We've talked about lightsaber colours in the past, but we've also noticed that many people across the internet seem confused about Rey's lightsaber colour. In the newest trilogy beginning with The Force Awakens, Rey's mysterious origins are explored, denied and then revealed - but her choice of lightsaber colour is one of the most mysterious aspects of the entire thing.
Note: this article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - but honestly if you're on this site and reading this blog, you're likely a big Star Wars fan and you've already seen them all. If not, go and watch them!
Yellow lightsabers, aside from looking cool and standing out from the classic red/blue/green sabers wielded by other main characters, are actually steeped in rare mythology within the Star Wars fandom.
As Disney have revealed more of their new era of the High Republic and explored the extended universe, yellow lightsabers are more common than ever and are said to reveal much about the wielder.
Why is Rey's lightsaber yellow?
In the traditional Star Wars trilogy, lightsaber colours were less important than they are today. The extended lore had not been written and instead, saber colours were mainly based on cinematic values such as colour theory - which saw 'red' as the dangerous, evil side of the saber spectrum and blue as the 'good'.
While Luke would eventually wield a green saber, the main trilogy largely 'stuck to its guns' by deciding to show that red sabers were for the Sith and the lighter colours for the Jedi - a very binary depiction of good vs evil.
When Rey reveals a yellow lightsaber at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, it is a symbolic moment that borrows from this traditional colour theory idea. Yellow is a balanced colour that has suggestions of the warmth from red and the coolness of blue or green - so Rey's saber is a visual indicator of her status as a family member of the Sith lord Emperor Palpatine (red) as well as the pupil of Luke Skywalker (green). The yellow lightsaber is a literal mix of the dark and light side, representing a balance between the two.
But that's not just us being film critics and trying to infer the meaning - there's real evidence that yellow lightsabers are focused on this idea of balance. Let's take a look at yellow sabers in more detail...
Yellow lightsabers in the lore
Legends
Before we get into the current canon, let's take a quick look back at the 'Star Wars Legends' universe that Disney removed from official lore. In Knights of the Old Republic, one of the most beloved video games ever made, you'll have to choose between Jedi Guardian, Sentinel or Consular. The Sentinel wields a yellow lightsaber and is described as a Jedi that strikes balance between physical and mental disciplines of the Jedi order.
Official canon
The concept of balance appears again in the Jedi Temple Guard, who in the canonical series, The Clone Wars, wield yellow-bladed light pikes. The guard are tasked with defending Coruscant from invaders and are focused on balance. These guards were also sometimes tasked with keeping the peace during the clone wars and were chosen from existing Jedi, so had to give up their old lightsabers and adopt the new yellow-bladed saber pike.
It's possible that by the end of the Star Wars movie series, Rey sees herself in a similar role to the temple guard - protecting the memory of the Jedi order and representing the last living Jedi.
In the new 'The High Republic' era of canon, Estala Maru and Loden Greatstorm are two Jedi who also wield yellow sabers. Greatstorm is a twi'lek Jedi teacher - a role that requires balance. Estala Maru is a Kessurian who was known as a multi-tasker, balancing his combat role with an administrative one in a space station called Starlight Beacon.
So why does Rey have a yellow lightsaber?
At the end of the franchise, Rey buries the traditional Skywalker sabers in the sands of Tatooine - a symbolic gesture that brought some genuine tears to this author's eye. As the audience begins to think she's left the Jedi way behind, Rey ignites her new yellow lightsaber - which has a hilt that looks to have been crafted from her traditional staff weapon.
As suggested by the colour theory and the historic context behind the Jedi order, Rey is bringing balance to the force and protecting the way of the Jedi. She is a solo temple guard, a balance between the old and new as well as the dark and light. This final metaphor is one that many fans might have missed - but it's an important end-cap on Rey's character arc and a sign of potential futures for the franchise.
Get your own yellow saber
At Saberzone, our duelling sabers allow for colour changing at the touch of a button so you can wield whatever colour you wish in the blink of an eye. No locking you into a set saber colour based on your buying choice - we're all about the freedom to choose. How's that for a Jedi value?