[net.sf-lovers] light saber

avsdS:steve (12/13/82)

how about simply believing Obi Wan when he said that the light saber was
a more elegant weapon for a more civilized time?  It seems throughout
history that the hand weapon is usually replaced by the "NEW and IMPROVED"
versions of projectile weapons as they are developed( the long bow by the
cross-bow, the Springfield by the M-1, etc...). 

Current military customs usually provide for the wearing of the dress sword
only on special occasions. How practicle would a sword (or even a light
saber) be in stopping an opponent at 50 yards?

I would appear that Darth Vader took on Obi Wan as a matter of pride.
The sensible thing to do would have been to stay back and lay waste to
the corridor, including Obi Wan, with a suitable weapon. That, however,
never seems to happen (the bad guys never take the easy way out--they like
to gloat!).

How to obtain a new light saber?  Check out the local antique gun shoppe.
I'm sure someone's grandfather had one at one time but it outlived it's
usefulness and was traded-in for something more appropriate. (you gots to
look at realities (?)).  If not, well, the plans coulden't have all been lost.
(After all, it was THE WEAPON of the Jedi for a thousand generations!!!).
Just run down tho the local smithy.l

Besides, if you can still get battries for it, there must be some, somewhere.

If you gots to get caught up in the story, you gots to start believing more 
and stop putting in so much sweats over the unessential.

jah (12/17/82)

The light saber may well be the only weapon that can stop a well trained
jedi.  Remember what happened when Darth was shot at close range from
a blaster? (make that "with a blaster") He simply catches the "bullets."

VAF@CMU-CS-C (12/19/82)

From:  Vince Fuller <VAF at CMU-CS-C>

Date: 13 Dec 82 13:02:42-PST (Mon)
    From: decvax!decwrl!sun!megatest!fortune!dsd!atd!avsdS.steve at, Ucb-C70
    To:   SF-LOVERS at MIT-MC
    Re:   light saber

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    Current military customs usually provide for the wearing of the dress
    sword only on special occasions. How practicle would a sword (or even
    a light saber) be in stopping an opponent at 50 yards?

I believe that a light saber actually could be useful at least for
defending one's self at 50 yards. Given that the majority of weapons
in use are of the enery/blaster type shown in SW, and given the
ability of a Jedi (or someone with at least Vader's mastery of the
force) to predict weapon shots (cf. Vader's ability to block Solo's
blaster shots in TESB), a light saber can probably be used to parry or
block shots.