The lightsaber sound first appeared in Star Wars in 1977 and quickly became one of the most recognisable sound effects in film history. Created as an electronic hum with a sweeping, oscillating quality, it has been reused across the franchise's films, series and games, and fans have recreated it countless times online. The spinning version is popular in fan edits, cosplay videos and memes because it instantly evokes a Jedi duel without any visual effects, keeping the Star Wars sound instantly familiar to new generations of viewers.