Lightsabers Are Now Real, See The Jaw-Dropping Video Reveal Of The Coolest Star Wars Item Ever
Disney presented their insanely real-looking lightsaber during a panel at SXSW.
Since 1977 when the first Star Wars film was released, fans have been delighted by the iconic lightsaber. Attendees of this year’s SXSW got to see one of the futuristic swords in action in person for the first time. At the convention, Disney Parks and Experience Chairman Josh D’Amaro gave a groundbreaking presentation that showcased an iconic Star Wars item in real life, according to Deadline.
When he took to the stage last weekend, he had the aim of sharing the art and science that goes into the park’s storytelling. First, Josh D’Amaro showed off a realistic character robot and Smart Hulk’s time travel suit before heading into the main event. Fans watched as D’Amaro took a small sword hilt in his hand and brought a lightsaber to life at the press of a button.
A stunning blue lightsaber blade grew out of the small, hand-held hilt. The vibrant display of color coming from the blade gave off a very realistic lightsaber look. Enjoying his time playing with the device, Josh D’Amaro turned it on and off a few times giving fans the chance to see it retract and grow from the small hilt over and over again.
What made this newest lightsaber so exciting was just how realistic it is. In the films, the lightsaber appears to be just a beacon of light springing from a hand-held hilt. Getting that effect in real life is more challenging, as there needs to be some sort of tube that can extend from the hilt.
Afterward, Josh D’Amaro brought Disney Imagineer Leslie Evans on stage to tell the audience more about the dazzling device. “This was a hard project,” she goes on to say. Getting the light and tubbing to look realistic has proved to be difficult, but this newest iteration of the device is the best-looking one yet.
The aim of bringing a realistic lightsaber to life was to help create “film moments in the real world.” For the audience, this amazing blue lightsaber looked realistic enough to transport viewers into a galaxy far, far away.
D’Amaro explained how these lightsabers are a part of the high-priced Galactic Starcruiser experience. However, photos of guests show that theirs looked slightly different. While the Galactic Starcruiser lightsabers appeared to be very similar, it is apparent that they are created using clear plastic tubing that can’t be retracted.
The product that Josh D’Amaro showed off at SXSW appeared to grow up out of the hilt, giving it the ultra-realistic lightsaber look.
Unfortunately, the device is still very fragile, meaning it is unlikely to be something fans can buy anytime soon. While this is the best attempt yet at creating a realistic lightsaber, they can break easily. However, the way Josh D’Amaro was holding his on stage shows that there may already have been great strides in improving the device’s durability.
For Star Wars fans, getting to see an iconic lightsaber in action is exciting and brings them just one step closer to a truly immersive Star Wars experience, and getting a glimpse into what its like to be a real Jedi.
