Summary
Many great lightsabers have found their way into viewers' hearts and minds throughoutStar Wars. As time has passed and the franchise has grown, so has the evolution of the saber. Some of thebest lightsabershave made appearances throughout canon and Legends, but one concept in particular found its inspiration from the comics. Since that iconic moment, it has become one of the many great frames for the franchise ever since.
Darth Maul’s double-bladed saber was an iconic image upon its activation inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, butthe first appearance of that kind of saber was in Tom Veitch’sTales of the Jedicomic-book series. The series, which ran from 1993-1994, was the first part of a larger maxiseries set during theOld Republic. In an interview before he passed away, Veitch discussed how the double-bladed saber came to be, as well as his thoughts about its introduction in the first prequel movie.
All 20 Lightsaber Types In Star Wars Canon Explained
The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi and the Sith – but there have actually been many different types in Star Wars canon.
The Double-Bladed Lightsaber Made Its Legends Debut With Exar Kun
According To Veitch, It Was Always Going To Happen
Thousands of years before Maul, there was a Jedi Knight named Exar Kun. He was an over-confident warrior who was quick to anger and intensely curious about the Sith. He would wage war against theGalactic Republicduring what was known as the Old Sith Wars after turning to the dark side. Like Maul after his time,Exar used instructions from a Sith Holocron to modify his original lightsaberinto a double-bladed weapon. Veitch said the following toStar Wars Underworldabout its implementation:
I came up with the double-lightsaber and showed a sketch of it to Chris Gossett, who drew it for the comics. Like many Star Wars ideas, it is one of those things that are “inevitable.” As soon as you tell somebody about it, they say “Oh, great — I could have thought of that!”
Veitch assumes that this, along with otherStar Warsideas, is just one thing that is bound to happen. This might ring true in some regards, but recently, ideas for new developments of lightsabers in shows likeThe Acolytehave not been as well received by audiences as Darth Maul’s double-bladed saber was.It is crucial that these “inevitable ideas” that “anyone can think of” remain somewhat groundedwhen they are implemented inStar Warsmedia.
The Prequels Brought Exar Kun’s Double-Bladed Lightsaber Into Live-Action
Veitch Did Not Love How George Lucas Used Legends As Inspiration
Darth Maul’s first appearance inStar Warswas both awesome and terrifying, and once he activated his double-bladed saber for the Duel of Fates, everyone was in awe of his mighty weapon.Double-bladed sabers like Maul’s have extra-long hilts to be used as a staffwhile the user fights with it and bears a two-handed grip. This also helps that extra hardware fit within the saber to create the two blades. While many viewers might be impressed with Maul’s double-bladed saber introduction, Veitch does not appear to be one of them.
Isn’t it true that part of the power of Star Wars is its imagination and how the viewer feels like it is coming out of their own subconscious mind? Lucas, you see, tapped into what C.G. Jung called “the Collective Unconscious”…a huge part of the psyche that belongs to everyone and no one. If you ask me, George kind of forgot that when he did the prequels.
Veitch makes the case that the Legends comics provided a lot of background information from which George Lucas could take inspiration.This “collective unconscious” is a sandbox full of ideas thatStar Warsenthusiasts and writers played a part in creating, and Lucas was allowed to share the ideas from that sandbox, since nobody really owned them exceptStar Wars. The hint of animosity is clear in Veitch’s voice, but the idea of this “collective unconscious” has been important for the franchise as it has grown and continues to do so.
Veitch also makes the claim that George Lucas should have had other writers help him during the prequels.
Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber is among the coolest in theStar Warsuniverse. Even though the first of its kind came from Legends comics, that should not diminish its value. Maul’s saber was the first variation of a regular lightsaber in live-action. As they continue to evolve, it is important to remember the giant sandbox of ideas from which Disney can take inspiration forStar Wars, for better or worse.
