Difference between revisions of "1433: Lightsaber"

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(Explanation: Nobody ever once refers to a lightsaber as a 'laser sword' in the movies. Actually, the best physical approximation for a lightsaber is some kind of contained plasma.)
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{{comic
 
| number    = 1433
 
| date      = October 13, 2014
 
| title    = Lightsaber
 
| image    = lightsaber.png
 
| titletext = A long time in the future, in a galaxy far, far, away, astronomers in the year 2008 sight an unusual gamma-ray burst originating from somewhere far across the universe.
 
}}
 
 
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
 
This comic references a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDnoczxzQyg scene] from the third theatrically-released ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' movie, ''[[wikia:c:starwars:Return of the Jedi|Return of the Jedi]]'', wherein [[wikia:c:starwars:Darth Vader|Darth Vader]] confronts his son, [[wikia:c:starwars:Luke skywalker|Luke Skywalker]], who had recently surrendered to [[wikia:c:starwars:Galactic Empire|Imperial]] soldiers. In the movie, Vader notes that Luke has constructed [[wikia:c:starwars:Luke Skywalker's lightsaber|a new lightsaber]] following the loss of his [[wikia:c:starwars:Luke skywalker#Lightsabers|original]] during their [[wikia:c:starwars:Duel on Cloud City|duel on Cloud City]] (Luke Skywalker's original lightsaber actually having been [[wikia:c:starwars:Anakin skywalker|Anakin Skywalker's]] second).
 
This comic references a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDnoczxzQyg scene] from the third theatrically-released ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' movie, ''[[wikia:c:starwars:Return of the Jedi|Return of the Jedi]]'', wherein [[wikia:c:starwars:Darth Vader|Darth Vader]] confronts his son, [[wikia:c:starwars:Luke skywalker|Luke Skywalker]], who had recently surrendered to [[wikia:c:starwars:Galactic Empire|Imperial]] soldiers. In the movie, Vader notes that Luke has constructed [[wikia:c:starwars:Luke Skywalker's lightsaber|a new lightsaber]] following the loss of his [[wikia:c:starwars:Luke skywalker#Lightsabers|original]] during their [[wikia:c:starwars:Duel on Cloud City|duel on Cloud City]] (Luke Skywalker's original lightsaber actually having been [[wikia:c:starwars:Anakin skywalker|Anakin Skywalker's]] second).
  
Lightsabers are often jokingly referred to as "laser swords", and this comic points out that a real laser would not have any way of stopping and would therefore continue forever - something the ''Star Wars'' writers have been trying to justify for decades. Because Vader slightly tilts the active lightsaber, the beam ends up slicing straight through the hull of a large section of the ship or station they are on (though in the movie they were actually in an observation tower of a planet-side landing pad). Hull breaches are a popular trope in science-fiction, despite being almost entirely absent from the Star Wars films.
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Lightsabers are often jokingly referred to as "laser swords" by fans, and this comic points out that a real laser would not have any way of stopping and would therefore continue forever, making this particular interpretation silly. (The''Star Wars'' writers cleverly fail to state what exactly a lightsaber's blade is made out of, although it is unlikely to be a laser because of this.) Because Vader slightly tilts the active super-lightsaber, the beam ends up slicing straight through the hull of a large section of the ship or station they are on (though in the movie they were actually in an observation tower of a planet-side landing pad) and presumably going on forever, causing much mayhem as it blazes through the stars. Hull breaches are a popular trope in science-fiction, despite curiously being almost entirely absent from the Star Wars films.
  
 
The title text refers to {{w|GRB 080319B}}, an unusual gamma ray burst in 2008, the afterglow of which was briefly visible to the human eye. It implies that the source of this burst was a light saber in the Star Wars story, which took place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" according to the {{w|Star Wars (film)|Star Wars}} {{w|Star Wars opening crawl|opening crawl}}.
 
The title text refers to {{w|GRB 080319B}}, an unusual gamma ray burst in 2008, the afterglow of which was briefly visible to the human eye. It implies that the source of this burst was a light saber in the Star Wars story, which took place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" according to the {{w|Star Wars (film)|Star Wars}} {{w|Star Wars opening crawl|opening crawl}}.
  
 
Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader have had a similar conversation before in [[1397: Luke]].
 
Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader have had a similar conversation before in [[1397: Luke]].
 
==Transcript==
 
:[Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader are talking. Vader holds the handle of a powered-off lightsaber.]
 
:Vader: <em>'''I see you have constructed a new lightsaber.'''</em>
 
:[Vader turns it on. The beam of the lightsaber continues upward out of the frame.]
 
:Lightsaber: Snap-Hisss
 
:[Vader looks up toward where the beam is pointing.]
 
:[Vader looks back at Luke.]
 
:Vader: <em>'''Where does it end?'''</em>
 
:Luke: Doesn't.
 
:Intercom (out of view): ''Hull breach all along sector five!!''
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
[[Category:Star Wars]]
 
[[Category:Physics]]
 

Revision as of 13:00, 14 December 2014

Explanation

This comic references a scene from the third theatrically-released Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi, wherein Darth Vader confronts his son, Luke Skywalker, who had recently surrendered to Imperial soldiers. In the movie, Vader notes that Luke has constructed a new lightsaber following the loss of his original during their duel on Cloud City (Luke Skywalker's original lightsaber actually having been Anakin Skywalker's second).

Lightsabers are often jokingly referred to as "laser swords" by fans, and this comic points out that a real laser would not have any way of stopping and would therefore continue forever, making this particular interpretation silly. (TheStar Wars writers cleverly fail to state what exactly a lightsaber's blade is made out of, although it is unlikely to be a laser because of this.) Because Vader slightly tilts the active super-lightsaber, the beam ends up slicing straight through the hull of a large section of the ship or station they are on (though in the movie they were actually in an observation tower of a planet-side landing pad) and presumably going on forever, causing much mayhem as it blazes through the stars. Hull breaches are a popular trope in science-fiction, despite curiously being almost entirely absent from the Star Wars films.

The title text refers to GRB 080319B, an unusual gamma ray burst in 2008, the afterglow of which was briefly visible to the human eye. It implies that the source of this burst was a light saber in the Star Wars story, which took place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" according to the Star Wars opening crawl.

Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader have had a similar conversation before in 1397: Luke.