For sword fighters in the movies, it isn’t enough to just be powerful - you want to be powerful in style. And that means you need an awesome and stylish weapon. There are many great swords out there, from thin rapiers to elegant Katanas to hefty broadswords. Yet the sword is only as good as the wielder, as they say. And in terms of practical skill and use in battle, this is definitely true.

But if we were ranking swords based just on how cool they look, we would have a different list from one ranking their legendary status or power. So with aesthetics in mind, what are the coolest looking swords in movies?

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8 Excalibur - King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword (2017)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Excalibur is one of the most legendary swords in all fiction, just about as famous as its owner, King Arthur, who pulled it from a stone, thus declaring his divine right to rule. The story is ancient, dating back to at least 1138 AD in the Medieval era. And this movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, may be one of the coolest portrayals of Excalibur. With sharp runes and intricate designs, the sword is both beautiful and heavy with significance, carrying a unique background to the familiar tale. Through the many incarnations of the legend of King Arthur in TV and movies, this film shows Excalibur at its coolest.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

7 The Sword Of Triton - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

     Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Pirates of the Caribbean series often put more emphasis on cool fights and great choreography rather than the weapons themselves - that is, until the film On Stranger Tides, which introduced audiences to the famed Sword of Triton. This sword was rumored to have been made in the lost city of Atlantis by the sea god Triton himself, and was first shown in the movies wielded by Blackbeard, the infamous real life pirate (though very different from how he’s portrayed in the movies). The supernatural sword gives the ability to control the ship Queen Anne’s Revenge to whoever holds it.

6 The Ivory Katana - Highlander (1986)

     Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

When the movie Highlander came out, one of the coolest aspects of it was the ivory-handled katana carried by the ancient immortal Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez (played by Sean Connery). Ramírez is a worldly immortal, originally hailing from Egypt. The katana was forged by the legendary swordsmith Masamune, who gave it a wickedly sharp edge and an ornate dragon-head handle. The design of the sword was changed a bit over subsequent movies, but it is the first film that holds the most iconic look, and which inspired many fans to seek out a replica for themselves.

5 Hattori Hanso Sword - Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

     Miramax Films

If anyone knows how to do epic, it’s director Quentin Tarantino. In these two-part movies based on a story written by both Tarantino and main actress Uma Thurman, the creation of this sword is done perfectly. When the originally nameless Bride, bent on deadly revenge, realizes she needs a weapon, she turns to the famous but retired master swordsmith Hattori Hanzo. Hanzo had sworn to never make another weapon of death, but the Bride’s story motivates him to help her, and he forges his last and most perfect blade of his life. Upon the ceremonial gifting to the Bride, he says, “I can tell you with no ego, this is my finest sword. If on your journey, you should encounter God, God will be cut.”

4 Sting - The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

Sting is an Elven short sword, so of course it has that lovely touch of Elven beauty. Not only is it etched with an elegant curving design and fitted with a spiraled grip, it also glows blue when Orcs are nearby. And it’s perfectly sized for a hobbit. It was first found by Bilbo Baggins during his adventuring. He then passed it down to Frodo, and even Samwise used it for a short time. There are many awesome blades in the Lord of the Rings franchise, but Sting is the only one with that beautiful, and very helpful, glow.

3 Inigo Montoya’s Rapier - The Princess Bride (1987)

     20th Century Fox

Inigo Montoya and the mysterious Dread Pirate Roberts are two of the finest swordsmen in the land. When they clash together in a duel, it is one of the best scenes of the movie, and what Vanity Fair called film’s most beloved swordfight.

Both men fight with honor, and incredible skill. Inigo is, in fact, so honorable to Roberts that he allows him to rest after a brutal climb up a cliffside, before their duel. During this rest, he tells the pirate that his father made the blade, at the request of a six-fingered man. His father was a renowned swordsmith, and made a beautiful and perfectly balanced blade, spending a year on its making. In a move of remarkable confidence, Inigo hands the blade to Roberts (who is Westley in disguise) for the pirate to inspect. Roberts, a legendary swordsman himself, tells Inigo, “I’ve never seen its equal.” The six-fingered man murdered Inigo’s father, then gave him a scar on each cheek - and one of the best revenge plots of any movie.

2 Green Destiny - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

     Sony Pictures Classics

The Green Destiny sword from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon rivals the beauty of the fierce warrior women who star in this ground-breaking film that holds a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In the film, the legendary sword called Green Destiny is a 400-year old fabled blade with a gorgeous jade cross guard, as well as lovely green etching along the blade. The supernatural blade also gives the wielder exceptional fighting prowess, and it is so sharp that it often cuts through other swords entirely. In the movie it is owned by a renowned Wudang swordsman, Li Mu Bai. Upon retiring, Mu Bai asks Shu Lien, who he secretly loves, to bring the sword to their old benefactor, Sir Te, in Beijing. A masked thief steals the sword, and the exciting martial arts that follow make this film so memorable.

With a great story, beautiful cinematography, and excellent use of “wire fu”, this movie is a delight to watch even 20 years later.

1 Lightsaber - Star Wars

A lightsaber is often described as a laser sword, plasma sword, or energy sword - and also as one of the coolest and most creative weapons in film history. It is the signature weapon of the Jedi and the Sith, the two opposing Force users in the Star Wars universe.

From its name to its function to its distinct hum of electricity, lightsabers are just the coolest swords in movies. The fight scenes involving them are fun and exhilarating. They can cut through most materials and weapons (except for anything made by the Mandalorain metal “beskar”), burning as they go.

There are some really cool lightsabers to choose from, including Kylo Ren’s corrupted red blade with its cross guard, and Count Dooku’s red pistol-grip lightsaber. But when picking the coolest one in the movies, Rey’s golden lightsaber is the best. Made by Rey herself with her own quarterstaff and clothing, and with a brilliant color that reflects who she is, she embraces it as her own when she finally has found herself, and chosen her own identity.