From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
The curved-hilt lightsaber was a standard lightsaber design that was often seen during the prime of Form II lightsaber combat, both among the Jedi and Sith Orders.
The degree of the curve at the top of the hilt in relation to the hand holds was the important factor. The curve at the bottom of the hilt (if present) only affected electronics and power core placement. The bottom curvature on many lightsabers was mostly ornamental.
History and use
The use of curved hilts allowed for more precise movements as well as near-perfect flexibility when engaged in lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. It was also more complex and gave the creator of such a hilt more of a challenge in aligning its crystals, requiring a minor variation in holding the grip. Curved hilts needed to be held more in the palm, farther away from the fingertips. The hilt's curvature also gave the wielder more power when delivering overhand strikes and would change the angle of the attacks by the merest fraction of a degree; this was usually just enough to confuse and disorient an unsuspecting opponent, as evident when Valenthyne Farfalla fought and lost to Darth Bane in the Duel on Tython, and again when Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi quickly lost to Count Dooku in their duel on Geonosis.
Some techniques were more difficult when using a curved hilt, but many others became far more effective. This hilt design was not limited to Form II; its advantages in dueling carried over to every form including Form V, as in the case of Darth Bane. Unfortunately, one major side effect of wielding a curved-hilt lightsaber was that they were more difficult to use in blaster-bolt deflection. This, coupled with Form II's weakness in this area, made a Makashi user wielding a curved hilt particularly vulnerable to blasterfire.
Notable wielders of curved-hilt lightsabers
Komari Vosa's lightsabers presented to Asajj Ventress.
Behind the scenes
In Star Wars: Galaxies, players of the Jedi class could find a lightsaber hilt called the "Old Republic Hilt" on Mustafar, indicating that the curved hilt was a possibly common design during the days of the Old Republic. This hilt is one of the more powerful lightsaber hilts in the game, and it resembles a curved-hilt saber.
Appearances
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- Crosscurrent
- Tales of the Jedi: Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon (First appearance)
- Tales of the Jedi: The Freedon Nadd Uprising
- Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
- Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War
- Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
- Darth Bane: Rule of Two
- Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil
- Jango Fett: Open Seasons
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
- Nomad
- Star Wars Republic: The Stark Hyperspace War (Appears in flashback(s))
- Star Wars Republic: Rite of Passage
- The Approaching Storm
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones video game
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns
- Most Precious Weapon
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars game
- Boba Fett: Crossfire
- Star Wars Republic 49: Sacrifice
- Star Wars Republic: The Battle of Kamino
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 7"
- Star Wars Republic: The New Face of War
- Jedi: Mace Windu
- Star Wars Republic 53: Blast Radius
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 1"
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 17"
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 18"
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 19"
- Legacy of the Jedi
"Run Mace Run" - Clone Wars Adventures: Volume 2
"Rogue's Gallery" - Clone Wars Adventures: Volume 3
- Jedi: Count Dooku
- Star Wars: The New Droid Army
- The Cestus Deception
- Dark Heart
- Star Wars Republic 60: Hate and Fear
- Star Wars Republic 63: Striking from the Shadows
- Star Wars Republic 64: Bloodlines (Appears in flashback(s))
- Star Wars: General Grievous
- Jedi Trial
- Star Wars The Clone Wars 5: Slaves of the Republic - Chapter 5: A Slave now, a Slave forever
- Star Wars The Clone Wars 11: Hero of the Confederacy, Part 2
- Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 22"
- Star Wars Republic: The Dreadnaughts of Rendili
- Star Wars Republic: Trackdown (Appears in flashback(s))
- Star Wars: Obsession
- Heroes on Both Sides
- Labyrinth of Evil
- Star Wars Republic: The Siege of Saleucami
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars Republic: The Hidden Enemy (Appears in flashback(s))
- Star Wars Rebellion: The Ahakista Gambit
- Crosscurrent
- Star Wars Legacy 20: Indomitable, Part 1
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Non-canon appearances
- LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- Star Wars: Battlefront II (Xbox Live content)
Sources
See also
- Wookieepedia interview with Christian Gossett