Star Wars Episode VII "The Force Awakens"

[THEWULFMAN]

And why won't stormtroopers going to be cloned? I don't dislike him if he is one of the major characters, I think it would be odd to see a plain stormtrooper without a helmet.

Even if the clones weren't aging twice as fast as TW said, they'd be nearly in their 80's during when episode VII is set (35 years after episode VI, I think).

Stormtroopers have been enlisted citizens in nearly every account of them. Only Star Wars Battlefront II tries to pretend that the stormtroopers in episodes IV-VI were clones, and it sure isn't canon by pretty much anyone's definition. It was only done for a single cohesive campaign.

Why does it bother you so much that he lost his helmet? Is there something specific about him you don't like?

[jedimoose32]

My problem with this is that what you pointed out is clearly what they were going for, yet practically, it wouldn't work. The mini sabers have emitters at the cross guard. If an enemy were to slide their saber down the length of the blade, they'd slice right through the emitter (like Obi-Wan cutting Maul's saber in half) and cut off his hand, anyway.

I have several theories.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Cortosis
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ultrachrome
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Phrik
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mandalorian_iron

The emitters (or even the majority of the hilt) are constructed from a lightsaber-resistant material such as one of the ones I listed. This provides the necessary defensive mechanism against sliding enemy sabers. And you might say, "Why not just have cross-guards built entirely from such a material?"
Because these things add to the weight of the saber and can easily throw off the weapon's balance. Whereas a lightsaber blade is weightless. Also having the mini-blades there is better offensively than say, a cortosis cross-guard (even if sharpened).

Edit: Added mandalorian iron to the list of materials

[Twilight_Warrior]

And you might say, "Why not just have cross-guards built entirely from such a material?"

Yes, I would say that.

Because these things add to the weight of the saber and can easily throw off the weapon's balance. Whereas a lightsaber blade is weightless. Also having the mini-blades there is better offensively than say, a cortosis cross-guard (even if sharpened).

But no, I don't agree with this. Not only is that tiny amount of weight insignificant to the weapon's balance, I can't imagine, at any point, it being advantageous to poke or slash at your opponent with your crossguard when the main blade is immediately next to and perpendicular to the target, especially a blade that can harm with a touch.



No, the real and only reason for that cross guard is someone at Disney, maybe even JJ himself, said "THIS IS OUR THING, LOOK AT OUR UNIQUE THING, IT'S SPECIAL". And I, personally, felt that it was an unnecessary (and ridiculous) touch. Feel free to disagree about how it looks, we're all entitled to our opinions. If you think it looks cool, more power to you. But let's not kid ourselves that it has any purpose besides aesthetics.

[Teancum]

No, the real and only reason for that cross guard is someone at Disney, maybe even JJ himself, said "THIS IS OUR THING, LOOK AT OUR UNIQUE THING, IT'S SPECIAL". And I, personally, felt that it was an unnecessary (and ridiculous) touch. Feel free to disagree about how it looks, we're all entitled to our opinions. If you think it looks cool, more power to you. But let's not kid ourselves that it has any purpose besides aesthetics.

Exactly this. It felt like some sort of stretch to find something unique.

[THEWULFMAN]

Lightsabers have literally absolutely no balance whatsoever anyway. The blade has no real weight to it. The only way you can effectively wield one is either be a robot or a jedi.

Some people on the internet have been hilarious with their own versions of the saber, some I can't post here, but this one is notable.

[Fluffy_the_ic]

There's also the possibility that the metal stretching out isn't actually the emitter but something to keep the wielder from sliding their own hand into the beam.

[Twilight_Warrior]

Then why does it also have beams?

Hidden/Spoiler:

I apologize if the image I posted earlier caused confusion. That is an artist's interpretation of what the new saber, in his opinion, SHOULD look like. An opinion I share. However, the one from the trailer is actually this one:

I did read one "rational" explanation this evening that maybe it's an unstable blade, built by someone with no training or experience (because he's "new Sith", with no master to teach him because all the Sith are dead). So the blade is crackling and impure, and those side emitters are there to relieve excess energy or something. That's the only theory I've thought was at least decent.

[jedimoose32]

I did read one "rational" explanation this evening that maybe it's an unstable blade... ...so the blade is crackling and impure, and those side emitters are there to relieve excess energy or something.

I had read that too. I like that idea a lot.

Sometimes I get really really excited about this stuff and go overboard with my theories. I apologize if anything I've said has come across the wrong way. May the Force be with all of us here at GT.

[Fluffy_the_ic]

Then why does it also have beams?.

The metal pieces are there to keep the wielder from sliding their hands into the guard beams, not the main beams. Not my theory and it's a stretch, personally, I prefer the idea that it's an unstable lighsaber and those are really just exhaust ports.

[Marth8880]

I have a feeling that it's not really even an actual lightsaber, but rather something different, something new, something unique.

[thelegend]

Lightsabers have literally absolutely no balance whatsoever anyway. The blade has no real weight to it. The only way you can effectively wield one is either be a robot or a jedi.

Some people on the internet have been hilarious with their own versions of the saber, some I can't post here, but this one is notable.

Remimds me...on...a chainsaw.

[THEWULFMAN]

Some more variations.

Hidden/Spoiler:

[Noobasaurus]

Really it's "Star Wars Episode VII Trailer: A Meme Awakens." We'll get even more when the movie comes out.

[Kingpin]

Found this great short article/video that will make every Star Wars fan here laugh
http://comicbook.com/2014/11/30/star-wa ... s-special/

[TWINKEYRUNAWAY]

Its like...George sells star wars to disney, he pretty much has zero involvement in the new trilogy minus the ideas/concepts he had for it and we still patrinize the guy who created all of it. The clear over exaggeration is funny though :p

[ARCTroopaNate]

Haha that was funny. I was kind of hoping that the Sith would've gone after the imposter Force-ghost Anakin.

[THEWULFMAN]

Okay I gotta admit. That's one of the funniest things in weeks. My sides genuinely hurt from how much I laughed, I thought the beginning was funny but I absolutely lost it with the rocks around the droid (if anyone somehow doesn't get it, they added more rocks around R2D2 in the blu-rays).

[Noobasaurus]

I didn't get at least 75% of it. I was looking really hard for the funnies.

[TWINKEYRUNAWAY]

XD I thought I had de ja vu.

Jokes on him though, these two tie fighters look more like an improvement before that whole fleet comes on by.

[Jaspo]

A main character (good guy) wearing storm trooper armor or advanced stormtrooper armor or stormtrooper-like armor is really no surprise and is very much in line with this time period of the extended universe found in the novels; I recall one book in particular where some person, maybe Corran Horn, had some really advanced imp armor on and was able to take about 5 blaster shots while just getting a little cooked. Even Mav's Dark Times has rebels with stormie-like armor.