Rey Skywalker’s New Jedi Order movie will have quite the challenge following the release of The Acolyte series. Set 100 years before the events of the Skywalker saga, the upcoming Star Wars show will feature several new Jedi characters, each with their own signature lightsaber. However, one lightsaber in particular should make quite the impact on the entire Star Wars franchise overall.

As featured in new trailers and promos for The Acolyte from showrunner Leslye Headland, the new show will feature a group of Jedi investigating a string of recent murders of their fellow members of the Jedi Order during the High Republic Era. This includes Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) and her incredibly unique lightsaber, following a classic Star Wars trend whenever new trilogies and eras are introduced to the galaxy, far away. To that end, seeing how Rey’s New Jedi Order movie might rise to the challenge should be very exciting.

Every Star Wars Trilogy Introduces New Lightsaber Ideas

Doubled-Bladed, Curved, Crossguard, And More

As seen throughout the entire Star Wars franchise, every new trilogy and era brings new lightsaber designs and features. The prequel trilogy is most notable for Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace and the ignition of his doubled-bladed lightsaber, while Count Dooku debuted in Attack of the Clones with his uniquely curved hilt inspired by the sword of Charlemagne. Likewise, the very first trailer for The Force Awakens saw Kylo Ren igniting his volatile crossguard lightsaber at the dawn of the sequel trilogy.

Additionally, shows like The Clone Wars introduced new lightsabers such as double-bladed lightsabers with hinges, as well as the legendary Darksaber which eventually debuted in live-action with The Mandalorian. Ezra Bridger’s first lightsaber in Rebels had a prototype blaster feature, and the animated series also debuted the rotating double-bladed lightsabers of the Imperial Inquisitors. Most recently, the new High Republic Era set hundreds of years before the Skywalker saga has introduced ornate and unique lightsabers in both canonical novels and comics. This includes Vernestra Rwoh’s purple lightsaber which is set to make its own live-action debut in The Acolyte.

The Acolyte Is Pushing Lightsabers Even Further

Introducing The First Live-Action Lightsaber Whip

Briefly seen in one of The Acolyte’s recent promos, the show’s live-action Vernestra is seen igniting and flourishing her incredibly unique purple lightsaber and its alternate lightwhip mode. The design having come to her in the middle of the night, Rwoh built her light whip as a young Jedi, a prodigy among her fellow members of the Jedi Order and one of the youngest to have been granted the rank of Jedi Knight at the age of 15. Now a Jedi Master, The Acolyte will feature an older Vernestra and her lightwhip, the first to ever debut in a live-action Star Wars project.

Requiring intense training so as not to lose a limb, the lightwhip is a rarely seen weapon among the Jedi Order due to its volatility. However, an adept Jedi like Vernestra can eventually learn how to account for the whip’s tendrils and become quite a formidable defender of peace and justice. Having originated in 1985 with Star Wars’ Legends continuity, seeing a canonical lightwhip in live-action is undoubtedly one of The Acolyte’s most anticipated moments ahead of its premiere.

Can Rey’s New Jedi Order Movie Beat The Lightsaber Whip?

New Opportunities To Break The Lightsaber Mold Post-Acolyte?

Although each trilogy and era in the Star Wars canon has come with its own new lightsabers and unique designs, Vernestra’s lightwhip in The Acolyte certainly breaks the mold to a higher and very exciting degree. Keeping that in mind, it’s possible that this could open up new opportunities for future Star Wars projects to break the mold even further. One could imagine that Rey’s New Jedi Order would be a great project to debut a new kind of unique lightsaber. That said, it’s hard to think about what kind of alternate lightsaber design could beat The Acolyte’s upcoming lightwhip.