Why Do Lightsabers Turn Off When Jedi Die?

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-03-16 08:19pm

In every instance of a Jedi's death (Qui-Gon and Maul in TPM, AOTC Jedi, Obi-Wan in ANH), the lightsaber the Jedi is wielding mysteriously turns off.

The out-of-universe answer is simple: Its distracting to see lightsabers laying around the place ignited.

But is there any in-universe answer for this phenomenon?

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-03-16 08:26pm

[Mystical mode on]The energy come from the Jedi.[Mystical mode off]

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-03-16 08:29pm

Many lightsabers have failsafes whereby a Jedi must be holding the switch on his lightsaber to the "on" position, or the weapon turns off.

That's it. I'm serious. That's what all the books say.

God Emperor · Post by **God Emperor** » 2003-03-16 08:30pm

No dead's man switch?

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-03-16 08:30pm

Master of Ossus wrote:Many lightsabers have failsafes whereby a Jedi must be holding the switch on his lightsaber to the "on" position, or the weapon turns off.

That's it. I'm serious. That's what all the books say.

That's....um....stupid.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-16 08:37pm

Why? An uncontrolled lightsaber is dangerous.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-03-16 08:39pm

Exactly, and if the saber needs to be on when not held, say in a throw, the Jedi could probably just use the Force to do it.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-03-16 08:41pm

Howedar wrote:Why? An uncontrolled lightsaber is dangerous.

Uncontrolled? Jedi are in full control of their abilities. Rare cases of failure (like when Anakin cut off Tahiri's arm-I think) could not have been avoided with such a failsafe.

Instead if a Jedi is say, knocked over by a Force push, or a kick, or something, and their finger falls away from the activator, they're basically as good as dead.

EDIT: Anyways, tommarow I'll check out the movies and see if the Jedi were indeed holding the activator or not when they died.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2003-03-16 08:42pm

Pretty much said already, its a deadman switch. Can't be healthy to have a functioning lightsaber lying there burning through god knows what, when and if the owner buys the big one.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2003-03-16 08:44pm

From what I gather, Light Sabre's have a couple settings.

One, a sabre can be locked on so that it will remain on no matter what. The second one is a system that turns the sabre off if the user is no longer holding it. Not a switch per say but rather if they cease to be holding it the sabre shuts down.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-03-16 08:46pm

Alyeska wrote:From what I gather, Light Sabre's have a couple settings.

One, a sabre can be locked on so that it will remain on no matter what. The second one is a system that turns the sabre off if the user is no longer holding it. Not a switch per say but rather if they cease to be holding it the sabre shuts down.

Interesting. Seems to make more sense than having to hold down just a button.

Kerneth · Post by **Kerneth** » 2003-03-17 11:52am

I know I'm going to get booed for mentioning this guy, but Corran Horn's lightsaber (the one that had belonged to his grandfather) could only be shut off by a double-tap of the activation switch. It's also been mentioned that some Jedi have lightsabers that shut off when released, while others do not.

It makes a fair amount of sense to have a deadman switch in the grip though, as has been said, and absolutely NO sense to require the Jedi keep their thumb on some button the entire fight.

Most logical setup (to me):
-1 click to turn on
-2 clicks to turn off, or some pattern of clicks--prevents it happening accidentally in a fight, or your opponent just reaching out with the Force and turning your lightsaber off, which would be pricelessly funny but probably fatal.
-Deadman grip with a switch that turns it off for when the Jedi wants to throw the lightsaber, something they seem to be fond of doing occasionally.

You know, a loose lightsaber would be extremely dangerous, particularly on a starship. Think, a guy fighting in a room next to the hull with a nice big transparisteel window, gets disarmed, lightsaber blade hits window. Explosive decompression is NOT your friend.

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-03-17 12:17pm

DGG wrote:In every instance of a Jedi's death (Qui-Gon and Maul in TPM, AOTC Jedi, Obi-Wan in ANH), the lightsaber the Jedi is wielding mysteriously turns off.

The out-of-universe answer is simple: Its distracting to see lightsabers laying around the place ignited.

But is there any in-universe answer for this phenomenon?

Most lightsabers contain a pressure sensor in the hilt that automatically cuts the power flow when the Jedi releases the lightsaber.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-03-17 12:28pm

The only way I can explain it is some sort of safety mechanism.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-03-17 06:59pm

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:
Howedar wrote:Why? An uncontrolled lightsaber is dangerous.
Uncontrolled? Jedi are in full control of their abilities. Rare cases of failure (like when Anakin cut off Tahiri's arm-I think) could not have been avoided with such a failsafe.

Instead if a Jedi is say, knocked over by a Force push, or a kick, or something, and their finger falls away from the activator, they're basically as good as dead.

EDIT: Anyways, tommarow I'll check out the movies and see if the Jedi were indeed holding the activator or not when they died.

Jedi aren't in control of their weapons when they're dead. I think that's what he was referring to. Actually, it's kind of funny about watching the activator studs during combat, since the actors pay little or no attention to them. The best view you get of a Jedi completely disregarding the stud is in TPM, when Kenobi vaults over the pit in preparation to kill Darth Maul. He grabs the lightsaber well away from the activator stud, yet the weapon ignites anyway. It's kind of funny, when you put it in freeze frame/slow-motion.

The rationalization is crappy, but it works. The Jedi use the Force to push the little red buttons on their lightsabers. Note that some EU lightsabers may ONLY be activated via the Force, which is guaranteed by the simple act of concealing the switch within the hilt of the weapon itself.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2003-03-17 09:04pm

Is it possible that when Qui- Gon's Lightsabre dropped, it got knocked into off?

Also, as for the pressue sense thing, how come when Luke lost his sabre is stayed on, I always thought it funny that on the surface of Bespin there is an activated Lightsabre lying around.

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2003-03-17 10:12pm

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:Rare cases of failure (like when Anakin cut off Tahiri's arm-I think) could not have been avoided with such a failsafe.

When the heck did this happen? Jacen accidentally cut off Tenel Ka's arm in the Junior/Young Jedi Knights series but I never knew Anakin did that...

Tenel's injury was sustained largely in part because her lightsaber malfunctioned during the duel, she was holding back Jacen's blade when it gave out and Jacen's blade went through to her shoulder.

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-03-17 10:48pm

Most lightsabers require a force-user to weild them, something about the blade needing to be focused by Force energy. This ould explian why Jedi can throw them and the saber will remian on and why death or unconcousness can turn off the blade.

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2003-03-17 11:07pm

Which is why Han was able to use Luke's lightsaber in ESB, the lightsaber which was built and used by Anakin Skywalker.

Your theory is crap unless theres some evidence. The blade does not need to be focused by force energy but force skills are necessary in synthesizing gems for use in lightsaber construction. (Like Darth Maul did in Shadow Hunter and Luke in shadows of the Empire IIRC)

The lack of a dead mans switch makes great sense

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-03-17 11:55pm

Admiral Johnason wrote:Most lightsabers require a force-user to weild them, something about the blade needing to be focused by Force energy. This ould explian why Jedi can throw them and the saber will remian on and why death or unconcousness can turn off the blade.

Your example doesn't work. All that is needed is the Jedi to use the Force to keep the switch pressed on in mid-air. Shouldn't be too hard for a full Jedi.

Darth Yoshi · Post by **Darth Yoshi** » 2003-03-17 11:59pm

Gandalf wrote:Is it possible that when Qui- Gon's Lightsabre dropped, it got knocked into off?

Doesn't it turn off before it hits the ground? I know Obi-Wan's does in ANH.

Captain tycho · Post by **Captain tycho** » 2003-03-18 12:50am

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:
Alyeska wrote:From what I gather, Light Sabre's have a couple settings.

One, a sabre can be locked on so that it will remain on no matter what. The second one is a system that turns the sabre off if the user is no longer holding it. Not a switch per say but rather if they cease to be holding it the sabre shuts down.
Interesting. Seems to make more sense than having to hold down just a button.

I read something in SW Insider about a sensor imbedded in the metal that detects when someone is holding it.

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-03-18 12:57am

Admiral Johnason wrote:Most lightsabers require a force-user to weild them, something about the blade needing to be focused by Force energy. This ould explian why Jedi can throw them and the saber will remian on and why death or unconcousness can turn off the blade.

You're incorrect, but only in the details. Lightsabers do have a mystiacl connection to the force (I, Jedi) however, it is NOT a requirement for usage.

Silver · Post by **Silver** » 2003-03-18 04:06am

Actually wasn't the Force connection in I, Jedi Corran Horn using the Force to make sure that all the parts in his lightsaber were connected properly, aligned properly, all that maintenance stuff?

Lightsabers (well most of them, anyways) have "deadman switches" built into them for safety reasons. I've read before that many small single person vehicles in the SW galaxy also have that feature. Swoops and speeder bike engines will cut off if they no longer detect a person manning the controls. How they do that I have no idea.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-03-18 10:43am

Kerneth wrote:It makes a fair amount of sense to have a deadman switch in the grip though, as has been said, and absolutely NO sense to require the Jedi keep their thumb on some button the entire fight.

Not to mention that they couldn't do the twirls and stuff, or switch hands, change grips, etc. One moment they're wielding it with the left, then both hands, then the right, and what happened to the button?