Since its introduction in 1977, the lightsaber has become a stable of Star Wars, but also of pop culture as a whole. Considering the weapon's gimmicky nature, this may come off as a bit surprising, but the reasoning is solid. The lightsaber goes beyond the typical qualifications for a "cool laser-sword," especially in its first few installments. Normally, in sci-fi stories, plasma-based weapons are there to drive home the setting's, aesthetic, provide some eye candy, or engage the audience in some other way. The lightsaber does this as well, but with some smart decisions that make it more engaging. To begin, the lightsabers of the original trilogy are wreathed in mystery. During A New Hope, the audience sees three lightsabers, each with their own mystery: Luke's, which relates to his unknown father and the organization he was a part of; Obi-wan's, which relates to the weapon's capabilities in the hands of a master; and Vader's, which relates to the simple question of a different color. Because of all of these threads to follow, the appearance of a saber on screen is bound to get the viewer's attention, even if it's just Luke swinging it around for a couple of minutes. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke's skill with a lightsaber reflects milestones in his training, starting with the AT-AT, following through to the fight with "Vader" in the cave, and finally ending with his real fight with Vader on Bespin. In Return of The Jedi, Luke gains a new saber, leaving the audience to ponder why his iconic blue blade has become a green one. From there, however, many of the mysteries surrounding the sacred blades stop and are replaced with gimmicks and flashier special effects. The Force Awakens tried to create a mystery surrounding Luke's old saber, but that turned out to be a total fluke, sadly. The second reason for the lightsaber's unique fame is its connection to the main factions of the story. Much in the same way wands relate to the wizarding world of Harry Potter, lightsabers serve as a symbol of the Jedi. In the originals, they are an expression of power and skill, as we covered before with Luke's training. There was really only one duel per film in the original trilogy, which added hype and intensity . The prequels featured lots of fights, but the real excitement came from the scale of the battles. The arenas were elaborate set pieces closer to what we saw during the duel in Return of The Jedi. The sequels of course drove the lightsaber's uniqueness and elegance into the ground but that's neither here nor there. Because of the weapon's connection to the Jedi, and Sith respectively, it also became inseparable from the franchise. It's for this reason that there hasn't been a single Star Wars movie without a lightsaber. So, despite their gimmicky nature, why are lightsabers a cut above other cool weapons? To put it simply, they are a symbol of many of the greatest aspects of their beloved franchise. (At least until the sequels went and ruined it.) Extra Credit: 4:14-7:07 of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL83p4GxAvw
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There is a saying that you should "never judge a book by its cover." Bullshit. "The cover" -- a game's graphics, aesthetic, and overall appearance -- is a crucial part of any title. This is true whether the visuals are for the world of the game itself, or for the world of its sales projections. For example, the bright and colorful style of many Nintendo games wouldn't appeal to a target audience that plays shooters, even if the game includes the same elements. Much in the same way, the darker and grittier style of many shooter games cannot convey the same whimsical tone as Nintendo's bright and colorful style. Realistic graphics will appeal to a group, so much so that they want to buy the game solely for that purpose. Visuals aren't disposable when it comes to reaching a target audience. And much like a movie, visuals are a key part in providing the experience. But visuals aren't the entire experience. Feeling awe at what has been created for your very eyes is only natural, but maybe we should all make an effort to "see past the curtain." Because visuals are needed, they have become a crutch; one that may be effective for sales, but detrimental for experiences. |
AuthorMcRae Walker, an 20-year-old writer and lover of many dorky topics. Archives
September 2022
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