Anakin's is Luke's? A tad inconsistent

[Maxu3x]

I noticed that Anakin's saber in ROTS does not only look totally different than Lukes's in ANH, but it is also made of a different metal. I believe Anakin's is made out of Chrome while Luke's is made out of Nickel. How was Obi Wan able to make that modification? It was already a stretch from the design and wrong side clamp. the only thing similar is the flashgun style. Why did Lucasfilm do this when it's so inconsistent?

[decadentdave]

I noticed that Anakin's saber in ROTS does not only look totally different than Lukes's in ANH, but it is also made of a different metal. I believe Anakin's is made out of Chrome while Luke's is made out of Nickel. How was Obi Wan able to make that modification? It was already a stretch from the design and wrong side clamp. the only thing similar is the flashgun style. Why did Lucasfilm do this when it's so inconsistent?

The simple answer... to sell more merchandise.

The original Luke ANH was custom built out of a graflex flashgun. For ROTS, it was machined from a CAD design based upon the original graflex "design" but was designed to look sleeker and leaner so that the stunt props could easily be handled for dueling. To utilize a genuine graflex again would not have been practical for this reason and even if it had been used for the hero prop there would be inconsistencies with the stunt prop. Keep in mind Anakin's as well as Obi-Wan's are more like idealizations of what Lucas would like to have made them look like 28 years before but had to settle for the "garage built" look.

As far as continuity goes, the original graflex props looked aged by comparison so we can reasonably assume Obi-Wan had made some modifications to the control box and such (i.e. calculator bubbles) using whatever scraps of parts he could muster in the Jundland Wastes which can help to explain a few of the alterations in minor details. Personally, I don't mind the subtle differences as long as the basic design and look are consistent between ROTS and ANH.

[Jayspawn]

decadentdave pretty much summed it up.

As far as the films go, Obi-Wan modified his and Anakin's lightsabers over the years to improve their age and durability. Obi-Wan had to have something to do, so he upgraded their lightsabers with parts he had or could find.

[Maxu3x]

Ok I'll assume Obi Wan made some changes but what about the difference in metals? Lukes is made out of Nickel. Anakin's is made out of Chrome. They look different because of that. Obi Wan would need to have made a new one or he could have Nickel plated Luke's, but geez is that a stretch. As fans we're making anything up to bridge consistency.

[Jayspawn]

Its more simple that it sounds. I'm sure there is no chrome or nickle in Star Wars -but things similar to it. Obi-Wan of course would not have changed the consistancy of the metal. The esaiest explainatin would be that the saber lost its shine over the years. It quite old as far as lightsabers go.

[JediTricks]

My favorite is how Obi-Wan apparently also replaced the belt connection to the recharge pack with the internal recharge generator, thereby removing the covertec button and putting in a D-ring in a different location - thus nearly every single external detail somehow is changed from Ep 3 to 4, yet suuuure it's still the same. Basically, IMO this is emblematic of the prequels as a whole, someone thought they could "do better" than the Original Trilogy rather than understanding that it has to be a genuine extension of the OT, so vehicles, sabers, costumes, stories, everything, they all are trying to be "better than" and just lose the flavor in the process.

[decadentdave]

I'll take a covertec over a D-ring any day.

I wonder how many times Luke got his nads smacked by his graflex?

I take it ever since Order 66 came out, the need for covertec clips just wasn't in demand...

[jonthejedi]

Does anyone that was at CIII or deal regularly with Master Replicas know...do they have a Jedi costume replica in their upcoming releases??? I thought I remembered seeing pix somewhere. Is this cancelled or still on the "to come" in 2006 slate?

[Jayspawn]

I believe the Jedi robes/costumes are "to come at a later date"

If MR wants to perfect the material or a technical issue before they release them -then they should take their time.

[JediTricks]

I'll take a covertec over a D-ring any day.

I wonder how many times Luke got his nads smacked by his graflex?

I take it ever since Order 66 came out, the need for covertec clips just wasn't in demand...

The EU explanation is that the covertecs were required because the connector on the belt was actually its recharge generator, and that over the years the generator technology became small enough to stuff into the hilt rather than leave externally, so there was no more need for the design.