Kylo Ren and his crossguard lightsaber debuted in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, designed to look and sound unstable because the blade is powered by a cracked kyber crystal. As the grandson of Darth Vader, the character's weapon became iconic through trailers, toys, games, and fan edits. Clips of the ignition were shared widely on soundboards and social media, where the distinctive sputter became shorthand for a Star Wars villain moment, separate from the cleaner hum of classic Jedi lightsabers.