Can a lightsaber cut through adamantium??

[the-kitchen-slayer]

PS acording to the Marvel wikia you CAN melt adamantium at high tempratures so a light saber can slice through adamantium (asuming the saber uses high tempratures to slice through objects) further more acording to the wikia adamantium got damaged meaning that a light saber can indeed damage adamantium (here is the link to the wikia: http://marvel.wikia.com/Adamantium)

Sheesh, three posts in a matter of minutes, why do i notice this stuff...

I'm fairly certain there would be another way to damage Adamantium that I'm not sure they've encountered in the Marvel universe yet with Wolverine, something that a Lightsaber could be as well as far as we know: Mono-molecular weaponry. Because that stuff pretty much acts like a lightsaber in the fact that it can cut through virtually anything.

Pretty hard to stop a whip that's only a molecule thick, or prevent a sword with a molecule-wide edge from chopping you into turducken

if a light saber would act like a mono-molecular weapon it would also mean it would cut through other light saber,s

Was just the random speculations of a 6:00 am post running on 4 hours sleep. More a thought than anything to be honest. And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure how two mono-molecular weapons would react if they collided. Also makes you wonder how Vibro-weapons react when they collide...

 

[sapphireofthesea]

However, it's not as though the lightsabre can only cut through things that melt. It's cut through many things that didn't melt, like solid bone.

*sigh* Lightsabers "cut" things by rapidly melting them. Like a plasma-torch, there is no actual blade... Phisics Fail.

Are you claiming that I fail at physics, or the movies? Because if you're very sure that's how lightsabres work (and yes that IS how you spell 'sabre'), then that still doesn't make sense because they can cut through non-melting, heat-resistant things when according to that theory, they shouldn't be able to.[/quote]

Above if other statements.

I should clarify that all solids have a melting or vaporization point (Carbon dioxide goes from solid to gas, skipping liquid stage). So solid bone does melt or vaporise at some point, Diamond becomes liquid at around 1000c (maybe more, can't remember specifics) and graphite at around 2400c.
So everything does change on aplication of heat. The question with regards to the light sabre is does it produce enough heat. This will depend on the intensity of the light and also (probably more importantly) the ablity for the item to disperse that heat. You can use it to cut water and get lots of steam, but the water 2cm away from it would be around room temperature because water doesn't transfer heat well. If adamantium does (as many metals do) then it would be much harder for the sabre to cut it as it already has an extremely high action point (liquid or gas change) and would likely spread the heat throught it's body quickly and if it's surface area was large enough loose that heat quickly enough.
Also remember, the light sabre must ALSO be strong enough, you can't melt steel with a flashlight no matter how much you channel the beam and no matter how small the steel because there is not enough power in the light to rase the temperature high enough (before the most basic heat loss).

So two questions to answer before we have the right answer, the melting point of Adamantium and the power of the lightsabre.

NB. also worth noting is the claim that other Adamantium weapons can damage adamantium, which might suggest some rectory weakness (i.e magic effect) with-in adamantium. Why do I say this, because diamond bullets do not peirce diamond blocks, the same way steel bullets don't penitrate steel blocks. When they are fired it depends on the force of the bullet and the strength (thinkness and inherent resistance to change) of the block. In a word, if you had steel of the same strength I would expect the bullet to be tank sized and fired from a tank to actually penitrate (knowing what I know about Adamantium).
So in short there is a 'magical' side to Adamantium that should also be considered when examining the situation

As for my opinion, I think the lightsabre would not be capable of cutting a breastplate size peice of adamantium for the above stated reasons.

*I have used basic physics ideas here but please keep in mind there are many many more variables at play and some other things that I am not aware of myself.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

This question has bugged me ever since I heard it on the RoosterTeeth Drunk Tank Podcast (for those of you who don't know what that is, go download it for free from iTunes).

Which episode? i've been following it for a while now and don't remember them asking that question. It doesn't really seem like a DT'ish question anyway.

OT: Lets pit Darth Vader against Wolverine and find out, i say.

 

[sapphireofthesea]

snip

So... Unfortunately, I must inform you the only way to kill Wolverine is to take away his will to live. But actually trying to kill his body? That regeneration factor has to either be shut down, or you have to blast his soul out of existance.

Very well, I'll admit my comments were made without a relatively minimal knowledge of Wolverine, so I apologize for me lack of knowledge in that area, however as a massive Star Wars fan I'm sure he could be defeated by a Jedi.. I'm just not sure of how. I will leave that debate for those with better knowledge of both sides that I have, adieu : )

*Maybe Spoiler*

If memory serves me correctly wolverine does end up dying later in the comic, and so do most of the original characters.
I knew a X-men nut and he used to talk me through some of the canon, there is like 500 movies worth of it at least.

 

[moretimethansense]

I say yes but it would take a little time, adamantium has been shown to be damagable in comics right?
About the only thing that can stop Lightsabers cold is something that has had a cortosis weave forged in to it.

 

[Lucane]

Well a Lightsaber can't cut through Phrik alloy according to canon. That's all I know.

I would think that the result of Lightsaber meets Adamantium would be similar or the lightaber would take a loooong time to cut through it.

I think the lightsaber could cut through it, but I agree it would take a really long time. I mean, when you think about it, adamantium can be heated to produce a liquid and since lightsabers probably generate heat that would help cut through the adamantium.

But according to XMen: Origins it can only be liquidised in it's ore form, one cooled after being liquidised it is indestructible, bar adamantium weapons (i.e. Striker's Adamantium bullets)

Yeah that's what I'd wanna go with unless your the a master of magnatisium you can't break down adamantium.

 

[dsmops2003]

Since both are imaginary, if you can imagine it happening then yes it can. If you cant imagine it then no it cannot. See what I mean.

 

[Hookman]

I think we should be focusing on more important questions...like could Chuck Norris cut through adamantium and ,obviously, the answer is yes!

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

You don't say? I would never have guessed that that's what he was originally thinking. But you're resolutely missing my point so that you can be all grumpy and bitter over it. What George Lucas was originally thinking is irrelevant because it wasn't important at the time. That's because the films were still good and there was no demand for detailed technical speculation. But since then the level of continuity has overflowed and most of the big things that came out of the franchise have gone to shit. So over analysed canon is all we have left, and I'm trying to make the most of it.

Me too. The only difference is in a matter of opinion of what you should do when analyzing "canon" material. You go for the retconned version, while I go for the "back to basics/roots" version.

If it was a scientific debate then the retconned stuff would certainly be the deciding voice (since science is basically all bout retconning yesterdays "facts" with new and more superior facts based on new discoveries). But since the discussion isn't very scientific, then it is more like a religious one. And religion is mostly about adhering to irrelevant "facts" and "rules" thousands of years old invented by grumpy old men who were just as whimsical as George Lucas, then I find the "back to basics" course to be the most reasonable one.

Well that's fair enough. I just keep the original, good star wars stuff and the newer over complicated stuff seperate in my head. In the good stuff the particular details are irrelevant because they're superflous to the story, but in the newer stuff the unnecessary details are the best part.

Sorry for being a bit... crazy earlier, it's just that it was six in the morning and I hadn't slept yet.

EDIT: Having read your posts about being a Warhammer 40K fan I am totally on your side now. For the Emperor!

 

[bultuit84]

I remember obi-wan trying to cut through a pretty standard door at the beginning of episode v, that took a while, so a molecularly tighter, tougher material would assume, no. but then that asks the question, 'if someone took a swipe and wolvies arm, would the blade just stop dead on impact, as if it was a real blade, or would it create a curviture or break in the lightsaber?'
the whole energy + superconductor = energy won't build up arguement has weight i suppose.

 

[femmerlegion]

Not true: I've seen wolverine reduced to his SKELETON, regenerate, and kill the guy who blew him up. The only time he's come close to dying was when he simply gave up after another one of his many, many, many near-death experiences.

You can cook him, you can chop him to itty bitty pieces, he'll still regenerate. The only thing that slowed him down was sheer old age, and by that point (Old Man Logan comic line) he was well over 100 years old, and only looked like he was in his 50's, 60's.

So... Unfortunately, I must inform you the only way to kill Wolverine is to take away his will to live. But actually trying to kill his body? That regeneration factor has to either be shut down, or you have to blast his soul out of existance.

I say yes but it would take a little time, adamantium has been shown to be damagable in comics right?
About the only thing that can stop Lightsabers cold is something that has had a cortosis weave forged in to it.

How about force-choking? I'm farly certain that no matter how hard your skeleton is it can't save you from not being able to breath.

OT: Ithink the lightsaber would cut through the adamantium.

 

[gamemeister27]

You forget, after adamantium has been heated to a liquid once, it will never melt again (I don't get it either, but it is cannon I believe) Therefore, the heat of the light saber would just make it rather hot, but it would not make any cut.

 

[CloakedOne]

Well a Lightsaber can't cut through Phrik alloy according to canon. That's all I know.

I would think that the result of Lightsaber meets Adamantium would be similar or the lightaber would take a loooong time to cut through it.

I think the lightsaber could cut through it, but I agree it would take a really long time. I mean, when you think about it, adamantium can be heated to produce a liquid and since lightsabers probably generate heat that would help cut through the adamantium.

But according to XMen: Origins it can only be liquidised in it's ore form, one cooled after being liquidised it is indestructible, bar adamantium weapons (i.e. Striker's Adamantium bullets)

Phrik alloy can be cut, it just takes a few tries to do it. Beskar, on the other hand, is definitely the biggest problem to a lightsaber. Cortosis can cause a feedback loop that shuts it off, but it's so fragile that the force of the blow might make it crumble.

Regarding the actual question about Adamantium vs. a lightsaber: I must admit, I'm stumped. There are certain metallic alloys that can resist it quite effectively, but it's also a magical weapon and not purely a technological one since it heavily involves the Force. the Force, being the wildcard that it is, leaves me with more questions than answers. I guess I'll offer this: if a non-Force adept is using a lightsaber, I think that the adamantium would win every time. Versus a Force Adept with a lot of focus and power to put into the weapon, it might make the adamantium able to be cut. That's my theory, hope it helps!

 

[pretentiousname01]

I would like to make this speculation.

Could it be in the star wars universe, Cortosis weaves, vibro blades and the like are in fact, Made of adamantium? Perhaps improving on the comic book recipe to varying degrees. Which could then account for why sometimes you can cut through it, sometimes can't?

 

[Marsell]

no.
the light saber would just heat it up

 

[havass]

No, Adamantium's indestructible. Even if it could, in a fight against Wolverine and lightsabers, Wolverine will kick the other guy's ass. If lightsabers can cut through adamantium, it'll take awhile, and in that awhile, bad things will happen to the wielder of the lightsaber.

 

[KiKiweaky]

If a scary man/ork/space marine with a powerfist could tear a tank apart i think a lightsabre could do it no problem.

 

[JackandTom]

What type of Adumantium? Wolverines? Because if so, there wouldn't be a chance to cut through it.....you'd already be dead

 

[Vrach]

Well a Lightsaber can't cut through Phrik alloy according to canon. That's all I know.

Yep, there's actually several materials within the SW EU a lightsaber can't cut through. Few mentioned here - http://www.torocast.com/index.php/editorials/item/379-lightsabers-pt1

Can go by more than one logic:
- Lightsaber can cut through anything but the certain listed materials (see above), adamantium not on the list - it can cut through it
- Unstoppable force, immovable object logic - above logic applied, but in the X-men universe, adamantium can't be cut by things, lightsaber included so - it'll either reflect or go right through it, either way, not cutting it

- What I find most reasonable though - adamantium can be "shaped" when in it's molten form, which is at very high temperatures, but can't be cut through when cooled. However, since a lightsaber effectively heats it up, I'm guessing it would look something like Qui'Gon cutting through the blast doors in Phantom Menace - a slow process where the adamantium would slowly melt and while it wouldn't be destroyed by the lightsaber, it could be cut through for the purpose of going through an adamantium door, cutting an adamantium limb off (although with the time requirement, it'd likely require the subject incapacitated first, so not necessarily useful in fast paced combat) and such, leaving the portion of the "cut" adamantium puddling down for a small while (think liquid Terminator ) until it cools off and becomes solid again.

 

[sumanoskae]

I dunno. Maybe we should just have Stan Lee and George Lucas dress in cosplay and beat the hell out of each other until one of them gets knocked out. Then the winner can write the "Wolverine VS Darth Maul" comic