[UPDATED 10/23/17]
With Star Wars fully relevant for the third December in a row (and pretty much from now until the end of time), people have Tie Fighters, X-Wings, and Death Stars on the brain. And while we love the fictional universe, most of the iconic technology from Star Wars still seems like pure fantasy. But now, with the equivalent of droids being built, is any other Star Wars tech possible for the future? Most importantly, will we ever be able to live out our dream of wielding the classic Skywalker original lightsaber, the menacing Darth Maul twin sided blade, or the controversial crossguard Kylo Ren design?
Well, to be honest, we’ve already created lightsabers. Technically.
The Metal Vapor Torch, while not as catchily named as a lightsaber, performs many of the same functions as the tool wielded by Jedi. For example, the blade-like torch can burn through a padlock with extremely high temperatures. However, it’s not exactly what you’ve been hoping for since the first time you first watched Obi Wan battle Darth Vader, as the device only works a few seconds at a time and is currently only planned for police and military emergency usage.
However, will we ever wield anything closer to the actual Star Wars designs? According to some, the science simply wouldn’t allow for it. Not only would battling two sources of the plasma/light be improbable, the basic design of the lightsaber couldn’t exist, as the light wouldn’t simply stop at a determined length. Additionally, it would be very difficult to power, as seen by the temporary usage of the Metal Vapor Touch.
While it may be a bit disappointing, perhaps we’re best off without these powerful weapons. This is best seen with the “lasersaber”, a fan-made replica of the iconic weapon utilizing an Arctic Spyder 3 laser. Sounds pretty cool, right? Well, they’re also extremely dangerous, with the possibility of burning and blinding you. And that’s not to mention the carcinogenic risks. Needless to say, you’re best off sticking to the harmless toy versions.
So while you won’t be slicing bread and cutting down trees with your personal lightsaber anytime soon, you’re definitely better safe than sorry. After all, the closest things we currently have are either not for personal use or extremely dangerous. And, to be fair, the lightsabers in the films are pretty dangerous as well. Just ask Jango Fett.
(Too soon?)
Featured image from Flickr user jdhancock
