Ever since the first film hit our screens, the Star Wars franchise has continued to bless fans with epic storytelling, memorable characters, weapons, and iconic lightsaber duels. These lightsaber duels are some of the most debated parts of the franchise, with many fans looking to recreate and take part in the thrill of wielding a lightsaber.
But how realistic can real-life lightsaber dueling get? Keep reading to find out.
The Relationship Between Star Wars Lightsaber Dueling and Martial Arts
For lightsaber enthusiasts looking to fully immerse themselves in an organized, real-world athletic discipline that is centered around lightsaber combat, having a decent understanding of the relationship between martial arts traditions and the Star Wars canon is important.
Right from the very beginning, the Star Wars films and, by extension, lightsaber combat has been hugely influenced by traditional martial arts. Much of this has to do with its creator’s (George Lucas) fascination with movies set in 16th-century Japan; thus, samurai culture had a formative impact on the development of the way lightsaber battles came to be formalized in the Star Wars universe.
In the Star Wars universe, most lightsaber combat and sparring forms are hugely inspired by a Japanese martial art form known as Kendo. This form of martial art revolves around sword fighting (Obi-Wan Kenobi’s famous duel with Darth Vader shows this fighting style).
With real-life Kendo practitioners, training is usually done with wooden swords or bamboo (which kind of looks like lightsabers), and as such, the devotees of this form of martial art can transfer their expertise into lightsaber duels. As a matter of fact, practitioners of Kendo and other related forms of martial arts can really hone their skills and take lightsaber dueling to another level.
How Real Is Lightsaber Dueling?
As a Star Wars fan who is drawn to the artistry and traditions of martial arts and lightsaber combat, the closest you’re going to get to experience the thrill you see on the big screen is dueling with replica lightsabers. These replica sabers allow you to recreate and simulate epic battle scenes from the movies, and with the high-end battle-ready replicas that you can find in stores like Padawan Outpost, these duels are made very immersive and realistic.
Some of the amazing features of combat-ready replica lightsabers that make lightsaber dueling highly realistic include;
Blade Lights
One of the things that make lightsaber duels so animated and captivating is the visual effects – the blade lights up and produces visible sparks clashing with another blade. Quality blade lights are one of the many features that come with combat-ready replica lightsabers. To ensure that you get the best out of your dueling, ensure to go for a replica that has its LED strip built in-hilt as they are much less likely to get damaged during combat.
RGB color-changing is another important feature of combat-ready replica lightsabers. This feature allows for a smooth transition between different colors during battle, which can really set the tone and make dueling more realistic.
Quality Hilts and Blades
The hilts and blades of combat-ready replica lightsabers are usually made from high-quality materials that are able to withstand the intense conditions of lightsaber dueling. The hilts are usually metal, with more than two retention screws. As for the blades, the material of choice is usually heavy-grade polycarbonate which is very durable and won’t scratch or shatter easily.
Motion-Sensitive Sound Effects
In addition to visual effects, combat-ready replica lightsabers typically come equipped with a good-
quality soundboard that features an array of movie-
accurate sound effects to accompany the hum of the projector motor.The humming and sparkling sounds that the sabers make on swinging and striking further add to the thrill of lightsaber dueling.
Power Saving Abilities
As expected,
the electronics of a combat-ready replica lightsaber will only work if there is an energy source to power it. This power source is usually AA batteries or Li-ion batteries. A good quality replica will also come with good power saving.
Conclusion
Lightsaber dueling is a fun way for fans of Star Wars and martial arts enthusiasts to recreate famous duels and battle scenes from the franchise.The level of authenticity and realism of these duels, however, differs depending on the martial art skills and the type (and quality) of the lightsaber that is being used.
To make lightsaber dueling more immersive and realistic,
good quality combat-ready replica lightsabers that come equipped with all the necessary features (strong hilt & blade, blade lights, RGB color changing, sound effects, and power-saving abilities) should be used.