You probably noticed it if you’ve been into The High Republic stuff and then jumped back into The Clone Wars: yellow lightsabers were everywhere during the High Republic, but almost completely gone by the time of the Clone Wars. Except for a few Temple Guards, we don’t really see them at all. Meanwhile, in the High Republic, plenty of Jedi carry them like it’s no big deal.
Let me walk you through what’s going on.
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Jedi Sentinels Used Yellow Lightsabers—And Their Path Got Lost
So here’s the thing: yellow sabers were most commonly linked to Jedi Sentinels. They weren’t the same as Jedi Guardians or Consulars. Guardians (usually blue) were all about combat, and Consulars (usually green) leaned into philosophy and diplomacy. Sentinels were a mix—practical types who focused on tech, stealth, field work, and fixing real-world problems. Think slicing doors, investigating crime, disarming bombs—stuff like that.
As The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force puts it: “Though Sentinels rarely need to use a weapon, like all Jedi they carry a lightsaber. A Sentinel’s lightsaber usually bears a yellow blade. Haven’t seen many of those? Now you know how few we are in number.” In other words, even back then, yellow sabers weren’t everywhere, and even those sentinels who may have one, may not use it.
Sentinels didn’t hang around the Temple much, and they didn’t get involved in politics. They worked among everyday people, using their skills to help the galaxy outside of official Republic affairs. That kind of approach was more accepted—and even encouraged—during the High Republic era, which is why yellow blades were more common then.
But fast forward to the Clone Wars, and things look different. The Jedi Order had become way more centralized and strict. They were taking orders from the Senate, fighting as generals, and falling into a very specific mold. Guardians and Consulars had basically taken over. The Sentinel path? Mostly gone. There weren’t many left teaching it, and even fewer Jedi walking that path.
The lightsaber color reflects a Jedi’s role and inner self—and that’s how it works in modern canon—it makes sense that yellow sabers started disappearing. There just weren’t many Jedi anymore whose journey matched what the yellow blade stood for.
The Temple Guards used yellow sabers, but those weren’t personal
Now, we do see yellow lightsabers during the Clone Wars—but only with Temple Guards. These Jedi were assigned to protect the Jedi Temple and enforce order within the Order. Their yellow blades weren’t tied to personality or path. They were standard-issue pikes, passed down and reused. These sabers didn’t reflect who the Jedi were as individuals. The role came first, and the blade came with it.
The Guards were also anonymous. Their faces were hidden behind masks, their names never spoken. That’s part of why they used identical weapons. It was about being part of the system, not about personal growth or Force alignment.
So technically, yeah, yellow lightsabers were still around in the Clone Wars. But they weren’t connected to the Jedi’s personal connection to the Force anymore. They became a symbol of duty, not identity.
The Jedi Order Stopped Supporting Variety—Saber Colors Followed
During the High Republic, there was more freedom across the Jedi Order. Jedi had unique outfits, personal ships, and different ways of serving the Force. You could see that in their lightsabers too. Yellow, purple were normal, and no one raised an eyebrow at them.
But when the Order became more involved in politics and the war, things tightened up. Jedi started wearing the same robes, sticking to the same rules, and operating under stricter systems. Blue and green became the only lightsaber colors that really showed up, and it wasn’t random—it reflected the narrowing focus of the Order itself.
Jedi weren’t encouraged to explore unique roles anymore, especially ones that pulled them away from the Council’s structure. Sentinels, Shadows, and other less common paths were either pushed aside or faded naturally. The variety we saw in the High Republic started vanishing across the board.
BTS: There Were Also Technical Reasons Why We Didn’t See Yellow In The Prequels
Outside the story, there’s a real-world reason yellow lightsabers didn’t appear in the movies. George Lucas originally limited lightsaber colors: blue and green for Jedi, red for Sith. Purple only got through because Samuel L. Jackson asked for it specifically. Lucas said yes, and that was that.
Also, lightsaber effects weren’t as flexible back then. Yellow or orange sabers didn’t look great on green or blue screens, which were used heavily in filming. So when the prequels were made, the production just stuck to what worked visually. Even animated series like The Clone Wars followed that visual style to stay consistent.
That meant yellow lightsabers didn’t really get a chance in live-action or TV until much later, when effects had improved and the canon started exploring other eras.
Rey’s Saber At The End Of The Rise Of Skywalker Is A Quiet Comeback
At the end of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey builds her own saber—and it’s yellow. That moment might not have seemed like a big deal, but it’s actually the first time a Jedi protagonist in live-action wields a yellow saber.
It doesn’t reference the Sentinels directly, but the idea is similar. Rey isn’t following the Jedi path by the book. She’s doing something new, guided by her own sense of purpose. It fits with how yellow sabers used to represent Jedi who didn’t fit into a box—who followed the Force through action and knowledge without leaning too far into combat or philosophy.