Film fans worldwide have seen the most amazing special effects, fight scenes, out-of-this-world costumes and unimaginable weapons. These are some ingredients that make a movie unforgettable.
If you’re a science fiction fan, you’ve probably heard of Star Wars and the primary weapon Jedi and Sith masters use – lightsabers.
Pop culture has never been the same, thanks to George Lucas. But with so many weapons onscreen, why is the lightsaber the most memorable?
The Lightsaber Up Close
Blasters and Chewie’s Bowcaster surely stand out, but the lightsaber isn’t your run-of-the-mill Star Wars weapon. In its time, it was a genuinely out-of-this-world concept you’d expect to come from the future.
The lightsaber is a sword with a blade made of plasma with cutting, melting and burning and cauterising capabilities. Another lightsaber can deflect another lightsaber and blasters. The Jedi Order, the Sith and the Knights of Ren use lightsabers.
To complement its appearance, it makes a unique sound that changes in pitch as the wielder moves it across the air and produces a crackle at every strike. Lightsabers also contain energy crystals, although some use specific crystals attuned to the Force.
In its time, there was nothing quite like the lightsaber. Combined with excellently choreographed fighting scenes, the lightsaber is something many can only dream of and has lasted decades since its debut on the big screen.
It’s the flagship of Star Wars merchandising, with many others trying to replicate it as close as possible to how they perceive it after watching the film.
Lightsaber Shop
Retailers like Galaxy Sabers sell high quality lightsabers online that are duel ready, meaning you can re-enact Star Wars battles with your friends at home.
Hobby shops, movie specialty stores and some of the biggest toy companies carry their line of collectibles. You won’t be wrong in thinking that some of the manufacturers or creators are Star Wars fans themselves.
What Do The Colors Mean?
Duelling lightsabers are fashioned both for defence and combat, but they vary in colours and have corresponding meanings. Different types of crystals power these weapons, with the Kyber crystal being the most well-known for being Force-attuned.
The colours of the blade vary depending on who wields it. In general, the Jedi use blue plasma blades. The blue-coloured plasma was associated with justice, serenity and truth – values that the Jedi represent.
The Sith use red plasma blades, but pretty much anyone on the Dark Side use red lightsabers. The red plasma symbolises determination, anger and strength.
But throughout the films, other Jedi knights have used different colours of lightsaber blades, such as purple, which symbolises nobility, wisdom and royalty. The others used yellow, which signifies hope and goodness.
Why Is The Lightsaber Popular?
The lightsaber could be the most iconic aspect of the franchise, along with its iconic duels. Lightsaber wielders needed rigorous training and skill to master the weapon. There are standard lightsabers available for use with other characters.
Then there are the lightsabers that the Jedi Order uses. The duelling scenes are perhaps some of the most exciting parts of the film since they incorporate the use of Force with them.
The Star Wars franchise is around 40 years old, followed by sequels and spin-offs. Kids in almost every generation know about the film through their parents.
Star Wars has a cult following enjoyed by various age groups, and within those groups are those who find the lightsaber extremely cool even in this day and age.
The lightsaber still breaks the barriers between fantasy and reality and is still one of the strongest symbols of hope and goodness against evil.
Inspired by Star Wars, countless children of different generations played with their friends and re-enacted the fighting scenes that gave them so much inspiration.
In the middle is the lightsaber, created through boundless imagination and creativity. And through the years, it continues to symbolise power and limitless potential even as those children grow up.
With a few more films that followed the original one, the love for Star Wars and the lightsaber only seems to grow from one generation to the next.
In Conclusion
The lightsaber will always have a place in pop culture, thanks to the Star Wars franchise. But even on its own, the lightsaber remains a true marvel, a lovechild of technology and pure imagination.
Even though the Star Wars film is decades old, the story continues with every generation, spawning more followers and starry-eyed fans of the lightsaber.
Images: Darth Vadar with Lightsaber (supplied) | Lightsaber from Galaxy Sabers (supplied)