Over the weekend Star Wars Celebration 2023 (an occasion devoted to Star Wars information, panels, and extra) occurred, and whereas plenty of information got here out of the occasion, the web can’t cease speaking a couple of comparatively minor factor: Orange lightsabers. Are they actually orange? What does that imply? Who’re these new characters utilizing them? And does this tie into another upcoming Star Wars initiatives? Nicely, after digging round, I’ve received (some) solutions.
Star Wars Celebration kicked off on April 7 in London with a bang. Lucasfilm introduced new films and confirmed off recent trailers for upcoming initiatives. The opening day’s greatest and most enjoyable trailer gave followers their first actual have a look at the live-action Ahsoka sequence. However whereas there are some attention-grabbing tidbits to tug out from that transient trailer—-like characters from Rebels exhibiting up and a tease of huge unhealthy Thrawn—Star Wars nerds can’t cease debating and theorizing concerning the orangey lightsabers wielded by new characters: Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati.
Are the lightsabers within the Ahsoka trailer really orange?
Within the new trailer for the upcoming Disney+ present, Ahsoka, we see, amongst many different issues, Baylan Skoll and his apprentice Shin Hati. At first look, they appear like Sith or possibly Inquisitors (Jedi hunters), however I’m unsure if these two are both. The principle cause I’m hesitant to put them in both group? Their orange lightsabers.
At first, I questioned if this was only a lighting quirk or inventive change. Lightsaber colours have lengthy fluctuated over the a long time as completely different creators use altering tech to depict the franchise’s iconic laser swords. And typically creators, like Dave Filoni (Ahsoka’s showrunner) select to vary how lightsabers search for artistic causes. An excellent instance of this may be seen within the Filoni-led Rebels animated sequence. In that present, lightsabers have been very skinny, a name again to the unique idea artwork for Star Wars.
Nevertheless, within the trailer, we additionally see Ahsoka preventing what appears like an Inquisitor. These Jedi killers have been skilled by Vader and sometimes used twin pink lightsabers with easy-to-spot round hilts—and that’s precisely what the Ahsoka Inquisitor appears to be carrying. Extra importantly, whoever that is, has an undeniably crimson-red lightsaber. So it appears unlikely that the orange sabers on this similar trailer are a mistake or an inventive change if the present is conserving the traditional red-colored sabers, too.
Followers nonetheless debated the lightsaber coloration, as a result of Star Wars followers like to yell at one another on-line. Some pointed them out as an odd change for darkish facet customers’ laser swords. Others claimed it was an indication Lucasfilm was lazy and didn’t care about Star Wars. And others steered it was an instance of unfinished CG. All of them have been unsuitable
Shortly after the trailer debuted, Filoni himself confirmed the blades are certainly orange for causes that he didn’t absolutely clarify. Now the query is why? What does all of it imply?
Why are there orange lightsabers in Star Wars Ahsoka?
Earlier than we hop proper into my theories about it, let’s first have a look at what Filoni needed to say concerning the orange blades. Display screen Rant was one of many first to ask the Clone Wars creator and cowboy hat fanatic concerning the orange lightsabers and his reply each confirmed they have been intentional and hinted at some mysterious cause behind the colour, saying “Nothing is unintentional.”
I made it a bit bit extra orange. That’s a very good eye. You’re the primary individual to catch that. That was very intentional. I didn’t make them only a stark pink. I keep in mind as a child that Vader’s lightsaber sort of fluctuated from visible results to being a bit bit extra orange.
I didn’t wish to go straight up orange, but it surely’s figuring out a bit little bit of one thing to children that they may not straight up be what you assume they’re at first. It’s good you caught that. Nothing is unintentional.
That quote makes it clear Filoni desires viewers to clue in on the truth that these two new characters may not be what you assume they’re initially. Hmmm! Curious. Most individuals assumed immediately that they have been Power customers aligned with the darkish facet. However Filoni particularly stated these characters “may not straight up be what you assume they’re at first.” In the event that they ain’t Sith (most individuals’s first guess), then what might they be? And do the orange lightsabers give us any hints?
Learn Extra: 10 Finest Star Wars Video games Of All Time
Nicely, again within the previous days of the Expanded Universe, kyber crystals—the crystals that energy lightsabers—labored very in a different way than right now’s canon. I gained’t be referencing the EU stuff as a result of it’s not related anymore, however for you previous Star Wars followers on the market, if any of this sounds unsuitable that’s possible since you didn’t notice stuff had modified.
Right now, pink lightsabers are created by means of a course of referred to as “bleeding.” That is when an evil, darkish facet character imbues a lightsaber crystal, usually one from a fallen Jedi, with a lot hate, anger, and ache that it causes the magical, Power-connected, mild side-adjacent crystal to bleed like an natural being and change into pink. It’s some actual edge lord shit and I find it irresistible.
So, one concept I’ve is that the orange lightsabers seen within the Ahsoka trailer are literally partially bled kyber crystals. Maybe these new characters aren’t Sith, however are tapping into the darkish facet and have barely corrupted their blades within the course of. A well-liked concept is that these are fallen Jedi who’re utilizing the darkish facet to perform some as-yet-unknown objective in a post-Order 66 and Return of the Jedi galaxy. And I don’t assume that’s a horrible concept, however I’ve one other thought involving one other facet of the trailer and a few Star Wars video video games.
The orange lightsabers, time journey, and the Excessive Republic
Within the Ahsoka trailer, we see her combat the older Baylan Skoll. It’s not all that notable that the primary character of the present will face off towards the (presumed) huge unhealthy of the sequence. Nevertheless, the place they combat is what caught my eye. They appear to be dueling within the World Between Worlds. You is likely to be going “The what between the place?” I’ll clarify. Briefly.
Launched in Rebels, The World Between Worlds is a airplane of existence outdoors of regular actuality that seems to attach each second in time collectively in a big void. Whereas we don’t know a lot about it, we have now seen it used to avoid wasting an individual from demise as soon as through a little bit of time journey. And it additionally seems to be accessible solely to Power-sensitive beings.
Now, what does this should do with orange lightsabers? Nicely about 400 years or so in the past earlier than the occasions of the Phantom Menace, issues have been very completely different within the Star Wars galaxy. This period of the franchise is named the Excessive Republic. Throughout this era, the Jedi have been at their peak, peace had lasted for a really very long time and the Jedi Order was extra various than ever, not simply in all of the completely different species that have been a part of the group but additionally in all the assorted interpretations of the Power that existed.
That is visually represented within the books and comics by all of the various outfits Jedi presently wore, but additionally by all the colourful lightsaber colours that have been used manner again then—together with orange ones. For instance, a lightsaber that appears fairly dang orange to me could be noticed within the announcement trailer for Star Wars Eclipse, an upcoming recreation set in that earlier period of Galaxy.
Right here’s my concept: These two characters are Jedi (or former Jedi) from the Excessive Republic period who one way or the other used the World Between Worlds to time journey into the post-Return of the Jedi period seen within the Mandalorian sequence. It wouldn’t shock me if some Jedi from that point interval didn’t like the way in which the galaxy was heading. The New Republic has been proven as a considerably ineffective and powerless group after the warfare towards the Empire, which might possible offend Excessive Republic Jedi. Maybe, even sufficient for them to align with Thrawn and the Imperial remnants to carry again order and peace to the galaxy, irrespective of the price?
If that is certainly what’s happening, Ahsoka can be put right into a bizarre place. Certain, she might argue that them leaping round time and sure dishonest demise is unsuitable, however that’s precisely what somebody did for her in Rebels when she was spared by Ezra utilizing the World Between Worlds.
This might sound a bit on the market, however based mostly on the trailers and what we all know, it appears an identical storyline involving a long-forgotten Excessive Republic Jedi gone rogue may be taking place in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor out later this month.
One last online game connection that may assist actually solidify this concept: Filoni loves wolves. And the brand new characters utilizing the orange lightsabers in Ahsoka are named after the wolves from Norse mythology who chase after the solar and moon. And what do the solar and moon create collectively? An Eclipse. And what’s the title of that new Star Wars recreation set within the Excessive Republic that appears to incorporate an orange lightsaber? Eclipse. Hmmmm….
