You know that scene in A New Hope, Obi-Wan and Vader face off, a few quick swings, and then Ben just vanishes, leaving his lightsaber clattering to the floor?
Every time I watch it, I end up wondering: what happened to that lightsaber after Vader walked away? It’s never brought up in the movies again, and the camera just kind of lingers there for a second. Did Vader take it? Did someone else scoop it up when nobody was looking?
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Quick Overview of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Lightsabers
We’ve all noticed Obi-Wan Kenobi wielded three different lightsabers during his life, right? So let’s quickly recap. Obi-Wan’s first lightsaber was built when he was still Qui-Gon Jinn’s Padawan. If you look closely, it resembles Qui-Gon’s own saber quite a bit. Unfortunately, he lost this saber during his intense duel with Darth Maul in Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
After losing his first one, Obi-Wan crafted a second lightsaber. This one looked pretty similar to his original, and he used it throughout his time as a Jedi Knight.
Eventually, when Obi-Wan became a Jedi Master, he built a third lightsaber, also featuring that iconic blue blade. This is the saber we’re most familiar with, as it stayed with him right up until his legendary duel with Darth Vader aboard the Death Star, where he famously sacrificed himself to help Luke escape.
But here’s what I keep wondering, and I bet you have too, where did Obi-Wan’s third lightsaber go after Vader struck him down?
After that fateful moment, Obi-Wan’s final saber just kind of disappeared. Want to figure out the mystery with me? Let’s keep exploring.
Where Did Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber Go in Canon?
In Star Wars canon, the last known sighting of Ben Kenobi’s lightsaber was during his iconic duel with Darth Vader aboard the first Death Star in A New Hope. After Obi-Wan became one with the Force, his robe and lightsaber were left behind on the Death Star floor.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. One popular theory suggests that Obi-Wan’s saber remained on the Death Star until it was destroyed by Luke Skywalker, meaning the lightsaber likely went up in flames along with the space station.
But there’s another intriguing possibility: Darth Vader might’ve picked up Obi-Wan’s lightsaber and kept it as a trophy. Interestingly enough, Star Wars Legends actually backs up this idea, giving us some deeper lore about Vader holding onto Ben’s saber.
Legends Suggest Vader Kept Ben’s Saber as a Trophy
Unlike the ambiguity in canon, Star Wars Legends gives us a pretty clear storyline. After the fateful duel on the first Death Star, Vader claimed Obi-Wan’s lightsaber as a personal trophy. He didn’t just stash it away casually, Vader kept the saber prominently displayed in his personal fortress, Bast Castle, located on the planet Vjun.
This intriguing piece of Legends lore comes straight from the Junior Jedi Knights book series, particularly the novel Vader’s Fortress. After Vader returned to the light as Anakin Skywalker, the lightsaber remained hidden away until Luke Skywalker established his new Jedi Order.
Eventually, Luke’s students, guided by Jedi Masters Tionne Solusar and Ikrit, visited Bast Castle to explore and find relics. While there, they discovered Obi-Wan’s lightsaber alongside an important holocron. However, their mission got complicated when Orloc, a fake dark-side user who relied on trick gadgets to mimic Force powers, interfered and briefly stole these artifacts.
Orloc’s lack of genuine Force abilities ultimately worked against him. He struggled to navigate Bast Castle’s dangerous layout, enabling the Jedi to regain control of the lightsaber. The lightsaber and holocron were then kept safely for Luke to examine.
But the drama didn’t end there—Uldir Lochett, a Force-sensitive hopeful desperate to become a Jedi, stole these items, mistakenly believing Orloc could teach him the Force. After a tense confrontation, Anakin Solo recovered the lightsaber during a chaotic battle, using it to expose Orloc as a fraud by disabling his fake Force-abilities tech.