Lightsaber ignition sppeds.

[scruffziller]

Is there any supposed science behind why the blades of some sabers grow faster or slower than others. Like when Luke turns on Anikin's lightsaber it is almost instantaneous, where when Obi lights his up when facing Vader it is a slower crawl. Or was it all for just cinema effect?

[JediTricks]

The lightsaber hilts have controls for such things, I think there's one also for intensity which might explain why the saber is white when Luke is training aboard the Falcon (very EU guess, but not impossible). Also, it's probably not as good for the saber's systems to snap on fast like Luke - who has no experience with such a weapon - wouldn't know; while wise old Obi-Wan has the saber come on slower to warm up the saber properly. We even see Obi-Wan's saber fizzle out a little during his battle with Vader (granted, that was actually a rotoscoping mistake, but an EU guessplanation is better than a poke in the eye with a lightsaber ;)), perhaps it's older and fallen into disrepair - too many snap-starts might risk a saber burnout.

[Clint Torres]

Yah, its all about Luke being a 'lil whiny ***** and not knowing how to properly activate his saber. 'Nuff said. I like that, like the saber has to warm up and stuff...? Haha that's sweet. Supposedly there was a scene of OBI's saber getting crapped out by being in the water when he and QUI GON first landed on NABOO, that's why he's all wet and why QUI GON had to deflect the bolts of the STAP...apparently there was some confusion as what to do next for the swimming to OTOH GUNGA so that whole thing was ditched. So all in all SABERS have to be properly maintained every 5000 miles or until a whiny 'lil ***** turns it on too fast, too many times.