Elliot Kessler

Last week, I spent 100 dollars on a lightsaber.

To some, that might seem normal. To others, that might seem stupid, and to a few, that might seem cheap.

But what could have urged me to buy a glorified flashlight for 100 dollars? What was the point? I can’t use it as a tool. It serves no practical purpose. Did I get it because it looks cool? What is the reason?

In “Knights of The Old Republic,” a line says that the lightsaber symbolizes the Jedi Order. It symbolizes hope, peace, and justice throughout the galaxy, and everyone recognizes it as such. During those times, when a character held a lightsaber in their hand, it meant something. Taking the weapon sent chills down the spines of anyone who witnessed. Lightsabers were important.

But lately, it seems like lightsabers in the “Star Wars” galaxy aren’t important, only expensive.

The lightsaber used to be a clear symbol of hope. It inspired awe in those lucky enough to set eyes on one. The brilliant, radiant glow of the blade meant bravery. It meant justice. It meant doing the right thing, no matter how impossible it seemed. This made it stand out from any other sci-fi weapon or gadget. It had meaning. It wasn’t merely another tool. It was something to be looked upon with respect. They made everyone around the wielder fear and respect them. Lightsabers were rare and expensive, sure. But they were rare and expensive because only the Jedi and Sith carried the weapons. They meant something. Red lightsabers inspired fear, rage, and hatred. The other colors inspired bravery, justice, and hope.

The problem with the lightsaber comes when everyone in the galaxy seems to have one. To paraphrase “The Incredibles,” when everyone is special, no one is. Giving everyone the weapon exclusively to those who fought to protect the galaxy and serve justice or rule the galaxy and terrorize others maintains its symbolism. But the lightsaber has simply become a tool.

Sure, old “Star Wars” had some non-force-users wielding sabers, but they were rare and often were Jedi or Dark Jedi before they became mercenaries or bounty hunters. Disney seems to be handing out lightsabers to every character. They say that the “High Republic” era is supposed to be reminiscent of the Knights of the Round Table, but I’m not getting that when I read or listen to the books. The Jedi are no longer mythical, legendary heroes who defend the innocent with the mysterious Force and their colorful swords. They’re simply police. They’re bodyguards. They are still a force to be reckoned with, but they don’t feel like they should. They don’t feel legendary anymore. They have all been brought back to the ground, getting bested by a group of glorified pirates.

Once, there was an era when the Jedi battled legions of Sith warriors. They defeated terrible beasts and vast hoards of enemies. Now they fight pirates, and it’s supposed to feel just as significant.

Of course, there were the Mandalorian Wars during the Old Republic. But the Mandalorians were more than simply pirates at that time. They were a warrior society. They were born, raised, and died believing in fighting for glory. There is no enemy more terrifying than one that wants to die. That’s what the Mandalorians were. But the Nihil pirates are nothing more than cowards looking to score some credits and take what they want. They’re a joke, and they’re beating the Jedi. Where did we go wrong?

The sequel trilogy is guilty of making lightsabers unspecial as they often portray lightsabers as cool-looking laser swords that rarely kill or dismember. In “The Force Awakens,” when Anakin’s lightsaber calls Rey and she refuses it, Finn takes the weapon and marches off into battle, having no idea how to use the lightsaber. Finn says he needs a weapon, and Maz Kanata gives him the lightsaber. Because that’s all it is in this story. It’s a weapon, nothing more. No hope, no valor, no chivalry, and no peace. However, there is plenty of either courage or ignorance as Finn decides to charge head-on into battle despite having no training with a lightsaber, making it easy for him to slice his arms off accidentally.

The lightsabers of the sequels also don’t feel as dangerous as they did before. Before, when a lightsaber was used in combat, it was rare that no one died or was mortally wounded. However, we now have many instances in the films where people duel with lightsabers and survive. We have the duel on Starkiller Base, where Finn has his spine destroyed, and Kylo gets slashed in the face. They both survived. Then, we have the duels between Rey and Kylo in “The Rise of Skywalker,” which were all terrible, and both survived every time. Also, I wanted to mention the scene with Rey waving around Anakin’s lightsaber on Anch Too in “The Last Jedi.” She used it once and kicked Kylo’s butt. Now she’s waving it around like a child and somehow manages not to cut herself into bits.

Lightsabers need to be a special symbol again. I didn’t buy a $100 lightsaber because it looked cool. I bought it because it symbolized hope and made me feel like I could conquer any challenge. Luke was simply a farm boy, but with his lightsaber, he defeated the Empire and saved the galaxy. Anakin was a slave, but he became one of the most famous generals of the Clone Wars. Why couldn’t I face impossible tasks like that? The lightsaber means hope. It means courage and peace. It means justice and righteousness. There’s another symbol that means all these things, but many see it as a symbol of hate. So, for those who don’t believe in the other symbol, there must be the lightsaber. We need our lightsabers back. We need our Jedi.

Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic day.