CT Luke's yellow lightsaber

Here's a question to old-school SW toy collectors. Why was the Luke Skywalker action figure's lightsaber yellow? Both the original 1977 and the TESB Lukes had yellow sabers and I never could figure out a good answer why. On a related note I loved how the lightsabers would slide up and down the action figure's arm- but what was up with that strange tip-thingy on the end???

[image=http://www.heliocracy.com/components/museumimg/luke.jpg]

Mr. K

 

I never understood this either. I cut the skinny part of the tip off. Also, Luke's head got bigger along the way. I never liked big-head Luke.

 

The only logical explanation I can think of is Kenner, the toy company who made the action figures, wanted those action figures featured with lightsabers to have their own lightsaber color. Obi-Wan has blue, Darth Vader has red, and Luke Skywalker had yellow. Maybe Kenner didn't want any action figures that came with lightsabers to have the same color of lightsaber as any other. That's the only reason I can think of.

 

Colours - no idea. For years I thought they simply got it the wrong way around, Luke had a blue lightsaber in the films, while Ben had a yellow one. Of course, they both had blue. Meh.

I don't remember my figures ever having that little pointy bit (must have been broken off in the late 1970s), but I imagine it was a bit of a hangover from the ultra-rare "double-telescoping" lightsabers the figures originally had:

[image=http://www.theswca.com/images-toys/tele-luke-before.jpg] [image=http://www.theswca.com/images-toys/tele-luke-after.jpg]

[image=http://theswca.com/images-produ/dtvader1.jpg] [image=http://theswca.com/images-produ/dtvader2.jpg]

[image=http://www.theswca.com/images-carde/12back-dtben-2.jpg] [image=http://www.theswca.com/images-carde/12back-dtben-3.jpg]


There was probably also a bit of artistic license from the toymakers to give the sabers the sort of pointed, flaring display they had in the concept drawings by Ralph Macquarrie:

[image=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ccGXesYV-eA/TMcmDkofCHI/AAAAAAAACOo/bXLDck63-9A/s1600/mcquarrie1.jpg]

[image=http://cdn.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_13911/subcat_27615/SW%20Tribute%20Art.jpg]

[image=http://www.originalprop.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/ralph-mcquarrie-stormtrooper-concept-art-star-wars-fr.jpg]

 

From what I understand it was for no better reason than to offer a variety.

 

it looks like the skinny tips made it easier to extend the saber out of their arms.

 

No, actually there was a tab attached to the butt-end of the sabre that extended out from the underside of the figure's forearm. This allowed you to push and pull the sabre in and out without having to pull the tip.

(Why does this post seem dirty to me?...)

 

It runs in the family.

Because it mentions pushing and pulling a saber in and out and also uses the term "butt end".

 

And now you've gone & matched it with a quote about Luke's head getting bigger. Charming.

 

SW fans are... [dr. evil pinky finger-to-lip]
...dirty.

 

Yeah what is with the 70s and yellow sabers? Was it something in the cocaine?

http://scifiblog.net/wp-content/uploads/-470991806893172080.jpg

http://www.wijnandsgalaxy.com/images/obi-wan-vintage-doll-box-front.jpg

http://torwars.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Kenner_Star_Wars_Catalog_Lightsaber_1978-385x500.jpg

 

The exact reason I thought they simply had Luke & Ben's sabers the wrong way around. I would have seen the images on toy boxes far more often than the film itself back then.

 

Kenner's first inflatable lightsaber toy was also yellow.

[image=http://figure-archive.net/photos/v010/_00031672.jpg]


But the lightsabre that came with the first 12" Luke figure was blue.

 

I had that inflatable yellow saber. It just hooked on to a flashlight. I popped it the first day I had it, I thought I could cut through the back of the couch. After that I just had a cheap flashlight.

That yellow sabre always bugged me with Luke. Take care though, if you have a figure from 1977 (date on back left leg) of either Luke, Ben, or Vader complete with saber and in good condition, could be worth thousands of dollars!

 

OMG. That yellow lighsaber toy was my favorite. My inner child is crying.

 

This deserves .

 

Far too many people in this thread are having fun and enjoying themselves.

 

No Kidding.

 

Luke's saber in many of the early promotional paintings is also either pure white or golden yellow. This is best explained by the fact that Lucas did not initially envision the sabers as colored/animated/rotoscoped; he had planned to do the swords as a practical effect, with those whirling, metal-coated rods delivering the luminous effect. When that didn't work out as well as hoped, he decided to animate them, and at that point, in post-production when the majority of the posters and promotional materials had already been produced, gave them their color.

It can be concluded with reasonable certainty that the Kenner toy designers were working with the promotional materials when they gave Luke his yellow lightsaber. Although the film was out in theaters at the time the designers were working, they either a) did not see the film and only worked with the promotional materials given to them, or b) saw the film and decided to adhere to the promotional material golden saber instead, out of a specific design aesthetic (given that Kenner Luke's hair is the exact same yellow color, and his tan pants match as well).

 

I forgot all about the posters.

[image=http://thegamerwithkids.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/starwarsposter.jpg]

Luke with white lightsaber.

[image=http://www.allmovieposter.org/poster/star-wars-poster-10.jpg]

A bit closer to yellow.

[image=http://furiousfanboys.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/swposters_05.jpg]

And vader's is more yellow than red.

 

does anyone know how often toy company's that can't get a product done by a certain time
just recycle parts from other toylines. like this

 

Not to mention:

[image=http://theswca.com/images-speci/recycle/cantina.jpg]

[image=http://theswca.com/images-speci/recycle/treehouse.jpg]

[image=http://theswca.com/images-speci/recycle/tuckgg.jpg]

Full article here: http://theswca.com/images-speci/recycle/

 

That's fantastic! I'm really digging the Ewok treehouse. Maybe the next edit of the Classic Trilogy will include an extended CGI sequence on Endor exploring the decor of Ewok nurseries.

.....

 

as to the yellow saber...

it was white/yellow in many pics/posters at the time.

due to the degrading film they replayed over and over many
viewers remember a yellow saber. some people swear the original
print had it yellow on purpose but its probably clouded kid memory.

 

Uh...

The 'degrading film' from 1977/78, when Kenner manufactured the original Luke figure?