The Acolyte Isn’t The First Time Star Wars Has Shown THAT Happen to a Lightsaber

This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

There’s plenty to talk about in the season finale for Star Wars‘ latest live-action entry on Disney+ – whether or not you’ve watched the episode of The Acolyte for yourself now that we’re several days out from its premiere, it’s extremely likely you’re aware of the discussion around the series. One of the reoccurring topics has been the live-action depiction of a lightsaber’s source of power, the Kyber crystal, being “bled” to change from its brilliant blue shade to the sinister red that inspires fear across the galaxy. 

Star Wars audiences have been hearing about the concept of lightsaber bleeding since the release of E. K. Johnston’s Ahsoka in 2016 and have seen the process happen visually for the first time a year later in 2017 with the release of Marvel comics issue Darth Vader #5, facts that are being consistently included in discussions this past week. What’s being missed, forgotten, and hopefully just not simply ignored is that Star Wars audiences – at least those who crossover from watching or reading content into gaming – is that we have already seen a lightsaber bleed be carried out on the screen…just not in live-action. 

Star Wars: Jedi Survivor celebrated its first birthday in April, and it was actually Respawn Entertainment’s game that brought this process to screens for the first time in 2023. When the series’ protagonist Cal Kestis finds a mysterious Jedi from the High Republic era submerged in a bacta tank and rescues the stranger from his suspended state, the Jedi wastes no time in giving into the hatred and anger he feels due to the Jedi of his time leaving him in the tank for two centuries – it’s here that we see what was once a shining yellow blade become red. 

It’s Dagan Gera (wonderfully portrayed by Cody Fern) that allows Star Wars fans to see the first lightsaber bleed carried out, so if you’re wanting to see this process occur elsewhere outside of The Acolyte, you’re in luck – even more-so because Dagan’s scene will allow you to see this process carried out in a very different way than with Osha. For Dagan, it is a clear and intentional decision that he actively bleeds the crystal himself, knowingly and deliberately turning his back on the Jedi Order that turned their backs on him. Given that these two scenes are so different it will be interesting to see how Star Wars utilizes the process in the future, and how additional Force users’ lightsabers become the fear-inspiring glowing scarlet. 

Mostly, I just couldn’t let Dagan Gera be erased.