Here’s something I’ve always wondered: what happens to a Jedi’s lightsaber after they die?
We’ve seen so many battles across Star Wars, fields of fallen clones, shattered droids, the glow of sabers fading into smoke. Somewhere in that aftermath, a single weapon always remains: the saber of the one who didn’t make it home.
Does anyone ever pick it up? Do the Jedi send someone to recover it, or does it just stay there, buried in the dust of history? It’s one of those quiet questions the movies never really stop to answer, but it says a lot about how the galaxy remembers its fallen.
1. Some Lightsabers Were Kept in the Temple As Memorials
One explanation from official canon suggests that when a Jedi dies in battle, their lightsaber is often retrieved and brought back to the Jedi Temple. There, it becomes part of a memorial honoring those who’ve fallen in service to the Order.
According to Star Wars Lightsabers: A Guide to Weapons of the Force, this was the case for Qui-Gon Jinn’s weapon:
“After Qui-Gon’s death, Obi-Wan briefly used this lightsaber to kill Darth Maul. It is now kept in a memorial within the Jedi Temple.”
2. Some Padawans Inherited Their Master’s Lightsaber After Their Death
Not every lightsaber was brought back to the Temple. In some cases, it stayed with those who remained behind, especially a Padawan who had just lost their Master. When this happened, the apprentice could continue to use their Master’s weapon temporarily or keep it forever, either until they built their own or as part of their ongoing training under the guidance of the Council.
One example appears in The High Republic: Cataclysm, through the Jedi Knight Enya Keen. After losing her mentors, she described how she continued to wield their sabers during and after battle:
“I used Master Darhga’s lightsaber throughout the battle, when I didn’t have my own. And I realized that it was somehow encouraging me the whole time. Or rather, the Force did. So when I got my original kyber back from Elder Onning, and Master Roy’s lightsaber, I sat with them both for a long time. I couldn’t help but feel like Master Darhga’s was ready for the arch, but Master Roy’s was not. I talked to Master Yoda about it, and he agreed that in this case, I could carry two lightsabers, if they truly harmonized with the Jedi carrying them.”
Enya’s account gives a rare look into how the Jedi Order handled the weapons of fallen Masters. Her case shows that a Padawan could continue to use their Master’s lightsaber if the Council approved it, especially when the weapon still served a purpose in their training. Master Yoda allowed Enya to carry both sabers under one condition, that she could maintain balance and control while using them.
3. Worse, a Fallen Jedi’s Lightsaber Could Become a Sith Weapon
Another scenario worth mentioning is when a fallen Jedi’s lightsaber never makes it back to Coruscant. In some cases, it could end up in the hands of the Sith.
However, the Sith didn’t just take any lightsaber they found, the process was far more deliberate. A Sith had to defeat a Jedi in combat and claim their weapon as proof of victory. From there, they would extract the Jedi’s kyber crystal and corrupt it through the dark side, a ritual known as “bleeding,” which caused the crystal to turn red.
This is shown clearly in Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017) issue #5, when Vader defeats Jedi Master Kirak Infil’a. After taking his lightsaber, Vader returns to Mustafar and bleeds the crystal, completing the creation of his first Sith weapon.