Apart from Master Yoda, lightsabers are likely the most recognizable thing from the Star Wars universe. That being said, Master Yoda is a short fellow, so his lightsaber is also shorter than usual. But how long is a common lightsaber in Star Wars, and which lightsaber was the longest?
An average lightsaber blade that fits an average-height Jedi or Sith is around 3 ft (91 cm) long, with around 10.5 in (27 cm) hilt. The length varies with the type of lightsaber, the wielder’s height, and preference. The longest lightsaber was used by a mutated Gamorrean Dark Jedi, Gorc, well over 300 cm.
That being said, it’s debatable whether lightclubs (also known as greatsabers) can be considered lightsabers, such as the one Gorc has. If that’s the case, you must also consider other types of sabers, including dual-sided lightsabers. If that’s the case, even Gorc’s lightclub is not the longest. Let’s explore the lightsaber lore!
How long is an average lightsaber?
As we mentioned, the length of a lightsaber is adjusted and crafted individually for each wielder to fit their height, dueling style, and preferences. There are also numerous different types of lightsabers, and their sizes and length vary dramatically.
That being said, an average lightsaber would be around 4 feet long (123 cm) or slightly less. The average blade length is 3 ft (91 cm) long with a 10.5’’ (27 cm) hilt. The hilt and the blade can be longer or shorter, depending on the type of saber.
Naturally, the length of the saber will usually be adjusted to fit the size of the wielder. That’s why you can clearly see Master Yoda’s lightsaber is a lot shorter than, for instance, Count Dooku’s or Mace Windu’s.
Again, the lengths I’ve mentioned are averages, meaning that average-sized wielders, such as Luke Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, etc., all have sabers that are somewhere in that ballpark.
Let’s see how that length varies depending on the type of lightsaber.
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How many types of lightsabers are there?
There are over a dozen different types of lightsabers, as they can be classified by hilt and blade types. We won’t mention the most obscure types and classifications, but I’ll try to cover all grounds regarding different shapes and sizes.
As you can guess, the standard lightsaber is the most common type. This particular type of saber has a regular, straight hilt and a one-crystal build that emits a blade of a certain length that depends on the wielder’s preference and manufacturing.
Most Jedi used such blades, including Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Mace Windu, and in newer Star Wars movies, Rey used one as well.
The curved hilt lightsaber is most commonly a standard lightsaber but manufactured with a curved hilt to help particular lightsaber dueling styles and forms. I say most commonly because other types of lightsabers can also have a curved hilt, such as Count Dooku’s dual-phase lightsaber, but we’ll get to that.
Another famous curved-hilt lightsaber wielder was Asajj Ventress, one of the most notorious lightsaber wielders ever. The length of a curved-hilt lightsaber is close to what a standard saber was, but the blade tends to be a bit longer to compensate for the length lost due to curvature.
Dual-sided lightsabers are also known as dual-bladed lightsabers or simply saberstaffs. They were said to be invented by Sith Lords of the old Sith Empire, and they were why paired sabers were used.
Essentially, a saberstaff has a blade coming out of each side of the hilt, essentially making the lightsaber twice as long. The most (in)famous saberstaff wielder was Darth Maul, the murderer of Qui-Gon Jinn, that was cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In Star Wars Rebels, we learn that Darth Maul’s brother, Savage Opress, also wielded a dual-sided lightsaber. Opress is about 7 feet (216 cm) tall, so his saberstaff certainly belongs on the list of the longest sabers ever, easily reaching 9’10’’ (300 cm).
The difference between a standard and dual-phase lightsaber is that a standard lightsaber only has one possible pre-determined blade length. A dual-phase lightsaber is constructed with two krystals, essentially giving the wielder control of the length of their blade.
The most famous dual-phase lightsaber wielders were Count Dooku and none other than Darth Vader. However, the longest such lightsaber probably belonged to a Star Wars Legends character called Keiran Halcyon, who shared that their blade could reach 9’10’’ (300 cm), which is insane for a single-bladed lightsaber.
Shoto lightsabers, also known as short sabers, had a much shorter hilt and a much shorter blade. They were designed for quick movement and parrying and were usually used as either a secondary arm (as Ahsoka Tano used) or as a primary lightsaber for wielders of smaller stature.
The most famous – and by far the best – shoto lightsaber wielder was Master Yoda. However, Luke Skywalker also frequently used a shoto saber as his secondary blade.
Lightclubs, also known as great lightsabers or greatsabers, are the polar opposites of shoto lightsabers. Lightclubs are giant lightsabers with huge hilts and even longer blades, usually much wider than regular lightsaber blades – hence, the name lightclubs.
They were commonly used by gigantic wielders, as the colossal blade had an immense gyroscopic effect, and the greatsabers required great physical strength to wield properly. The most well-known lightclub wielder was Gorc, a mutated Gamorrean Dark Jedi appearing in Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II.
Last but not least, I want to mention lightwhips, as I find them absolutely epic. Lightwhips are similar to lightsabers but constructed to make the blade loose and agile like a whip, instead of a stiff cylindrical blade as in regular lightsabers.
The lightwhips were also much longer due to the nature of the weapon, sometimes going well over 10 ft (305 cm) long. Although lightwhips looked awesome, they were admittedly weaker than lightsabers and quite ineffective in defense. The most well-known lightwhip wielder was likely a woman named Githany.
Who has the longest lightsaber?
From what we’ve found out so far, the longest lightsabers belonged to Savage Opress for dual-sided lightsabers and Gorc for a single-bladed saber, although his was a greatsaber, not a standard lightsaber.
If we were to consider the Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection to be size-accurate, then the longest single lightsaber length would belong to Asajj Ventress, whose blade is just a fraction longer than others due to the hilt curvature.
Of course, some blades aren’t depicted here, such as Opress’s, Gorc’s, or the Legends blade from Keiran Halcyon. Still, it gives us a nice picture of the usual saber lengths.
How long is Yoda’s lightsaber?
I know many will ask, so here’s the answer – Master Yoda’s lightsaber is much shorter than your average lightsaber since his stature is much smaller as well.
The hilt of Yoda’s lightsaber is 5.9’’ (15 cm), and the blade is about 2 ft (61 cm), making the entire lightsaber around 2’6’’ (76 cm). That means Yoda’s entire lightsaber is shorter than the average blade of a lightsaber alone. It might seem like a disadvantage, but it actually provides Yoda much more agility, quickness, and versatility in combat, especially using the Ataru form.
