There are plenty of great villains featured across the Star Wars universe, but one group that fans can’t help but love seems to be the Inquisitors. These dark Jedi-like beings are the underlings of the Emperor, and are tasked with seeking out and hunting down any remaining Jedi in the galaxy. In order to do this, these powerful Force-sensitives are given rather unique lightsabers.
It’s not uncommon to see unique lightsabers in Star Wars, but it isn’t as common to see lightsabers that are as unique as the ones the Inquisitors tend to use. Whether spotting the differences at a glance or taking note of the unique ways their lightsabers work, it isn’t hard for fans to see that Inquisitor lightsabers have a lot going on. However, not many people know why their blades are so different from the standard lightsaber Jedi’s love and trust in their battles.
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What Are Inquisitor Lightsabers?
Instead of the standard single blade that the Jedi and even many Sith tend to use, the Inquisitor lightsabers are both double-sided and capable of spinning all the way around. The design of this lightsaber was standard across the various Inquisitors, likely adding to the Empire’s goals of crushing individuality. The very idea of such a strange lightsaber may seem unnecessarily limiting, but the lightsabers were capable of switching fighting modes, allowing for the wielder to use it as a double-blade or as a simple single blade.
Unsurprisingly, these lightsabers were just as dangerous as any of the other models fans can come across in the Star Wars universe, but they could be argued to be even more useful than the average when used by the right person. If the Grand Inquisitor in Star Wars: Rebels is any indicator, these weapons increase the confidence and drive for violence of the Inquisitors:
I do so admire your persistence. Ready to die?
This chaotically-designed weapon was not nearly as difficult to wield as some may think. While certainly requiring great skill, the flexibility of the weapon, the fact that the hilt remains stationary for the wielder while spinning, and it being much closer to a standard lightsaber in size (when compared to Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber) make it surprisingly easy to use effectively. If even the weakest Inquisitor was faced with a standard battle against a non-Jedi opponent, they likely wouldn’t have had much of a struggle thanks to how handy the device is.
Why Are Inquisitor Lightsabers So Different?
It’s easy to speculate that the Inquisitor lightsabers are different just for the sake of bringing in a new twist on the classic lightsaber. However, there actually are some in-universe reasons why the Inquisitor lightsabers were designed differently. First and foremost, they continue the overall goal of the Empire: inspiring fear into their enemies. A single red lightsaber blade was already enough to strike fear into the heart of even the Jedi, but a second blade and some menacing spinning made the weapon even more terrifying. With such a weapon, Inquisitors are capable of engaging in fast-paced combat, repelling blaster fire with ease and clashing with Jedi like Cal Kestis.
Even more interesting, the design of the lightsaber might be to add to the maneuverability of the Inquisitors. As is seen in Star Wars: Rebels, the Inquisitors are capable of using their spinning blades to take off from the ground and even fly to some extent. Additional use of the Force may be required to pull off such a feat, but regardless, this ability allows the Inquisitors to get anywhere in a hurry. It is also worth mentioning that the very use of a lightsaber by dark Force users could be seen as a taunt to what few Jedi remain in the galaxy. The Inquisitors seek to destroy the remaining Jedi with the very weapons they covet, just with a sinister twist. It’s all too reminiscent of the Dark Side of the Force in comparison to the Light Side.
What Are The Weaknesses Of Inquisitor Lightsabers?
Despite how powerful the red Inquisitor lightsabers have been made out to be, there are a few glaring weaknesses that the blades have, even if only a Jedi of great skill could take advantage of most of them. One simple weakness that wouldn’t require a Jedi would be for a force to be capable of overwhelming an Inquisitor. It would be possible for ordinary rebels to take one down if the right conditions were met, but that would require a massive force. Should their state of mind be clouded, it would be much easier for them to make a mistake and accidentally harm themselves with the blade, which was a common concern for those wielding double-bladed lightsabers. With that said, such a problem may not work for all Inquisitors, as suggested by the Ninth Sister in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order:
Being an inquisitor taught me that no setback is too great. When you’ve already lost yourself, a limb is nothing.
The most obvious weakness of the Inquisitor lightsabers has seemingly only been exploited by Jedi or other dark Force users. It seems that if one were to damage the hilt of the lightsaber, specifically the emitter, it could cause serious issues with the device. This exact problem led to the defeat of the Fifth and Eighth Brothers during their battles against the Jedi (and Darth Maul). This means that it is of grave importance for Inquisitors to protect their blade. Without it, they lose their strongest offensive and defensive options, leaving them with whatever skill they have in the Force. A final glaring weakness would be to simply destroy the device by striking inside of the hilt with a lightsaber, which would almost immediately lead a Jedi to kill an Inquisitor.
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