FALL OF THE REPUBLIC
While most lightsabers have a simple metal hilt with one blade, others can be more complex and feature salient designs. Darth Maul wielded a deadly double-bladed lightsaber, allowing him to parry easily in his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn.
Although use of the lightsaber is the mark of a Jedi, it is also used by their sworn enemies, the Sith. Typically, a Jedi’s lightsaber blade is colored green or blue. Other colors are rare but possible, most notably seen with Jedi Master Mace Windu’s purple blade. Sith uniformly use red-bladed lightsabers -- an intense, aggressive color that represents their view of the Force.
An essential rite of passage for young Jedi is the Gathering. In the Gathering, younglings go to the frigid ice world Ilum, where they search for kyber crystals to build their first lightsabers. The crystals are located in the planet’s Crystal Cave, an intimidating maze, and “call out” to the Jedi they are in tune with. Once the correct crystal has been found, younglings rendezvous with Huyang, and ancient droid who chooses the parts necessary to build a lightsaber. With everything in place, younglings complete the ritual by constructing their Jedi weapons through a graceful use of the Force.
A noble order of protectors unified by their ability to tap into the power of the Force, the Jedi Order were the guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic. The age of the Jedi would end, however, due to a nefarious plot by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
An ancient order of Force-wielders devoted to the dark side, the Sith practice hate, deception, and greed. Notable for their red-bladed lightsabers, black dress, and use of their aggressive feelings, the Sith look to amass power at all costs. The evil Darth Sidious, along with his apprentice Darth Vader, achieved the Sith goal of galactic conquest after a millennia of plotting.
General Grievous was a brilliant Separatist military strategist and a feared Jedi hunter, known for his ruthlessness and hacking cough. His body itself was a weapon, allowing him lightning quick strikes and devastating blows. But he was also quick to run from a fight, a tactic that worked until one final meeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The female Terelian Jango Jumper has impressive acrobatics skills which came in handy as a thief in the Coruscant underworld. Cassie Cryar's main objective was to steal highly-sought after objects. By helping her partner Ione Marcy murder her boyfriend, the Trandoshan assassin Nack Movers, Cassie obtained one of the most valuable items in the galaxy -- a Jedi's lightsaber. Her desire to keep the lightsaber made her overconfident. She believed she could wield the same power as a Jedi.
Count Dooku was a menacing Sith Lord and central figure in the Clone Wars. Once a Jedi -- trained by Yoda -- he became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and thirsted for greater power. Dooku voluntarily left the light side behind and became Darth Sidious’ dark side disciple, taking the secret name Darth Tyranus and leading the Separatist army.
At the heart of every Jedi lightsaber is a kyber crystal found on several planets, most notably the icebound caves of Ilum. This crystal is attuned to the Force, and connected to a Jedi Knight on a deeply personal level. In this way, a lightsaber is an extension of a Jedi's Force awareness. Because Jedi let the Force guide their selection of the crystal, the vibration that the crystal creates in the lightsaber blade helps Jedi center themselves and find balance in the Force. In this way, a Jedi can center his or her attention beyond the distractions of combat. A lightsaber crystal is colorless until first attuned and connected to a Jedi -- at which times it glows either blue or green, or in some rare instances, another shade. From that point on, it retains that hue.