sacrifice" on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Wrong Jedi"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Voices"
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed novelization (and unabridged audiobook) (First appearance, in book)
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed graphic novel (In flashback(s))
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Sources

• The Force Unleashed Preview 1 on Wizards.com (original site is defunct)
• The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
• Jedi Academy Training Manual
• The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force
•  Star Wars: The Card Game — Core Set Card: Dark Side Apprentice (Picture only)
• "The Wrong Jedi" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (original link is obsolete)
•  Star Wars: The Card Game — Lure of the Dark Side Card: Imperial Shadow Guard (Picture only)
• Jedi Temple Guard in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• Keeping the Peace
• Cartel Market Specials: Week of March 27, 2017 on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
• 'Sisters of Carnage' Update: Now Live on The Old Republic's official website (backup link) (Picture only)
• It's Galactic Sales Week in the Cartel Market! on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)

Notes and references

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