Star Wars: The birth of the Lightsaber

Any kendoka (a person practicing Kendo) can easily recognize many movements during a Jedi duel because their duels were inspired in many moments from Kendo. Star Wars creator George Lucas, actor Mark Hamill, and sound designer Ben Burtt discuss the concept and creation of the lightsaber.

George Lucas recalls that Star Wars was influenced by pirate and swashbuckling films of the 1940s, which showcased the romantic side of fighting, illustrated in characters like Errol Flynn's Robin Hood but that was only the beginning. The choreography and duels started simple, but became more emotional and complex as the series went on. Mark Hamill states that George Lucas originally envisioned lightsaber hilts as being very, very heavy, always requiring both hands. But with a desire to make the sword fighting faster and more intense, they slowly moved away from the two-handed form. The technology used to create the glowing blade of lightsabers also changed as the series progressed.

In rare behind-the-scenes footage from Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker battles Darth Vader, and Hamill explains that metal poles were required so that the actors could have a realistic battle. Otherwise, one wouldn't know where to stop their hands and finish a strike. We use shinais, but we don't need those special effects to look like handeling a lightsaber.