While lightsabers started out pretty cool, George Lucas blew the doors off in The Phantom Menace with the creation of Darth Maul and his double-bladed lightsaber. The concept of an ancient order of knights wielding swords in a futuristic space sci-fi setting gave Star Wars a special element of mysticism and fantasy.
The lightsaber's eye-catching glowing blade and iconic buzz and hum sound effects made it one of the most iconic weapons in fiction. More than anything else, there's one bit of tech that has embedded itself deeper than anything else in the public consciousness: the lightsaber.ĭescribed by Obi-Wan Kenobi as 'an elegant weapon, from a more civilized age,' the lightsaber has a sleek, shiny form, a far cry from the matte and boxy ships and blasters we see in the rest of the galaxy. From the piece of junk spaceship capable of faster than light travel, the Millennium Falcon, to laser guns made out of bits and bobs of World War 2 guns, Star Wars tech has fascinated viewers for decades. One of the most enduring elements of the original trilogy has been the futuristic but also old-and-busted looking technology. Forty-one years ago, Star Wars exploded onto movie screens across the country and into the hearts and minds of millions.
