Obi-Wan Kenobi constructed and wielded three lightsabers in the Star Wars saga, and each weapon has a rich history in the franchise’s two continuities. Having been mentored by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and being a veteran of multiple wars (including the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars), Obi-Wan Kenobi is, unsurprisingly, one of the finest lightsaber combatants in the old Jedi Order. Obi-Wan’s three constructed lightsabers reflect his evolving lightsaber combat style and even helped inspire the design of the first lightsaber in a new generation of Jedi.

As a Padawan, Obi-Wan’s primary style of lightsaber combat was the same as Qui-Gon Jinn’s – Form IV (Ataru). Unlike Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan preferred the form’s more utilitarian techniques and integrated its acrobatics (often enhanced by the Force) in combat. After Qui-Gon’s death, Obi-Wan reevaluated his preference for Ataru and felt that the more defensive Form III (Soresu) would be better suited for him. Kenobi used a hybrid of Ataru and Soresu for the next decade but would use the latter form almost exclusively by the start of the Clone Wars, becoming arguably the galaxy’s finest Soresu pracтιтioner.

These changes in form have thus led to changes in the design of Obi-Wan’s lightsaber as well. Kenobi knew the importance of protecting one’s lightsaber, a lesson he pᴀssed on to his own Padawan, but even he couldn’t always protect it from outside circumstances. Between those instances and other preferences, Obi-Wan ended up with three different lightsabers – and here they all are.

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Obi-Wan Lost His First Lightsaber In The Phantom Menace

It Was Destroyed During His Duel With Darth Maul

In the original Star Wars Legends continuity, Obi-Wan constructed his first lightsaber during his training as a Padawan, powering the weapon with a single blue Adegan crystal from Ilum. Obi-Wan would use his first lightsaber in numerous small conflicts preceding the outbreak of the Clone Wars. This included the Yinchorri Uprising and, more famously, the Invasion of Naboo.

As shown in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan would use his first lightsaber to cut down numerous Trade Federation droids and battle Darth Maul, with Maul kicking the weapon down into the depths of Naboo’s Plasma Refinery Complex, destroying it. Obi-Wan used the fallen Qui-Gon’s lightsaber to kill Darth Maul, however. In the four years following The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan would continue to use Qui-Gon’s lightsaber as his own before building a new weapon.

In the modern canon, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s first lightsaber would have a comparable history, having been constructed during Obi-Wan’s time as a Padawan. Unlike its original incarnation, however, the lightsaber was powered by a kyber crystal, which became blue after bonding with Kenobi. The lightsaber would be used on various missions and be destroyed on Naboo. It is unknown if Obi-Wan continued to use Qui-Gon’s lightsaber as his own following the Invasion of Naboo, but Kenobi would keep the weapon while living on Tatooine following the rise of the Empire.

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Obi-Wan’s Second Lightsaber Explained

Its Fate Is More Mysterious

After using Qui-Gon Jinn’s lightsaber for roughly four years, Obi-Wan Kenobi finally built a second lightsaber sometime in 28 BBY in the original Legends timeline. Kenobi’s second lightsaber was identical to his first weapon, using the same hilt design and blue blade color. Obi-Wan would use his second weapon on many missions and, as shown in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, the Separatist Crisis. The weapon would be confiscated on Geonosis when Obi-Wan was captured by the Separatists. It is unknown what became of the lightsaber following its confiscation.

When the Separatist Crisis exploded into the full-scale Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi initially found himself unarmed within the Geonosian Petranaki arena. Once Mace Windu’s Jedi ᴀssault team arrived in the arena, the Jedi Knight Sephjet Josall tossed Kenobi a blue-bladed lightsaber, which Obi-Wan used throughout the Battle of Geonosis. Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker would both use Sephjet Josall’s lightsaber in duels with Count Dooku, though what became of the weapon after Attack of the Clones is unknown.

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s second lightsaber has an extremely similar history in the modern canon, though Kenobi most likely built the weapon much sooner after losing his first lightsaber. Like its original Legends-era iteration, the modern canon’s version of Obi-Wan’s second lightsaber was used on many missions between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones but was never seen again after Obi-Wan’s capture on Geonosis.

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Obi-Wan’s Third Lightsaber Played A Key Role In A New Hope

It Was The First Lightsaber Ever Seen

Obi-Wan Kenobi built his third, final, and arguably most iconic lightsaber after Attack of the Clones, likely very shortly after the film’s events. Kenobi’s third weapon had a significantly different design than its two predecessors and saw the most extensive use of all Kenobi’s lightsabers since it was a wartime weapon. In the Legends continuity, Obi-Wan used his third lightsaber to slay countless Separatists throughout the Clone Wars and battled exceptionally ᴅᴇᴀᴅly opponents, such as the Gen’Dai bounty hunter Durge and the Rattataki Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress.

Obi-Wan uses the lightsaber in the Star Wars: Clone Wars microseries, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and A New Hope. The first instances of onscreen lightsaber combat involved Obi-Wan Kenobi dismembering Ponda Boba in Chalmun’s Cantina and dueling Darth Vader aboard the Death Star. The lightsaber’s status was initially left unknown following Kenobi’s death, however. As shown in Return of the Jedi and Steve Perry’s Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Obi-Wan’s third lightsaber (and notes left behind by Kenobi) would inspire the hilt design of Luke Skywalker’s iconic green-bladed lightsaber.

After killing Obi-Wan, Darth Vader appropriated his former mentor’s lightsaber and kept it among his personal effects in Bast Castle on Vjun. As shown in Rebecca Moesta’s Junior Jedi Knights: Kenobi’s Blade, Luke Skywalker, Tionne Solusar, and students of the New Jedi Order would retrieve artifacts from Bast Castle. Among the artifacts was Kenobi’s lightsaber – with the storied weapon finally returning to the Jedi.

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber has a similar history in the modern canon. Obi-Wan wields the famous weapon throughout the Clone Wars, as shown in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Obi-Wan’s third lightsaber would also see repeated use following the fall of the Republic, with Kenobi using it to battle Darth Vader a second and third time, as shown in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Star Wars Rebels sees Kenobi use the lightsaber to kill Darth Maul – who survived his bisection in the modern canon. After Kenobi’s death, however, it is unknown what became of Obi-Wan’s third lightsaber in the modern Star Wars canon.