Star Wars: The High Republic is the newest cross-platform publishing epic to open up the Star Wars canon. The High Republic is set 200 years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and the rest of the Skywalker saga. This is a time where The Republic and Jedi order's power and serenity are at an all-time high. Galactic exploration is at a premium and Jedi protect settlers like galactic cowboys. The Jedi will face space raiders like the Nihil and other sources of evil that even they fear. The High Republic Jedi will, of course, come equipped with the galaxy's most elegant weapon: the lightsaber.
Early concept art shows a slew of different lighsaber designs. While the movies never dive deep into lightsaber lore, the extended canon has explored how Jedi and Siths create their lightsabers. The 2019 video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order allows players to construct their own lightsabers and shows the mass design options available. Not only do lightsabers have great offensive and defensive versatility, but they also represent the completion of a Jedi's training. Each Jedi constructs their own lightsaber from scratch, its power coming from a Kyber crystal found in the caves of Ilum. The color each crystal emits represents its Jedi's primary connection with the Force.
The High Republic Jedi all have aesthetically unique lightsabers with different casings, hilts and switches. Early concept art for The High Republic reveals new designs and features. A group of Jedi thrust sabers with uncommon colors -- purple, pink, yellow and teal -- into the air. Jedi Master Plo Koon uses a yellow lightsaber and Mace Windu famously uses a purple one -- the former is frequently used by sentinels who specialize in espionage and purple indicates Force users who use both the light and dark side. Colors like pink and teal are either rare or completely new and may represent new Force powers or different types of Force wielders.
A Jedi's lightsaber is also telling of their fighting style. Cross-guarded lightsabers have a Knights of the Round Table feel and may reflect the Jedi's standing as noble protectors of the time. These cross-guarded designs are similar to Kylo Ren's lightsaber, which is based on an ancient design. The cross-guarded lightsabers in Star Wars: The High Republic may have served as models for his weapon.
Keeve Trennis' double-bladed green lightsaber has a futuristic/technological look with defined switches. It's likely catered around dealing a high damage per second against multiple opponents at once. Green Kyber crystals come from Jedi skilled in the art of meditation and negotiation. Loden Greatstorm is a Twi’lek Jedi Master whose lightsaber has a more elegant, Elven look to it with smooth features and a defined blade emitter. The blade's bright yellow hue indicates a Jedi of incredible skill and prowess. The Light of the Jedi cover reveals a Wookie Jedi wielding a cross-bladed blue lightsaber. Blue blades are the most common amongst Jedi and represent skilled warriors who fight for truth and justice -- which is incredibly fitting for a Wookie.
By far the most interesting lightsabers pictured are the white and darksabers. These are special weapons amongst the lightsaber ranks and the darksaber, in particular, has a special place in Star Wars lore. Unlike other lightsabers, the darksaber's blade comes to a defined point and looks sharp as a razor. It's the only one of its kind and its black color with sizzling white details make it one of the most wicked looking weapons in the galaxy.
The darksaber's prominence surged when it was wielded by Moff Gideon in the Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 1 finale, but it's been hanging around official Star Wars canon for some time. The darksaber was created by Tarre Vizsla, who was the first Mandalorian trained in the Jedi arts. The weapon became a symbol for the unification of the Mandalorain clans and was used by Mandalore's ruler. It's since passed hands from Tarre Vizsla to the Jedi Order, before the Vizsla Clan stole it back. From there, Darth Maul, Bo Katan and Moff Gideon have used the hallowed saber.