From: gestes@regan.next.nd.edu (gregory estes)
Subject: Re: Ben Kenobi's lightsabre
Organization: University of Notre Dame
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 22:24:06 GMT

In article <1992Dec10.082121.16921@mail.cornell.edu> chris@132.236.236.115  
(Christopher A. Wolf) writes:
> In article <1992Dec8.041836.9440@ll.mit.edu> shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel  
Shoham) writes:
> >
> > NO. It's quite intentional!
> >
> 
> I don't think so!
> 
> > Awhile back, I said that Light Sabers are POWERED by the Force, and  
was roundly
> > criticized by those who "know" that LS have power-packs in the handle.
> >
> 
> Lightsabers are not powered by the Force.  Simple proof - Han is able to
> ignite a saber.  (also, Luke is able to ignite the saber before he has
> any training).  Therefore, sabers can-not be powered by the force or Han
> (and arguably Luke) could not have ignited them.
> 
> > During the duell, after a few swings are exchanged, Ben's look in  
horror as his
> > LS start giving out. Vader notes that and says:
> > "Your powers are weak old man. You should not have come back". He did  
not say
> > "Your battries are running low. You should have used eveready" (any  
ideas for
> > a LS duel between the Eveready bunny and "other battery" jedi? :-) )
> >
> 
> Vader was obviously referring to Kenobi's force powers and his dueling
> prowess - not to the power-source (physical or mystical) of Kenobi's  
saber.
> 
> > Ben continues fighting, as his Light Saber continues giving out (he  
clearly
> > looks at it when the LS gets shorter). Sometimes - usually after a  
violent
> > clash with Vader's LS, it gives out compleatly!
> >
> 
> Yeah, sure.  And if a "giving-out" lightsaber indicates weak force  
powers
> then how come Vader's saber "give out" after the fight is over!?  After
> Vader strikes down Kenobi and is approaching the closing blast-doors his
> saber is also un-colored.
> 
> Also, how does your "theory" explain this?  Why don't we see Luke's  
saber
> lose power when he is losing the duel in ESB?  Why don't we see Vader's
> saber lose power when he is losing the duel in RotJ?  eh?
> 
> > Conclusions: Ben's power in using the force (when matched against  
Vader, not
> > a random Cantina villian) is weakening - so his light Saber loses  
power.
> >
> > BTW: Light Saber don't go through "anything". In ESB, Luke gets a hit  
on
> > Vader's shoulder pad with his LS (just before losing his hand). Vader  
screams
> Yes - this has always bothered me too.  I can see several possible
> explanations.  1) Vader's armor is incredibly tough.  2) At the last
> moment Vader parry's the blow with his own saber.  3) Vader uses the
> force to stop Luke's blow.  4) It was a glancing hit.  (2 or 4 could
> be proved/disproved by viewing in slow-motion I suppose but I've never
> bothered to check it carefully).
> 
> 
> > Dan Shoham               shoham@ll.mit.edu
> >  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> --
>  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
----
> Christopher A. Wolf   mail: chris@alchemy.tn.cornell.edu   IRC: cwolf  
(#amiga)
>  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
----	I tend to agree that Kenobi's lightsabre was not giving out. As  
for the duel between Luke and Vader, I still say a sabre can cut through  
anything, provided the one using it has the proper time to cut. If you've  
ever seen the Hulk fight wolverine, you see that Wolverine cannot damage  
the Hulk because the Hulk's skin is too tough to cut through with a single  
swipe. Likewise, I would think that Vader's armor made it difficult for  
Luke, who was not fully skilled with the Lightsabre anyway, to cut through  
it with one slash. Later, in ROTJ, Luke had become a Jedi, a master of his  
sabre, and could therefore better chop through things. Does that  
necessarily mean that he could easily cut through anything- say the hull  
of a Star Destroyer? I would say yes- if you gave him enough time to do  
it.
					Greg
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