Related
When range the most iconic cinematic arm of all time , the lightsabers project in theStar Warsfranchise arguably deserve the top dapple . Ever since they first appeared in 1977’sEpisode IV : A New Hope , these hi - technical school blades – which paradoxically carry off to harken back to a more romanticistic era – have catch audience imaginations .
The motion picture magic creditworthy for the lightsaber has evolved well since it first debut on cover . Where once the distinctive , colored glow of the laser sword was realized with painstaking , manually rotoscoped animation , this process is now achieved relatively simply via digital issue .
Likewise , the choreography used in the thrilling lightsaber duels that have become a signature component of theStar Warsseries has also grown more sophisticated over clip . Yet the overall flavor and strait of the lightsabers has finally changed very little over the preceding 41 years – a testament to the brave out prayer ofStar Warscreator George Lucas ’ initial concept .
As you might expect from a prop that can lay claim to four whole decades of filmmaking chronicle , the lightsaber boasts a regular treasure trove of behind - the - vista trivia .
With this in mind , we ’ve comb out through all the useable factoids to bring you our top20 Crazy Behind - The - Scenes Facts About Lightsabers .
20. The First Lightsaber Props Were Incredibly Fragile
Within theStar Warsuniverse , the lightsaber is renowned for its ability to abbreviate through almost anything . Indeed , in the hand of a heroic Jedi Knight or a nefarious Sith Lord , the lightsaber is efficaciously the ultimate weapon , open of deflecting blaster firing , and – just as importantly – obstruct another lightsaber .
queerly enough , the real - world lightsaber prop used on the firstStar Warsfilm actually come up embarrassingly brusk in this last regard . That ’s right : the original blade used inA New Hopewere so fragile , that they almost always broke when they came into liaison with each other .
Given that Alec Guinness ’ wise mentor Obi - Wan Kenobi demand to face off against David Prowse ’s dastardly Darth Vader , this obviously show a problem for stunt coordinator Peter Diamond . After all , how could he choreograph a tense duel to the death , when the scrapper could n’t even bang their lightsaber airplane propeller together ? The solvent Diamond devised was to have Guinness and Prowse stop their sword strokes short , so that the pole never made contact .
When seen on - silver screen , the close proximity of the lightsaber “ brand ” – coupled with ocular gist embroidery – mean that audiences never suspected the visual trickery that had been devote . For sequelsThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi , sturdy carbon character props would be constructed , but even these still had a thwarting trend to break unexpectedly !
18. Lightsaber Training For The Force Awakens Took Three Months
The Force Awakens , the first instalment in the recent trilogy of sequelStar Warsfilms , contains less lightsaber action than the other installments in the saga . Nevertheless , stars Daisy Ridley , John Boyega , and Adam Driver still undergo an intensive three month course to see their duelling skills were up to cancel .
In contrast to the elaborate , moderately stylized choreography seen in the prequels , manager JJ Abrams pushed for a more primal shape of swordplay nearer to that of the original trilogy . At the same time , all the characters – Rey , Finn , and Kylo Ren – had at least some combat experience , and this postulate to be reflected in their lightsaber fighting styles .
Even though the leash of player all train for 12 weeks – starting out with bamboo swords , before move on to right lightsaber airscrew – the techniques they learned were very different .
As Rey is someone more well-heeled with a quarterstaff , Ridley ’s bod is noticeably the least urbane on display .
On the other hand , Boyega ’s Finn – as a extremely civilise former First Order stormtrooper – showcases a greater degree of casualness with lightsaber - style armed combat . Then there ’s Kylo Ren , who – by virtue of having really been train in lightsaber duel – is the most technically practiced fighter in the picture show , as evidenced by the flourish that emphasise his brand stroke .
19. Ewan McGregor And Samuel L. Jackson Kept Their Lightsabers
What ’s the level of play a Jedi Knight on projection screen and not getting to keep your lightsaber after ? This was understandably the logic employed by actors Ewan McGregor and Samuel K. Jackson , who have both revealed they kept the props they wielded as Obi - Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu in theStar Warsprequels .
In Jackson ’s pillow slip , it appears that that Academy Award - nominated superstar was endue his lightsaber hilt by the props department ( which they labelled with “ BMF ” , a nod to his role inPulp Fiction ) . Certainly , Jackson has made no suggestion that there was anything that would have infract the moral codes of the Jedi Order occupy how this priceless artefact came into his possession .
McGregor is a whole other tale , however . concord to the Scottish thespian , his lightsaber was bestowed upon him – again , good manners of the lovely folks in the props department – in a somewhat less “ prescribed ” capacity .
Now , McGregor is cognise for his signified of humor , so it ’s entirely potential he was only joking when he suggested that he in effect steal his lightsaber prop . This seems more than likely , pay other cast fellow member – including Liam Neeson , who portrayed Qui - Gon Jinn inThe Phantom Menace – also mentioned receiving their lightsabers as a farewell gift .
17. The Actors Struggled Not To Make Their Own Lightsaber Sounds
When the first lightsaber props were created forA New Hope , nobody – not evenStar Warscreator George Lucas – knew exactly what they would fathom like . It was n’t until phone designer Ben Burtt created their now - unmistakable stochasticity that it became inseparable from the ancient weapon ’s equally recognisable esthetic .
For this reason , there was very little risk of star like Mark Hamill or Alec Guinness simulating the lightsaber sound effect on - set ( and let ’s be honest : there was never any danger where Guinness was concerned ) . Even by the time television camera vagabond onThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi , none of the actors or stunt performer found themselves humming lightsaber disturbance during filming .
Fast forward 14 years to 1997 , when blast commenced onThe Phantom Menace , and things had most definitely changed .
Unlike their precursor , cast penis Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor found themselves accidentally making the lightsaber ’s by - now trademark noise orally - until they were asked to stop !
Neeson and McGregor were n’t the only newStar Warsrecruits to pamper their inner sound railroad engineer , either . Hayden Christensen – who stepped into the role of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader – similarly struggled not to bring forth lightsaber sound effects when swinging his prop inAttack of the ClonesandRevenge of the Sith .
16. Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber LooksLike That For A Reason
When fan first glimpsed Kylo Ren ’s lightsaber in the puzzler poke forThe Force Awakens , the reaction to its design – which featured a crossguard – was mixed , to say the least . Although some watcher were connive by this new tailspin on an iconic weapon , others fence the placement of the additional “ quillon ” blades seemed probable to cause unintentional self - injury !
Luckily enough for audiences ( not to name Kylo Ren ’s extremities ) , the crossguard lightsaber ultimately try as effective – and safe to utilise – as its more traditional opposite number . Even well , its three unique , jagged - border blades made for an stunning visual when project in motion .
There was more behind the revamp lightsaber construct than simple design and ocular entreaty , however . allot to concept designer Doug Chiang , Kylo ’s claymore mine - like laser brand was mean to evoke weapons used by the “ black horse ” archetype from medieval traditional knowledge .
This in turn would serve as ocular shorthand , to apace establish Ren as the obvious heir to former franchise braggart bad ( and bleak knight ) Darth Vader in the minds of audiences . Chiang was so impressed with how effectively the crossguard lightsaber construct communicated this melodic theme that he freely admits the practicality of its blank - spicy quillons instantly became an second thought .
15. The Official Backstory Of Darth Vader’s Lightsaber Changed
When Disney acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012 and foretell it would be continuing theStar Warssaga , the response from fans was more often than not enthusiastic . However , this excitement cool fairly follow the subsequent news that decades of spread out universe continuity would be erased from the dealership ’s canyon as a solution .
Although most followers of the series accept this as a necessary step which allowed film maker to tell newfangled stories unburden by the case elaborated in countless novels , video secret plan , and TV show , a respectable detail were vocally miffed .
These fan protest that they had spent long time investing in the rich account of theStar Warsuniverse not seen on motion-picture show , and felt cheat on when their favorite adventures were classify to “ Legends ” status . Despite this outcry , Lucasfilm pressed in front with its decision to pass over the slate clean disregardless , with much of the saga ’s official backstory erased – only to be steadily replaced since .
This run to the canonic origin of Darth Vader ’s lightsaber , which undergo a radical re - imagining first in the novelAsoka , and then more fully in theDarth Vadercomic ledger series .
It ’s discover that the Sith Lord steal his lightsaber from a fallen Jedi , before extracting and tainting its kyber crystal through a morose side ritual .
He then encased the now rake - red treasure within a hilt he had crafted himself , which – as a darker version of the weapon he had carry as Anakin Skywalker – well suited his fighting style .
14. Ray Park Helped Design Darth Maul’s Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Although the double - bladed lightsaber first made its dramatic entry on the big screen inThe Phantom Menace , the weapon was n’t in reality new to theStar Warscanon . As buff of theTales of the Jedicomic ledger serial publication – congeal thousands of years before the movies – will already be intimate , this dual - edged implement was dreamt up much originally .
For fans of the dealership unfamiliar with its expanded world , this was the first time they had ever position eyes on the weapon . As wield by actor and stuntman Ray Park – who bought the demonic Darth Maul to life – the double - bladed lightsaber was a sight to behold , particularly given Park ’s predilection for dramatically twirl it .
This meant that the soldierlike artist would have involve to take for it with his hands and radiocarpal joint very close together – crap even normal steel strokes hard , let alone anything more flashy ! Park raised his concern with the construct creative person and props team members involved , and the arm ’s design was tweaked to include a hilt that was now doubly as recollective .
13. Almost Everybody Had Lightsabers In Early Drafts Of A New Hope
The handwriting for what ultimately becameStar Wars – Episode IV : A New Hopeunderwent large revisions prior to principal picture taking get in 1976 . Virtually everything ( and we really do think everything ) changed over the path of the four draft compose by serial creator George Lucas – and this included the lightsaber .
Not only was the iconic weapon know by a different name : “ lazersword ” – a variant of which would later crop up occasionally in theStar Warsmythos – but its enjoyment was far more widespread throughout Lucas ’ fictional universe .
Whereas in the final screenplay , the lightsaber is place as an ancient weapon used only by mystical Jedi Knights and Sith Lords , as ab initio conceived , pretty much everybody had one .
We ’re not kidding : in the first few conscription , most Rebel soldiers and Imperial stormtroopers sported a lightsaber snip to their belts !
Fortunately , Lucas sagely discarded this notion midway through the committal to writing process , opt to make lightsabers a far less humdrum item in his galaxy far , far away . By doing so , he was able to re - cast the lightsaber as “ an refined weapon system , for a more civilized age , ” transforming it into a symbol of the near - extinct , noble Jedi Knights and the enlightened Republic they once protect .
12. The Lightsabers Used In The Phantom Menace Were Shrink-Wrapped
We ’ve already covered how delicate the lightsaber property used in the yield of the originalStar Warstrilogy were , but in fairness , those used on the prequel trilogy were n’t a whole flock better . This was n’t for want of trying , though : the props department swapped out the carbon copy fiber pole used previously with sword and aluminium upgrade .
confessedly , these newfangled lightsaber “ blades ” did n’t snatch up in half like their retro predecessors , but they did have a tendency to bend out of bod after intemperate purpose . Despite being technically more lasting , the updated props still required constant replacement .
Worse , during the filming ofThe Phantom Menace , stunt coordinator and swordmaster Nick Gillard noticed that when the props came into contact with each other , they gave off belittled particles of debris . To obviate a potential wellness and guard matter – without consume to whole scrap the picture ’s existing inventory of lightsabers – the rod were coated with shrink - wrap .
You might cerebrate that these faulty props would have been retire whenAttack of the Clonesrolled around , but a better alternative was n’t available . It was n’t untilRevenge of the Siththat the psychiatrist - wrapped lightsabers would be superseded by non - bendy , non - flaky C vulcanized fiber rods – this prison term laminate with deoxyephedrine and charge plate .
Yet eventheselightsabers were n’t all without a downside : unlike the earlier , flimsier property , these bad boys were equal to of dishing out awful bruises – and even left scars !
10. Mace Windu’s Purple Lightsaber Blade Was A Favor To Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson ’s favorite colour is purple – so much so that the player frequently requests that the characters he plays somehow incorporate violet hues into their costume or related to props . It was no different when it add up time for Jackson to ultimately light Mace Windu ’s lightsaber on - blind inAttack of the Clones . He asked George Lucas to make the blade purpleness .
Interestingly , Lucas play coy when Jackson first made his request – promising the star only that he “ might ” get a purple lightsaber .
The reason why the conductor did n’t give Jackson ’s want on the spot was unproblematic : until that period , the canyon lightsaber blade color were blue , green , and red .
indisputable , the expanded universe of novel , comic book , and television secret plan had already preface a regular rainbow of lightsaber variants beyond the primary people of colour spectrum preferred by Lucas . However , so far as theStar Warsmovies – which plant the final word on enfranchisement continuity – were concerned , these hues did n’t really exist .
In the end , though , Lucas relented , and when Master Windu made his blade - swinging debut , he did so with a purple - bladed lightsaber in handwriting . There ’s an impart bonus , too : in the film ’s climactic – and crowded – fight vista , Jackson was easier to descry , owing to his sabre ’s unequalled tinge .
