Split saber

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For other uses, see saber.

A split saber was any type of lightsaber that could split into two separate lightsabers. Split sabers commonly came in the form of double-bladed lightsabers that could be split into a pair of single-bladed lightsabers. During the High Republic Era, the Jedi Keeve Trennis owned a green double-bladed lightsaber that she split into its component single blades for storage while not fighting. During the Clone Wars, Asajj Ventress, an assassin who served the Sith Lord Count Dooku, owned a pair of curved-hilt lightsabers that could attach together at the hilt. However, she rarely wielded her weapons in this fashion, doing so only briefly during the Battle of Teth. Several members of the Imperial Inquisitors, including the Third Sister, the Fifth Brother, and the Sixth Brother, used double-bladed spinning lightsabers capable of splitting into two blades. During the Imperial Era, former Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis wielded a split saber during his quest to try and rebuild the Jedi Order. Jedi Master Dagan Gera, who was placed in stasis during the High Republic Era, used a yellow-bladed lightsaber with similar functionality.

Other types of split sabers also existed, however. Towards the end of the High Republic Era, a Sith known only as the Stranger used a single-bladed lightsaber with an elongated hilt, which could be split into a full-sized lightsaber and a shoto lightsaber.

Description

"Some double-bladed lightsabers could be detached to create two individual weapons, while others, like those used by Imperial Inquisitors, had blades that were designed to rotate freely around their hilt."
―Luke Skywalker[8]
Asajj Ventress' hilts joined into a curved saberstaff.

Asajj Ventress' hilts joined into a curved saberstaff.

Split sabers[3] were a model of lightsaber that could be split into two lightsabers. This pair of lightsabers could interlock their hilts together, usually in a secure manner,[1] although a variant using a fiber cord could be swung around like a flail as well.[9] As such, when wielded separately, the two halves of a split saber would appear to be two ordinary lightsabers to someone who was not familiar with the weapon.[1]

There were two known variants of split sabers. One variant was a double-bladed lightsaber which could be split into a pair of identical single-bladed lightsabers.[1] The other variant was a single-bladed lightsaber with an elongated hilt, which could be split into both a regular lightsaber and a shoto lightsaber.[2]

History

The Stranger's lightsaber in it split configuration.

The Stranger's lightsaber in it split configuration.

During the High Republic Era, Jedi Knight Keeve Trennis used a green-bladed split saber. She normally fought with it in its double-bladed form, only splitting the hilt in order to store it on a bandolier otherwise.[10] The Jedi Master Dagan Gera constructed a yellow-bladed split saber as his primary weapon during the same era.[11] He used the weapon in the Jedi's defense of the planet Tanalorr, but also used it to murder several of his fellow Jedi after he fell to the dark side.[7]

Late in the High Republic era, a Sith known only as the Stranger wielded a single-bladed lightsaber that could be split into both a regular lightsaber and a shoto lightsaber; most notably during his final fight with Sol.

During the Clone Wars, Asajj Ventress, an assassin and the apprentice of the Sith Lord Count Dooku, wielded a pair of curved-hilt lightsabers that could interlock at the hilt. However, Ventress rarely fought with her blades connected, preferring a dual-wielding style and only making use of her weapons' split saber style briefly during the Battle of Teth.[1] Ventress used the blades until they were stolen by the fallen Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee as part of her efforts to frame Ahsoka Tano for the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar late in the Clone Wars,[12] after which she replaced them with a single yellow lightsaber she acquired on the black market.[13] During the early Imperial Era, she had a curved hilt similar to her old twin red lightsabers.[14]

Reva's Inquisitor lightsaber was able to split into two separate sabers.

Reva's Inquisitor lightsaber was able to split into two separate sabers.

Early in the Imperial Era, the Inquisitor Sixth Brother wielded a double-bladed spinning lightsaber that was capable of also splitting into two separate blades. He attempted to use this feature of his weapon against Ahsoka Tano during the uprising on Raada, but she defeated him by causing his lightsaber to explode using the Force, killing Sixth Brother and allowing her to claim the kyber crystals for use in her new lightsabers.[6] The Third Sister also a split saber during her hunt for Obi-Wan Kenobi, although she rarely used it in a Jar'Kai style and typically relied solely on a single blade.[15] The Fifth Brother also had this feature but he rarely used it.[16]

After his master's lightsaber was destroyed on a visit to the planet Dathomir, the Padawan Cal Kestis built a split saber on Ilum to replace it,[3]

In the wake of Dagan Gera's awakening in 9 BBY,[17] the fallen Jedi bled his saber's kyber crystals and used the weapon in three separate duels against Cal Kestis. After Gera was slain on Koboh, Bode Akuna secretly retrieved one of the individual lightsabers and used it as his own after betraying Kestis and the crew of the Stinger Mantis to the Empire. It was later discarded after Akuna was killed in a duel with Kestis and Merrin.[7]

Behind the scenes

The split saber first appeared in canon with Asajj Ventress' lightsabers in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film.[1] It was first identified in the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.[3]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Acolyte logo Celebration Star Wars: The Acolyte — "Night"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
  4. ↑ TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Massacre"
  5. ↑ TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Bounty"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ahsoka
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
  8. ↑ Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi
  9. ↑ "Lightsabers and Jedi Equipment" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
  10. ↑ The High Republic (2021) 1
  11. ↑ The force echo and accompanying vision that unlocks entry #222 (Dagan's Descent) in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's in-game databank depicts Gera killing two Jedi after they destroy an Abyss compass. Gera wields a double-bladed yellow lightsaber in this vision, indicating that he did not convert his weapon into a split saber after being released from stasis.
  12. ↑ TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Wrong Jedi"
  13. ↑ Dark Disciple
  14. ↑ TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "The Harbinger"
  15. ↑ Obi-Wan Kenobi new series logo Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi — "Part V"
  16. ↑ Jedi: Battle Scars
  17. ↑ StarWars.com Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on StarWars.com (backup link) dates Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which equates to 9 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines.
Lightsabers
Lightsaber variations:
Broadsaber · Contained energy axe · Crossguard lightsaber · Curved-hilt lightsaber · Darksaber · Double-bladed lightsaber · Double-bladed spinning lightsaber · Dual-phase lightsaber · Flickerphase blade · Great lightsaber· Guard shoto · Hinged double-bladed lightsaber · Lightfoil · Lightsaber pike · Lightsaber rifle · Lightsaber-blaster hybrid · Lightwhip · Phase-knife · Sabercane · Shoto lightsaber · Sickle-bladed lightsaber · Sith lightsaber · Split saber · Training lightsaber
Technology:
Blade emitter · Cycling field energizer · Diatium power cell · Emitter matrix · Energy modulation circuit · Focusing lens · Fusion shunt · Inert power insulator · Kyber crystal · Lightsaber hilt · Pommel cap · Stabilizing ring · Training tunic
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