Fans are absolutely despairing at news that the remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, has been delayed. With the game's status now seemingly in jeopardy, we thought we'd take a look at the era in which it is set and discuss why this period is one of the most beloved. It's also an era in which Jedi and Sith combat was at its best, with duelling a regular occurrence for the ever-feuding enemies.
When was the Old Republic?
The old republic was a period that stretched across the majority of the Sith's history, ending in 1000BBY in the Star Wars Legends timeline. In Disney's updated canon, the era becomes less clearly defined by refers to the time before even the Galatic Republic was created.
In Star Wars KOTOR, which is part of the Legends timeline, the Old Republic era had some clear moments such as the Mandalorian Wars (which still exist in canon but is much more ambiguous).
So in order to keep things as uncomplicated as possible, try to consider the Old Republic as a pre Galactic Republic time period, long before even Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
What lightsabers did Jedi use in the Old Republic?
This early era was one where many Jedi myths and legends were formed. Part of the awe and superstition surrounding Jedi was the creation of their lightsabers. In KOTOR, you are able to create your own saber and its colour comes from the kyber crystal used in it.
In modern canon, red lightsabers aren't given their colour as a result of their kyber crystal but instead due to being 'bled'. To create a red lightsaber in modern canon, force wielders must corrupt a normal Jedi's saber crystal.
The old republic also featured more of the unusual Jedi archetypes and their blade colours, such as the yellow sabers wielded by Sentinels. More ornate designs were common, mainly due to the fact that both Jedi and Sith were at the height of their powers during this period.
The Old Republic era was also the time in which Tarre Viszla created the legendary Darksaber. This unique weapon became a symbol for the entire culture of Mandalore and is still seen in the franchise today in The Mandalorian. If you'd like one of your own to wield in real life, have you checked out the Royal Right?
Why the Old Republic was the best era for duellists
Fans of lightsaber clashes (all of us, obviously) should look to the Old Republic era for inspiration. It was the period at which the Sith were at their strongest, leading to frequent battles between Force-sensitive lightsaber users. In other eras of Star Wars, Jedi were more frequently seen as caretakers and counsellors, but in the Old Republic the order was all about battle with the enemy.
We imagine that it was in this era that many of the more focused duelling styles were created. Lightsaber forms like Makashi and Shien that allowed duellists to better contend with other sabers would have become more widespread, with new forms developing to counteract the previous ones.
Who knows if the promised remake of Knights Of The Old Republic will actually launch or not? In the world of videogames, long delays are often a sign of a struggling project. The good news, however, is that the original game is still fantastic and one of the best Star Wars video games of all time. If you've got a device to play it, try it out. Or live out your own Old Republic dreams with a saber of your own from our store.
Image credit to Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic Press Kit