Lightsaber Family Tree
- Thread starter SethS
- Start date
jcroscigno
Well-Known Member
I really hope someone can add photo references for these variations - I didn't even know about a good number of these.
newmagrathea
Sr Member
If I was really mean I'd make little empty check boxes next to every pic to drive all the completists over the edge
That would be a very Sith thing to do.
JaxAndTheMoon
Sr Member
I would just like you all to know, that while searching through pictures here on The RPF with my girlfriend, we came across a picture of the Luke ROTJ "Close Up Hero" and she thought it was the OWK ANH Hero that I have displayed in our office. I proceeded to tell her that the lightsabers are from different movies, and she couldn't exactly grasp why the looked similar if it wasn't the same Jedi's lightsaber. I couldn't figure out a good way to explain it on my own, but then I though, "Seth has already explained this in chart form..." so I then used this chart as a way to explain the lineage of sabers from each movie. Let's just say, she thinks we're all nerds.
Okay campers-- here's where it's at.
I nudged things around so please tell me if I messed up somewhere and didn't catch it. Couple things:
- I'd love a pic of the MPP hero from ROTJ. I found a thread here that said it exists, but the image links were all old and busted.
- While looking for that image I fell down a rabbit hole of alt Vader sabers. It seems like everyone agrees those were for promo tours, exhibitions, or Freeborn's hand-sever gag, so I made note of those.
- The Luke/Vader shared stunt from ANH that stayed around as a practice saber-- I can't find a pic of it in use for ROTJ. Obviously one exists since this has become part of the lore. If you got it-- throw it at me!
- In general, if you have a better pic than the ones I am using for any saber, speak up!
- all images are from production, save for the exhibition ones. If I used your picture, I did so claiming no rights to it, and you are awesome for sharing it with us.
- I know the Force Awakens title is missing. It's there. just got hidden behind the pic. I'll fix it-- but I'm tired and hungry and don't feel like exporting it again now...
Here's a jpg, also attaching a bigger res PDF. The original file is good for a 22x34 poster.
I nudged things around so please tell me if I messed up somewhere and didn't catch it. Couple things:
- I'd love a pic of the MPP hero from ROTJ. I found a thread here that said it exists, but the image links were all old and busted.
- While looking for that image I fell down a rabbit hole of alt Vader sabers. It seems like everyone agrees those were for promo tours, exhibitions, or Freeborn's hand-sever gag, so I made note of those.
- The Luke/Vader shared stunt from ANH that stayed around as a practice saber-- I can't find a pic of it in use for ROTJ. Obviously one exists since this has become part of the lore. If you got it-- throw it at me!
- In general, if you have a better pic than the ones I am using for any saber, speak up!
- all images are from production, save for the exhibition ones. If I used your picture, I did so claiming no rights to it, and you are awesome for sharing it with us.
- I know the Force Awakens title is missing. It's there. just got hidden behind the pic. I'll fix it-- but I'm tired and hungry and don't feel like exporting it again now...
Here's a jpg, also attaching a bigger res PDF. The original file is good for a 22x34 poster.
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One other thing: in ANH and ESB you differentiate between movie versions and post /promo versions. But not in TFA. Maybe you can do the same there?
Lichtbringer
Master Member
Nice work. But what´s the reason you havn´t placed ROTS before ANH?
Lichtbringer
Master Member
But they are no evolution of the first 3 films, they are standalone designs, so evolutionary they make more sense put on the top.
That´s why i think he might have another reason.
That´s why i think he might have another reason.
OBIWANJALOPY
Active Member
SOOOOOOOO cool. Thanks for doing this. My son (8-years old) might be the first to have this as a poster in his room. Like, tonight.
Great job.
Great job.
Angelus Lupus
Sr Member
Would it be getting too complicated and too much text if you added in info such as number of grips, red button and glass eye, etc? Otherwise some of the changes (like adding rivets because the glue froze off in Norway) might be too subtle to tell in just pictures.
But they are no evolution of the first 3 films, they are standalone designs, so evolutionary they make more sense put on the top.
That´s why i think he might have another reason.
He's probably thinking chronologically in terms of OT lightsaber prop designs (for Skywalkers & Kenobi only). This poster is about the props in real life and not in terms of SW universum.
You better wait until it's ready!
jkno
Legendary Member
But they are no evolution of the first 3 films, they are standalone designs, so evolutionary they make more sense put on the top.
That´s why i think he might have another reason.
As others surmised, this is definitely not in-universe, but the real life evolution of the props be it actual physical or simply inspired by. So while the ROTS designs are scratch-made, they were made to match sabers that chronologically appeared before them.
Example: the ROTS DV saber is a unique design, but it clearly takes its cues from the Barbican display model, which was based on the ROTJ saber, etc.
I'd love to do this, but there just isn't room physically, and to be honest that's a lot of info to cull, and not all parts are known/agreed upon. Roy mentioned an online version that might alow for pop-ups or hyperlinks to extra info. If somebody wanted to take this and make that, that would be cool... but I think that might be out of my expertise.
Plus, I'm assuming if somebody is a big enough prop nerd to be into this thing, then they probably know that info...
You know what-- I didn't even think of that since we saw the VD and Launch bay images first, but in reality, you're right, they would have been made after production. On it!
