Lightsaber and starship weapons color question

[DrMckay]

I was wondering what , if any, the difference is between the Imperial and Rebel weapons (colored green and red respectively) is it just color, or are there power/manufacturing diffs as well?

Also, Why are red lightsabers only wielded by Dark Jedi?

[Ender]

I was wondering what , if any, the difference is between the Imperial and Rebel weapons (colored green and red respectively) is it just color, or are there power/manufacturing diffs as well?

Also, Why are red lightsabers only wielded by Dark Jedi?

Just color. It is entirely arbitrary and in no way reflects any distinguishing weapon characteristic.

[Batman]

Heck the PT and spin-offs mix in blue quite liberally for blasters/shipboard weapons. While there is probably some EU source or other saying WHY they're different colours, there's no indication the colour of the bolts (or lightsabre blades) denotes any difference in power or operating mechanism.
As for the 'red blade=evil' thing, that seems to be mostly psychological. OOU this association is there and Lucas just adopted it, and In-Universe since people seem to be emotionally pretty similar to real-world humans, it probably works there, too.

[rhoenix]

According to what I read in Wookiepedia (your mileage may vary), Jedi lightsaber crystals are found from pretty much all over, in any (mostly) naturally-occuring location. The red crystals used by the Sith are all artificial crystals, which is why they all have the same color.

As for the actual turbolaser bolts, the best explanation I've yet seen is varying amounts of Tibanna gas used in the bolts, which honestly doesn't make much sense; if someone has a better explanation, I'd be grateful.

[Isolder74]

The best explanation I've seen is that the only real difference it that the Rebels and the Empire use different trace materials in the tracer that makes the baster bolt visible.

[Batman]

While computer games are seriously low on the canon totem pole, as per KOTOR there DO seem to be naturally occurring red lightsabre crystals.
Or at least I seem to remember collecting some red crystals from that cave on Dantooine.

[rhoenix]

While computer games are seriously low on the canon totem pole, as per KOTOR there DO seem to be naturally occurring red lightsabre crystals.
Or at least I seem to remember collecting some red crystals from that cave on Dantooine.

Wookiepedia agrees with you - however, they're apparently a different shade of red (which seems a bit silly, honestly), and the artificial crystals' beams can somehow, sometimes, short out lightsabers made with naturally-occurring crystals. Those appear to be the main differences, upon further looking.

Isolder's explanation of the turbolaser materials used for the tracer bolt did make sense, however - thank you for that.

[Marko Dash]

but didn't Luke's second lightsaber (green) contain an artificial crystal he created just before setting off to Jabba's palace?

[Batman]

This would be a problem why?

[rhoenix]

This would be a problem why?

I think his point (though I am not Marko Dash) was that Luke's lightsaber, using an artificial crystal (canonically red only), somehow got a green beam.

However, I didn't see anything in Wookiepedia to confirm that he used an artificial crystal. Can you give a source?

[Batman]

Shadow of the Empire says Luke cooked up the crystal in Ben's hovel on Tattooine so it probably WAS a manufactured crystal but why in Valen's name does all red crystals being artificial (which at least per KOTOR (which is really really low canon if at all) is dubious to begin with)
mean all artificial crystals have to be red? ESPECIALLY as Luke cooking up a GREEN artificial crystal would mean that's garbage to begin with?

[rhoenix]

Shadow of the Empire says Luke cooked up the crystal in Ben's hovel on Tattooine so it probably WAS a manufactured crystal but why in Valen's name does all red crystals being artificial (which at least per KOTOR (which is really really low canon if at all) is dubious to begin with)
mean all artificial crystals have to be red? ESPECIALLY as Luke cooking up a GREEN artificial crystal would mean that's garbage to begin with?

It would appear I was incorrect.

Going by The Lightsaber crystal Wookiepedia page, it doesn't really state whether or not the synthetic crystals are of different colors than naturally-occurring ones. However, it does state that the user's touch of the Force can influence the blade's color.

Going further, the synthetic lightsaber crystals page does state that the synthetics can be of any color, but are typically red, and are considered as more powerful than naturally-occurring crystals.

With those two facts, it can be considered possible that Luke got a synthetic crystal, and made it green using the Force.

[Havok]

The Star Wars Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary, (Pg 49) states...
"Sith synthetic crystals (inside saber) replace original ones for greater power"

(Pg 63) Gives a more concise description.
"The Sith use synthetic lightsaber crystals, which generate a stronger blade when energized by the dark side of the Force. The advantage is slim, but the very appearance of a red blade is a symbol of hateful power."

That would seem to imply that the crystals can be whatever color, since they are synthetic, and that the color is indeed chosen for it's psychological impact. Also, that the blades are only stronger when being used by a dark side Force user.

As for the different colors of blasters bolts, think of them like tracer rounds. Nato uses yellow and Russia, China etc. use red. Same applies to the SW universe. Different factions use different colors to mark their own fire, or possibly even different manufacturers use different colors.

[Stormin]

From the novel Lightsabers (long time ago so correct me if need be) all of the trainees had used pretty much random crystals in their lightsabers and had all different colors. A less hurriedly constructed one would allow the maker to chose the color of their blade simply by giving them enough time to pick whatever type of crystal they wanted to use.
A Jedi whipping out a red saber would probably get them seriously looked at by the higher ups when the Jedi were still an organized force. I don't know about the current state of the Jedi but I wouldn't be surprised if one of Lukes trainees made his lightsaber red without a good reason (emergency for example) they would probably be watched like a hawk at best.

[Bilbo]

The Star Wars Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary, (Pg 49) states...
"Sith synthetic crystals (inside saber) replace original ones for greater power"

(Pg 63) Gives a more concise description.
"The Sith use synthetic lightsaber crystals, which generate a stronger blade when energized by the dark side of the Force. The advantage is slim, but the very appearance of a red blade is a symbol of hateful power."

That would seem to imply that the crystals can be whatever color, since they are synthetic, and that the color is indeed chosen for it's psychological impact. Also, that the blades are only stronger when being used by a dark side Force user.

As for the different colors of blasters bolts, think of them like tracer rounds. Nato uses yellow and Russia, China etc. use red. Same applies to the SW universe. Different factions use different colors to mark their own fire, or possibly even different manufacturers use different colors.

Because everything the Sith do is better. Mandalore wank is nothing compared to Sith wank that has appeared in various EU venues over the years.

[Samuel]

The Star Wars Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary, (Pg 49) states...
"Sith synthetic crystals (inside saber) replace original ones for greater power"

(Pg 63) Gives a more concise description.
"The Sith use synthetic lightsaber crystals, which generate a stronger blade when energized by the dark side of the Force. The advantage is slim, but the very appearance of a red blade is a symbol of hateful power."

That would seem to imply that the crystals can be whatever color, since they are synthetic, and that the color is indeed chosen for it's psychological impact. Also, that the blades are only stronger when being used by a dark side Force user.

As for the different colors of blasters bolts, think of them like tracer rounds. Nato uses yellow and Russia, China etc. use red. Same applies to the SW universe. Different factions use different colors to mark their own fire, or possibly even different manufacturers use different colors.

Because everything the Sith do is better. Mandalore wank is nothing compared to Sith wank that has appeared in various EU venues over the years.

Well, if they weren't better, no one would join them/the jedi would crush them like the scum they are. The dark side offers power, remember?

[Batman]

So does the Light Side you know.The Dark Side just makes it look easier, hence its appeal.

[Havok]

The Star Wars Attack of the Clones Visual Dictionary, (Pg 49) states...
"Sith synthetic crystals (inside saber) replace original ones for greater power"

(Pg 63) Gives a more concise description.
"The Sith use synthetic lightsaber crystals, which generate a stronger blade when energized by the dark side of the Force. The advantage is slim, but the very appearance of a red blade is a symbol of hateful power."

That would seem to imply that the crystals can be whatever color, since they are synthetic, and that the color is indeed chosen for it's psychological impact. Also, that the blades are only stronger when being used by a dark side Force user.

As for the different colors of blasters bolts, think of them like tracer rounds. Nato uses yellow and Russia, China etc. use red. Same applies to the SW universe. Different factions use different colors to mark their own fire, or possibly even different manufacturers use different colors.

Because everything the Sith do is better. Mandalore wank is nothing compared to Sith wank that has appeared in various EU venues over the years.

What exactly are you responding to?

[rhoenix]

Because everything the Sith do is better. Mandalore wank is nothing compared to Sith wank that has appeared in various EU venues over the years.

Complete non-sequitur, and completely unrelated to a lightsaber color question. I'm really not sure what you're trying to say here, apart from "lol sith get better toys than jedi, lol bias!"

As has been stated many, many times (from non-EU sources even) is that the Dark Side to power is faster and more immediately gratifying than the Light Side is. It offers shortcuts to power whose price tag isn't immediately apparent, despite being "shinier."

[Lord Pounder]

From the novel Lightsabers (long time ago so correct me if need be) all of the trainees had used pretty much random crystals in their lightsabers and had all different colors. A less hurriedly constructed one would allow the maker to chose the color of their blade simply by giving them enough time to pick whatever type of crystal they wanted to use.
A Jedi whipping out a red saber would probably get them seriously looked at by the higher ups when the Jedi were still an organized force. I don't know about the current state of the Jedi but I wouldn't be surprised if one of Lukes trainees made his lightsaber red without a good reason (emergency for example) they would probably be watched like a hawk at best.

Funny you should say that. When Leia finally took the Jedi thing seriously I seem to recall that her lightsaber was red, the exact colour being called ruby.

[Ender]

It occurs there might be some technical relationship, albeit one of only passing interest - Shadow of the Past had a gun that used very high grade tibanna gas to allow it to fire invisible bolts. We know tibanna gas is used as a coolant in these weapons. Thus the degree to which the bolt is cooled appears to vary the amount of breakdown that causes the visible trail/pulse. As in, waste heat present triggers the decay. Note that the compound weapons on the LAAT, SPHA-T, and the lightsaber all have a minimal amount of active cooling, and they all produce constant visible trails, while actively cooled systems like blasters and TLs have minimal visible signatures.

This doesn't relate to the weapons properties in any noticeable way beyond the above statement about creating trails and the impact that would have on range, but it is still worth noting.

[Darth Paxis]

The Essential Guide to the Force states that:

Red crystals are ordinarily unsuitable for lightsabers, since they are less stable than the customary green or blue crystals Jedi use for the blade generators in their lightsabers. However, red crystals-both genuine and synthetic-glow in harmonic vibration when energized by the dark side of the Force. When energized this way, red "Sith" crystals, as they are sometimes called, can actually produce a stronger blade that has the rare potential to "break the blade" of Jedi lightsabers, overloading the energy matrix and instantly burning out the opponent's weapon. Although this rarely happens, it is a known and frightening possibility in combat.

[Ghost Rider]

*sigh* Read the fucking rules, newbie