Star Wars: When Did Anakin Skywalker Get A Red Lightsaber As Darth Vader?

Darth Vader sports one of the most iconic weapons in pop culture history. His red lightsaber, seen throughout the "Star Wars" franchise, has regularly sparked fear in the eyes of anyone who stands in his way. However, the Sith Lord, formerly Anakin Skywalker, didn't get the energy sword directly from Emperor Palpatine or another villainous character. Instead, Vader made it after hunting down a Jedi, crafting the lightsaber himself.

Both the Jedi and the Sith use lightsabers made with kyber crystals that are connected to the Force. There are several different colors depending on what crystals are used in creating the weapons, all with their own meanings. From Mace Windu's purple lightsaber first seen in "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," Luke Skywalker and other powerful Jedi's green blades, and the Sith's sinister red lightsabers, many variations exist across the galaxy. Characters have even changed lightsaber colors, with Vader going from blue to red, representing his fall to the Dark Side.

For Darth Vader, getting his red lightsaber wasn't as simple as locating the appropriate kyber crystals and crafting the dangerous weapon. In the 2017 "Darth Vader" comic series, Vader tracks down Master Kirak Infil'a, a Jedi absent during the events of Emperor Palpatine's deadly Order 66 attack. But when Vader finds Kirak and kills him, he goes on a major journey to make the blade.

In "Darth Vader" #5 from Marvel Comics, Vader travels to Mustafar, where Emperor Palpatine tells him to corrupt Jedi Master Kirak Infil'a's lightsaber. In his Master's words, he wants the chosen one to "Teach it your pain. Teach it your anger. Hear it sing a hymn of darkness. Make it bleed." 

Inside a cave, Vader deconstructs the weapon, pulling out its green kyber crystal. However, while trying to corrupt it with the Force, Vader has visions of not fully turning to the dark side, where he confronts and kills Palpatine. In this fantasy, he visits Obi-Wan Kenobi, taking off his helmet. But, when Obi-Wan calls him Anakin, Vader snaps out of the mirage and fully rejects his past. He bends the crystal as memories of his life flash before his eyes. Returning to Coruscant, Vader approaches Emperor Palpatine, revealing that he successfully changed the lightsaber, as he shows off his weapon to his Master for the first time.

By focusing his anger, hatred, and regret, Vader completes the lofty challenge of creating his iconic blade, which pleases Palpatine, who is thrilled to see his apprentice shed his past and embrace the dark side. Subsequently, Vader uses his red lightsaber to become one of the biggest threats in the galaxy, including killing his former Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a lightsaber duel during the events of the first "Star Wars" film. Despite Vader abandoning his Sith nature by the end of the original trilogy, there's no denying the havoc he wreaks beforehand — almost all while using his red lightsaber.