How many lightsaber colors are there?

The number of lightsaber colors in existence depends greatly on your point of view. Let’s take a look at a brief history of lightsaber colors.

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Original Lightsaber Color (unused concept)
WHITE
Originally, George Lucas planned for all lightsabers to be white. Early Ralph McQuarrie concept art features white lightsabers.

Original Star Wars Lightsaber Colors (A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back)
BLUE, RED
During Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back, only two lightsaber colors existed: blue or red. If you used a blue lightsaber you were good and if you used a red lightsaber you were bad.

Classic Trilogy Lightsaber Colors
BLUE, RED, GREEN
Return of the Jedi added a green lightsaber. Fans often attributed Luke’s switch to green lightsaber to his mastery of the Force (or as least his vast increase in skill) between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Luke actually switched to a green lightsaber in Return of the Jedi so that the blade color better contrasted the blue sky during the Jabba’s sail barge action sequence.

All Star Wars Movie Lightsaber Colors (Original, Prequel, Sequel Trilogy and Anthology movies)
BLUE, RED, GREEN, PURPLE
If you look as all of the Star Wars movies, blue and green are commonly used by Jedi (except in the case of General Grievous) and red is used by Sith or dark side users. Purple is used exclusively by Mace Windu. Mace Windu wields a purple lightsaber because actor Samuel L. Jackson asked for one. Jackson claims he wanted to be able to pick his character out of the crowd during the chaotic Geonosis area battle in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Canon Lightsaber Colors
BLUE, RED, GREEN, PURPLE, YELLOW, WHITE, BLACK (Darksaber only)
In addition to the movie lightsaber colors blue, red, green and purple, other canon Star Wars media depicts: yellow, white and even a black lightsaber. Yellow lightsabers are used by Jedi Temple Guards. White lightsabers are used by Ahsoka Tano. There’s also only one black lightsaber and it’s called the Darksaber.

Legends Lightsaber Colors
DOZENS OF LIGHTSABER COLORS
Star Wars Legends, formerly canon before Disney purchased Lucasfilm, presents a truly expansive variety of lightsaber colors and shades. Legends features at least six shades of red alone along with uncommon colors like Pewter (Raynar Thul’s lightsaber), Bronze (Lowbacca, Freedon Nadd), Clear (barab ingot lightsaber crystal, never depicted in a ligthsaber).

Real Life Lightsaber Colors
NEARLY UNLIMITED COLOR OPTIONS
Real life lightsabers come in many colors. Some sabers are a single color, others are 6 colors, others are 20 colors, others still offer highly nuanced, nearly unlimited color options.

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What’s your favorite lightsaber color?