The Sith Lords have an ancient process that explains why all their lightsabers are red in the Star Wars galaxy. While Jedi Knights have several different lightsaber colors with blue and green being the predominant crystals most often seen, the Sith’s crystals are all red. There’s a very dark reason for this, one that has been developed across multiple mediums beyond the canon movies and shows.

Beginning with Charles Soule’s Darth Vader comics series in 2017, the origins of red kyber crystals were revealed with the confirmation that they aren’t found naturally in the galaxy compared to those used by the Jedi Order. Instead, a red kyber crystal must be forged using an incredibly dark tradition. Here’s how the Sith Lords turn their lightsaber crystals red in the Star Wars continuity.

A Sith “Bleeds” A Kyber Crystal Red Using Their Own Emotions

It’s a difficult and dangerous process

Rather than being found naturally on worlds such as Illum or Christophsis, red kyber has to be made by the Sith. After procuring natural kyber (no matter the color), a Sith Lord corrupts the crystal using the dark side of the Force in a process known as “bleeding”. Kyber is considered alive due to its intrinsic connection in the Force, and a Sith Lord pours all of their hate and pain into the crystal. This causes it to literally bleed, creating the sinister crimson color as the kyber has effectively been tortured into becoming a weapon of the dark side.

As seen in Charles Soule’s The Rise of Kylo Ren, a corrupted Ben Solo holds his blue Jedi crystal in his fist, tainting it until it bleeds and turns red. In Soule’s Star Wars #35, Luke learned about bleeding while searching for a new crystal on Christophsis: “a dark side practioner pours their rage and pain and fear through the crystal, leaving it vibrating in scarlet agony…like a feedback loop”. As such, it’s confirmed that bled kyber experiences constant pain due to their wielder’s corruption.

Sith Acquire Their Kyber Crystals In The Darkest Possible Way

There’s a dangerous ritual behind this

Soule’s 2017 Darth Vader series confirmed the sinister rite of passage behind a Sith’s acquisition of a crystal. Shortly after Anakin Skywalker became Vader in Revenge of the Sith, Emperor Palpatine tasked his apprentice with killing a surviving Jedi. Darth Vader would then claim the Jedi’s crystal as his own before bleeding it for his first crimson-bladed lightsaber. After hunting down and slaying Jedi Master Kirak Infil’a, Vader did exactly as his master commanded and claimed his green kyber for himself, following the ancient traditions of the countless Sith who came before him.

During the corruption of his crystal, Darth Vader received a Force vision that showed him an alternate path where he could attempt to redeem himself (which he of course rejected). Regardless, it’s quite evident that the rite of passage of bleeding a slain Jedi’s crystal is critical to test a Sith’s commitment to the dark side of the Force. Particularly in Darth Vader’s case, he was clearly put through just as much torture as the crystal he tainted, supporting the claim that Sith Lords and their corrupted crystals coexist in dark feedback loops of pain.

The Acolyte Showed A Sith Bleeding Kyber For The First Time

We’ve finally seen how a kyber is bled in live-action

The Acolyte‘s ending gave viewers their first ever glimpse of a lightsaber’s bleeding. The scene was a striking one, with Osha – a former Jedi Padawan – burning with anger and rage against her former master, Sol. She brandished his own lightsaber against him, and its blade gradually turned from the traditional blue to a blood-red. In performing this act, Osha proved herself worthy of the attentions of the Sith Lord who calls himself the Stranger, who had been seeking a potential apprentice.

The bleeding clearly required physical contact between the Force-sensitive and the kyber crystal, explaining why Anakin’s lightsaber didn’t turn red in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Surprisingly, there was no hint of the pain and anguish that has previously been seen when kyber is bled. It’s reasonable to assume the previous examples involve characters who were conflicted, while Osha had committed herself wholeheartedly to the dark side.

Sith Aren’t The Only Ones With Red Lightsabers

Others have learned to bleed their blades

It’s important to note that red-bladed lightsabers are not exclusive to the Sith, instead being a symbol of the dark side on a grander scale. Case in point, the original leader of the Knights of Ren before Kylo wielded a red lightsaber. Additionally, the High Republic’s corrupted Jedi Dagan Gera bled his own lightsaber crystal as seen in the Jedi: Survivor game from Respawn. Any dark side wielder has the potential to bleed kyber using their darkest emotions.

How A Jedi Can “Purify” Kyber

Ahsoka proved how it can be done

It is possible for a kyber that is bled to be purified of the dark side. This is known to have been done at least three times: by a Jedi named Orla Jareni in the High Republic Era, by Luke Skywalker himself in recent comics, and most famously by Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka successfully defeated Imperial Inquisitors, and claimed their kyber crystals for herself. Meditating through the Force, she successfully cleansed them of their darkness, turning them a beautiful and brilliant white. In Star Wars, even the darkest acts can be put right.