Everyone wants a ‘real’ lightsaber, right? There have been so many different videos on how to make a real-life lightsaber that one can hardly type the words in a google search without dozens of articles coming up about how it’s impractical, dangerous, or has been done in a certain way that’s impressive but not nearly the same as the movie. There have been lightsabers that are actually super-hot torches that are used to cut through steel, and lightsabers that are rods that are super-heated and can also melt through solid objects. As of yet though there is no ‘real’ lightsaber that can perform as those in the movies do, but there are plenty of lightsabers that have been constructed that are pretty impressive. The actual blade works on the same concept as a tape measure since at the flick of a button the blade will extend and light up, creating the neat illusion that one is holding an actual lightsaber in their hand. It won’t cut or burn a person or even singe clothing, but the effect is still pretty cool since it’s a new design and something that’s far beyond the telescopic toys that are sold in so many stores. One can only imagine what this beauty would cost though, especially since it would appear that it’s going to be featured as part of the experience that people can purchase once 2022 comes around. In other words, it is a privilege that a person can manage to purchase if they’re able to get to Disney World and pay for the Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser attraction that is bound to draw a lot of people in within the coming year. As for the lightsaber, if one has the type of ingenuity that’s required and can find the necessary components then it’s very likely that a person could make their own for a lot cheaper than this thing is going to cost.
Normally I wouldn’t be so cynical of anything that has to do with Star Wars since all of it is supposed to be fun and engaging for everyone that wants to take part in the franchise in whatever way they can. But the fact is that the franchise has grown in a number of ways that are positive, but also in some that are less than desired. It’s pretty pointless to say that those who can afford the best that the franchise has to offer are going to be given an unfair advantage over those that can’t since being a fan isn’t about what a person can afford, it’s about how they enjoy the story. The ‘real’ lightsaber though is another gimmick to make yet another huge chunk of change that is becoming a little tiresome even if it is kind of cool. The upside of this however is that it’s fun for kids and it’s a different way to design a lightsaber so it’s not really worth going into the downsides. A lightsaber isn’t bound to be turned into something real in our lifetime or even that of our kids unless a planet is found that contains special crystals, and of course, if people suddenly learn how to harness the Force as Jedi and Sith do.
That’s the real kicker when it comes to a lightsaber since even if they were real, killing columns of light that could melt through steel and decimate an opponent, lightsabers wouldn’t be able to be marketed as toys since they’d likely be kept for military applications and possibly for training elite soldiers. The only problem there is that a lightsaber is a different kind of weapon altogether and couldn’t be treated like a regular blade. There’s also the idea that it would only ever be a backup weapon since it’s simply too dangerous and in some ways too pointless to employ as a main weapon in the current era since a sniper rifle or even a handgun could probably render a lightsaber useless given that the sabers are seen to deflect energy bolts in Star Wars, but while they can possibly stop a bullet, it’s pretty certain that without the Force that a person holding onto a real saber in the real world wouldn’t be able to react quickly enough to make it useful. So to be fair, this new ‘real’ lightsaber is impressive in appearance but the marketing gimmick of a ‘real’ lightsaber is something that Disney needs to stop pushing in their marketing campaign, especially since some folks will actually take this as the real deal and be highly disappointed. The ‘new and improved’ or ‘realistic’ labels might actually be better simply because they don’t push the boundary that some people cross over too easily when it comes to their expectations. It’s silly to even talk about really, but it’s also a little more responsible to call something what it is.
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