Darth Maul was a deadly Sith who wielded a double-bladed lightsaber. We saw him defeat Qui Gon-Jinn with it. Yet, is this type of weapon really the best choice for a Sith or Jedi?
How practical is a double-bladed lightsaber? Read on to find out.
Merits of Double-Bladed Lightsabers
As fans may know, double-bladed lightsabers are also called saberstaffs or lightstaffs and come in different varieties.
The hinged style joins two blades with a hinge, while the split version has a handle that detaches so users can use one or two blades. Imperial Inquisitors are known for using double-bladed spinning lightsabers.
Darth Maul’s red double-bladed lightsaber was his original weapon when he fought Qui Gon-Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Battle of Naboo.
This saberstaff had two lightsabers joined together to make a straight line but could be used separately.
Audiences remember this scene from The Phantom Menace when he hit Qui Gon in the face with the weapon’s hilt before piercing him through the midsection.
We can also see its utility. Maul can contend with both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.
As with other double-bladed lightsabers, Maul’s blade was designed to give him a rapid assault rate that could overwhelm opponents.
It could also provide a defensive advantage in a two versus one situation.
Yet, Obi-Wan managed to cut this lightsaber in half and then defeat Maul.
This denouement raises the question about the double-bladed lightsaber’s practicality.
How Practical Is a Double-Bladed Lightsaber?
From a practical perspective, the double-bladed lightsaber does not seem to make sense. By its design, the double blades are more difficult to wield and take more time to deploy.
This discussion board includes an examination of a conversation between Darth Bane and Sith Master Kas’im.
The point of their conversation is that for most lightsaber users a double blade is “more limited than the traditional lightsaber.” The double-blade option “can do more damage” but is “less precise” and usually unwieldy.
As Wookieepedia also specifies about double-bladed lightsabers, there were many disadvantages.
The second blade “rendered many positions and movements impossible to execute,” or the user had to “twist oneself awkwardly” to use the weapon effectively.
Extensive training was thus needed to wield the double blade.
On that note, for more skilled and trained Sith or Jedi, this blade could be practical.
For those experienced and persistent enough, like Maul, the weapon continued to work for him.
He reforged his second double-bladed lightsaber and dueled Ahsoka Tano with it.
Double-Bladed Practicality
In this Clone Wars episode, we see Maul’s double-blades quick to strike and very maneuverable for him.
Maul takes on Tano’s dual lightsabers, causing her to momentarily lose one, and skillfully defends against her attacks.
The battle concludes with Maul knocking both of Ahsoka’s lightsabers away, and he is poised for victory. Ahsoka managed to subdue Maul, but not because of his lightsaber.
For some, then, a double-bladed lightsaber can be practical. As other articles have suggested, its usefulness derives from a design that allows “the wielder to switch between offensive and defensive modes quickly.”
This design is well-suited for those with acrobatic and aggressive fighting styles like Maul’s.
The only way to make this blade truly practical, though, is through dedication and training with this type of lightsaber.
Besides Maul, we can refer to Maul’s brother Savage Opress and former Jedi Pong Krell as wielders who made the weapon practical for them.
They had what it took to “master the art of using a double-bladed saber.”
However, most Jedi would turn to a single-bladed lightsaber for practicality. This traditional design allows more versatility and is more maneuverable.
The single blade fits more with various combat styles, while the double-bladed version comes with the design “drawbacks” of being “longer and heavier” with one blade going in the opposite direction of the other.
The Sith too tend to prefer a single blade. Anakin and Darth Vader relied on a single-bladed lightsaber, as did Count Dooku, albeit with a curved hilt.
Kylo Ren had a cross-blade, but the main blade was single. For all practical purposes, the single-blade usually wins out.
The Double-Bladed Lightsaber
While we can recognize the merits of using a double-bladed lightsaber, this design is ultimately not as practical for most Jedi or Sith.
To use a double-bladed version requires much training and expertise. For most, its unwieldiness makes the single blade a better option.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan. He has covered such topics as Darth Vader, the Jedi, Boba Fett, and AT-AT Walkers. Todd has published a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.