When you think of all the most popular lightsaber colours, your mind is likely filled with greens, blues, reds and in some cases the more niche ones like purples and yellows.
Of the monochromatic choices witnessed on screen, there have only ever been two examples of a black or white lightsaber. Black belongs solely to Mandalore's most famous relic: the Darksaber. It's popular enough to be featured regularly in The Mandalorian, where the ancient design stands out from the rest of the lightsabers we've witnessed on screen.
But what about white lightsabers? Again, like the black blade of the Darksaber, we have only ever seen one example of a white saber...or two, to be more accurate. That's down to one person: Ahsoka Tano, who wields dual white lightsabers in the Jar'Kai fashion.
With such a rare hue, what is it that makes the white lightsaber special? In a land of bright colours that signify the light and dark sides of the Force, what does a pure white blade represent? Let's dig into the lore to find out.
White lightsabers in the ex-canon timeline
The main representation of white lightsabers in the canonical timeline of Star Wars is through Ahsoka, but there have been other historic glimpses of white blades in the now defunct Legends era. White lightsabers were wielded by the enigmatic Imperial Knights.
Who were the imperial knights? In the ex-canon timeline, the Empire is restored under a new guise, the 'Fel Empire'. Whilst similar to Palpatine's Empire, members were not Sith or Dark Side users. Instead, they sought to stay on the light side of the Force.
Imperial Knights were cousins to the Jedi order, but loyal to the new Empire. They were tasked with forcibly removing the Emperor should he show signs of falling to the Dark Side and sought to promote balance.
In this group, white lightsabers were made with synthetic crystals and left devoid of colour on purpose. The white was a symbol of their unity, showing that no member felt unique to one another and instead acted as a group. Lightsabers were not objects of reverence for Imperial Knights, treated as mere tools to serve a purpose.
So there's a clear message in this timeline: white lightsabers represented a more pragmatic version of the Force where colour and flair was viewed as useless compared to cold efficiency. Funnily enough, this ethos carries through into the current canon...
White lightsabers in the canonical timeline
In the current Star Wars canon, the only white lightsabers we've seen belong to Ahsoka Tano. This rebellious Togruta is infamous as an ex-Jedi who left the order to go into hiding and lead new rebellions against the Empire.
Ahsoka's was a Padawan to Anakin Skywalker, whose recklessness caused plenty of clashes in their early days together. Despite this, the duo managed to achieve many great feats - but Tano would eventually quit the Jedi order after being accused of treason.
Tano created her white lightsabers to represent her new life. They were made from the Sixth Brother's lightsaber crystals, which were originally red. When Ahsoka crafted the weapons she purified the crystals, which results in them turning white.
The white represents her independence from the light or dark side. It is a neutral colour and one that stands apart. Tano's sabers reflect a clear message that she does represent the Jedi or the Sith and instead stood for freedom and personal autonomy.
White lightsabers in real life
If you like the sound of a white lightsaber and want to stand out from the crowd, you're in luck: all of our lightsabers come with colour changing blades - you can lock in white whenever you want and wield it to your heart's content. Visit our lightsabers page and pick out the saber that calls to you.