Orange Lightsaber Meaning: Jedi Yaddle, Plo Koon Who Wield Them

Orange is a rare color for lightsabers. Most information about it is found in legends. However, it’s also featured in the Jedi: Fallen Order, which is considered canon.

Only one character and a specific group were seen with a lightsaber of this color. If you’re familiar with the lore, lightsaber colors represent something about the character wielding it.

In a word, orange can be based on two ideas: that it’s a combination of yellow and red, or it can have a specific meaning on its own, too.

Regardless, I would like to see more information on this color variation before I make any final conclusions.

Orange Lightsabers

A lightsaber makes use of a Kyber crystal which is colorless until it is owned. The true owner of the crystal will hear it “sing” to them.

When they acquire the crystal and use it for their lightsaber, the color will change depending on the owner’s affiliation with the Force.

For instance, the Jedi’s use a blue or green one because of their spiritual alignment.

It’s quite natural for Kyber crystals to be aligned to the light side of the Force, while the Sith force these crystals to their will by making them “bleed”. Thus, red is seen as an unnatural color for Kyber crystals.

However, an orange lightsaber has never been seen wielded in the dark side.

Because of this, we can only infer what it represents based on the lore and the pieces of evidence shown by the only Jedi who has an orange lightsaber.

Color Representation

Colors play a huge role in the Star Wars universe.

In the Republic and Imperial societies, we see how different colors might symbolize their standing.

During the era of the Galactic Republic, the color red was affiliated with Diplomacy.

In the Galactic Empire, it was favored by Emperor Palpatine so we see it in his family crest, interior designs, and the Red Guard uniforms.

It was also a sign of Royal authority and for evil. The Grand Army of the Republic used this color for Major or Captain Ranks.

Blue was used by the Jedi Guardians in the days of the Old Jedi Order. But at the end of the heydays of the Republic, this color was worn by Supreme Chancellors.

It was also used for Lieutenants and Second Lieutenants in the Republic Grand Army. Yet, in Imperial culture, it’s a sign of humiliation or dishonor.

The color green was a positive emblem that symbolized peace, which is why the Jedi Consulars usually had this lightsaber color. Aside from peace, it also signified plant life and youth.

It was also used in the army for sergeant-majors. On the other hand, sergeants used olive-green as their distinguishing hue.

For the Sith, black was the attributed color for it not only symbolized night and darkness, but also their ancient dread. However, the Galactic Empire also associated black with triumph.

Gray was used for inducing recognition of the Imperial presence. They used this for their ships and their stations.

White was the color of the Force and was also the appointed hue for stormtroopers. What yellow symbolizes is the deceit of Imperial culture.

Orange, according to the planet Naboo, is known as a symbol of birth and renewal. This color has the least information when it comes to symbolism.

Who uses an Orange Lightsaber in Legends?

In the Star Wars Legends, the only known characters who have used Orange Lightsabers are Master Yaddle and Plo Koon. Both are Jedi but only the former used an Orange saber typically.

To be fair, Plo Koon mainly uses a blue saber. We rarely see him wield an orange one, and the times when he did wield this color was no longer canon.

The only one who truly owned an orange lightsaber was Yaddle. And the only way we can infer why the Kyber crystal turned to this color, is if we get to know more about her character and her story.

Yaddle

To understand more about this rare hue, our best attempt would be to get to know Yaddle.

Jedi Master Yaddle was also known as “The One Below” and was also part of the Jedi Council. When you see her, you will know that she’s the same species as Yoda but she’s not as old as him.

Yaddle’s History

When she was a Padawan and was yet to make her lightsaber, she and her master, Polvin Kut engaged in a mission on the planet Koba. They were tasked to free the locals from the tyrannical rule of Tulak, an Advozse Warlord.

Unfortunately, the mission failed and Yaddle was imprisoned for 98 years underground. This is why she was also called “The One Below”.

For about a century, she was tortured but she never did surrender and give answers to Tulak’s interrogations. Her faith in the Force was what helped her survive through this whole ordeal.

She was mocked by the natives of Koba until massive earthquakes brought vast carnage to their planet. During this time, an opening was made for Yaddle to escape.

Seeing the downfall of those who held her captive, she felt pity and chose to help them. And without a shadow of a doubt, Yaddle forgave them.

She chose to stay on that planet to free them from their warlord’s oppression and the destruction of the earthquakes. Eventually, Koba was able to rebuild and they flourished.

However, the son of Tulak returned to conquer Koba again. Unfortunately for him, Yaddle was there to prevent him.

Of course, Yaddle did not choose violence immediately. Instead, she warned him and urged him to turn around.

At his refusal, both parties engaged in a fight where she beats the conqueror despite being armed with a humble and plain staff. Afterward, she returns to the Jedi Order.

Her days as a Leader

When she returned, she was able to create her orange lightsaber. And more importantly, having heard her story, she was immediately appointed Master and ultimately a member of the council.

As a leader, she was motherly and loved by many younglings. She inspired many with her amazing past experiences.

Being such a sympathetic soul, she was always willing to listen and give guidance to her students. But what I find it to be so endearing is how she stealthily slips sweets into the pockets of Jedi younglings.

Heroic Demise

Three years before the Clone Wars, Yaddle passed away. It happened on the planet Mawan, where she was sent with Anakin and Obi-wan as peacekeepers.

However, things took a turn for the worst when Anakin’s imprudence and impatience caused him to be held hostage by their enemy, Omega.

The son of the Dark Jedi Xanatos then threatens to release a biochemical strike to harm a whole city if Yaddle didn’t surrender to him.

Yaddle meets with Omega but she does not surrender. She uses her Force power to free Skywalker. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to attack Omega quick enough as he launched the biochemical attack toward the city.

Selflessly, Yaddle leaped and caught it, used the Force to absorb the biochemical bomb into her body. She was able to save the city at the cost of her life.

Anakin witnessed her sacrifice and he carried this guilt with him despite being consoled by Obi-Wan and Yoda. He believed that his reckless actions led to the demise of the beloved Jedi Master.

Yaddle’s Orange Saber

We’ve established that orange is an extremely rare color for a lightsaber. Perhaps it has something to do with the wielder’s self-restraint against the use of violence.

Logically, if a Jedi is averse to violence, their lightsaber will remain unused unless it is necessary. We only see this bright tangerine blade in three instances:

1. On a mission on planet Asmeru
2. During a fight against the Red Iaro
3. On her final mission to Mawan

Moreover, we can also theorize that this color is for those who were compassionate fighters who resorted to violence as a last resort. It is for those who pity their enemies and faithfully follow the light side of the Force.

For all one knows, it could also be for those who are truly diplomatic and advocate peace above all else. But it’s truly a testament to Yaddle’s compassion, as it is a rarity in a universe riddled with wars.

The Fire Warriors from the Gray Jedi

The Fire Warriors used orange lightsabers, too. But the theory on the color representation here is quite different from Yaddle’s.

Orange is a secondary color which means it’s a combination of Yellow and Red. As mentioned, Red is the signature color of the Sith but Yellow is for persistence and dedication to eradicate evil.

It’s not the first time that Star Wars used secondary colors to represent a combination of two meanings.

A great example of this would be Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber. Combining the colors red and blue shows how he uses the dark side of the Force to use Vaapad.

It’s the same with the Fire Warriors. They are part of a group of Jedi called Gray Jedi who explored both the light and dark side but never fully succumbed to the dark side.

So it makes sense that Fire Warriors’ lightsabers are orange, they use the dark side of the Force for their cause to destroy evil.

Using the dark side of the Force

When someone falls into the dark side, it’s mostly due to their emotions, especially anger.

It’s pretty amazing how Fire Warriors tap into these passionate emotions but keep themselves grounded by remembering the good parts of their life.

This way, they are aware of what they are fighting for and they’re less likely to be tempted. This balance is something that has always been a recurring theme in Star Wars.

Is Rey’s lightsaber orange?

The final scene of Episode IX showed Rey burying Luke and Leia’s lightsabers. I first thought that it was a symbol of the end of the Jedi because they were no longer needed.

However, I was surprised to see her take out her lightsaber. Immediately, I thought it was an orange lightsaber but new information reveals that it’s a GOLD lightsaber!

Again, I have some assumptions on what it could mean. But because the movie ended there, I don’t have any evidence to back it up.

It only showed that she had a new lightsaber, but how she made it and how she uses it wasn’t shown.

My theory is that it’s symbolic of who she is. Again, I say this for the reason that most significant changes in lightsaber colors comes with a change in the character’s situation.

We see this in how Ahsoka Tano ended up with white lightsabers in the novel Ahsoka.

According to the designers, it’s a light yellow and it was meant to exude optimism and positivity. I believe they’re highlighting the theme of hope.