The double bladed lightsaber is quite simply a lightsaber with an emitter at either end of the hilt. They were popular during the Sith War but fell out of fashion within the Jedi Order as many questioned what need there was for two blades other than to kill more quickly.
The use of a double bladed lightsaber requires more intensive training than an ordinary single bladed weapon and it is rare to see one outside the hands of an adherent of Juyo. They are occasionally popular among Soresu and Djem So adherents given their applications toward blaster bolt deflection. The double bladed lightsaber has been the choice of weapon by a wide range of people including Zez-Kai Eli, Exar Kun and Darth Maul.
The weapon is generally more difficult to construct than a standard lightsaber but only so much as it requires two hilts fused together, something that usually causes most double bladed hilts to be considerably larger than ordinary lightsabers. It is possible with more skill and experience to build more compact double bladed variants such as the one used by Exar Kun but this requires more precision in order to focus the crystals.
Requirements
In order to use a double-bladed lightsaber, a Jedi must at least hold the rank of Equite 3. To use a custom double bladed lightsaber, they must hold the rank of Dark Side Adept. Regardless of rank, a Jedi must study Juyo or Shien's alternate form to use a double bladed lightsaber effectively in combat.
Trivia
- Though popularized by Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, double bladed lightsabers have been around in the DJB since its earliest days.
- Requirements for usage were originally restricted to Dark Jedi Master or above, but were lowered to Dark Side Adept during the reign of Herald Kaine Mandaala.