In The Phantom Menace, we see Qui-Gon Jinn take on Darth Maul in an intense lightsaber duel. Unfortunately, Qui-Gon doesn’t survive the fight, and his lightsaber is left behind. But then, Obi-Wan Kenobi grabs it in a last desperate move and uses it to take down Maul.
But after that moment, what actually happens to Qui-Gon’s lightsaber? That’s what we’re here to find out.
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After Qui-Gon’s Duel with Maul
As I mentioned earlier, after the fight with Maul, Obi-Wan lost his own lightsaber when it fell into the pit. That left him with only one weapon—Qui-Gon’s lightsaber, which he used to defeat Maul (32 BBY).
What’s interesting is that Obi-Wan continued using Qui-Gon’s lightsaber for several years. According to Star Wars sources, he wielded it until 28 BBY, meaning he relied on it for about four years before constructing a new one. After that, he built his second lightsaber, officially retiring Qui-Gon’s.
After Constructing His New Lightsaber, Obi-Wan Returns Qui-Gon’s Lightsaber to the Jedi Temple
According to Screen Rant, “Following the death of his master, Kenobi brought the saber back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.” This suggests that Obi-Wan, rather than keeping Qui-Gon’s lightsaber as a personal relic, chose to honor Jedi tradition by returning it to the Order.
The Jedi Temple was known to preserve lightsabers of fallen Jedi, either as a symbolic tribute or for study and repurposing. Given Qui-Gon’s unique place in Jedi history—his defiance of the Council, belief in the Living Force, and discovery of the path to immortality—his lightsaber may have held special significance. It’s possible that the weapon was archived or dismantled, with its kyber crystal repurposed for future Jedi.
Interestingly, before Anakin Skywalker constructed his own lightsaber, he briefly used Qui-Gon’s saber during his training as Obi-Wan’s Padawan. According to Star Wars Fandom, “Jinn’s lightsaber would also be used by Anakin Skywalker temporarily for his training before he created his own.”
Obi-Wan Took Qui-Gon’s Lightsaber into Exile
When Obi-Wan Kenobi went into exile on Tatooine, he didn’t just take his own lightsaber—he also brought two others with him: Anakin Skywalker’s and Qui-Gon Jinn’s. According to Screen Rant, “The exiled Jedi brought three lightsabers with him to the desert planet: his own, his apprentice Anakin’s, and his master Remove featured imageJinn’s. At one point, Kenobi even carried all three hilts with him, attached to his cloak.”
That actually makes a lot of sense. In the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, we see Obi-Wan struggling to reconnect with Qui-Gon’s spirit, failing multiple times before finally making contact in the last episode. We know from Revenge of the Sith that Yoda instructed Obi-Wan to learn how to commune with Qui-Gon, so it’s possible that Obi-Wan kept Qui-Gon’s lightsaber as a way to strengthen that connection. Since Jedi believe in a strong bond between a Force-wielder and their kyber crystal, holding onto his master’s weapon may have served as a physical anchor to help him reach Qui-Gon.
If that was truly the case, then Qui-Gon’s lightsaber wasn’t just a relic—it was a symbol of Obi-Wan’s journey, a link to his past, and possibly even a tool that helped him rediscover his purpose in the Force.
Interestingly, one of the Obi-Wan figures from Sideshow Collectibles seems to support this idea. If we look closely at the exiled Obi-Wan figure, we can actually see both Anakin’s and Qui-Gon’s lightsabers tucked beneath his cloak.
Could Luke’s Green Lightsaber Be Connected to Qui-Gon? A Star Wars Theory
Basically, in Star Wars Legends, we actually have an explanation for how Luke constructed his second lightsaber after his defeat by Darth Vader on Cloud City. A little spoiler if you’ve never heard of it—Luke used a Sith technique to build his new lightsaber. If you’re curious about that story, you can check out our full article on how Luke’s second lightsaber was made using a method tied to the dark side.
However, in canon Star Wars, we don’t actually know where Luke got the green kyber crystal from. What we do know is that after the battle on Cloud City, Luke returns to Tatooine to rescue Han Solo and Leia. That opens up an interesting theory—what if Luke also visited Ben Kenobi’s hut and found Qui-Gon Jinn’s old lightsaber? If Obi-Wan had kept it with him all those years, Luke could have removed its kyber crystal and used it for his own lightsaber, which would explain why his blade turned green.
This theory makes sense when we consider a few key details. Qui-Gon’s lightsaber already had a green blade, making it a natural fit for Luke’s second weapon. Plus, Luke never recovered his original blue lightsaber after losing it on Cloud City, meaning he would have needed to find a new kyber crystal. Since Obi-Wan kept relics from the past, including Anakin’s saber, it’s entirely possible that he also preserved Qui-Gon’s, allowing Luke to find and repurpose it.