The Zao lightsaber is a long-handled blue lightsaber wielded by Jedi Master Zao in Star Wars Legends. He uses the long-handled lightsaber hilt in many different ways, including: as a walking stick, as a cooking instrument and as a weapon. Zao is a Rise of the Empire era Veknoid male Jedi Master. Although Zao initially serves the Jedi Order, he ultimately travels where he believes the Force is leading him.
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Zao Lightsaber in Star Wars Canon
Zao learns the ways of the Force under the guidance of the Jedi Order. He ascends to the rank of Jedi Knight and eventually Jedi Master. By the time he is a Jedi Master, Zao is blind. He strays from the Jedi Order, instead deciding to travel where he believes the Force is leading him.
By 30 BBY, Zao is serving as the chef to the crime lord Gorto Zaga on the planet Kiffex. He tries to teach his philosophy to those who consume his food. According to Zao, those who are not in balance with the Force would find the food foul or bitter while those who are in balance would find the food pleasing. Zaga finds Zao’s cooking unpleasant.
During the Clone Wars, Zao invokes the Right of Denial, a rarely used protest against an order from the Jedi Council. Rather than participating in the Clone Wars, Zao travels the galaxy. The Jedi Master survives the early stages of the Great Jedi Purge. He eludes detection by being dressed as a beggar.
Zao eventually discovers a Jedi refugee camp on the planet Arkinnea. Zao briefly mentors Jedi younglings in the encampment before sensing great danger. He recommends that the group leaves the camp immediately. While the group is fleeing, the come under attack from Arkinnea Militia.
While fleeing, the group encounters the Yunu people, who are native to the planet Arkinnea and are also under attack from the militia. During the escape, Zao pulls down a boulder to shield the group from attack from the militia. A Jedi youngling named Sidirri uses the Force to push the boulder onto militia members, killing the people. The Yunu guide the Jedi refugees to the hidden Jedi Temple on Arkinnea. When Sidirri runs away from the Jedi Temple, Zao leaves to find her. His fate is unknown.
Behind the Scenes
The Zao lightsaber, a long-handled lightsaber, first appears in Star Wars 33: Darkness (2001). The lightsaber functions as a lightsaber cane/staff, as a long-handled lightsaber, or even as a cooking instrument.
The lightsaber is commonly depicted as a blue-bladed lightsaber, but is depicted a green-bladed lightsaber as well.
COVER IMAGE CREDIT Dark Horse Comics
Image depicts Jedi Master Zao and the long-handled Zao lightsaber
Visit List of Personal Lightsabers to learn about more character lightsabers.
