Star Wars Artist Says The Force Awakens Will Be Best Star Wars "Ever"

[Nazulu]

"Opinions vary, of course, but if it's even a fraction as "wonderful" as he's claimed, fans might finally have the sequel they've been wanting for decades."

Nup, sorry. I never watched 'Return of the Jedi' and thought "you know what this needs? A sequel!" As far as I was concerned, for those who DID want a sequel, we had the EU. Best of both worlds. Ah, good times...

Oh, and in the realm of opinions:

-Return of the Jedi is the best movie in the saga.

-The Empire Strikes Back isn't.

-The prequels aren't bad films (though I wouldn't call the first two "good"), and for me, are still a net positive.

-Revenge of the Sith is a good movie overall.

-At the end of the day, Han still shot first.

Come at me! XD

I almost agree with all of that. I watched the prequels not too long ago, and while I enjoyed some bits, they were so Goofy! And I felt I should've cut out the scenes with Jar Jar and Anakin. The RotS definitely wasn't as corny though.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Jesus, people are STILL going on about that goddamn shit-pissing motherfucking light-claymore? Jaysis Chroist. Get some real things in your life to be angry about, will you?

OT: I don't know how high a remark that actually is. I mean, Star Wars wasn't exactly praised as some sort of masterpiece when it first came out, and you have to admit the first movies are kinda hokey and cheesy. I guess I don't even need to talk about the prequels. Point is, Star Wars is, and has always been, more of a cultural force (no pun intended) than a masterclass in filmmaking. Saying that VII is going to be the best one yet isn't that much when all is said and done. Star Wars' appeal always came, from where I see it, more from the production end of filmmaking than things like script, dialogue or story.

 

[Nazulu]

Jesus, people are STILL going on about that goddamn shit-pissing motherfucking light-claymore? Jaysis Chroist. Get some real things in your life to be angry about, will you?

Because getting angry with people discussing little topics online is something proper?

 

[Hawki]

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10870665/1/An-Elegant-Weapon-for-a-More-Civilized-Age

My thoughts on the lightsaber (shameless plug)

 

[FirstNameLastName]

So in other words, a person who has seen half of the new film and is involved in the film's promotion and advertising has said that this film will be the best Star Wars film. Okay, consider me excited by this not at all biased source.

Sarcasm aside, I don't expect the new movies to be bad, but I don't see why the testimony of someone involved in creating the posters for the movie is supposed to sway me. It's practically his job to get as many arses in seats on opening weekend, are we expected to believe he would even be allowed to express his opinion if it were negative?

 

[Nazulu]

Those designs look awful. Also, as everyone should be aware by now, the emitters could be made of Mandalorian iron, ergo there'd be no problem with the film's rather nifty design.

No they look a fuckton better actually, like some actual thought went into it.

And everyone should be aware of what now? Oh God it's the "impenetrable armour" we kids used to wear all over again. So is this mandal-whatever really expensive?

It's supposed to be lightsaber resistant and generally tougher than most other infantry armor. Expensive, but not impossible to get. So, basically but not quite.

Sorry, I missed yours somehow.

Ok, so this stuff exists. Is there any good reason why they haven't created powerful bots that don't have a pea-brain out of this material? Or why anyone hasn't worn it as armour? Or done a million other things with it?

 

[Radoh]

Have the side-beams curve back around, one crossing in front of the primary beam, the other crossing behind it. This way the enemy's blade is safely captured by the beams of your cross guard rather than slicing right through your cross guard's emitter.

It's also that it's treated like a step up, when it's such a simple concept that could've been thought up by anyone creating or using these weapons from the very beginning. Why wouldn't all of the Jedi and Siths have these sabers if it's meant to be an improvement?

It's so lame. Couldn't they think of something more clever? Is it really that hard to expand on the light-saber?

Problem being is that's not what they are going for with the crossguard. Watch the trailer that shows it off again and you'll see that the blade itself is bubbling and more unstable than any other shown lightsaber. Most lightsabers require ventilation which would usually be all around the base of it but this one does not have that. The idea being that since after Return of the Jedi there's like, one person left alive that knows the secret of building a good lightsaber, the crossguard one is just poorly designed in-universe.

 

[Nazulu]

Those designs look awful. Also, as everyone should be aware by now, the emitters could be made of Mandalorian iron, ergo there'd be no problem with the film's rather nifty design.

No they look a fuckton better actually, like some actual thought went into it.

And everyone should be aware of what now? Oh God it's the "impenetrable armour" we kids used to wear all over again. So is this mandal-whatever really expensive?

It's supposed to be lightsaber resistant and generally tougher than most other infantry armor. Expensive, but not impossible to get. So, basically but not quite.

Sorry, I missed yours somehow.

Ok, so this stuff exists. Is there any good reason why they haven't created powerful bots that don't have a pea-brain out of this material? Or why anyone hasn't worn it as armour? Or done a million other things with it?

As far as I can tell, it's because A. It's rare, and therefore expensive. And B. There could be engineering issues with it. It's the same reason the military doesn't build all of it's vehicles to be armored as well as a tank.

I expected, but it still doesn't make sense. If they could mold it well as a handle/guard, it shows it isn't too heavy and that it could be molded for something as a precise fit.

As for value, all villains would want to get a hold of this stuff to make themselves even stronger, and as we've seen in this series, they look like they would be able to afford anything. I just think about these massive armies, advanced lasers and bombs, including I'd imagine the death star would cost a hell of a lot more.

This shit just pops out of nowhere for me, but I could accept it. The broad-saber I won't though.

 

[Nazulu]

Have the side-beams curve back around, one crossing in front of the primary beam, the other crossing behind it. This way the enemy's blade is safely captured by the beams of your cross guard rather than slicing right through your cross guard's emitter.

It's also that it's treated like a step up, when it's such a simple concept that could've been thought up by anyone creating or using these weapons from the very beginning. Why wouldn't all of the Jedi and Siths have these sabers if it's meant to be an improvement?

It's so lame. Couldn't they think of something more clever? Is it really that hard to expand on the light-saber?

Problem being is that's not what they are going for with the crossguard. Watch the trailer that shows it off again and you'll see that the blade itself is bubbling and more unstable than any other shown lightsaber. Most lightsabers require ventilation which would usually be all around the base of it but this one does not have that. The idea being that since after Return of the Jedi there's like, one person left alive that knows the secret of building a good lightsaber, the crossguard one is just poorly designed in-universe.

I saw, but I'm contesting with all those saying it's an improvement. And frankly I think it's silly to show it at all really. It's obviously a gimmick to sell, and I can just imagine them trying to prove it's strengths in the film after so many called foul.

 

[RJ 17]

This was answered in the post that your first quoted off of me in this topic:

Ah, so it's just a 'practical' issue?

So finding fault with designs that can be compared to reality (weapon designs in DA:I) isn't allowed, or is niche over-analysis... yet picking at the purest of fantasy creations (lighstabers) is legit?

The key difference - as I've always brought up in our conversations regarding this specific matter - is that not everyone is so into actual swords and swordplay that they'd be able to look at a DA:I crossguard and say "That would never work." Everyone knows how a lightsaber functions though, specifically that they're known for being able to cut through pretty much anything...even the hilts of other lightsabers. As such even a casual observer can look at the lightsaber's crossguard as-designed and say "Wouldn't another saber just slice right through those emitters?"

Quite simply: it's because the lightsaber is closer to being pure fiction/fantasy than a DA:I sword that it draws attention to itself.

Ultimately, if anyone feels like they need to redesign Kylo Ren's saber, then they must also redesign all the films hilts and the very concept of the weapon itself.

Not true. Complaints against the lightsaber's crossguard are complaints made from a desire for consistency with in-universe lore. There's nothing wrong with a lightsaber having a crossguard lore-wise, what goes against the lore is specifically the design of the crossguard making it obviously useless for it's intended function, as it certainly wouldn't guard against another blade if that blade can just slice right through the emitter.

There's also the Chekhov's Gun issue: are they just going to have the crossguard for looks and have it never actually used? Because if it is used, there's going to be a lot of people crying foul due to it's design.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint: I like the way the saber and it's crossguard look, particularly the "unstable blade" that has the beam all wavy. With DA:I swords, you hate the way they look because they wouldn't function properly.

 

[RJ 17]

It's so lame. Couldn't they think of something more clever? Is it really that hard to expand on the light-saber?

Careful what you wish for...

Hehehe. There was a whole heap of those that were funny.

I'm not a Star Wars fan so I have no idea what would piss 'em off, but what you think of the light-saber extending out and back when swinging a certain way? Or just throwing out a projectile slice like Oni Link? If you don't mind.

I don't know enough about lightsabers to know what controls how far the beam goes out...I'd imagine it has something to do with the crystals that are used in it or perhaps the amount of energy that is applied to said crystals.

That said, I've always thought it'd be neat if the wielder could press a button and fire off the blade as though it were a projectile. After all, the blade is just energy. One could fire it off then just hit the button again to "grow" a new blade.

 

[Nazulu]

It's so lame. Couldn't they think of something more clever? Is it really that hard to expand on the light-saber?

Careful what you wish for...

Hehehe. There was a whole heap of those that were funny.

I'm not a Star Wars fan so I have no idea what would piss 'em off, but what you think of the light-saber extending out and back when swinging a certain way? Or just throwing out a projectile slice like Oni Link? If you don't mind.

I don't know enough about lightsabers to know what controls how far the beam goes out...I'd imagine it has something to do with the crystals that are used in it or perhaps the amount of energy that is applied to said crystals.

That said, I've always thought it'd be neat if the wielder could press a button and fire off the blade as though it were a projectile. After all, the blade is just energy. One could fire it off then just hit the button again to "grow" a new blade.

Yes, kinda exactly (closer to exactly) what I was thinking. The most powerful handheld weapon becoming even more powerful with the ability to shoot projectiles somehow.

I was trying to make it seem cool like how anime does it. Just testing the water. I thought it would be more destructive if they could extend it's range when swinging it or creating forces waves by swinging it. You know, if it's already ridiculous then might as well go and make it deadlier.

That said, that said, I could definitely be wrong because I really don't have a great understanding how all this tech works in this universe.

 

[deshorty]

Every time someone posts EU being not existing any more I think that the European Union has been dissolved and I missed something. On topic though:

HAHAHAHAHA. Good one. While we are telling "truths" about this series: Jar Jar Binks was the best character addition, mediclorians are a reasonable explanation for the force and episode 2 was the best one.

 

[Darth Rosenberg]

On a more serious note... As ridiculous as the lightsaber is in essence due to being nigh unusable for actual combat by anyone who doesn't use the force or who doesn't have the appropriate cybernetic enhancements, I'm not surprised that people in general accept it as its designed in a fashion that makes it look like it could work as a sword.

(this overly long post isn't really refuting anything you say, btw, it's mostly using it to comment more broadly) The trouble with all this is, is that when you start to nitpick the weapon the entire concept completely falls to pieces.

You say most assume it could look like it functions as a sword. But what kind of sword? Single blade lightsabers usually have a grip for two hands, and are used as a primary weapon. So is it a longsword/hand-and-a-half sword? Those tended to have - ahem... - crossguards of some kind. As the vanilla design doesn't have a crossguard, what kind of sword is it supposed to function like? Because swords are just tools to do a specific thing - they have a function, and their form serves that well or poorly. If a new function/requirement arises, then the weapon evolves to cope, becoming both better and, usually, worse in different ways (all weapon evolution is a matter of compromise and context).

If it doesn't have a crossguard, might it perhaps be used mostly with a shield? That'd make sense, but in no films do we see any Jedi or Sith wandering around with a shield.

When you start to compare what kind of swords a lightsaber might be an analogue for, you come up entirely empty handed - there can be no comparison, no analogue. I'd say that renders any nitpick based on function useless. From what I know, swords used historically by themselves as primary [battlefield] weapons were rare; you were either often in armour if it's a European longsword (crossguards generally evolved to compensate for a lack of a shield), or you were in a specialised and seemingly very rare unit of greatswords (possibly to counter pike formations). I'm aware the Chinese had whacking great battlefield two-handers which seem to have been used against cavalry. A longsword type weapon was a side-arm, and usually little more than that. So already the Jedi and Sith are breaking the most fundamental of martial fundamentals by pitching battles and duels with what amount to back-up weapons (re length and reach).

...'cept they're also Force users, which is their true distinguishing feature.

The rule of cool obviously is also a big factor.

I'd say for a sci-fi laser sword used by space wizards that can never be compared to a real life counterpart, the rule of cool's the only thing that matters.

Nor are they capable of protecting against enemy sabers like actual swordhilts were since any lightsaber will slice right through it.

But, again, we're comparing fencing techniques to lightsabers, which seems a tad pointless. The techniques of a weapon that cannot exist - and which would handle differently to a real, fully weighted counterpart - are entirely down to the discretion of the fight choreographers and director/writer.

And then there's the small matter that - if the blades are supposed to be weightless ('gyroscopic effects' aside, unless those numbers can be run relative to the hypothetical properties of a saber) - then the films themselves do an awful job of portraying how they'd handle, given all kinds of moves and flourishes would require use of momentum. On set the props had weight [https://youtu.be/rk1qghsNiok?t=2m12s], ergo those moves were possible. If a lighsaber was real, barely any of the techniques shown in the films would be possible, or they'd just be entirely impractical and unnecessary.

Going with the Sith angle, the design looks like something a Sith made as a prototype only to discard it for whatever reason later on given how unstable it looked. Or he got his hands chopped off by it and went back to a regular lightsaber after getting new hands.

Isn't Darth Maul's saber even more dangerous than Kylo Ren's? I'd say absolutely so. And, again, if the sabers are supposed to be weightless, much of Ray Park's technique would need to be changed.

If Maul can train to adapt to multi-universe defying physics (i.e. it doesn't handle like a 'real' saber in-'verse, and it can't even exist in our world) and cope with that double-bladed lightsaber, then can't Kylo Ren more easily adapt to a style that doesn't lop his own wrists off? All he needs to do is drop his grip a little, and adjust his style. We've not seen him fight, yet, only ignite his saber and take a big overhead swing. Perhaps he has a very distinct style which suits his chosen, obscure weapon? Hell, he might even use it for just a few scenes, we don't know.

Everyone knows how a lightsaber functions though

Really? Because as I pointed out above, the sabers in the films don't cohere to lore that dictates they're weightless, so it seems George Lucas didn't even know how they "function". The truth is that the logic defying weapons have always been entirely defined - in design and use - by writers and directors. That was the case with A New Hope, Phantom Menace, and it's the same with The Force Awakens.

As such even a casual observer can look at the lightsaber's crossguard as-designed and say "Wouldn't another saber just slice right through those emitters?"

Quite simply: it's because the lightsaber is closer to being pure fiction/fantasy than a DA:I sword that it draws attention to itself.

I'm not sure my mind can't process that cognitive dissonance/double-think...

Realistic thing: needn't be realistic.
Fantasy thing: should be realistic.

With that broken/zen logic I really can't say come back with anything.

...gah, can't believe I've been sucked into this 'topic' again, and on a simple fluff piece about TFA, to boot.

 

[RJ 17]

Realistic thing: needn't be realistic.
Fantasy thing: should be realistic.

With that broken/zen logic I really can't say come back with anything.

Mwa ha ha! And that is why you fail! You cannot comprehend the labyrinth that is my mind! You cannot understand the madness to my method! >

...gah, can't believe I've been sucked into this 'topic' again, and on a simple fluff piece about TFA, to boot.

Quite, I was just thinking the same thing, which is why - for my part - I've decided to end things here, having reached my quota of fucks to give on a Star Wars issue.

 

[SmugFrog]

Han doesn't... look... well.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks he looks strange there.

"Is THIS the blaster you used to shoot at my client?"

or

"I don't even remember how to turn this thing on!"

or

"And even though it is still contested, I shot him first, under the table like THIS! OH DAMN!"
Chewie: "RArrrgggghhhh ragggghhhhhh! (you just shot Luke IN THE FACE!)"

 

[hermes]

I had grown to accept the crossguard lightsaber. Even when considering it is kind of dumb to have a crossguard that can cut your hand as easily as it can protect it, I have seen a LOT of worst things in the EU.

Spoiler

My point is that JJ/Disney have a long way to go to outdumb the lore as much as the EU did...