Obi-Wan’s Thoughts on Why Jedi Used Lightsabers

The other day, I stumbled across a comic panel on Reddit that really caught my attention. It showed a moment between Anakin and Obi-Wan—just the two of them training beneath the Uneti tree at the Jedi Temple. Mid-duel, Anakin asks a question that honestly feels pretty valid: why do the Jedi still use lightsabers when the galaxy is full of way more advanced weapons?

I mean, it’s classic Anakin, always thinking outside the box, always pushing boundaries. But what really stood out to me wasn’t just the question. It was Obi-Wan’s response. Calm, measured, and deeply rooted in Jedi philosophy. So I figured I’d share that moment here, because it says a lot about who the Jedi are… and why their weapon of choice isn’t about raw power.

Anakin Wonders Why Jedi Limit Themselves to Lightsabers

In Marvel’s Star Wars #25, we’re taken back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where a young Anakin Skywalker questions a fundamental part of Jedi tradition: why lightsabers?

Obi-Wan's thoughts on why Jedi used lightsabers.
byu/AlphaBladeYiII inStarWars

The comic on Reddit opens with Anakin sparring with Obi-Wan beneath the great Uneti tree. Frustrated mid-duel, Anakin demands, “Why do we do this, Master Kenobi? … Lightsabers.” He’s not just complaining about training—he’s wondering why the Jedi limit themselves to such an elegant but seemingly outdated weapon when the galaxy is full of more powerful alternatives.

Obi-Wan pauses, then challenges Anakin’s thinking. “What were you thinking, Anakin?” he asks as their blades clash. Obi-Wan listens as Anakin explains how other Jedi Padawans often talk about more advanced weapons—blasters, explosives, even sabers with special features.

“I was thinking about what I could build,” Anakin says.

Obi-Wan nods, and for a moment, he humors the idea. “When I was a Padawan, I came up with the idea of two short-bladed sabers, each attached to a thin chain.” Anakin’s eyes light up. “Master, that sounds amazing.”

But then Obi-Wan says something surprising: “I suggested it to Master Qui-Gon—and he told me what I’m about to tell you.”

And here’s where the lesson begins.

Jedi Don’t Choose the Lightsaber for Power

“It is about how we wish to be seen, Anakin,” Obi-Wan says, handing Anakin a lightsaber. “And how that ties into the central mission of the Jedi Order.”

“We do not want to be powerful. We wish to stand tall against the dark.”

Obi-Wan explains that the lightsaber isn’t just a tool—it’s a symbol. Jedi could use kyber-powered blasters or bombs. In fact, some rare examples of such weapons are locked away in the sealed Jedi Archives. But they don’t.

“Anyone can fire a blaster,” Obi-Wan says. “Very few can safely and skillfully wield a lightsaber. Everyone in the galaxy knows this to be true.”

For Jedi, the lightsaber represents intention. It’s not about raw power—it’s about control, training, and conscious decision-making. “We want our opponents to know that we use a weapon that requires intention, training, precision, and choice.”

Lightsabers Aren’t for Destroyers—They’re for Protectors

Obi-Wan drives the message home: Jedi don’t use weapons of mass destruction because they aren’t meant to be destroyers.

“You cannot use a lightsaber to destroy a city or a planet,” he says. “Every death or injury it inflicts must be precisely chosen.”

The lightsaber’s limitation is part of its message. It forces the Jedi to be responsible with every swing. “The lightsaber tells the galaxy that the Jedi are not destroyers. We are protectors.”

Even when Anakin brings up the Sith—who use lightsabers too—Obi-Wan has an answer. “True,” he says. “But ultimately, I believe they use lightsabers because they like to think that anything the Jedi can do, they can do better.”

Obi-Wan activates his saber one last time. “They are, of course… wrong.”

The final panel circles back to the lesson’s beginning. Obi-Wan and Anakin once again raise their blades under the Uneti tree.

“And now, my apprentice,” Obi-Wan says, “Let’s go again.”

This issue gives us a rare, thoughtful look at the philosophy behind Jedi weapons. It’s not about flash, destruction, or dominance. It’s about restraint, clarity, and a weapon that reflects the ideals the Jedi strive to live by.