Mara Jade Skywalker - lightsabre suggestion?

[Ladydetemps]

So I'm pondering on making a mara jade cosplay later this year.
Now I'm in a little quandry:
1. I can't decide which outfit goes with which lightsabre...the only image I could find of the cosplay I want to do has it sheathed.
blue or...what's the other colour?
2. I'm overwhealmed by the choice of options you can buy.
- I want it to pose with rather than engage in fights but still be able to carry it sound in a holster/on a belt. It also needs to be fairly cheap and available in the UK (I'm not spending hundreds of pounds on something I might only use once or twice.

...help!

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

The well known MJ lightsaber (black upper grips first designed for the Collectable Card Game CCG and was made by parks for the actual prop used in the cards) with purple blade is Mara's Emperor's Hand lightsaber. So if you are doing an outfit representing her service to the empire (Pre-Return of the Jedi, that is the one you want.

If you are doing a MJ outfit representing her time after Return of the Jedi and before Heir to the Empire, she did not have a lightsaber.

If you are doing an outfit for her time during the Early part of the Heir to the Empire, you could have her sport Luke's Return of the Jedi lightsaber as she had possession of it while she held Luke prisoner.

- Later in The Last Command she used Leia's lightsaber in the climactic battle.

If you are doing a costume that represents MJ's time from the end of Last Command till the time she accepted Jedi training and before she built her own, you would want the Luke The Empire Strikes Back lightsaber.

There is no real detail regarding the lightsaber she built herself except that she constructed a new violet-bladed lightsaber as part of her training to become a Jedi Knight.

Note: In the CD-ROM game Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith (She had a lightsaber that had gold upper disc detailing) Which took place sometime after the Thrawn Trilogy. This lightsaber predated the design of the CCG, so it is more of an oddity.

 

[Sni9er]

Not from the UK But we imported from the US very reasonably from saber forge the price was also Very reasonable and really pulls the costume together its called the Jade Fire it also comes in a range of prices with more or less electrickery

 

[Ladydetemps]

Not from the UK But we imported from the US very reasonably from saber forge the price was also Very reasonable and really pulls the costume together its called the Jade Fire it also comes in a range of prices with more or less electrickery

£100 even before postage and customs charges is far too much for me. I was thinking more £50 or less. Or even if there's a super cheap basic one I can modify with no DIY knowledge and no proper tools. Well ok I have a hammer & screwdriver set and every type of glue and tape you can think of...but apart from that I don't really have power tools.

This was my last attempt at diy version. Torch, craft foam, glue and paint. lol!

- - - Updated - - -

Wow! Thank you @MaraJadesFather that is really useful the kinda info I needed. As a sewer its easier for me to make the costume than a lightsabre so might pick the sabre then make the cosplay to match.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

For the most part, MJ's Black bodysuit with shoulder harness, belt, shin guards were a common theme throughout her history. If you look at cover art or comic art, you will find some different ones and variations on the theme.

If you are trying to do this on a budget, the The Empire Strikes Back version might be your best options. It also depends how detailed/accurate you want. If you just want something for the sake of having it with the costume, you could just get one of this $10 Anakin Hasbro lightsabers either as is, or try some modifications to make it look more like like the actual prop. You could also check eBay for resins casts or fan made sink tube type replicas.

The other option is to opt for the Mara Jade Skywalker (fully trained Jedi Knight). Since little is known about the actual design, you might be able to find a generic machined hilt for relatively low cost.

 

[Ladydetemps]

In my reserch I came across this image

I'm guessing that's lukes lightsaber? It looks like I already have almost perfect dress and leggings in my wardrobe. And I have some pretty close boots. So I'd just need to do the leg wraps, shoulder pads, belt and broach type thing on the front neckline. I already have a red wig as well. And having a bag as part of a cosplay is sooo handy.
I'm leaning towards using a hasbro one and modifying it to look more how I want.

 

[Darth Lars]

I think the last one looks more like Leia's lightsaber.

Here is a picture of the Mysteries of the Sith lightsaber I had saved away. Apparently it is a detail from a picture in the video game...


The original "Emperor's Hand" lightsaber on the collecting card was a one-off made by Parksabers. A couple of the parts are stock parts that he used on his other custom lightsabers at the time, but they are no longer available. Lots of people have made replicas of it though.

Replicas of the MOTS lightsaber was made around a decade ago by Roman's Empire.

 

[Ladydetemps]

Thanks for the image that helps.
I don't suppose there's a cheap DIY lightsaber kit on sale anywhere? I don't have anything for drilling holes, sawing etc but I'm not beyond putting stuff together....can't be harder than sewing a full regency ensemble including bonnet and stays.

 

[Sandcrawler]

I put together the CCG/ Master Replica version a few years back. Let me know if you need help in getting started.

http://youtu.be/BvM019CIYyE

 

[Riceball]

Thanks for the image that helps.
I don't suppose there's a cheap DIY lightsaber kit on sale anywhere? I don't have anything for drilling holes, sawing etc but I'm not beyond putting stuff together....can't be harder than sewing a full regency ensemble including bonnet and stays.

If you have access to good metallic/chrome paints or kits you could make the hilt out of PVC (or similar) pipes which you could easily drill holes in using a regular drill or a Dremel type tool. Then it would be a matter of hitting hardware stores and junk yards to get misc. bits and bobs to dress up the PVC pipe with. For the innards an inexpensive solution would be to buy one the high end lightsaber toys that are out now, the ones with the plastic hilt but with a light up blade and sound effects. I don't know if they sell those in the UK but they are far less than the high end collector blades and, in the US, are sold in department stores like Target.

 

[Sandcrawler]

I scaled out a design to start with and sent it to Tim over at the custom saber shop, try contacting him to see if he can maybe build it for you? Another idea is to look for the Master replica version on eBay and have somebody 3d print one for you? Or make a resin copy for personal use...

Personally you could go with Luke's blue Episode 4 ANH saber (Anakin's Saber). Much cheaper and easily found on eBay. Keep it as is or dremel/ hacksaw the blade off and worry about putting remove able blade kit on later.

 

[Ladydetemps]

I've just been offered a 2nd hand dremmel type kit for free. Yay! So it will make creating my own easier.
The PVC pipe option is appealing to me there's a DIY shop locally where you can just buy 1 individual nail if you want rather than being stuck with multibuys. darthfoster that sabre is super cool. Wish I was good at the electronics stuff but am always afraid of messing up and electricuting myself.