The Chosen One Review SE EditionOkay, I admit it, I am a bit of a saber Geek. I grew up watching the original trilogy and aside from RD-D2, Vader is my favorite character. So, it’s no surprise that I wanted the Chosen One as soon as I could get my hands on it. Lucky for me, I was gifted this saber and recently received it in the mail. As I’m partial to this design and biased concerning the films this version of the saber was featured in, I’ll attempt to be as objective as possible in this review. As this saber has been reviewed a few times and the US site has multiple pictures, I’ve chosen (pun intended) to not include pictures to supplement this review. The decision was further solidified by my ignorance in how to post pics! I’ve elected to separate the review into several categories and I will be using a 1 to 5 scale; with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest possible score. The Chosen One that I will be reviewimg has the following stats:
• 4-channel Emerald Driver (RBGW) - set for Blazing Red (C’mon, what other color would there be - it’s Vader’s saber!)
• FoC for Emerald set on silver
• Soundcard - Obsidian 3.0, non-illuminated AV switch
• SE - I have the Standard Edition which is not nickle plated
• My version of the saber has the windows in the blade holder so that light can escape
• I also have the black activation box, not the silver
• Ultra Edge blade with Round Tip
• Comes standard with Covertec
Aesthetics: 5 out of 5I found this saber to be one of the most visually pleasing that US produces. I found that the SE version is perfect for my needs. The metal is still reflective and could be compared to a satin stainless steel. The emitter is one of the standout features of this saber. To me, the emitter is very close (if not a perfect fit) for a Vader like saber. The windows below the emitter provide a great hint of color when the blade is activated. The activation box is smooth on every angle which allows for a great contrast against the AV switch and the base aluminum body of the hilt. The grips have the standard windshield wiper look that the fans have demanded to emulate the sabers from the movies. Again, the black grips provide fantastic contrast with the base metal. At the lower base of the grip (but before the pommel), the body has machined grooves which match nicely with the design of the pommel. The pommel has a knurled edge (would be called a “coin edged” bezel in the world of watches), that rounds down to the vented bottom. All in all, this saber looks fantastic and is exactly what I wanted. This is extremely pleasing for this Vader Geek.
Construction (fit/finish): 5 out of 5For all of you who have already purchased an US in the past, then you know what you’re getting - a great looking saber, built with premium parts, a bright blade, and you can duel with it too!
The Chosen One is no exception. As I mentioned above, this is a good looking saber. I have more experience in the gun smithing world than the saber world so I chose the phrase “fit and finish” as the best topic for this category. There is no “wobble” or “play” where any of the many parts are connected. Even when the blade is in the emitter, there is no sign of “play” as the blade sits securely. The emitter has been designed well and sits snugly on the main body. There are two thumb screws and a middle blade retention screw located on the back of the emitter. At first, the three screws stumped me as I’m new to sabers, so it took me a while to figure out that the middle screw was the blade retention screw. The emitter appears to be a simple design; however, there are several angles that were cut in the machining process. For example, there is the staple slanted emitter, which flows down to a base that is a box that has a curved cut out which turns into a right angle at the bottom - sounds confusing, but when you see it, you’ll see what I mean by construction/design. The inclusion of the two thumb screws (I believe are stainless) provides the saber with familiar look.
Moving down from the emitter, the aluminum body is smooth and without burs, scratches, or blemish. The windows that were cut out are smooth as well. The black activation box is different from the standard Graflex. In contrast to the machined grooves around the Graflex’s (I have an US one as well that I purchased used) activation box, the Chosen One lacks the machined work and is smooth. I actually prefer the smooth look for the Chosen One as I do not recall Vader’s saber having machine work on the activation box. Again, the activation box is securely fastened to the body of the saber and does not have any unwanted movement. The AV switch functions perfectly. The Chosen One also has a silver lever attached to the activation box. As demonstrated in the US videos, the lever can be removed. Some people may choose to remove the lever depending on hand placement. I’m contemplating removing the level, but I’m torn as I really like the look of it.
Next up, is the grips. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with the grips at first as I had in my mind that they would be rubber. Instead, they are a hard plastic. As I thought about this more and remembered that US makes dueling sabers, the plastic began to make sense. Rubber would be more comfortable, however, the durability of the rubber would be a question to consider. I’m guessing the rubber, would be bent, stretched, etc., and would need to be replaced after much sparing. The plastic, however, would be durable while providing the saber with its iconic look. So, I’ve actually gotten used to the plastic and understand the rationalization for its use. Again, like the rest of the saber, the grips are firmly attached to the main body of the saber. They do not slide around or give any hint that they are feeble or might fall off. Additionally, amongst the grip is a Covertech wheel. This is preinstalled and does not need to be ordered.
The pommel, not only being aesthetically pleasing, is also functional. The knurling assists in griping the pommel when attempting to gain access to the batteries or USBs on the cards. The fit/finish of the pommel is excellent, the threads are even, the surfaces are smooth and the venting is not intrusive in anyway. If you’re wondering about actual dimensions of the saber, the saber measurements can be found on the US website. I have zero complaints about the construction of the saber. The design and execution of the construction add up to a very pretty and sturdy saber.
Emerald Driver: 4.5 out of 5This is my first saber to have a Emerald driver. I had been saving for this driver as I had watched the US videos and liked the idea of the functionality. To my amazement, the saber was recognized the first time I hooked it up to my PC. I followed the steps listed in the video to a tee and was impressed by the results. The driver is simple to use with its many features such as, color change, pulse rate, FoC, etc. The first time I used the driver the parameters that I set did not work. I went back and clicked “set” and “ok” on every function as shown in the video and everything worked great. I’m guessing that I forgot this step the first time - not the driver’s fault. I left the main color as blazing red, but added a deep orange during the quick pulse. The combination is now my favorite! I added the FoC as a silver with a hue of pink - also a great color. The software really made these changes quick and painless. I also had a blast just playing with all of the settings. If I can afford it, I would like all of my sabers to have emerald drivers! The only thing that I would add, would be the ability to switch colors without the need to have the saber connected to a PC. Again, I’m very happy with this driver.
Obsidian/Sound: 4.5 out of 5I love sabers with sound. The FX that happens when a saber is activated may be my most favorite sound of all time. This is my own opinion, but I believe all sabers should have sound. That’s just me as I understand that some people enjoy their stunt sabers. I just find that sound is such an important part of the saber experience. That being said, I am really pleased with the quality of the Obsidian card. The card has several features that enhance my saber experience. The US forum has many talented members who are able to make sound fonts. Unlike some companies, the sound fonts for US are free.
Connection to my PC was a snap when I followed the directions from the videos. If I failed to include a step, I would lose my connection. The card seems to be a little picky, but the results are grand. Obsidian allows you to change the settings on your card, like volume, etc. and allows for new fonts to be written as well. The most dynamic feature, in my mind, is the ability to chose new fonts. I’m planning on adding Lord Vane’s Darth Vader font very soon. This font is perfect for the Chosen One and I would like to give kudos to Lord Vane on the work he put into this font. Yup, as you can imagine, I’ll be adding the hum with Vader’s breathing!
The Obsidian soundcard is almost perfect. Sure it can be a little picky on how you connect it to your PC, but this is mostly due to user error. If I could selfishly add one feature to the card, I would add the functionality of two or three sound banks that could be switched to without needing to connect to a PC. If this could be paired with the Emerald driver so that you could select a different color that has a corresponding font on the fly, this would indeed be epic!
Dueling Function: 4.5 out of 5Ok, my deal here is that I love this saber so much that I could not see myself dueling with it. Sure, it has the construction for it, but this thing is my baby! I wouldn’t send my wife outside by herself during a zombie apocalypse (unless I need groceries or something, just joking!), so I can’t see throwing this saber out to the dueling wolves. Seriously, I find the grips on this saber uncomfortable after much use. Additionally, using this saber with two hands is not too difficult. I generally place my right hand below the emitter and behind the activation box as I find this to be the perfect placement. If I would duel with this saber, I would remove the activation box lever as it gets in the way. Again, this saber is built for dueling, yet I just could not bring myself to do so.
Conclusion:This is a masterpiece of saber art that adds in the option for dueling. You all now know that I won’t be sparing with this saber, but I do enjoy examining it alone in my office. Sure, that sounds a bit creepy, but this is my precious. I’ll spend most of my time polishing it, petting it, and keeping it safe - what else would I do with it really?
If you chose to spar with a Chosen One, you would have no worries as the construction is spot on. There is so much to say about this saber, but my fingers are cramping from typing. I hope this review helps. Happy sabering! Just not with my Chosen One!!!
