How A Cancelled Star Wars Show Reinvented Lightsabers

The Controversial Star Wars show The Acholyte Broke almost every rule in the book Regarding Lightsabers. The Show Debtated in 2024 as a prequel show set at the end of the High Republic Era and 100 Years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menaceand follows Jedi Master’s Investigation ino Crimes that Reveal a Dark Threat.

Created by leslye Headland, The Series Received Mixed Reviews from Critics, and Diminished Viewership Figures from Previous Shows. After a single season, The Acholyte was Canceled Canceled. Despite This, The Show Managed to Change One of the Biggest Elements of Star Wars Lore During Its Run.

In an appearans on the podcast Blank Check With Griffin and DavidHeadland Discussed How She Sough to Reinvent How Lightsabers are used in the Star Wars franchise. She discussed how, in previous iterations, lightsabers have been heavier, while her preference for Lightweight Shotos Meant Action in The Acholyte was faste and more frenetic. Check Out Her Comments Below:

“For our show it was very different. I won’t get too too. that. That can be light, and can be fought with quickly. And I ALSO WANT A LIGHTSABER THAT HAS A SHOTO THAT YOU CAN UNLOCK AND PULL OUT. ‘ They Lost Their Minds. They were like, ‘What are you talked? We cannot Create Lightsabers that are that light. That are that lightweight. We cannot will. We cannot so the Lights. ‘ I ALSO SAID, LIKE, I WANT THE LIGHT WITH … I WANT IT TO BE PRACTICAL, SO that you can actually see the light on the actors’ faces. But the shoto was a Big Deal Because they were like, ‘it doesn’t make sense for the handle to be that long.’ By the way, these are guys who i Respect. They are doing their Job. But i did have to essentially Change the way that that they have been thinking about Lightsabers for, y’know, the disney reboot/television wind. “

What This Means for the Acholyte’s Lightsaber Changes

Image by Milica Djordjevic

It is fascinating to hear that Headland wanted to have more lightweight Lightsabers that would be easier to Carry and More Practical, and This Waled Certainly Have Influenced The Fight Choreography of The Acholyte. Changing the Approach to What Lightsabers are, and How they can be used, is one of the Strongest Elements of The Acholyte.

From a Practical Viewpoint, it does make -up sense that some great warriors Want to have Lightweight Weapons that couuld be drain Quickly in a Combat Situation, SO Headland’s Logic A Practical Place in terms of storyTeling. Whether that Will Remain a Factor in the Star Wars Franchise Moving Forward Remains to Be Seen.

Our take on the Acolyte’s Lightsaber Changes

Making Changes to the Way That Lightsabers Are Used In Star Wars Canon is not a new Concept, with George Lucas Famously Revealing Darth Maul’s Double-Bladed Red Lightsaber in The Phantom Menace trailer. From a narrative viewpoint, Why Lightsabers Wind up More Clunky and Cumbersome in the Years to Come is something is Open to Speculation.

The Acholyte Might not be widly consider as one of Star Wars‘Best Shows, But it TRIED TO DO Something a Little different Star Wars lore, and for that it should be commended. This is the could the tone for Future Changes Throughout the franchise, and it remeins to be whereher this will mark Big Changes in Future Star Wars Productions.

Release Date

2024-2024-00-00

Showrunner

Leslye headland

Directors

Leslye Headland, Alex Garcia Lopez

Wriers

Leslye Headland, Charmaine de Grate, Kor Adana