Kyber crystal

Force-sensitive and rare, kyber crystals manifested throughout the galaxy, although some regions boasted a greater concentration than others. These crystals uniquely channeled energy through the Force, creating a resonance. They possessed a "collective consciousness," bordering on sentience, enabling non-verbal communication among themselves and with living beings. Some hypothesized that the kyber lattice's changes mirrored emotional fluctuations in sentient beings. Kyber mirrors were crafted from kyber crystals.

Kyber crystals contained both organic and inorganic components. They could withstand the temperatures and pressures present in the cores of massive stars, rendering them impervious to fire and resistant to hammering. They were also known for their intricate patterns. These crystals were robust enough to endure the violent explosions of a lightsaber's power grid, such as those resulting from accidental emitter matrix inversion during assembly. Kyber crystals would only react to living things, including plant life, and would not heat inanimate objects like sheaths or towels. A crystal would warm if someone wrapped their hand around it, but its temperature would not change. Many scientists thought ambient energies might cause kyber crystals to alter shape. These crystals developed systematically, adding to their prismatic structure piece by piece. They lacked a defined lifespan, leading to sizes ranging from a fingernail to gigantic proportions. All kybers, regardless of size, were attuned to the Force. Directing laser energy incorrectly into the crystals weakened their lattices, similar to how radiation affects living cells.

Genuine kybers were exclusively located in veins of pure kyberite. Crystals with impurities were deemed false kybers. Ranite shared a close relationship with kyberite, but it was denser, tougher, and lacked kyber crystals. Typically, planetary movements along fault lines brought crystals to the surface, exhuming them from the high-temperature, high-pressure conditions of their formation. Their mechanical and chemical resilience allowed them to be mined from secondary deposits in streams, potentially after lengthy transport. Alternatively, they could be discovered in their original, in situ locations, having grown freely on the walls of lava tubes, caves, fault zones, and within kyberite veins.

The Crystal Cave of Ilum was a notable source of kyber crystals. They were essential for constructing lightsabers, focusing energy into the weapon's signature plasma blade. For tens of thousands of years, the crystals and the Jedi maintained a unique bond, with the Jedi being welcomed to hear their song and learn their teachings. Jedi younglings journeyed to the ice caves to gather their own crystals, which they then used to create their lightsabers. The Force guided their selection, ensuring they found a crystal that resonated with them as Jedi. Those not meant to receive it would find the crystal cold, but those chosen would perceive its "music" and "harmony," drawing them in. Crystals lacked color until chosen by a Jedi. Most lightsabers then became blue or green, although other hues emerged in certain instances, most notably Mace Windu's purple blade, the yellow blades of the Jedi Temple Guards, the black Darksaber, and Baylan Skoll's orange lightsaber. The resulting crystal and blade color shifted to align with the nature of the bonded owner. Adjusting the angle or frequency of kyber crystals or lightsaber blades could alter blade colors. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker performed this adjustment on his former Padawan's lightsabers.

Kyber crystals inherently possessed "light side energy" and resisted attempts by dark-side users to incorporate them into lightsabers. One crystal, belonging to Jedi Master Kirak Infil'a, subjected Darth Vader to intense visions. Consequently, a Sith could only attune to a kyber crystal by dominating it with the Force, bending it to their will. This process caused the crystal to "bleed," as if alive, resulting in the characteristic red or crimson lightsaber blades associated with the Sith. Corrupted kyber crystals could be "healed." Information on healing kyber crystals was found in the Chronicles of Brus-Bu. Ahsoka Tano purified the two crystals she obtained from the Sixth Brother's lightsaber after his defeat, turning them white. This was one instance of purifying a corrupted kyber crystal.

The crystals were renowned for their unparalleled ability to channel energy and produce significant returns. As such, many sought to create synthetic kyber crystals, but their artificial nature made them highly unstable and prone to explosion. Crystals subjected to forceful study or attempts to harness their power would "flee," hindering those trying to use them against their will. Furthermore, those working near them would experience headaches, sleep deprivation, and an obsessive fixation on the crystal.

For centuries, the Jedi meticulously cut and faceted kybers to eliminate imperfections and maximize their power output. Galen Erso proposed that larger crystals required faceting not only to remove imperfections but also to minimize diffraction caused by energy introduced from a lasing medium. Proper faceting could greatly amplify the energy pulse released by the crystal, directing it into a collimated beam of immense power with the aid of containment devices, as employed on the DS-1 battle station. Galen Erso also suggested that increasing energy yield could be achieved by forcing the realignment of what the Jedi termed the "day and night" lattices of the Force. By aligning the crystals' lattices along the dark or nighttime axis of the Force, Galen theorized that greater control over the crystal's tendency to diffract could be achieved. Technology could thus force the crystals to obey their masters. The abundant yield could then be siphoned off, contained, and used as enriched energy. Without containment, the yield could trigger a catastrophic event capable of decimating a large population center.

Specifically, when Saw Gerrera destabilized one giant kyber crystal, it absorbed so much energy that its eventual critical mass explosion destroyed both the freighter transporting it and a nearby Star Destroyer.

Kyber crystals could power weapons other than lightsabers. Attempts had been made to create kyber bombs and blasters, and a few such weapons existed in the Jedi Archives.

Before the establishment of the Jedi and Sith orders, primitive societies revered kyber crystals for their fire resistance, intricate structures, and near impermeability, qualities that suggested outward eternity. Ancient people associated them with wind, rain, and breath. The Jedi likely viewed them as embodying an aspect of the Force. Over time, the Jedi gained near-exclusive rights to the crystals, protecting and collecting them to adorn their temples and power their lightsabers. Some interpreted this accumulation as evidence of the Jedi's excessive greed, and their secrecy surrounding the crystals' nature as a means of maintaining power. Others saw the Jedi as safeguarding the galaxy from those who might exploit the crystals' powers for dark purposes.

Within the Temple of the Kyber on Jedha, the Jedi sculpted approximately 2,304 statues from kyber using lightsabers. These statues lined the temple's tunnels and were guarded by the Guardians of the Whills. The Kyber Arch, located in a meditation chamber of the Jedi Temple on the Core World of Coruscant, was another kyber structure. Constructed from individual kyber crystals retrieved from the lightsabers of fallen Jedi, the Arch served as an advanced meditation practice honoring their sacrifice. Jedi Master Jora Malli once questioned her Padawan Reath Silas about why a single Jedi could never cross the Arch alone. Silas realized that the question was not literal, but intended to show that the entire Order had been required to build the Arch, and others had been required to fall in battle, for a single Jedi to cross.

During ancient wars between the Jedi and Sith, both vying for galactic control, the Sith created superweapons powered by giant kyber crystals. Around 3966 BBY, Sith Lord Darth Tanis developed kyber weaponry for the Sith on Malachor. The Sith temple on Malachor served as one such weapon. Despite these stories being considered legends, a giant kyber crystal was discovered on Utapau during the Clone Wars. The Confederacy of Independent Systems attempted to secure the crystal, but Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker discovered their plot. The Jedi successfully prevented the crystal from falling into Confederate hands, although Yoda expressed concern that Darth Sidious might find another giant kyber crystal to construct another superweapon. Doctor Istan Zaly, according to Adjutant General Wilhuff Tarkin, achieved significant success in analyzing the internal structures of kyber crystals.

Following the collapse of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire, Sidious, publicly known as Emperor Palpatine, and his Empire continued the Republic's earlier construction of the Death Star, a battle station capable of obliterating entire planets. Kyber crystals were integral to the Death Star's superlaser, and Galen Erso was appointed as the lead researcher under Project Celestial Power. Kyber crystals were plundered from Jedi lightsabers, temples, Ilum, and other locations where they could be found. Some argued that studying the crystals was not disrespectful to Jedi teachings, but rather an opportunity for galactic society to uncover some of the Jedi's long-held secrets.

The Empire targeted Ilum for its crystal deposits, marking a departure from the Jedi's reverence for the planet. While the Jedi considered Ilum sacred, and a Jedi would hear the songs of the crystals, the Empire's avarice led to the world's devastation as they mined and twisted the crystals to their own ends. The effects of their mining were visible from space, angering former Padawan Ahsoka Tano upon witnessing the Empire's destruction in their pursuit of kyber. Tano also believed the Empire would be unable to even see the crystals. Despite her anger, she refrained from attacking the Imperial blockade. Instead, she was drawn to the crystals within the Sixth Brother's blade, leading her to defeat him and purify the crystals to obtain crystals for her new lightsabers. Five years before the Battle of Yavin, rebels from Lothal discovered and destroyed another crystal. The destruction generated a massive shock wave, obliterating all Imperial ships in its path.

In 1 BBY, a combined Partisans and Rebel Alliance strike team, led by Saw Gerrera with the assistance of Jedi Ezra Bridger, intercepted the Imperial cargo freighter Freighter 2716. The freighter was transporting a giant kyber crystal to the Tonnis sector. Before the freighter could rendezvous with Captain Slavin's Star Destroyer, Saw destabilized the crystal. The resulting explosion destroyed both the freighter and Slavin's Star Destroyer. However, Saw failed to uncover the Empire's secret Death Star project.

A year following the Battle of Endor, five pilgrims from the Church of the Force—the MA-B0 cargo lifter droid Mabo, Addar the human, Jumon the Iakaru, Madrammagath the Elomin, and Uggorda the Duros—embarked on a mission to return kyber crystals that the Empire had stolen from Christophsis. They had been dispatched by the pastor and philanthropist Brin Izisca. During their pilgrimage, they were attacked by several Force-sensitive creatures known as the Kyaddak, which killed Maddrammagath, Uggorda, and Jumon. After thirteen arduous days, Mabo and Addar finally reached a broken crystal wall, where they returned the crystals to their excavated site.

Kylo Ren's lightsaber featured a cracked kyber crystal, resulting in an unstable blade. The excess power was vented through the sides, creating a crossguard-like structure. The most critical and prestigious vessels of the First Order had weapons enhanced with kyber crystals obtained from a secret source in the Unknown Regions.

Around 34 ABY, several kyber crystals were available at Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities sold blue, green, purple, yellow, white, and red crystals for lightsabers, as well as larger green and red crystals as curiosities. Concurrently, the Gatherers of Savi's Workshop had acquired several Imperial Era kyber crystal containers and distributed their crystals to customers seeking to learn the art of lightsaber construction.

Various types of kyber crystals existed, each suitable for lightsaber construction or use in other objects. Some types imparted unique effects to the lightsabers in which they were used.

• Adegan crystal [1] Mephite crystal[1]
• Barab ingot [1]
• Christophsis crystal [37]
• Dantari crystal [1]
• Dragite gem [1]
• Ghostfire crystal [1]
• Ilum crystal [1] Mephite crystal[38] Pontite crystal[38]
• Jedha crystal [39]
• Kimber stone [1]
• Krayt dragon pearl [1]
• Lorrdian gemstone [1]
• Nishalorite stone [1]
• Seeker crystal [1]
• Sky kyber [40]
• Solari crystal [1]
• Sorian crystal [1]
• Synthetic kyber crystal [2]
• Tainted Nightsister Crystal [41]
• Thontiin crystal [9]
• Varpeline crystal [1]
• Zophis crystal [9]

• Colors like Amethyst or Purple are seen in lightsabers such as those wielded by Mace Windu's lightsaber [42], Vernestra Rwoh's lightsaber [43], and Huulik's lightsaber [44].
• The color Black is exhibited by the Darksaber [45] and the lightsabers of shadow wraiths [46].
• Blue is the color of Obi-Wan Kenobi's third lightsaber [47], the Skywalker lightsaber [47], and Leia's lightsaber [48]. A lighter shade, Light blue, is seen in lightsabers like Imri's[43], Lyssa Votz'[17], and Tera Sinube's[49].
• Crimson or Red hues appear post- bleeding [50], exemplified by Sith lightsabers such as Darth Vader's dual-phase lightsaber [51], and Darth Sidious' lightsabers [52]. A Red-yellow variation is seen in Kylo Ren's lightsaber[53]. Obsidian (produced a blade with a red tint[54])
• Cyan [55] is the color of lightsabers such as Anoth Estra's [56].
• Green is the color of Yoda's shoto lightsaber [52], Luke Skywalker's green lightsaber [57], Sabine Wren's lightsaber [58], and Qui-Gon Jinn's lightsaber [59]. Yellow-green is observed in Ahsoka Tano's shoto lightsaber[49] and Ulic Qel-Droma's lightsaber[38].
• Indigo [55] is the color of Vix Fonnick's lightsaber [60].
• Magenta [55] is the color of Cleland Cudds' lightsaber [56].
• Orange [55] is the color of Drya Thornne's lightsaber [56]. Reddish-orange is the color of Baylan Skoll's and Shin Hati's lightsabers[61].
• Pink is associated with seeker crystals [62].
• White appears post- purification, as seen in Ahsoka Tano's white lightsabers [14], Komat's lightsaber [46], and Jora Malli's lightsaber [63].
• Yellow is the color of the Jedi Temple Guards' lightsaber pikes [64], Ventress's lightsaber [65], and Rey's lightsaber [66].

The original idea for the kyber crystal, initially called the "Kiber crystal," was developed as a plot element in the second script for the movie that became New Hope. It was similar to The One Ring from The Lord of the Rings, the fantasy trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien. One of George Lucas' early notes for Empire Strikes Back included the question, "Kiber crystal in sword?". The first time crystals actually appeared in Star Wars material was as a decorative part embedded on the lightsaber hilt in the Legends A New Hope novelization, which is now considered Legends. Apart from this one instance, crystals are not mentioned in the original trilogy or the novelizations of those films.

The seventh episode of the fifth season of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, titled "A Test of Strength," was the first to fully establish kyber crystals as a component in lightsaber construction, both in Legends and later in Canon.