Ever since Jedi Master Mace Windu's lightsaber was first seen in the film Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, fans have wondered about the origin of his unique purple lightsaber. Of course there is the behind the scenes answer of Samuel L. Jackson simply asking director George Lucas for his character to have a distinctively colored lightsaber in the film, but a Star Wars comic actually provided a more official answer to the question.
An in-universe explanation was given in 2002's Star Wars Tales #13 (published by Dark Horse Comics), which was meant to promote the release of the film that saw the debut of the now famous lightsaber. This issue acted as a tribute to the Jedi Master, presenting a collection of six short stories featuring Windu. The story 'Stones' (by William Haden Blackman, Michael Zulli, Steven Dutro and Giulia Brusco) explained the origin of the iconic weapon and the lessons Windu learned in getting the crystal that powers the weapon and gives it its unique hue.
The short-story depicts Mace Windu decades prior to his first appearance in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace as a fourteen-year-old Jedi Youngling going on his first solo-mission to the stony planet of Hurikane. In the narration, Windu reveals that despite being top of his class, he was unable to partake in 'The Gathering', a Jedi tradition that allows a Youngling to journey to the planet Ilum to find their own lightsaber crystal. Regardless of his inability to carry the signature weapon of a Jedi Knight, the young Windu was confident in his abilities to face any challenge and complete his mission.
However, the young Jedi was unaware that he had begun trespassing on the territory of the primitive crystaline natives of Hurikane, who then began chasing the Youngling through the stony badlands of the planet. Windu was easily able to evade the native warriors, so much so that he resorted to toying with them for his own amusement as he escaped from them. Unfortnately, he failed to understand just how determined the warriors were to catch up with him. After using the force to jump over a canyon, one warrior attempted to follow him, plummeting into the chasm and shattering their crystaline body.
Realizing that his failure to administer self-control had resulted in the potentially fatal wounding of an innocent alien warrior, Windu was wrought with guilt. He then resolved to face responsibility for his childish actions. Using the Force, Mace Windu cleaved the warrior's shattered remains back together, recreating their body and allowing the native to be brought back from their near-death experience. As Windu was about to leave the scene, he was approached by the creature he saved, who gifted the Young Jedi with a piece of crystal from its body as thanks for saving its life. Mace Windu later used this Hurrikaine crystal to finally construct his lightsaber, keeping it as a reminder that although a Jedi Knight must be confident, they must also be self-aware and humble.
The short story uniquely depicts Mace Windu long before he became the wise Jedi Master depicted in the films. Additionally, the story presented a short but satisfying answer as to why the Jedi Master has such a unique and special lightsaber. Unfortunately, the stories told in Star Wars Tales have been relegated to the Star Wars Legends continuity and is no longer considered canon, making the true story of how Mace Windu acquired his iconic lightsaber still up for discussion.