The Rise of Skywalker: Episode IX Graflex

[ARKM]

I offer another possibility for the spacing of the grips being closer together while still retaining 6 grips. With the new oversized clamp, keeping the standard 1.5" diameter of the Graflex cans would make the hilt very thick in the clamp area and could be difficult for an actress with small hands to grasp comfortably. Perhaps this new Graflex is a replica that is completely custom and made to a smaller diameter than the real thing. In other words, this could be a Hayden Christensen RotS saber senario. I'm not saying that this Episode 9 prop has a smaller diameter than a standard Graflex, just that it may be a possibility.

As for the grip slit being the new way this saber hangs on a belt, in reality that would be a great way to puncture a hole in your hand when dueling and as such, it pretty frikkin' stupid. How some of these ideas make it into the final cut of films is mind boggling.

 

[Luuke]

I'm loving all the speculation especially from an initial teaser. I'm sure as more images come along, our perception will change.

 

[Halliwax]

I'm loving all the speculation especially from an initial teaser. I'm sure as more images come along, our perception will change.

Yup, this is where the fun begins

 

[SethS]

I'm loving all the speculation especially from an initial teaser. I'm sure as more images come along, our perception will change.

It's crazy how clear something can seem and then another shot changes everything.

 

[Halliwax]

It's crazy how clear something can seem and then another shot changes everything.

Story of our lives...

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Maybe they will have a few props and costumes on display at Celebration, now that the trailer has dropped.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Okay-- I want to recap and pitch a few things...

First, I think there's two different sabers in the teaser, possibly 3.

Check this out:

View attachment 1009729

A is the main one, obviously a belt hanger / hero.

We got:

- no d ring or kobold
- what looks to be a belt hanger built into one of the grips
- an all-new original clamp section with some sort of faux edge card and a black shell that is of a different material of the grips. Most people think it is tinted, I'm not sure that isn't just a softer material (like leather or plastic) picking up light reflections.
- a glass eye (an Inc style?) with the knurling intact; some people swear there is no eye at all, but you can see it pretty clearly I think.. .though I'm not fully sure there's a light bulb in there
- Some people see six grips, some seven (but I think there is a reason for that, see below)

A new feature I think we may have over-looked-- just above the clamp, but below in the image above since it's hanging, there is a brownish blob. I thought it was a reflection at first, but you can see it elsewhere (still trying to grab the right frame). I think this may be a scorch mark peeking up out of the clamp band-- remnants from when it exploded.

Okay NOW-- look at pic B

I could be wrong, and we may need Dan or Roy to do some modeling, but that clamp box seems like it's not the same shape as saber A.

It could be the angle of the image, but the grips look off. I think it's mostly the angle, but I DO think that the grip that functions as a belt-hanger may be wider. Whether it's that way on the A version or not id impossible to say. But if it is, that might explain as to why some people see the grip spacing lending itself to seven tracks.

It's possible that A and B are the same and it's all due to angles and lighting that they look different. BUT...

Saber C is definitely different. It's using the flatter profile grips we've seen on stunt sabers from TLJ. I feel like it's safe to assume that this one is a stunt.

Endcap looks pretty bare, but this is a moving shot and I zoomed in so there could be details that just aren't coming through.

I think you’re right about the scorch mark...it also looks like there might be crack or two there as well:

 

[vader45]

I don't know that they would ever slow down to explain that. It would make some clunky exposition to say why she has a lightsaber that looks just like the last one, except for new parts exactly where the old parts went kablooey.

The simplest explanation is the most likely. You have to attribute the inaccuracies to decisions made in production design for aesthetics more than literal representations. It's no different than Kylo's scar moving, the Stormtroopers getting a helmet make-over, or for that matter, the fact we have to accept that the Skinnyflex is technically the same lightsaber Luke has in ANH and ESB.

It was never explained that Luke's saber in rotj was a homage. We just unsderstood that it was .

 

[Loneken]

To everyone trying to figure out a reasonable explanation for how the saber and Kylo's helmet could be repaired, I wouldn't bother trying. They changed Kylo Ren's scar because Rian Johnson didn't like the way it looked, with no explanation. And there's tons of examples of discontinuity in props and costumes, so I would say that it's most likely that the saber and the helmet are both supposed to be the same ones from the previous films. I would guess that J.J Abrams liked the idea of Rey keeping Luke's saber, rather than building her own - I mean, "The Rise of Skywalker," whatever it turns out to really mean, especially suggests to me that J.J. wants to keep the Skywalker connection to Rey. And Kylo repairing his helmet has nice parity with Rey repairing the saber. Both are trying to repair something that connects them to the past and with someone they revere - Rey to Luke and Kylo to Vader. You could also infer they are trying to fix a part of themselves that was lost in TLJ (from a more psychological point of view).

Totally off topic, but I'm pretty sure it's not Kylo's hands repairing that helmet if you look closely...

 

[CT1138]

I'm loving all the speculation especially from an initial teaser. I'm sure as more images come along, our perception will change.

Agreed! These are the kind of conversations I love having about these movies!

 

[benhs1898]

Has anyone talked about making the grip clip out of metal yet? I think that would be the only viable option for durability

 

[Halliwax]

Totally off topic, but I'm pretty sure it's not Kylo's hands repairing that helmet if you look closely...

Agree, we are talking about that in the episode 9 thread in the entertainment section. Check it out a lot of great screen caps!

 

[Halliwax]

Has anyone talked about making the grip clip out of metal yet? I think that would be the only viable option for durability

The same material roy uses for his ep7&8 grips will work fine

It’s a super strong plastic.. I prefer to call it polymer that’s how strong it is

I cut my fingers trying to bend the track

 

[SethS]

It was never explained that Luke's saber in rotj was a homage. We just unsderstood that it was .

That was a quick fix in a world where no one thought we'd ever have the ability to catch small details. It wasn't an homage, it was a last minute substitution.

The graflex in the ST has significant thematic use, story cues, and a lot of close ups. If they wanted to send the message Rey had a new saber they'd give her an original design. To have it be a graflex and only change it where we saw it damaged, says nothing but "she fixed it."

 

[Halliwax]

Please oh lord please don’t have a crack in it...

 

[AnubisGuard]

To have it be a graflex and only change it where we saw it damaged, says nothing but "she fixed it."

It also says "Abrams has trouble with original ideas."

 

[vader45]

That was a quick fix in a world where no one thought we'd ever have the ability to catch small details. It wasn't an homage, it was a last minute substitution.

The graflex in the ST has significant thematic use, story cues, and a lot of close ups. If they wanted to send the message Rey had a new saber they'd give her an original design. To have it be a graflex and only change it where we saw it damaged, says nothing but "she fixed it."

That's true. With how prominent the Graflex was most will assume it was repaired.

We could see the original graflex stashed in the falcon somewhere and Rey using the new one or some quick line that tells us she built a new Graflex .

 

[Halliwax]

That's true. With how prominent the Graflex was most will assume it was repaired.

We could see the original graflex stashed in the falcon somewhere and Rey using the new one or some quick line that tells us she built a new Graflex .

That’s what I was hoping, to see the broken flex on display somewhere

With a missing kyber crystal

 

[SethS]

Pretty sure there's a scorch mark...

 

[vader45]

I for one am liking what I see. It's tasteful, simple and not some overly complicated mod like a staff or cross guard some were theorizing.

EDIT: a cross guard with Graflex emitters looks tacky as hell.