The Acolyte has secretly made one subtle lightsaber change that has massive implications. A lightsaber is far more than just a weapon; each blade contains a kyber crystal within it, a living crystal that resonates in the Force. As seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, during the prequel era the Jedi took younglings to the planet Ilum to find their kyber crystal so they could bond with it. The bonding is a crucial moment, because – as described in James Luceno’s novel Catalyst – the kyber becomes “a lens that focuses the light inside the Jedi.“

Surprisingly, though, one subtle detail in The Acolyte suggests the Jedi took a different approach just 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It’s long been clear there were different traditions during what is called the High Republic Era, because many lightsabers at that time were beautifully ornate rather than functional. But fans have spotted something that suggests the differences were even greater.

Jedi Padawans In The Acolyte Appear To Have Lightsaber Templates

There are actually countless companies who create lightsaber props based on the various Star Wars movies and TV shows. QnAProps construct lightsabers based on the High Republic comics, novels, and now the TV shows as well; they spotted a striking similarity between the lightsaber used by Dafne Keen’s Jecki and Dean-Charles Chapman’s Torbin during flashback scenes to when he was a Padawan as well. It seems the Jedi switched to a template for Padawans during this period.

What Does This Mean For The Acolyte’s Lightsaber-Wielders?

This may sound like a small detail, but it actually has intriguing implications for how a Jedi rose through the ranks during the High Republic Era. It’s possible that High Republic Jedi didn’t claim their own personalized kyber crystals and craft their own lightsabers until they were near to the end of their time as Padawans, instead using standardized lightsabers. Yoda’s first lightsaber was a training blade, which he eventually passed on to a youngling he was training, so this fits with the wider lore quite well.

If this is the case, then it’s likely the ritual known as the Gathering – when a young Jedi traveled to Ilum to claim a kyber crystal – was originally carried out as part of the Jedi Trials. These trials are tasks a Padawan must conduct to prove they are ready to become a Knight, with their Master usually deciding the nature of this test. It would make sense for a Jedi to craft their lightsaber right before taking their Trial; The Acolyte‘s approach works, but presumably it chaged by the time of the prequels.