Episode 3 Graflex

Unless Lucas overlooks this, we'll be seeing the 'graflex' lightsaber in Episode 3 probably. As it was once used by Anakin.

What differences do you expect the graflex will have to the one in ANH? Maybe a covertec instead of the glass eye, etc...

Do you even think they'll make it out of an authentic flash gun?

They seem to resin cast all the sabers - so I guess most of the stunt props they'll use for this saber won't be that lovely flash handle we're all familiar with.

 

WEll, I would think they would use the exact same prop since the still have it. We should also, hopefully see Obi's saber from ANH too.

 

Personally, my thoughts on this are as follow..

I believe that the saber designs that we see in the "prequels" are "new interpretations" of the sabers from the Star Wars saga. I don't necessarily believe that we will ever see the original Graflex designs used in the prequels.

Just as the special effects have improved, so have the prop designs. Originally, the Graflex solution was a quick and easy way to do the sabers. Now, ILM prop guys can do whatever they want.

This does not mean that newer versions of the old sabers won't be seen. Just as Anakin's lightsaber is VERY similar to the saber Obi Wan presents to Luke as being Anakin's saber. I think that is going to continue, to a degree, with the Original Trilogy saber designs: based on them, but "new and improved".

Of course, George might do what everyone expects and wants: a return to the original props...we'll have to wait and see...

--Kai

 

I don't know about the rest of you, but personally I'm anxious to see if they'll have Palpatine in a lightsabre duel in Episode 3!!! It was a real treat to see Yoda in action in AOTC, so in my mind it seems only fitting to show Palpatine's skills with the blade. His sabre prop should be an interesting piece, both in the film and to make so as to add it to a costume.
Any ideas on what it would look like should they include this prop??

 

If we ever see Palpatine's saber, I'm hoping more for something un-unique. Un-unique insomuch as: we have Darth Maul with his double saber; Darth Tyranus/Count Dooku with his curved hilt. I'd prefer not to have something "out of the ordinary" for Palps save for it having a red blade. Something simple, elegant, deadly...

--Kai

 

Something simple, elegant, deadly...

Not to mention something easily obtainable at your local hardware store - like a bit of PVC pipe, hehe.

 

Yes, I suppose that would make it easy to replicate...but George won't make it that easy on us will he?...

--Kai

 

Honestly, I can't see Palpy with a saber. I just think he would use force lightning and the dark side. After all, he is a sith master, the baddest of them all. No silly lightsaber for him!

 

Just as Anakin's lightsaber is VERY similar to the saber Obi Wan presents to Luke as being Anakin's saber.

Huh? I think you've got your sabers confused.

Anakin's is similar to Vaders ANH/ESB saber, but nothing like the Graflex ObiWan presents to Luke.

My guess is, Anakin's new saber - built to work better with his mechanical hand - will be a Graflex or similar to it. He'll end up losing this one in the battle with Obiwan, who keeps it for Luke.

Which kind of brings up a whole new angle to Obi's "gift." It seems likely that Anakin either never knew about Luke and thus didn't actually tell Obiwan he wanted him to have his saber, or that Obiwan just decided that, in order for the Rebellion to have any chance, Luke must become a Jedi, and he made up the story to lure Luke's interest.

 

It's also possible that the Jedi Hunt was already underway when Obi Wan and Anakin duel. It could also be that Luke was already born when the duel occurs. So he might as well keep it to give to Luke or Leia.

 

[image=http://www.lightsaberworld.com/images/lukeanhinfo2.jpg]
[image=http://www.lightsaberworld.com/images/vaderinfo3.jpg]
[image=http://www.lightsaberworld.com/images/anakin_info.jpg]

...some comparison pics. These are at Jedi Vic's Lightsaber World site. The Anakin Ep. II saber has inacurate grips, but it serves to show the similarities.

But, I CERTAINLY do not have my sabers confused in the least. Luke's and Anakin's sabers ARE very similar. Vader's is as well, but that wasn't the point. The point was the similarity between Luke's and Anakin's and the thought that the original Graflex design may be replaced with the newer version...

In general design, all three sabers are very similar. I made no mention of Vader's saber because it wasn't what I was talking about. I was pointing out the similarities between the Anakin Ep. II and the Luke Ep. IV. YES Anakin's is similar to Vader's also, which in turn is similar to Luke's. The main differences are the emmiter shroud and position of the activation box (the Anakin and the Vader are postitioned alike...Luke's is more to the "side"...)

Anyway...thought I'd clarify...didn't mean to rant...

--Kai

 

On the contrary, Mirax H, it seems only right for Palpatine to use a lightsabre. Remember that in ROTJ, he had Vader do his dirty work for him; no real need to get his hands dirty, eh? Dooku used the sabre and Force lightning in unison, so you really can't rule out the need to be a well-rounded fighter. Palpatine wouldn't have been wise to wield a lightsabre in public because of his position as senator, chancellor and so forth. But I have no doubt that at some point, he had a sabre and indeed used it.

 

I really hope we see the Graflex sabre. It's always been one of my favorites.

I doubt we'll see Obi-Wan's Episode IV sabre. He'll probably construct it between Episodes III and IV.

I just don't see Palpatine weilding a lightsabre. I'm sure he has at some point, but in the films Palpy has always been portrayed as the man behind the curtain. He sends others to do the dirty work (Maul, Dooku, Vader) and to take the fall for his actions (Trade Federation) and I don't see him doing things for himself now.
It's nice that we are starting to bridge the design gap between the sabres in the prequels and the sabres in the Classic Trilogy. Yoda's sabre, designed by Steve Dyzmo who at the time was running his unlicsened replica business SD Studios (now he is the guy behind Master Replicas), has elements of the old sabres (beveled emitter, grip strips, semi-boxed shape activator, made from a flash tube) as does Anakin's Ep2 sabre. Even Mace Windu's new sabre looks a little more like the OT than before.

It makes sense that the designs change so much, given that because there are thousands of Jedi during the prequels, there are probably plenty of facilities that make sabre parts for them. When the Jedi are wiped out, so is their supply for sabre parts, leaving the survivors to use whatever they can find.

 

I think that there is a good possibility that we will see Obi Wan's Ep IV saber. . .

We don't know whether he could recover his own saber from Geonosis. Skywalker will definatly rebuild his (which will eventally be passed on to Luke.)



Then again. . . .


. . .


Mabey the Skywalker lightsaber is actually Obi Wan's from Ep3 and he lies about its origins to pursue his own agenda. Mabey Obi Wan's Ep4 saber was built between Ep3 & Ep4. . . Just throwing it out there as a possibility.

 

I was thinking that as well-Obi may make the saber we see in ANH between III&IV.

 

Not trying to dwell on this subject or anything, but one could assume that where Anakin is supposed to take the lives of the Jedi Council (to my understanding, anyway)that he would possibly need some help at some point or another. I mean, these are the best of the best of the Jedi... not a tribe of sandpeople. Whether or not Palpatine uses a sabre in the final installment... only time will tell.

I still think it'd be a kick @$$ prop to be designed and brought to life.

 

While it would be a cool prop... I just dont see it, It just is not Palpatines style to physically mix it up like that, that is what he has apprentices for!

 

I'd have to agree about probably not seeing Palpatine with a lightsaber. It doesn't seem to be his style, as others have so nicely explained.

 

Who would have thought Yoda would fight with a lightsaber from what we saw in 4-1?

Never count anything out when we are talking about what George will put in a movie.

 

The fact that Darth Vader's lightsaber was represented with a graflex in ROTJ, might suggest that from a prop perspective the 2 different styles of Anakin sabres (graflex style and MPP style) are meant to be the same in the movie perspective.

 

Nothing personal Kai - but if by "similar" you mean Anakin's and Luke's (ANH) are both based on flashguns, both have a clamp of some sort, both use calculator bubbles and wiper grips, and both are mostly chrome - then you have got a point.

But that's pretty loosely similar to me. If you ever built or owned any of these or handled replicas (I own 2 of the 3 pictured and have handled the 3rd) then you know that Luke's and Anakin's ARE NOT similar in build. That's like saying Obi's TPM/AOTC are similar to his ANH saber.

BTW - I've had the opportunity to view the AOTC DVD and I believe Obi's ANH saber makes a cameo "stunt" appearance in a few frames. Could be Luke's ROTJ or the Luke stunt saber - but it looks strangely familiar and strangely out of place.

 

Vader's saber in ROTJ was made from a graflex because the props from ANH and ESB were either lost or stolen. So, they mutilated a graflex to loosely resemble the old MPP version.

 

This is true.

 

I know that, but the point is that if the prop builders felt that (what we consider to be) two different style sabers could be made to represent the same saber, then it stands to reason that the graflex and the ep2 style anakin sabers are meant to be very similar in design.

 

G-4PO...Nothing personal taken. And, yes, the similarities I'm talking about are loose similarity in general design...also in coloration (silver saber with black grips, etc...)

I did make a Luke ANH saber, but recently customized it with a few things (including grips as seen on the Anakin saber and a control box that is half the normal thickness for comfort's sake).

...

On other notes, I'd love to see Palps with a saber...it was great to see Yoda kick a little a$$ with his...But, I kind of doubt we'll see it. Who knows.

--Kai