Although we can’t know how exactly Maz got Luke’s lightsaber, several theories exist. It is possible that she got it from a trader, sought it out on Cloud City herself, or had it given to her by either Luke himself or Lando Calrissian.
Of all the mysteries in the Star Wars universe, there are few more intriguing than the fate of Luke Skywalker’s blue lightsaber. The saber’s story is long and intricate, full of light and darkness.
In The Force Awakens, we are treated to a haunting and beautiful scene. Rey hears a voice calling from the cavernous alleyways of Maz’s castle.
Compelled by the voice, Rey follows the lamp-lit passageways that eventually lead her to an underground room. Her eyes immediately light upon an old chest which calls her to open it.
Nothing less than Luke’s original blue lightsaber rests inside. As Rey touches it, she spirals through a valley of excruciating vision. She sees herself as a young child being abandoned on Jakku, travels to a rain-splattered territory, and faces Kylo Ren and his vicious and deathly lightsaber.
As Rey reels from these visions, a silent shadow enters from the doorway. It is Maz Kanata, owner of the castle and renowned collector.
Maz is a wise being who has a deep connection to the Force. Seemingly knowing the destiny of the lightsaber the whole time, she tells Rey to keep it.
The mystery of this episode is intriguing and demands being taken apart. There are so many questions that surround the encounter.
For example, did Maz know the whole story of the lightsaber? And how did she get it in the first place?
But first, let us look more deeply into the subject of interest itself: Luke’s lightsaber.
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What Color Lightsaber Did Luke Skywalker Have?
As all avid Star Wars fans know, Luke Skywalker used two lightsabers during his time as a Jedi. The first one was the blue saber that first belonged to his father, Anakin Skywalker. The second one he fashioned to be a close copy of his mentor’s, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In The Force Awakens, what Rey finds in Maz’s chest is Luke’s blue lightsaber. The silver hilt and electric blade are the same as ever, unaltered by decades of darkness and quiet.
But what makes the lightsaber blue?
To answer this question, it is important to dig deep into the method of lightsaber creation. As lightsabers are complex weapons, bringing them to life is a process out of the ordinary.
A lightsaber starts with a kyber crystal. This crystal is chosen by a Jedi member and placed into the heart of a metal hilt. Through the power of the crystal, the saber’s blade is emitted in a color matching the crystal.
Two common colors of kyber crystals used by the Jedi Order are blue and green. Green is a color associated with a deep knowledge of and connection to the Force. It is used by teachers like Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn.
On the other hand, blue is a color used mostly by aggressive defenders of the Light Side of the Force. As such a fighter, it is not a surprise that Anakin Skywalker chose a blue kyber crystal to power his own weapon.
Uknown to Anakin, the dazzling blue lightsaber he created would have a long history. This blue lightsaber is given to Luke by Obi-Wan, and then to Rey by Maz Kanata.
Which brings us back to the original question…
How Did Maz Kanata Get Luke’s Lightsaber?
As Maz said herself, this question is best saved for another time.
But since fans around the world feel that knowing this will lead to unraveling the maze of secrets intertwined with the Star Wars sequel trilogy, a number of theories have made their way online. Here are some of them.
Maze Kanata Got the Saber through Random Trade
Maze Kanata is an avid collector of all things related to famous people in the galaxy. Her treasure trove is impressive, as can be seen from the Star Wars LEGO series.
This theory goes that when Luke lost his lightsaber in The Empire Strikes Back, a scavenger retrieved it from the chasm on Cloud City. Knowing Maz as a collector of such items, he then took it to her castle to sell it to her.
Lando Calrissian Gave the Saber to Maz
At the time of Luke and Vader’s first battle, Lando was the man in charge of Cloud City. Although he fled the city after The Empire Strikes Back, he later returned to try to salvage its previous glory.
During this time, Lando might have found Luke’s saber stuck in the Cloud City chasm. Wanting to keep it safe, he chooses Maz as the right person for such a delicate mission.
Maz Found the Saber and Kept it for Rey
Maz Kanata is older than Yoda himself, and it is clear to see how connected she is to The Force. In The Force Awakens, she explains to Rey the path she must take towards the belonging she wants.
Because Maz is wise and ancient, it is not hard to imagine her traveling to Cloud City at the time the blue lightsaber was lost. Sensing the direction of the lightsaber within time, she might have intercepted it and kept it until it was ready to fall into Rey’s and Finn’s hands.
Luke Skywalker Gave the Saber to Maz
Luke Skywalker’s first lightsaber was certainly an important part of his life as a Jedi. Because of this, Luke himself might have returned to Cloud City after Vader fell to retrieve the weapon himself.
If this happened after Ben Solo’s turn to the Dark Side, it means that Luke would soon disappear into exile. Planning to go into hiding, he might have given the lightsaber to Maz for safekeeping.
Of course, no one can really know just how Maz Kanata got Luke’s original blue lightsaber. For some, it is an insignificant detail. For others, it may be the turning-point and the answer to the myriad of questions that surround Rey and the whole sequel trilogy itself.