Blackwing Crystals were peculiar lightsaber crystals that came into existence when exposed to the Blackwing virus, a Sith biological weapon. This bioweapon had the effect of transforming those infected into undead cannibals. When utilized within a lightsaber, these crystals generated a blade of dark, smoky ash. These crystals were discovered within the caverns of the Quarantine Zone amidst a Blackwing virus outbreak on the planet Dathomir, during the era of the Galactic Civil War. In the year 1 ABY, a band of space travelers triumphed over a colossal undead rancor within a cave situated beneath the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, which was the location where the virus escaped its confinement, and they subsequently unearthed a collection of these crystals.
The Blackwing Crystal made its debut in the 2003 video game entitled Star Wars Galaxies. This game was a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game that was created by Sony Online Entertainment and distributed by LucasArts, before its servers shut down on December 15, 2011. The addition of the Blackwing Crystal to the game occurred with the release of "Game Update 14," also known as the "Death Troopers" update, which was launched on October 12, 2009.