Credit: Lucasfilm
The first ever double-bladed lightsaber in the Star Wars universe was the one wielded between 37 BBY to 34 BBY by Darth Maul, a Sith Lord. During the invasions of Naboo and the Clone Wars, Maul’s Saber staff was the one that caught many viewers’ eyes. The double-edged lightsaber was different from the standard single-bladed lightsaber fans of Star Wars were used to seeing.
How Did Darth Maul’s Double-Bladed Lightsaber Come into Existence?
Darth Maul built the double-bladed lightsaber when he was a Sith apprentice. He used the guide mentioned in Darth Sidious’ Sith Holocron to develop his prototype after learning to use a double-bladed lightsaber.
The two-sided lightsaber was made by conjoining two hilts together from one end to another at the center. When activated, the saber allowed Darth Maul to use both blades simultaneously when fighting multiple opponents or activating a single crimson blade.
Double-Bladed Lightsaber’s Use in The Battle of Naboo
Credit: Lucasfilm
The double-bladed lightsaber was first used against the battle with Qui-Gon Jinn on Tatooine during the battle of Naboo. After that, however, Maul’s lightsaber was used against Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The battle took a turn when Maul used his saber to injure Jinn fatally and end his life. The death of Jinn led to Obi-Wan’s rage against Maul, which resulted in splitting the double-edged lightsaber into half, leaving only one-half functional.
Obi-Wan attacked Darth Maul splitting his body in half, and with that, Maul was presumed dead, his double-bladed lightsaber gone.
The Reappearance of the Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Much to everyone’s assumptions, Maul was far from death during the battle of Naboo. His brother, Savage Opress, retrieved Darth Maul’s body and lightsaber. Opress then sent Maul to their mother’s to help with his recovery.
Once Maul recovered, he was ready to battle and got his revenge on Obi-Wan. To lure Obi-Wan, Darth Maul killed innocent villagers in Raydonia. Sure enough, Obi-Wan showed up, and right before he was about to lose, help arrived, and Obi-Wan escaped with the Ventress.
Was Darth Maul’s Double-Bladed Lightsaber One of a Kind?
Many that have watched the Star War movies might believe that the double-bladed lightsaber owned by Darth Maul was only one of its kind. This assumption, though, is entirely wrong. There have been multiple variations of the double-bladed lightsaber, and these include:
1. The Hinged Double-Bladed Lightsaber
This version of the lightsaber is very similar to the one that Darth Maul wielded, except that it has a hinge at its center. In addition, its compact design allows the lightsaber to fold easier for storage purposes. Another advantage of this design was that it permitted activation of either or both ends of the lightsaber.
When collapsed at the hinge, the activation of parallel blades also helped trap an opponent’s blade in between. This model of the double-bladed lightsaber was seen in Star Wars in the hands of the Jedi Temple Guards (Yellow Lightsaber), Jedi Wayseeker Orla Jareni, and Jedi General Pong Krell.
2. The Split Saber
Another type of double-bladed lightsaber was the split saber, albeit rarely used in that capacity. The split saber’s construction allowed two lightsabers, often used individually, to join at the hilt to form a double-bladed weapon.
The appearance of the first split saber is during the High Republic Era in the hands of Jedi Keeve Tennis. She would split this green double-bladed saber into two components for easy carry.
A pair of split lightsabers that could connect at the hilt also possessedAsajj Ventress, an assassin who worked for the Sith Lord Count Dooku. However, it differed somewhat in appearance due to its curved hilt.
3. The Double-Bladed Spinning Lightsaber
Credit: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Of all the several versions of Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber, the spinning lightsaber was the unique design. Star Wars fans also know the double-bladed spinning lightsaber as the double-bladed Inquisitor. It was known as such because the Inquisitors, a group of dark-side adepts, used it.
This spinning saber’s distinctive design enabled it to move in a circular motion and it was used as a single- or double-bladed lightsaber. Some notable characters that carried this saber included the Grand Inquisitor, the Second, Third, and Fourth sisters, The Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Brother, Ninth Sister, and Jersey.
One major design flaw of this saber was the opening in the disc, which allowed opponents to attack through the disc. Moreover, the ring emitter could easily be damaged, causing a problem using the saber altogether.
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