G33K LYFE: In defense of the new lightsaber

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES
Kylo Ren wields the much talked about lightsaber that launched a large debate.

Last November, the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens made its long-awaited debut. It promptly shattered the Internet, racking up over 58 million YouTube views within a week. It generated an unprecedented amount of Internet buzz and discussion, as is befitting for the return of the broth in the primordial soup of science fiction.

Website comment sections, Internet forums and any other virtual platform for nerdy discussion immediately began dissecting every scene of the 80 seconds that members were privy to. They gushed over the new X-wings, celebrated the return of the Millennium Falcon and marveled at just how much the trailer seemed to capture the spirit of what has made the series great all these years.

There was one scene in the trailer – about five seconds long – following a tall hooded male by the name of Kylo Ren in a snowy forest. He pulls out that familiar handle and ignites a lightsaber, only this one had two smaller blades, running perpendicular to the main one to form a cross guard.

This lightsaber’s design seemed to spark a sea of outrage and debate, with many under the impression that it was a terrible idea. There were three primary reasons: the belief that the extra blades would be sliced off; there seemed to be no reason for the change, and people believed it was merely cosmetic; and that the wielder would injure himself with two extra potential stabbing points.

On the other hand, you had Star Wars fans like me who think that these arguments are dumb and that the new lightsaber is in fact awesome. So here I am, armed with a childhood love of the franchise and the horrifying in-depth online Wookiepedia, to counterpoint the three most common arguments.

First, let’s get the easy one – that the cross guard will injure the one wielding it – out of the way. Anybody with a basic knowledge of Star Wars can tell you that not any schmuck in the galaxy has a lightsaber. They are solely weapons of the Jedi and the Sith, who possess reflexes far above any other member of their species. Looking back to Episode I, Darth Maul was able to use a double-bladed weapon to deadly effect without ever appearing at risk to himself, and his blade had far more potential for self-harm and functionally. It serves to prevent yet another lost hand in a Star Wars movie. It’s safe to assume that Kylo Ren will possess training at least on par with his, so the thought that two small extra blades pose a risk is laughable.

Secondly, let’s talk about why it could look so different, although I fully admit that I’m just speculating as we have little to no information regarding the plot of the film, but I do have a theory at least. The first thought is that this broadsword style lightsaber is the natural evolution of what we have seen before. We know that the new movie takes place 30 years after the end of Return of the Jedi and that Luke Skywalker has been advancing the Jedi order in some fashion. So, it is possible that this is simply how lightsabers are designed three decades later. Conversely, it could also be an old design, something that this new antagonist has found. It’s safe to say he is a Sith, but with the order destroyed, he may have turned to highly ancient teachings to build his weapon. Additionally, lightsabers have come in many shapes outside of the films, including whips, short swords and tonfas. So a broadsword is hardly a stretch of belief.

Finally, let’s talk durability. The cross guard is formed out of two small emitters on the side, which look like they could be sliced off, rendering it useless. This is actually a valid point, but what if they were constructed out of something lightsaber resistant? Does that exist? Turns out it’s actually not that rare. Several metals, some animal hides and certain other elements can all resist the blade, so if the cross guard were to be constructed or plated in any of those, than the final concern would be rendered moot.

Frankly, I’m surprised there was any concern at all. Any nerd should think that a broadsword lightsaber is the epitome of badass, and personally I can’t wait to see it in action.