Hey everbody and welcome to Leia’s Lair.
In today’s video, we will be going over why Sith have yellow eyes and red lightsabers.
Throughout the Star Wars saga, the Sith are oftentimes distinguished by their fearsome
yellow eyes and crimson red lightsaber.
Star Wars utilizes the universal theme of transformation to underline both physical
and emotional change occurring in these characters, highlighting their descent into darkness.
While the Jedi rely on their use of knowledge and wisdom, the Sith utilize their anger as
an avenue to embolden their power.
Audiences were first introduced to the Sith’s yellow eyes in The Empire Strikes Back when
Emperor Palpatine contacts Darth Vader.
Throughout the original trilogy, Palpatine was the only Sith that the audience saw with
yellow eyes.
After Luke removes his father’s helmet, Vader’s eyes are blue, symbolizing his redemption.
Although not all the members of the Sith possess these attributes, their eyes and saber color
are all linked to their hate.
A process many Sith undergo is known as bleeding, which involves pouring one’s anger and hatred
into a Kyber crystal by means of the dark side.
This causes the crystal to change its color to a bright crimson red.
As is tradition, many Sith obtain their new crystals by stealing them from Jedi.
They then use these crystals to undergo the bleeding process, which is chronicled in Charles
Soule’s 2017 comic series, Star Wars: Darth Vader.
Because of their inherent alignment with the light side of the Force, this process requires
complete focus and unabridged dedication to the dark side.
If this is lacking, the process can result in the fracturing of the crystal, which can
be seen in Charles Soule’s 2020 comic series, The Rise of Kylo Ren.
Due to the conflict in young Ben Solo, the bleeding procedure caused his crystal to crack,
requiring him to modify his lightsaber to a more traditional crossguard design to channel
the unstable energy.
Similar to the bleeding process, the changing of color in a dark side user’s eyes is related
to their unrestricted rage and immersion into the dark side.
The lack of yellow eyes is often a sign of conflict or restraint on one’s emotions.
Though he was a Sith Lord, Count Dooku did not have the yellow eyes like his predecessor,
Darth Maul.
This is because of how they utilized their rage.
Maul was completely driven by fury and revenge.
His hatred for Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Jedi informed his every move.
This is contrasted with Dooku, a more refined and calculated Sith who was in total control
of his emotions.
This sense of transformation the Sith undergo reflects their loss of control.
Oftentimes, the eventual degradation of the character’s
souls is reflected in their physical appearance as their eyes turn to a sulfuric yellow.
Their weapon, which is fueled by this spiritual means, undergoes a similar transformation
into a blazing crimson red.
Though characters in Star Wars who have endured this transformation, like Darth Bane, explain
it by saying their flesh and bone are unable to withstand serving as a conduit of the dark
side, the thematic implications of this phenomenon are rooted in their souls' descent towards
the dark side of the Force.
And there you have it!
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