Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Lightsaber Customization Should Dig Deeper Than Pure Cosmetics
Jedi #Jedi
The release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is fast approaching, and EA has recently treated fans with a preview of the game’s open-world traversal, skill trees, and customization. While just about every aspect of this preview had something for fans to get excited about, it’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s customization that appears to be the biggest improvement from Jedi: Fallen Order. Gone are the days of multicolor ponchos, as now players can tailor everything from the style of Cal Kestis’ beard to the color of individual articles of clothing. Lightsaber customization also makes a return, with more options for hilts and blade colors.
One of the standout additions to Jedi: Survivor’s lightsaber customization is a blade color that many fans may be familiar with. In the new preview for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Respawn showed that players will now be able to use a white lightsaber blade. Fan-favorite Star Wars character Ahsoka Tano is well-known for using this blade color in shows like Star Wars Rebels and The Mandalorian, but there’s a deeper story behind how she got her striking new lightsabers. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor could have an exciting opportunity to emulate Ahsoka’s story and add some depth to its cosmetics.
RELATED: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Signals the End of an Era
White Lightsaber Blades Explained
White lightsabers aren’t a new concept in Star Wars, but they’ve reached more widespread popularity thanks to Ahsoka Tano’s usage of them. What some Star Wars fans might not know is how this lightsaber blade color is achieved in the current canon, and specifically how Ahsoka got hers. The color of every lightsaber blade is determined by its kyber crystal, but these crystals are capable of changing color under special circumstances. In the current canon, the Sith get their red blade by “bleeding” a kyber crystal, pouring all of their hatred and rage into it until the crystal is fully corrupted.
To achieve a white lightsaber blade, a Jedi must cleanse a corrupted kyber crystal of its dark energy. Ahsoka Tano demonstrated this ability in the Ahsoka novel, healing the kyber crystal of a former Sith Inquisitor to turn it white. White lightsabers have since gone on to appear in the High Republic books and comics, and Jedi: Survivor marks the first appearance of a white lightsaber customization in a Star Wars console release since The Force Unleashed 2. Whereas The Force Unleashed 2 used it as a simple cosmetic, Jedi: Survivor could turn it into something players more thoughtfully earn.
How Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Can Have Cal Earn His White Lightsaber
If Jedi: Survivor wants to add more depth to its cosmetics, it could have Cal earn a white kyber crystal by cleaning the crystal of an Inquisitor like Ahsoka did. Survivor may have already teased a rematch with an Inquisitor from Fallen Order, as some eagle-eyed fans spotted the Ninth Sister in a previous trailer. If Survivor is staging a rematch between Cal and the Ninth Sister, it could end with Cal destroying the Inquisitor’s lightsaber and purifying her red kyber crystal. It could make for a spectacular cinematic presentation, and it could make earning the crystal more rewarding than finding it in a crate.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is shaping up to be a thorough evolution of Fallen Order, especially when it comes to its customization options. Lightsaber customization was a highlight of Fallen Order, and Respawn seems to have enhanced the experience with intricate hilt options and more lightsaber colors. It remains to be seen how all of Jedi: Survivor’s cosmetics will be earned, but it could do the game some good to tie some of them into the story and Cal’s growth as a Jedi. Whatever the case may be, Respawn has more than shown that Survivor plans to build on Fallen Order’s framework.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor releases April 28 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE: How Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Director Realized No Hit Runs Were Possible