Disney Changes Canon for the Lightsaber

[hazard502]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Rfed9kHtc&amp;index=6&amp;list=WL" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Rfed9kHtc&amp;index=6&amp;list=WL</a>

[Drahcir]

Huh, I was skeptical about it until they mentioned that once a crystal adopted a color it was stuck with it.
I'm more or less fine with this change, though I too miss the idea of synthetic crystals.

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

Good post.

This doesn't change the canon as I have been reading in books preceding Disney's acquisition other than the claim that NO lightsabers use synthetic crystals. Just because Kylo uses a kyber crystal, does not mean other characters never used anything else. Darth Maul has a story line in place with synthetic crystals he forged. This neither demands that all red crystals be synthetic, nor does Kylo's kyber crystal demand that there can be no synthetics ever used. I won't be surprised if stories moving forward under Disney's canon don't follow this video's interpreted limitations of current Disney examples.

[Darth Justicar]

I would say that this new version of canon has the potential to create some very embarrassing if not extremely tense moments between masters and students should the crystal reveal something about someone.  I mean...if I had the Force I can be almost SURE I'd end up with a purple or red saber.  Would that, in universe, mean my master turning on me or expelling me?  Or otherwise deciding I needed to be put through "counseling"?

Given the Jedi fallacy to think that a single act or a single moment is one's destiny FOREVER, I could easily see them condemning a student on that basis.  (And if there is such potential for darkness in a student, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.)

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

I haven't viewed the Jedi as unforgiving, but rather trained to be cautious and aware of the dark side's ability to dominate the user. Jedi teach that everyone has this dark potential and should be wary of it. The example early on, as well as time and again, is that our hero force user is tempted by the dark side, therefore not perfect, while the villain embraces it unto their destruction. The film's ideology is a reflection simply meant to have us, the viewer, look at our own idea of morality and why we choose what we do. I've never seen it as a judgment of desire or feelings, but an aspiration of higher goals and training methods of resisting the dark side's destructive influences, like killing your pregnant wife. As such, I expect a padawan won't have a deep raging red saber. Perhaps one must embrace the dark ways before they can grow to such a level. We know a Jedi can fall, but a padawan that begins dark? Regardless of your temptations, you're not evil as soon as you get mad.

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

Also, Anakin killed the sand people that killed his mother in episode 2, right? Then he fought Dooku and lost his lightsaber, right? He constructed a blue saber after that, right?

[ThreadJack]

I actually really like this explanation......though I wonder what it would mean for other colors like cyan/teal/turquoise, orange, or yellow as far as ever becoming canon?

I suppose cyan would mean a Jedi how falls somewhere in the middle and is likely to be a blend of physical fighter and in tune with the Force. Perhaps yellow would be a Jedi who relies more on other skills besides combat and the Force to serve the galaxy, like healers, teachers, and such. Not really sure about orange.....maybe a Dark Side "light"(as in less intense) user?

Or perhaps orange is just for us renegades who say screw the rules!

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

I would find fault with the simplicity of saying purple is a mix of red and blue. I know it fools our eyes into seeing purple. In truth, light has energy and wavelengths. Mixing wavelengths do not typically make other wavelengths. Mixing light confuses our eyes.



So, orange energy is between red and yellow and can be mimicked with red and yellow blended. Maybe a dark sentinel? Purple is higher energy than blue and can be mimicked with red(low energy) and blue(still less energy than purple). Maybe a dark edge walking guardian or an extreme guardian super blue energy. Cyan is between and mimicked by green and blue. Maybe a guardular or a consudian? But, green is between blue and yellow, while blue and yellow mix to mimic white. Shall we think crystals in energy and wavelengths or human eye chemistry?

Shall we assume that Mace Windu walked the fine edge of light and dark or that he was the guardiest of the guardians with the highest energy of visible light?

[Rapine]

I'm really not liking how ALL Sith end up having red blades, but the crystals ARE NOT synthetic. 

WTH!?

[Landen Se-Sentien]

Yeah, I saw this video a week or so ago. I think having the user's Force potential dictate the color was a good explanation. It explains why in the Clone Wars episode where the younglings get their crystals, they are all blueish but produce blue and green blades. I also like how once a crystal produces that color it stays that color. It makes a crystal less like the unbeatable wand from Harry Potter, in that it won't change its allegiance (color) based on the current owner or the owner's Force affiliation.

I don't like the fact that non synthetic crystals have been essentially removed from canon. How do the Sith then impart their DS energy into it? How did Luke make his saber, and where did he get the crystal? What about Force users in exile during the imperial rule? If the caves were all closed and guarded, hoW did they make their sabers?

It tries to tie up loose ends, but it goes too far, and it ends up creating too many other ones.

[scifidude79]

I actually think the color thing is stupid.  "They're all white but become a color based on the person."  Yeah, no, bad idea.  Just my opinion, of course.

However, it still doesn't explain why all Jedi in Attack of the Clones except Mace Windu had blue or green lightsabers.  If each of those Jedi "imbued" their crystal with their essence and they all came out either blue or green, that means that each of those Jedi are pretty bland archetypes.  There are no yellow or orange, even shades of blue or green, and only one purple.  (and that was only because it's Samuel L. Jackson's favorite color)  This new explanation also makes all of the Sith cookie cutter archetypes as well.

No synthetic crystals is another dumb idea.  Even Luke's lightsaber was supposedly constructed with a synthetic crystal, because crystals were even more rare than they once had been.  So, he made a synthetic one.  However, it now appears that, in the middle of a war, he went trekking off to find a crystal.  Nice. 

So, yeah, it's not so good for me.  But then, I don't think something is so just because Disney says it is.  I can choose to acknowledge whichever explanation I want to, and I like the old one better.

[Landen Se-Sentien]

[hazard502]

Yeah I think it's more reasonable to have a variety for dark side users too, like a nice DVA or PO blade could say a lot about the user and his POV of the dark side; as we've seen different philosophies and execution of the dark side. And again less cookie cutter.

Previously, forging a synth crystal was no small feat requiring the correct skill, material and processes as well as force abilities to make one. It also keeps that element of individuality to the saber and it's owner.

I do like that the crystal takes on a color based on the force user, but could use some flexibility.

[scifidude79]

Actually, the crystals taking a color based on the Force user makes more sense with Synthetic crystals.  Previously, Dark Side users would meditate and imbue their synthetic crystals with Dark Side energies while "baking" them.  Disney could easily have exploited this to create a reason behind some Sith blades being redder than others.  It could be indicative of how much DS energy was channeled into the crystal during the forging.  It would also explain why Kylo's crystal cracked.  Trying to forge a crystal with conflicting emotions led to an imperfect crystal.  But, leave it to Disney to miss the obvious.  (all my opinion, of course)

[scifidude79]

HA!  I like that.

Though, of course, reality is a relative term here.