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Canon evidence of multiple lightsabre power settings?

Posted: 2004-11-07 02:05am
by Dillon
How else does on explain all the guards that Luke hit on the sail barge in ROTJ, and instead of being sliced, just got knocked aside?

Posted: 2004-11-07 03:22am
by The Cleric
There are instances in teh EU of lightsabers failing to cut certain things. The instance I remember is in the KJA trilogy, where Luke is fighting the lava worm on Gantoris' homeworld. He cuts a single scale, and his blade jumps into thousands of pieces.

Posted: 2004-11-07 03:27am
by Cal Wright
I'm giving you the heads up now. Never, ever, ever, mention that author on this board again. The flaming is quite grotesque.

Besides, Luke's sabre didn't really change lengths. However, with Darth Maul's duel ended sabre, and Yoda's mini sabre, it's obvious that they can control what the blade does.

Re: Canon evidence of multiple lightsabre power settings?

Posted: 2004-11-07 03:33am
by Lord Poe
observer_20000 wrote:How else does on explain all the guards that Luke hit on the sail barge in ROTJ, and instead of being sliced, just got knocked aside?
Luke sliced them; they didn't just get knocked aside.

Posted: 2004-11-07 03:54am
by The Cleric
Cal Wright wrote:I'm giving you the heads up now. Never, ever, ever, mention that author on this board again. The flaming is quite grotesque.
Yes, I know the stigma attached to KJA. I just thought the example relevant.
Besides, Luke's sabre didn't really change lengths. However, with Darth Maul's duel ended sabre, and Yoda's mini sabre, it's obvious that they can control what the blade does.
The length change is well represented, but power settings are suspect.

Posted: 2004-11-07 04:36am
by Master of Ossus
They have trouble cutting cortosis ore, too, and shut down because of a feedback loop.

Posted: 2004-11-07 10:00am
by The Aliens
In I, Jedi Corran Horn can change the length of his blade as well.

Posted: 2004-11-07 10:28am
by Lord Pounder
Is changing length and power the same thing?

Posted: 2004-11-07 10:32am
by The Aliens
Well, when it's not stated whther it has the same ability to cut through stuff at its longer length, but it's mentioned as being 'good for property damage', so it seems like it doesn't suffer a 2/3 drop in power when it triples in length- leading to the conclusion it changes in power somewhat. This, however, is me talking completely out my ass with no calculations or even a copy of the book nearby, so take from this what you will.

Posted: 2004-11-07 11:22am
by Praxis
The Aliens wrote:In I, Jedi Corran Horn can change the length of his blade as well.
Corran Horn had a special lightsaber, different than normal Jedi.

How else does on explain all the guards that Luke hit on the sail barge in ROTJ, and instead of being sliced, just got knocked aside?
My impression always was that he scraped them with a lightsaber, hard enough that they weren't killed and staggered back from the burns.

Posted: 2004-11-07 11:49am
by Trytostaydead
In the Jedi Academy, I think one of the apprentices, the guy who dies by Kun, builds a saber that can change lengths. KJA KJA KJA!!

Posted: 2004-11-07 11:52am
by Stravo
In TPM Maul is sliced in half and he only falls apartt when he starts tumbling down the shaft. It could be that the guards are relatively intact but will fall apart when they hit the Sarlac pit below. Luke could also have just sliced into them, not all the way through so nothing falls off.

Posted: 2004-11-07 01:06pm
by NecronLord
There are actually several incidents in the canon of sabers failing to cut through everything and anything with no resistance. In any case, yes, lightsabres have power settings, in some cases, but not all. They tend to be those created by the masters of the art, such as Lord Vader.

Lord Exar Kun's "Sith Lightsaber" incorparated an intensity control. On more than one occasion, he supposedly set the intensity of one blade to minimal, becoming a simple shaft of glowing light, and used it to draw out an opponent, as they put momentum into a strike against it, he would pirouette and decapitate them with the other blade while they were off balance.

In the canon, both Vader and Maul' lightsabres have so many controls on them, that they must have something like an intensity control.

Posted: 2004-11-07 08:33pm
by Rogue 9
Trytostaydead wrote:In the Jedi Academy, I think one of the apprentices, the guy who dies by Kun, builds a saber that can change lengths. KJA KJA KJA!!
Gantoris.

Posted: 2004-11-07 09:34pm
by Trytostaydead
Rogue 9 wrote:
Trytostaydead wrote:In the Jedi Academy, I think one of the apprentices, the guy who dies by Kun, builds a saber that can change lengths. KJA KJA KJA!!
Gantoris.
Shucks, see.. I don't even remember most of that book. 'Cept Wedge falls for a scientist with feathers for hair.

Posted: 2004-11-07 09:37pm
by Fleet Admiral Blair
NJO had Anakin using a training lightsabre. Just enough to deactivate the droids he was fighting. If a sabre's power level can be changed, why use a different device?

Posted: 2004-11-07 10:18pm
by Stormbringer
Fleet Admiral Blair wrote:NJO had Anakin using a training lightsabre. Just enough to deactivate the droids he was fighting. If a sabre's power level can be changed, why use a different device?
Because there's no danger of a training mishap that way. If you mistakenly turn one to full power you can maim if not kill. In fact wasn't their a younger Jedi that lost an arm in a mishap?

Posted: 2004-11-07 10:37pm
by Enforcer Talen
ja, tenal ka iirc.

Posted: 2004-11-07 11:37pm
by Cal Wright
Tenal Ka, the Hapan heir lost her arm to Jacen during a duel. She later in the NJO mopped the floor with a group of guys, trainers or attackers can't remember which.

Posted: 2004-11-08 01:25am
by Agent Fisher
Praxis wrote:
The Aliens wrote:In I, Jedi Corran Horn can change the length of his blade as well.
Corran Horn had a special lightsaber, different than normal Jedi.
He did it at the time as an ego thing. Gantoris had a two length lightsaber and Corran wanted one too. Of course later inthe book it fails at the worst time and he gets a scolding from Elgos(sp) and mentions that Gantoris had a Dark Lord of Sith teaching him how to make a two length saber.

Posted: 2004-11-08 01:40am
by Praxis
Cal Wright wrote:Tenal Ka, the Hapan heir lost her arm to Jacen during a duel. She later in the NJO mopped the floor with a group of guys, trainers or attackers can't remember which.
Hapan deserters/peace brigade.

Posted: 2004-11-08 01:57am
by Durandal
Qui-Gon's lightsaber flash-melted a giant steel door, however Darth Maul's lightsaber didn't liquify Qui-Gon's mid-section when he stabbed him. That would imply different settings.

Posted: 2004-11-08 05:37am
by Vympel
Durandal wrote:Qui-Gon's lightsaber flash-melted a giant steel door, however Darth Maul's lightsaber didn't liquify Qui-Gon's mid-section when he stabbed him. That would imply different settings.
Those knobs have got to have some purpose, after all.

Posted: 2004-11-08 12:33pm
by IRG CommandoJoe
Durandal wrote:Qui-Gon's lightsaber flash-melted a giant steel door, however Darth Maul's lightsaber didn't liquify Qui-Gon's mid-section when he stabbed him. That would imply different settings.
Or rather the very same lightsaber (Qui-Gon's) that melted a blast door did not melt Maul when Obi-Wan sliced him with it. Unless that's what you really meant.

Posted: 2004-11-08 06:25pm
by Vympel
I'm surprised Anakin's multiple-length sabre in AOTC (bedroom scene) hasn't made it into the discussion.