Lightsaber

This article is about the weapon in Star Wars. For details on the fighting style of lightsabers, see Lightsaber combat.

The lightsaber is a fictional weapon that plays a key role in the movies, games and novels that constitute the Star Wars universe. Lightsabers are science fiction versions of their namesake, the saber. Instead of a metal blade, the lightsaber holds an energy blade about one meter in length. Lightsabers differ in color based upon the specific crystal used in construction. Though they often behave like regular swords, they are able to cut through most matter with little or no resistance (due to their energy-based nature) and to deflect shots from blasters (the ranged weapons used in the Star Wars franchise), Force Lightning thrown by Sith Lords, and other lightsabers.

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An assortment of lightsaber hilts. Top to bottom: Luke Skywalker (Episode VI: Return of the Jedi), Darth Maul, and Asajj Ventress

The lightsaber first appeared in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). At first, the visual appearance of the energy blade was created by pointing intense light at a handle with a motorized spinning reflector. The outcome was not satisfying, so in post-production the effect was augmented through rotoscoping. For Episodes V and VI the use of reflective tape was abandoned and the effect was achieved by rotoscoping rods made of aluminum and later carbon fiber rods. For the prequel trilogy, the effect was created using computer animation.

Within the fiction of Star Wars, the lightsaber "blade" consists of a very tight loop of highly focused energy, or a loop of plasma contained in a strong magnetic or other field. When deactivated, a lightsaber appears as a polished metallic handle, about 30 centimeters long, with or without an ignition button. It is carried at the waist in this fashion by belt clip, and can be drawn by hand or by the Force (as was done by master Yoda in Episode II: Attack of the Clones). Lightsabers emit a distinctive hum when active, which rises in pitch and volume as the blade is moved rapidly through the air. A loud crackling noise is heard when two lightsaber blades come into contact. Some lightsabers contain safety circuits inside them that deactivate the saber automatically if dropped (although this makes the Saber Throw impossible).

To carry a lightsaber is a reflection of confidence, dexterity, and, in most cases, attunement to the Force. Although use of the lightsaber is not strictly reserved to Jedi (see General Grievous), the only others commonly capable of handling the weapon are the Sith, as well as other Force-wielding groups in the Expanded Universe.

According to a 2008 survey of approximately two thousand film fans conducted by 20th Century Fox, the lightsaber is the most popular film weapon.

Nonfiction. George Lucas' invention of the lightsaber/Theories, ideas & inspiration

An artist's rendering of Darth Vader's (red) and Luke Skywalker's (blue) lightsabers as they appear in the original trilogy.

The strongest inspiration for the lightsaber may be the "force-blade" from the Lucky Starr series of science fiction novels for young adults, originally published 1952-1958 by Isaac Asimov under the pen name "Paul French." The force-blade is described as: "The most vicious weapon in the Galaxy. Outwardly, it was merely a short shaft of stainless steel that was a little thicker than the haft of a knife but which could still be held nicely in the palm. Within it was a tiny motor that could generate an invisible nine-inch-long, razor-thin force-field that could cut through anything composed of ordinary matter. Armor was of no use against it, and since it could slice through bone as easily as through flesh, its stab was almost invariably fatal." In the documentary Empire of Dreams, George Lucas stated that the origin of the lightsaber stemmed from his desire to place swordfights similar to those in The Adventures of Robin Hood in the Star Wars films. The laser property was inspired simply by the need to make it futuristic; metal swords would feel out of place in futuristic setting that relied on lasers for its firearms.

Lucas may have also drawn inspiration for the lightsaber from the television series Far Out Space Nuts. Lucas was working on a film lot in the early '70s, and wandered into the studio cafeteria one day to see the Space Nuts cast sitting around having lunch wearing various alien costumes. Chuck McCann believed that this incident influenced the Cantina scene in A New Hope, and that the lightsaber was inspired by the "laser sword" from the Space Nuts episode "Tower of Tagot". [1] Lightsabers were, in fact, called "laser swords" in the first draft of Lucas' script and in several concept paintings.

Larry Niven mentions a weapon called a "variable sword" in The Soft Weapon, one of the Known Space stories. The sword is a monomolecular filament held rigid by a forcefield, resulting in a weapon that could cut through nearly anything, and appears very similar in structure to the lightsaber.

Inspiration for a "power sword" may also have come from the Lost in Space episode "The Challenge", in which The Ruler (played by Michael Ansara) challenges Professor Robinson to a duel with what appears to be electrified épée, powered by a cumbersome battery pack attached to the belt. The sound made by the parrying blades is very similar to that made by the lightsaber in the Star Wars films.

Colors

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Count Dooku and Yoda dueling with their lightsabers.

In the original film trilogy, lightsaber blades could be blue, green, or red. The various Expanded Universe (EU) sources, action figures and the prequel films introduced several new colors, which are now canon to the series.

Red is usually associated with the Sith whereas blue and green colors are usually associated with the Jedi. Violet, silver, orange, cyan, white, gold, yellow (apart from in the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic), and viridian typically do not represent either side, and have been seen used by both. However, the Expanded Universe establishes no direct relationship between a lightsaber's blade's color and its user's affiliation. For example, in the computer game Jedi Knight the Dark Jedi Sariss used a blue lightsaber while her erstwhile ally Yun used a yellow blade. Mace Windu, a Jedi master from the films, has a violet blade. In the "Corellian Trilogy" Luke Skywalker creates a red lightsaber for Leia, while in the "Heir to the Empire" trilogy by Timothy Zahn, Luke builds her a lightsaber with a green blade.

The color of a lightsaber blade depends on the crystals used to focus it and its filter. According to Knights of the Old Republic games, blue-bladed lightsabers are most often associated with Jedi Guardians (Jedi who focus more on lightsaber combat), green-bladed lightsabers are generally associated with Jedi Consulars (Jedi who focus more on the Force and its abilities), yellow-bladed lightsabers are usually associated with Jedi Sentinels (a balance between the two), and red-bladed lightsabers are almost always associated with the Sith and Dark Jedi (some of them however wielding violet lightsabers). The reason for this is said to be that the Sith do not have access the same crystals as the Jedi and must use synthesized ones that create red blades. The Sith also favored red as a symbol for passion. The red crystals can create a somewhat more powerful blade than blue or green crystals but are generally not as pure because of their artificial nature. In the first Knights of the Old Republic video game, red crystals also grow naturally in the Crystal Cave on Dantooine, where they can be obtained by breaking alien eggs and "snuffing out innocent life inside."

Mace Windu's violet-colored lightsaber in the movie was colored differently because actor Samuel L. Jackson requested it in Episode II. The violet color does not reflect the skill of the user in the movie universe. In the Expanded Universe, however, violet, being a mix of red and blue, indicates the mastery of a lightsaber form known as Vaapad or Form VII. Windu's attunement to the light side of the force allows him to use his fighting style and Force powers, skills that come dangerously close to requiring use of the Dark Side without actually tainting the Jedi using them. Windu was met with great controversy over his choice of crystal. Due to the great difficulty involved in attaining such a rare type of crystal, it is also said that a violet crystal is a choice only the most skilled masters in lightsaber combat can make, which might also explain his unusual blade color. Usually the lightsaber crystal will call out to its chosen master during the trials to become a Jedi when the Padawan travels to Ilum or Adega.

During the initial editing of Return of the Jedi, Luke's new lightsaber was blue, and appears so in an early trailer. However, it was difficult enough to see against the blue desert sky that the decision was made to change it to green.

Types

Short Lightsaber

A lightsaber with a shorter handle and blade is known unofficially as the shoto, though it is also known as a lightdagger or simply a short lightsaber. It can be wielded as an off-hand (weaker hand) secondary weapon. Short lightsabers are used by Jedi who fight with two lightsabers in the dual-bladed combat style Jar'Kai used by the ancient Jedi Master Kavar and the fallen Jedi Sora Bulq. It is also used as the primary lightsaber of diminutive Jedi like Yoda, Yaddle or (presumably) Even Piell. The Sith Freedon Nadd also has possession of a bronze-bladed shoto. The dual-bladed technique may have been inspired by the Japanese art of Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu or European sword and dagger fencing.

Dual-phase

The dual-phase lightsaber is constructed to operate at two different blade lengths. Historically, these complex blades were built mostly by ancient Jedi and Sith during their many heated wars; the surprise advantage of a blade which could shoot forth up to approximately one meter in length was worth the additional difficulty of constructing a lightsaber with several focusing gems and outweighed the fact that a lengthy blade was often inferior from a pure fencing perspective.

Darth Vader's lightsaber is an example of a dual-phase lightsaber, as it has buttons on his hilt allowing him to change the blade length. Similarly, in Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Luke Skywalker adjusts the controls of his saber to produce a short, pencil-thin blade which he uses to cut through the bolt of a door lock. Corran Horn, a Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Order, also uses a dual-phase lightsaber, which he created using unwanted gifts from Leonia Tavira. The weapon had only two settings, standard and extended, with no fine control over the lengths of either.

It is possible for dual-phase lightsabers to extend blade length to surprising measurements, possibly two meters, creating a lance-like effect. However, when using such a weapon in the cramped corridors of a starship, the potential of accidentally carving into the hull when deflected, causing explosive decompression, makes such a weapon impractical in those circumstances.

Double-bladed

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Darth Maul dueling Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi with a double-bladed lightsaber.

The double-bladed lightsaber, known also as the saberstaff, the doublesaber, or the Sith lightsaber is a variant in which the handle is about twice the length of a standard lightsaber hilt and has two beam emitters, one at each end. The beams can be activated and deactivated independently, allowing for much versatility. This variant was commonly thought to have been invented by the Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun; however, according to the Tedryn Holocron, Kun assembled his double-bladed lightsaber following instructions from a Sith Holocron possibly prepared by the Jedi Exiles. Kun was able to carefully adjust its length, from half a meter to one and a half meters (1.5 to 5 feet), as well as its intensity, allowing the blades' power to vary from that of a deadly blade to an intangible, harmless beam of light. Asajj Ventress, a fallen Jedi, used two red lightsabers with curved hilts, each similar to Darth Tyranus' (Count Dooku's) lightsaber. They were designed so that she could connect the two ends to form a double-bladed saber, with an "S" shaped hilt.

Besides Exar Kun, notable wielders of this weapon include Bastila Shan, Darth Maul, Zannah (apprentice of Darth Bane), and Asajj Ventress. During the Jedi Civil War, the double-bladed lightsaber was a popular weapon for the Sith followers of Darth Revan and Darth Malak.

Despite the strength of the double-bladed lightsaber, the long size of the handle itself seems to be a weakness in battle against another lightsaber-wielding foe; it was cut in half (although it should be noted that once cut in half at least one of the blades was still functional and took up the role of a normal lightsaber) when Darth Maul used it in the duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. One was also cut in half in the Dark Horse comic book Star Wars: Resurrection, when the resurrected Lord Maul dueled Darth Vader for the apprenticeship of Darth Sidious. Also, the double-bladed lightsaber was used by the Jedi Brutes, blue on both ends, green on both ends, or both, one color on each, in the Revenge of the Sith Video Game.

Electrum

The electrum lightsaber is simply a lightsaber with a hilt forged from electrum. Mace Windu's lightsaber in Episodes II and III is an example; Sidious's lightsaber is also similar. In the Jedi Order, only council members are allowed to have an electrum-covered lightsaber.

Linksaber

Linksabers are constructed from two conjoined lightsabers and are used similarly to nunchaku. They are Asajj Ventress's weapon of choice in the patch for the Xbox version of Star Wars: Battlefront II.

Lightwhip

A lightwhip is a lightsaber crafted out of Kaiburr crystal and Mandalorian iron with the unique ability to flex and move like a leather whip. Unlike a regular lightsaber that utilizes a 'blade' from a highly focused arc of energy, the lightwhip works by sending a highly focused electrical current through metallic strands. This weapon is technically closer to an "electrowhip" but is referred to as lightwhip due to its similarity to a lightsaber blade. One was built by Obi-Wan Kenobi, who designed it from a whip he had seen a bounty hunter use (in the Jedi Apprentice series of Star Wars books). It was used by the Nautolan Jedi Kit Fisto and Obi-Wan during their mission on Ord Cestus. In the PC game Forces of Corruption by Lucasarts entertainment, the Nightsister Silri also carries a lightwhip. The lightwhip makes an appearance in the fourth issue of the Dark Horse graphic novel series Star Wars: Legacy. It is also used by the Sith Lord Darth Maleval,as well as Lumiya, the Dark Lady of the Sith.

Forked lightsaber

Also known as a Y-saber, the forked lightsaber operates like a normal lightsaber but with an additional 4-inch blade protruding from the top of the hilt such that the weapon makes the shape of a Y. It is used by Jedi Master Roblio Darté in the battle of Parcelus Minor.

Hilt styles

As well as there being a variety of lightsaber blade colors, there are also many different styles for the hilt. Jedi must fashion their own sabers so there is no uniform look to the hilt. Jedi students building lightsabers are usually told that their lightsaber should reflect them or what is important to them. Many apprentices will model their lightsabers in a style similar to their master's as a sign of respect. Training sabers are usually of one or two different hilt styles, as evidenced in Attack of the Clones. Some Jedi, when replacing their old lightsaber hilt due to loss, damage, or destruction (i.e. Obi-Wan lost his first lightsaber in his duel with Darth Maul; one of Anakin's lightsabers was chopped in half while he was attempting to free himself from the assembly line in the Droid Foundry on Geonosis), will create an identical one (like Obi-Wan's second saber in Episode II.). Others have many additional unique and interesting styles of lightsaber, such as Count Dooku's curved "pistol grip" lightsaber hilt. Many Jedi will make their own hilt out of various machined or found parts, such as the case of Corran Horn building a lightsaber out of a wrecked speeder bike throttle assembly in I, Jedi. In Young Jedi Knights, Tenel Ka builds hers out of a Rancor tooth (which, incidentally, proved unstable as the lightsaber blew apart at the hilt and resulted in the loss of her hand). At the time of the Old Republic Era, a Wookiee Jedi named Tyvokka was known to carry a uniquely crafted lightsaber with a wooden outer casing.

Use and construction

Forms of lightsaber combat

See also: Lightsaber combat § The seven forms of lightsaber combat

Lightsaber forms are characteristic styles of lightsaber use in battle. Unlike real-world martial arts forms, which are primarily training routines, lightsaber forms are more akin to different theories and methods of fencing. There are seven named forms described so far (although in the video game knights of the old republic II up to 11 forms are mentioned:

• Form I Shii-Cho - The basic and most simplistic form, first form taught to younglings. Known users are The Jedi Exile, Kas'im, Stass Allie, Obi-Wan Kenobi (familiar with basic principles), Kit Fisto, General Grievous, Cin Drallig and Darth Vader (used elements in his personal variation of Form V). Being the first form learned, almost all Jedi and Sith use some aspect of Shii-Cho in their dueling.

• Form II Makashi - Most advantageous in lightsaber against lightsaber dueling. Elegant, effective and deadly. Few Jedi use it because of the relative rarity of this type of combat. Known users are: The Jedi Exile, Kas'im, Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus, Cin Drallig and General Grievous.

• Form III Soresu - Form which strongly emphasizes on defense and blaster fire deflection. Used by Jedi beset by multiple blaster-wielding opponents to defend themselves from incoming fire. Known users are The Jedi Exile, Kai'im, Obi-Wan Kenobi, General Grievous, Darth Vader (used elements of Soresu in his personal variation of Form V), Barriss Offee and Luminara Unduli.

• Form IV Ataru - Acrobatic form, emphasizing agility. This technique mainly involves the Force to perform some of the maneuvers. Relatively aggressive and tends to open defense. Known users are Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar, Vrook Lamar, Kas'im, Master Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Aayla Secura, Quinlan Vos, Cin Drallig, Obi-Wan Kenobi, General Grievous and Alema Rar.

• Form V Shien / Djem So - Takes some of the defensive powers from Form III and channels them to offensive powers. Form V users can use the lightsaber to deflect blaster bolts back at attackers. Known users of Shien are Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar, Vrook Lamar and Khaat Qiyn. Known users of Djem So are: Darth Bane, Aayla Secura and Luke Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, and the Sith Blademaster Kas'im use both variants of this form.

• Form VI Niman - Diplomatic form, used by many Jedi in the period when Chancellor Palpatine was in power. Very well rounded, but does not excel anywhere. Note that all Jedi who practiced Niman in the Battle of Geonosis were killed. Often used as a basis for Jar'Kai. Known users are Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar, Vrook Lamar, Kas'im, General Grievous and Coleman Trebor.

• Form VII Juyo/Vaapad - Dubbed the Way of the Vornskr or The Ferocity Form, Juyo, a term from High Galactic, was originally considered an incomplete form for millennia. Generally viewed as undeveloped and rarely used by the Jedi and the Sith, Juyo was not seen as one of the main forms for generations of Jedi. Jedi Master Mace Windu completed Form VII when he developed the form of lightsaber combat known as Vaapad, named after a creature from Sarapin which moved with incredible speed. It was considered the most powerful form, but because of the intensity involved, it was thought dangerous because it bordered on the Dark Side of the Force. Practitioners of Vaapad included Mace Windu, (creator) Depa Billaba, Sora Bulq (co-creator) and Quinlan Vos (incomplete). Practitioners of standard Juyo include General Grievous, Darth Maul, Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar, Kavar and Kas'im. Count Dooku seemed to know enough of the Juyo form to teach General Grievous and his IG-100 MagnaGuards, so he is a possible Juyo practitioner.

The seven forms are introduced by Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary and Star Wars Insider #62. The names of these forms were written for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which was then adapted and introduced in "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords". It was expanded upon within other Expanded Universe Materials.

According to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, there are eleven forms but a Jedi/Sith can only learn seven of them. This is likely referring to the "Force forms" that you can learn in the game as well.

History

Lightsabers are the principal weapons of the Jedi, but are also used by the Sith. Their use is usually restricted to the Jedi, for several reasons: for non-Jedi, blasters are more effective; it is rare when lightsabers are constructed by someone who is not Force-sensitive. However, lightsabers remain prized by some collectors, and some black market sales do occur.

The Jedi who fought in the First Great Schism of 24,500 BBY wielded non-vibrating swords that pre-dated vibroweapons and the resultant dark Jedi who were exiled from the known galaxy had only these weapons when they found their way to Korriban. In the time around 5000 BBY at the conclusion of Marka Ragnos' reign, with the coming of the Great Hyperspace War, the Sith became exposed to lightsaber technology and adopted it for their own use. Concurrent with the Jedi creating the lightsaber was the Sith creating the Sith sword, which proved effective against lightsabers because of the way its alchemically altered metal refracts a lightsaber’s energy. In the subsequent time leading to and from Exar Kun's Sith War, the dark Jedi who proclaimed themselves Sith, followers of the dark side, came to prefer the lightsaber as their mainstay weapon over the archaic Sith sword.

Lightsaber technology was developed over thousands of years. The first lightsaber models, used thousands of years BBY, had to be connected to an external power source since a power source small enough to fit in a saber's hilt had not yet been discovered. Power sources often consisted of a power pack worn on the back and connected to the lightsaber's hilt by a power cord. Some of these sabers also had flat blades, resembling a broadsword, but these would presumably be useless against blasters. The technology was vastly improved as smaller, lighter power sources were discovered and implemented.

Typically, Jedi are given (training) lightsabers on the first day of training. Jedi Masters emphasize that the lightsaber is a measure of progress for an apprentice because lightsaber techniques take great skill and concentration. To construct his own lightsaber is considered the final test for a Jedi padawan before his Jedi Trials. The construction traditionally takes place in a cave on Ilum, though other circumstances may prevent this, and lightsabers can be crafted anywhere as long as the proper tools and components are present. Some Jedi claim to fall into a meditative trance, where their vision helps determine what the results of their construction are. Others simply follow a more ceremonial approach that fully emphasizes the individual's completeness. Corran Horn described several changes within himself as he crafted his lightsaber, coming to terms with his past, his present, and his future.

Luminara Unduli

The crystal is the heart of the blade.

The heart is the crystal of the Jedi.

The Jedi is the crystal of the Force.

The Force is the blade of the heart.

All are intertwined:

The crystal, The blade, The Jedi.

You are one.

When younglings begin their training at the Jedi Temple, they are issued lightsabers set on a low power setting so as to prevent unnecessary injury or fatality due to awkwardness when first learning how to wield the dangerous weapon. These weapons are not capable of cutting through matter, but will deliver a burn or "stun" sensation nasty enough to make for an effective deterrent. After an initiate has been accepted to train under a master, he or she must construct his or her first lightsaber. Padawans usually base their lightsaber designs on their masters' lightsabers; Obi-Wan Kenobi constructed his lightsaber from The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones with similarities to that of Qui-Gon Jinn and his friend Quinlan Vos. Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back is the lightsaber his father used in Revenge of the Sith. It was taken away from Anakin Skywalker, after his near fatal battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and given to Luke, while Luke's lightsaber from Return of the Jedi closely resembles that of Obi-Wan Kenobi's final lightsaber.

Blade characteristics

In the Expanded Universe, the cutting area of a lightsaber is portrayed as being only a few micrometres wide, with all of the rest being coronal discharge, as is illustrated in "Dark Force Rising".

Non-Force users

Although the lightsaber was used primarily by the Jedi and Sith Force users, several non-Force users were known to have used a lightsaber:

• In the Star Wars: Droids animated series, Thall Joben once used a blue lightsaber, as he explained to his droid C-3PO that he once did some work for someone who owned a speeder but they left the speeder with him and never reclaimed it; the lightsaber was one of the things left in the speeder by the person. It is unknown if this customer of Thall's was actually a Jedi or was simply someone who discovered a deceased Jedi or a Sith and took the lightsaber from them.

• In The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo used Luke Skywalker's (formerly Anakin Skywalker's) lightsaber after he rescued Luke from a snowstorm on Hoth. Solo used the lightsaber to slice open the body of a dead Tauntaun, whose insides he then used to keep Luke warm while he constructed a proper shelter for both of them.
• Mara Jade's lightsaber was also used by Han to chop down Killiks shortly before the Swarm War. When he briefly lost it, Tarfang, an Ewok smuggler, viciously wielded the lightsaber to dice up Killiks to great effect.
• Han Solo used Leia Organa Solo's Lightsaber in Heir to the Empire to cut into a YT-1300 light freighter that was posing as the Millennium Falcon on Bpfassh. He used it again on Bothawui in Specter of the Past from the second floor of a building to cut down a staircase in order to prevent an angry mob from reaching him.
• Anja Gallandro, daughter of the deceased bounty hunter Gallandro, wielded an acid-yellow lightsaber of particularly ancient make in service to the Black Sun figure known as Czethros.
• Darca Nyl, an ex-mercenary, used the green lightsaber of a dead Jedi during his pursuit of Lycan. Though he rarely used it in battle, it often gave him the advantage of being able to pass for a true Jedi. It was destroyed along with Lycan in a trap laid by Darca in a Force-sensitive cave on Molavar.
• Suvam Tan the eccentric Rodian inventor was such a mechanical genius that he managed to construct his own lightsaber from scratch despite not having any Force sensitivity. It is unknown whether Suvam was actually able to use his lightsaber.
• General Grievous is probably the most famous non-Force-sensitive user of lightsabers. He used lightsabers during the Clone Wars, all of which were taken from Jedi he had either killed or defeated in battle, except for Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas' lightsaber, which was a gift from Count Dooku.
• Boba Fett has been shown wielding a lightsaber in the Expanded Universe, most notably against Darth Vader. Vader was so impressed by Fett's skill that Vader then commissioned him to track down Han Solo.
• Jaden Korr constructed a lightsaber before he had any training in the use of the Force; it was never stated how, although he was a very talented and force sensitive individual.
• In the Tapani Sector of the Galaxy, a subculture of saber rakes developed who fought duels with a lightsaber-like weapon called a lightfoil.

Lightsaber effects in the films

A New Hope

For A New Hope, the original film prop hilts were constructed from old camera-flash battery packs and other pieces of hardware. The 'switched-on' sword props were designed with the intention of creating an 'in-camera' glowing effect. The 'blade' was three-sided and coated with a retroreflector array—the same sort used for highway signs. A lamp was positioned to the side of the taking camera and reflected towards the subject through 45-degree angled glass so that the sword would appear to glow from the camera's point-of-view. A motor in the hilt caused the blade to spin so that a reflective surface was always presented directly to the camera. This also created the familiar 'flickering' effect. Ultimately, this process yielded unsatisfactory results and animation was employed to enhance the brightness of the sabers. At this point, the artistic decision was made to assign different colors to the blades.

The Empire Strikes Back

For The Empire Strikes Back, the lightsaber-blade props were simple white rods, and the glow effect was achieved entirely through a special kind of animation called rotoscoping, in which animation is drawn over live footage to maintain precision. In Empire of Dreams on the 2004 DVD release, Mark Hamill originally thought that the sabers would simply be post-production "cartoon" blades, but a real rod was necessary to have something to hit against in knowing where to stop a swinging sword and to let the animators know where to "draw" in the special effect.

Return of the Jedi

For Return of the Jedi, the lightsaber hilts were machined from aluminum. In place of the glowing blade, carbon rods were used as blade reference during fight scenes. In Return of the Jedi, the prop blades' shadows can be seen during the fight sequence between Luke and Vader.

Prequel Trilogy

For The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, the lightsaber props were upgraded to resin "stunt" hilts and aluminum tubes. Early on, the intense activity of recording these scenes revealed powdery flakes of debris against the green/bluescreen backdrops, a dust produced when the stunt blades slammed together. This was corrected by simply wrapping the stunt blades in color-coded construction paper. For the final film of the Star Wars saga, Revenge of the Sith, the aluminum was replaced by a carbon-fiber blend specifically manufactured for the production. These props had to be reinforced because during the early stages of these props' use, they would often snap from the impact when the actors used them to film combat sequences. The filming of one lightsaber sequence, such as the final Obi-wan/Anakin duel on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith, could take several months because each actor had to memorize a complex sequence of 1000+ moves and execute them perfectly. Also in Revenge of the Sith when Anakin and Obi-wan are walking up the stairs to confront Dooku, you can see the shadow of one of their lightsabers on the floor.

Sound

The characteristic sound is added later by the sound effects team, but Ewan McGregor mouthed his own lightsaber noises before being asked to "leave it to the professionals" when filming The Phantom Menace. Liam Neeson and Hayden Christensen did the same. The characteristic lightsaber sound is a combination of a film projector's idling motor and interference caused by a television on an unshielded audio cable.

Visual effect

When the prequel trilogy began filming, George Lucas said that all Jedi would have blue, green, or similarly-colored lightsaber blades, not only to differentiate themselves from the Sith, but also to give them their own visual identity. Whenever there were flashes of blaster fire or explosions around, the color of a Jedi's lightsaber would shine through.

There is a visual inconsistency throughout the Star Wars saga in regard to the light the sabers themselves cast. Light is typically cast across the face of a digital character, such as Yoda in Episodes II and III. When a saber passes by a human figure, there is very little glow cast across the figure or face. An exception is that during the Dooku/Skywalker fight in Attack of the Clones, the actors shot close-ups while holding, essentially, neon tubes colored appropriately for their blades. This was not done to contradict anything previously stated but purely dramatic effect.

Arguably one of the most lusted-after props in film history, various toy replicas have been released, ranging from essentially a flashlight with a plastic tube attached, to accurate copies of the original film props, complete with motion-sensitive sound effects and colored blade. Toy lightsabers are consistently the best-selling of all Star Wars related merchandise.

Creators of fan films have used various techniques for creating the coveted "lightsaber effect," most of which involve programs such as FXhome's EffectsLab (which includes many lightsaber or "lightsword" presets), Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, MainVision, The GIMP, LSMaker, crimsonfx (for Mac), or Blender.

Luke Skywalker's original lightsaber took a six-million mile flight on the space shuttle Discovery and is now on display at the Space Center in Houston. The same exhibit feature other props from the film and includes a full-size X-Wing fighter. The exhibit ran through January 7, 2008.

Lightsabers in popular culture

Luke Skywalker's prop lightsaber flew aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-120 in 2007.

In 2007, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars, the lightsaber prop used by actor Mark Hamill in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi was flown aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-120 to the International Space Station and returned to Earth.

Toy lightsabers powered by a 9-volt battery have been constructed with a plastic electroluminescent lamp constructed with conductive materials zinc sulphide and indium tin oxide, with electrical circuitry screen-printed onto the plastic.

Lightsaber-like devices in other contexts

The compound term "lightsaber" has become a popular but informal Genericized trademark for any science-fiction energy blade or similar device . Originally, Lucas intended the weapon to be referred to as a "laser sword." An allusion to this was made in The Phantom Menace. Here, the young Anakin Skywalker remarks to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, "I saw your laser sword. Only a Jedi carries that kind of weapon." In the directors commentary for Revenge of the Sith Lucas consistently refers to the weapon as a "laser sword," while the rest of those providing commentary call it a "lightsaber."

• The lightsabers are spoofed as the Schwartz Rings in Spaceballs.
• The 1994 Transformers characters called the Laser Rods, a group hot rod cars that turn into sword wielding robots, carry "light sabers" according to their Hasbro biographies. The toys themselves come with clear plastic swords illuminated by a light emitting diode in the base.
• In the 1999 N64 game Super Smash Bros. and its 2001 GameCube sequel Super Smash Bros. Melee, there is a weapon called a "Beamsword" that resembles a lightsaber. In Super Smash Bros. it resembles a red-colored broadsword, and in Melee it's shape is like that of a katana and is purple. It also makes an appearance in the Wii game Super Smash Bros. Brawl with a slightly different appearance, being shaped like a longsword with a blue blade. In the Japanese releases of the game, the beamswords all use a sound effect similar to that of a Star Wars lightsaber, but this has been changed in each American release to avoid legal trouble.
• In the 2006 Massive Multiplayer Xbox 360 and PC game Phantasy Star Universe, the "S" Rank double saber weapon, "Crea Doubles", appears to have similarities to Darth Maul's modified double bladed lightsaber/saberstaff, the only difference being that the ends of the blades are pointed instead of round, and it cannot be deactivated.
• In the Wii video game No More Heroes, the protagonist Travis Touchdown wields a "beam katana" that he won on an Internet auction site.
• In the 1998-Present PC game series StarCraft, Protoss warriors such as Zealots or Dark Templar are armed with either one or two Psi-Blade gauntlets, the shimmering blades of which are very similar to Lightsabers.
• In an episode of the Nickelodeon show, Fairly Odd Parents, Timmy Turner has a dream consisting of movie parodies. One of these has him fighting a Darth Vader-esque character with "Fairy swords," essentially lightsabers, but with a star on their end.
• In the popular Gundam franchise, many Mobile Suits use a "beam saber" as part of their armament (1979).
• In the Mega Man X series of video games, the character Zero uses a sword called the Z-Saber which is a lightsaber . In the original Japanese version of the first game in the series on the SNES, his sword had the lightsaber sound effect. In the American version, it was cut out.
• Episodes of the cartoon series' Animaniacs and Walter Melon (among others) have parodied all aspects of the Star Wars franchise. One episode of the latter series sees "hero for hire" Walter filling in for Luke Skywalker.
• In the video game Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards a combination of two powers produces a weapon that looks like a yellow Double-bladed light saber with pointed ends.
• In the Christian video series Bibleman the titular hero's weapon, The Sword of the Spirit is depicted as a Lightsaber. Actors in the commentaries and interviews on the DVDs even refer to the weapon as a lightsaber.
• Xemnas from the Kingdom Hearts series projects "aerial blades," long rods of red energy, from his hands, which he uses as both blades and projectiles.
• In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon the characters Sektor and Cyrax use weapons called Pulseswords which are similar to lightsabers.
• In one of the episodes from the Naruto anime, a villain called Aoi's weapon is the Sword of Raijin which looks like a lightsaber. In the anime, it also emits a humming sound identical to the humming of a lightsaber.
• In the 1988 Sega Master System game Phantasy Star, you can buy a light saber in the town of Uzo on the planet Motavia.
• In Hajime Kanzaka's series Slayers Gourry Gabriev's Sword of Light. In the anime it flashes and reacts like a lightsaber.
• In Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, the character Shelke Rui wields two "electromagnetic sabers," where their hilts are interconnected by an energy chain.
• In the 2005 movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Trillian uses a miniature lightsaber on-board the Heart of Gold to both slice and toast some bread into a slice of toast.
• In Warriors Orochi: Rebirth of the Demon Lord, the Heian period warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune uses a weapon similar to a Lightsaber.
• In Disgaea one of the sword types was a lightsaber which had different rarities, each of the three having a different color.
• In the PC RPG Sacred, a Lightsaber is a weapon that is rewarded from a Seraphim-only questline. The sword looks nearly identical to Luke Skywalker's original Lightsaber.

See also

• Lightsaber combat

External links

• Lightsaber entry in the Star Wars Databank
• Lightsaber on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
• Sith lightsaber entry in the Star Wars Databank
• Sith lightsaber on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
• Bob Brown's How They Work Speculation of lightsaber operation.
• Lightsaber: Darth Vader on the MPP Microflash
• Lucas' Light Saber Battle, (26 July 2001, E! Online) George Lucas suing Minrad Inc. over copyright of Light Saber name on their laser medical equipment
• "Origins of the lightsaber." - (Theories on the origin of this sword.)
• "Science behind creating real light sabers."
• "Howstuffworks - Inside the Lightsaber"
• Lightsaber Creator - (Two of his original designs have been used in the expanded universe.)