Lightsabers--- Fact and Fiction

[Leda EmBorr]

One of the most important things to remember as you read and post on this board, whether you are asking or advising, is that the topic of "lightsaber fighting" is multifaceted, and what defines it for one, may be very different from what defines it for someone else.

There are different ways to approach it. One way is to discuss it from the fantastical point of view, as the fictional weapon that it is in the Star Wars universe. Another way is to investigate the realities of how such a fictional weapon came to be. Where did the idea come from? How did the actors learn to make their scene look real? What type of training was involved? What stunts did they (or their doubles) have to perform?

Some of us are writers, or gamers, and want to know all the details of the fictional "Seven Forms", as written in an article in Insider Magazine, and in The Visual Dictionaries, to better their stories.

Others have lightsabers they would like to know how to pose with, or to swing around in a dark room for a cool effect, never intending to contact another blade.

And others would like to learn some basic moves to perform a great looking fight scene, either for fun with a partner, or for stage or video. They want to learn how the pros do it... how a duel is choreographed and rehersed.



For starters, here is what Wikipidia has to say about the nature of Lightsabers:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightsaber

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightsaber_combat


Let's have fun with this, shall we?

[Qui-Kel Jinn]

Very Good Stuff Master Leda

[Larwi B'nu]

I just recently logged onto Wookiepedia and discovered the Seven Styles of Lightsaber Combat. Cool! I was also impressed w/ the introductory video for Ultrasabers @ their web site (though the techno remix of the Imperial March was distracting if very well done). Delving further into the realm of my month-long crash course on Star Wars ("I, Jedi" rocks!), I've seen the videos posted from the NYJedi.

The one thing we have in the Mundane world over the Fantasy realm is the difficulty of lightsaber combat that we do not have to overcome...physics. Reading "I, Jedi," I've finally stumble upon something I never thought of before, and I was surprised no one made a big deal out of this before, but...all of the weight of the weapon is in the hilt! With traditional swordplay, you have the weight of the blade to take into account and counterbalance. But w/ the lightsaber, there is no balancing b/c all of the weight is in the hilt. It could make it especially difficult b/c one wrong move - I'm sure one would tend to forget the blade was there if one was not careful and worrying too much about the balance of the hilt - could cost you an arm and a leg...literally! Now, on the other hand, here in Mundania, we don't have that problem, for our 'sabers are nicely, if unevenly, balanced by their blades (while attached, of course).

Interesting...very interesting....

[Leda EmBorr]

Isn't it, though!

Have you ever tried to move with just the hilt? Tried to twirl it as though a blade were there? (Yeah, I'm a geek, I've tried it.) It's strange. But what would a blade of light feel like? Would it have some sort of magnetic pull?

Ah, I know... a Jedi would feel the blade length through the Force.

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

lightsabers are supposed to have a gyroscopic effect when in use. That would give feedback to the Jedi who was trying to control the blade while in use. The blade would want to do its own thing and require wrist strength to control its movements.
That would allow for a measure of control......ever hold one of those guroscopic wrist balls? they spin and torque while you are holding them and can be a bit difficult to hold steady. That is what I imagine a lightsaber would be like. IF a JEdi had to focus on that while using the blade it might be enough feedback.......

[Leda EmBorr]

That's a good description. I can imagine that.

[Primrodo]

Personally, alot of the EU description and ideas about the lightsaber seem a little far fetched...Even my talks with Gillard showed that he felt the same way.

Firstly, the Lightsabers since the start have had mass in the blades, and they cast shadows, showing mass. Visual Faux Pauxs aside, they never took them out of ROTS

The way they swing the lightsabers, and the way they strike with them show that they have mass...LIGHTsaber is a misleading name if anything, since light cannot end, only emit.

The evidence in the movies show the massless blades to be false

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

true.
however the mass of an energy blade composed of plasma or other discussed quanta would be quite negligible as compared to the hilt. At least as I understand it.

[JediKai]

My head's going to explode. Where's our resident physicist? Oh, Ani.....(Ani-Chay Pinn really is a physicist!)

[Leda EmBorr]

primrodo said:

Personally, alot of the EU description and ideas about the lightsaber seem a little far fetched...Even my talks with Gillard showed that he felt the same way.

Firstly, the Lightsabers since the start have had mass in the blades, and they cast shadows, showing mass. Visual Faux Pauxs aside, they never took them out of ROTS

The way they swing the lightsabers, and the way they strike with them show that they have mass...LIGHTsaber is a misleading name if anything, since light cannot end, only emit.

The evidence in the movies show the massless blades to be false

However, what can be concieved in the mind's eye, cannot alwyays be conveyed on screen. Fantasy prevails, and should not be confused with reality in an art such as that of the blade.

[Primrodo]

Ah yes, but where has Lucas himself said they have no mass...

In Empire he specifically told Hamil to swing the lightsaber like it was a broadsword...broadswords are heavy, and obviously the hilt i light on the belt, but when the blade pops out its heavy for Luke

Mass

[Starkindler (The Naked Jedi)]

I believe in the extras of the dvd set Lucas spoke about the blades having immense energy and that all that energy being cycled created the gyroscopic effect and made the activated saber tough to handle.

[Leda EmBorr]

primrodo said:

Personally, alot of the EU description and ideas about the lightsaber seem a little far fetched...Even my talks with Gillard showed that he felt the same way.

Gillard said in a presentation at CIII that he wasn't familiar with the 7 forms of lightsaber fighting. Someone asked if he used them while choreographing for the movies, and his reaction was "Um, I don't know what those are."

[Leda EmBorr]

starkindler said:

I believe in the extras of the dvd set Lucas spoke about the blades having immense energy and that all that energy being cycled created the gyroscopic effect and made the activated saber tough to handle.

I imagine it to be like instant kickback. You activate the blade and it has a life of it's own. Like power tools... a chainsaw, a drill, a jackhammer... it takes skill to control it.

[Tenric Starkindler]

ledaemborr said:

primrodo said:

Personally, alot of the EU description and ideas about the lightsaber seem a little far fetched...Even my talks with Gillard showed that he felt the same way.

Gillard said in a presentation at CIII that he wasn't familiar with the 7 forms of lightsaber fighting. Someone asked if he used them while choreographing for the movies, and his reaction was "Um, I don't know what those are."

I THINK the 7 forms came from/comes from one of the video games..............never mentioned directly in the movies to my recollection. Likely an after thought of GL like so much else.