"It's Red!": Star Wars Sets Up Huge New Meaning for Luke's Green Lightsaber

As Luke Skywalker sets out to heal a red Kyber crystal, it seems his Green Lightsaber has connections to the ancient Sith Eternal.

Warning: contains a preview of Star Wars #35!As Star Wars reveals the origin of Luke Skywalker's green lightsaber, the saga seems to be setting up a shocking twist that not only gives the weapon a hugely consequential backstory, but also ties it to the redemption of Darth Vader.

A new preview of Star Wars #35 implies that the Kyber crystal from Luke Skywalker's green lightsaber was originally red, and initially used by a Sith warrior. The upcoming comic - from Charles Soule, Madibek Musabekov, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Clayton Cowles - sees Luke working with the elusive Dr. Cuata to forge a new lightsaber, which begins with a request to heal a red Kyber crystal. In a preview of the issue, Luke sets out to heal the crystal, which - if then used to create his new weapon - would take on the symbolic meaning of Luke's later success in healing his father's rage, freeing him from the dark side.

LUKE SKYWALKER…IN THE CLUTHES OF DR. CUATA! The would-be JEDI’S LIGHTSABER is all but destroyed! Enter KYBER CRYSTAL expert DR. CUATA! Only he can repair it…but at what price? Luke's life will hang in the balance…and only ANOTHER JEDI can save him!

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Recently, Luke Skywalker's yellow lightsaber - which he wielded between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - was broken. While it can still activate, it has become unreliable, leading Luke to seek out a new Kyber crystal and forge his own lightsaber. To this end, Luke journeyed to Christophsis - one of the few worlds outside Ilum where Kyber crystals reliably occur. There, he was introduced to Dr. Cuata; one of the only remaining experts on Kyber, who has asked Luke to heal a red Kyber crystal so he can study this ancient Jedi tradition. Red Kyber crystals only take on their unique color because they have been 'bled' by Sith - a process which imbues them with their master's pain and suffering. Now, Luke must face the crystal's memory of its former master to free it from the dark side.

While it hasn't yet been confirmed, it certainly seems like this red crystal will be the one that Luke Skywalker uses to construct his own lightsaber. Recent stories have emphasized that a Jedi's weapon should have personal significance, and they must be chosen by a specific crystal in order to channel the Force as effectively as possible. Luke rescuing this crystal from the pain it has been forced to harbor would be the perfect way to make his weapon meaningful. However, it would also be a potent mirror of Luke redeeming his father and freeing the galaxy from Sith control - it would mean Luke's most famous weapon embodies the redemption he brings throughout the saga.

The imagery of the cover - where Luke wields one red and one green lightsaber - also suggests this reading, as it could indicate the same weapon being transformed forever by Luke. Fans knew that Luke Skywalker forging his true lightsaber would be a momentous occasion, but if the red crystal is the start of that process, it will be more significant than anyone dreamed. Luke's vision shows the red crystal was originally owned by a member of the Sith Eternal, meaning that if he heals the crystal and uses it to create his green lightsaber, the weapon will have a far longer history in Star Wars lore than anyone expected, and a new Sith link will be added to the chain of the Skywalker Saga.

Star Wars #35 will be available from Marvel Comics June 7.