Should Lightsabers be exclusive to Jedi/Sith?

I don't think there's anything stopping any non-Force users from using a lightsaber, other than the fact that it's a meter long blade made of plasma. It would take some skill and lots of training to be able to use it for something other than field dressing a tauntaun or cutting your own limbs off by accident. I could probably pick up a longsword and swing it about, but boy howdy, I would be more dangerous to myself than anyone else.

If one wanted to put in the time to learn, bully for them! But why would your average galactic citizen pick up a suicide-sword like a lightsaber when there's perfectly good blasters layin' around pretty much everywhere. That's pretty much why you don't see average folk traipsing about town with swords and scabbards anymore.

 

I honestly think the revelation that "anyone can use it" shouldn't cheapen the objects themselves. I'll mirror Mike's comments in the sense that any of us here could wield a katana for example, but the majority of us will wave it around and maybe try to slice something. No real use for us... granted the issue here is essentially training, but I'd be less inclined to train with a lightsaber for fear of straight-up lopping my own head off. I could see others not having that fear and working with them, but with extensive martial arts backgrounds and no fear of death (like Grievous and Pre Viszla).

Bring in the fact that blasters would be cheaper, easier to obtain, and easier to operate... makes sense that anyone who acquired a lightsaber would either put it in a collection or rarely use it unless something big needed to be cut. That's assuming that the force is indeed required to create one, as TCW seems to suggest (that deleted scene for ROTJ doesn't count because it was, in fact, deleted), not to mention the fact that other tools would probably be found to better handle most cutting applications people would have.

I also think I read somewhere that the Empire had a ban on ownership of such weapons (with obvious exlusions), and I could imagine the Republic having some sort of similar stance on the subject. If that were the case, I'm sure I'd rather get caught with illegal weapons of more use to me, as well as less harsh of punishment for having, personally.

 

I think it's clear from General Grevious that anyone can, in principle, use a lightsaber. The problem is that unless you have the jedi reflexes to block blaster shots then a lightsaber is pretty useless (bringing a sword to a gun fight and all that).

 

I don't really mind non force users wielding lightsabers. They would be no match for a force-using individual in the event of a saber battle - that's really what has always defined lightsaber battles in my mind.

The ability to the use the force is the only reason a lightsaber is practical for battle use. I would imagine your average joe would be completely ineffective with one in battle, whether against another saber or a blaster.

With everyone in this thread seemingly in agreement that only force users should be using lightsabers - what do you guys think about our supposed Chrome Trooped played by Christie having one? Don't think we have received any indication that she is force sensitive..

 

Gotya say im the crowd that believes Lightsabers are to be weilded only by Jedi/Sith. But its hard to argue the Han/Luke/Tauntaun scenario. And there is a very valid point in the thought that someone could find/steal one and make it work. If there was a backstory letting us know that anyone can use them,but their true value cant be used unless their Jedi/Sith........i think i could buy that. True it would become little more than a utility device, but that would allow for loopholes
Like the Hoth scenario. And even Grievous......trained in the jedi arts? Sure.....but being neither Jedi nor Sith could help explain why a Jedi Master could take out 4 arms full of saber....with one saber ........and the greatest of ease....... credit the last line to Booker T

 

Jar Jar had balls? I have 65 panasonic plasma and couldn´t see it....

 

Someone help me out with this. In ROTJ, didn't Vader make the coment that Luke's skills were complete after examining the green light saber that he constructed?

I got the impression that only a Jedi could make a light saber (through his/her use of the force), and that while anyone could turn one on only a Jedi could fight effectively using one.

 

I understand both sides of this debate:

PRO = more types of villains for the Jedi to battle (new villains don't necessarily have to be adept at it)

CON = using lightsabers becomes less unique or special

My take: George Lucas' original ideas for the stormtroopers was that they also wielded lightsabers. this was even conceptualized by Ralph McQuarrie, which we have highlighted several times on the Blog:



I like the idea of one of the rumors we've heard:

Spoiler: Rumor

That Gwendoline Christie plays a stormtrooper commander who wields a lightsaber.

I think this would be a good compromise.

 

General Greivous sported a collection of Lightsabers. He was no Jedi, nor Sith. Only a Robot with an intestine.

If an intestine can be worthy of a Lightsaber, anyone is.

 

I guess anyone can wield a lightsaber. But it´s difficult to manage to non force users and fighting again a force user is a certain loose.

 

Totally agree! +1000

 

He did make that comment, and I took it to be a rite of passage of sorts, probably in both the Jedi and Sith worlds. There is a deleted scene that shows him briefly constructing his lightsaber, however if memory serves he is screwing something together with his hands and then PRESTO! it works. But that was deleted so we can't go by that.

In The Clone Wars series (which is canon correct?), they showed the younglings constructing their lightsabers by use of the Force. It also showed that they had to go and obtain their focusing crystals through a personal trial sort of thing on the crystal planet. Not sure how that would relate with the Sith and their synthetic crystals, if those are still canon.

 

I see it as anybody can take for instance a katana and pretend to be able to wield it.But in comparison to how fully trained samuraj would handle and wield it...it would look comical and dangerous... and in combat with a samuraj..well the amateurs would end up like sliced salami..

 

that´s exactly the point! Why to do duels force users against non force users when the result is so obvious? Just to have more duels? It degrades the lightsabers. Look at original trilogy. There was 1 duel per movie - we were anxious to see it, it was.....wait.....legendary! A lightsaber only a Jedi can make, and manage. Everybody knows that, so I hope no wanabees who accidentally find one will use it in battle...this is Jedi/Sith territory. It was a mistake Grievous had it - look how he ended...

 

i agree with the idea that blasters and light sabers utilize the same sort of technology. ultimately it's just a controlled laser beam, which i'm sure is probably used in an industrial context as well. anyone can use a laser, but like others have said it takes someone with a lot of training, or an affinity with the Force, to use one effectively in combat (reflecting blaster bolts, anticipating your enemies next move, etc.). the fact that one must use the Force to create one definitely keeps the market scarce... unless a really dastardly Sith lord started making them for the black market! cha-ching $$$!! (darth)

to answer the question: anyone should technically be able to use a light saber, as has been seen in the films (Han and Grievous, for example).

 

Han Solo used the lightsaber in the best movie in the entire franchise...

Now I personally dont think that Jedi and Sith should be the only ones with lightsabers... But I feel that any organization with them needs to be 1. force sensitive, and 2. have a considerable religious connection to the sith or the jedi.

The Jensaari are essentially a jedi splinter grou, and the blackguard are essentially a sith splinter group.

I also think that weapons that can coutneract ligthsabers need to be a little more common, otherwise it makes the jedi and sith waaaaaaaaaaaay OP... (see: Morgukai)

 

I don't think it should be just a weapon for jedi/sith but it would mean more physical fighting no force powers/wire attachments to make that happen, the duels will be kept on the ground, as for Han he can fair slice up a tauntan.

 

Surely there's some in the recieveing department of some star destroyers. You know...for opening FedEx...

 

I will have to say yes. It would be boring if everyone in the movies and EU were running around with lightsabers. Keep it exclusive to Jedi and Sith..

 

If someone doesn't have jedi reflexes to defect blaster fire then what use would he have for a lightsaber in combat? Maybe a smaller dagger like version instead.