One of the first things that people took notice of when the trailers for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" launched was the unique design of Kylo Ren's (Adam Driver) lightsaber. A recent photo posted on Reddit finally reveals the origins of the design and what purpose it might bring to its wielder.
Kylo Ren's lightsaber is different from most seen in the "Star Wars" universe because it has two energy crossguards. Every lightsaber seen up to this point had no hand guard of any kind. Its energy beam is also different as it appears to be venting raw energy, giving it a sketchy outline compared to the more solid, more composed structure of others.
According to a report from Screen Rant, the photo was taken at Disneyland and the plaque beside the lightsaber states that the lightsaber is based on an "ancient design." However, the lightsaber itself was recently constructed.
It also explains that the crossguard blades are called "quillons" and come directly from the main blade instead of being separate mini-lightsabers attached to the side. How these will come to play in terms of combat has yet to be seen, although the latest TV spot does showcase Kylo Ren using his lightsaber to fend off laser beams fired at him.
This means that Kylo Ren may have constructed the lightsaber himself and based its design on lightsabers used by the Sith, thousands of years in the past. This hints that Kylo Ren has studied and may even have a religious view on events from the past, such as the war between Sith and Jedi. It may also play into his "worship" of Darth Vader.
Screen Rant also points out that because the design is older than that of modern lightsabers, it may be less stable or less refined, which is why it is venting out its energy instead of holding a more solid structure.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens this Dec. 18.
