A few simple questions

[Jacno]

Ok, I have a few simple questions, of which none of the answers I have been able to find in my own research.

1) Are there any native (or even not native) non-sentient creatures residing on Ilum AFTER the clone wars? Also, was the same planet (Ilum) ever re-established as a base for Jedi (i.e. a temple or guard post to watch the crystals)?

2) Is there any mention at all of a non-Jedi/non-Sith wielding a lightsaber at any point (even just for a moment)?

I'm sure I'll have more questions later, but thats all for now, thanks.

[Blizzard]

2) Yes, in the movies Han was the only non-Jedi to ever wield a saber... until Grevious. Don't know about the EU.

[Jacno]

Thanks Blizzard.
Now heres a pretty stupid question:
What is so dangerous about a non force-sensitive being wielding a lightsaber as a weapon?
I understand the aspect of not being able to sense and react fast enough to deflect blaster fire, but as far as say... two stormtroopers dueling each other? Basically- what is keeping average people from using lightsabers?

[Morridini]

Nothing really, just it gets really bad if you manage to screw up. But in the end it is nothing more then a sword, and a non force-sensitive dude or dudette that are skilled with swords should fare fine with a lightsaber.
Unless they fight a jedi/Sith ofc.
Also you should check this list if you don't mind EU: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightsaber#In_the_hands_of_non-Force-sensitive_users

[Jacno]

Thank you. Very useful link!

[Darill Cyllem]

Also, my understanding is that one needs to be strong in the Force to actually build a lightsaber (this seemed implied to me in the novelization of ROTJ), so probably they're not easy to acquire.

[Tovor]

Thanks Blizzard.
Now heres a pretty stupid question:
What is so dangerous about a non force-sensitive being wielding a lightsaber as a weapon?
I understand the aspect of not being able to sense and react fast enough to deflect blaster fire, but as far as say... two stormtroopers dueling each other? Basically- what is keeping average people from using lightsabers?
There's more to using a lightsaber than being able sense and block incoming blaster fire. The blade, being pure light, has no weight, and the weight of a sword blade is much of what a swordsman uses to swing the sword and react to its weight. IMO the Jedi (and the Sith) use the Force as a balance and counterbalance to use and react to the sword blade as if it did have its own weight. The way I see it, one without the Force would have no control of a weightless blade in a fast moving duel and would wind up not being able to swing it fast enough (without it's weight to add to the swing) to block another blade, and/or would end up slicing himself in half with his own blade.

When Han used it in TESB, all he did was hold it in front of him and slice open a non moving object, not the same thing, and not hard to do at all.

[Jacno]

Also, my understanding is that one needs to be strong in the Force to actually build a lightsaber (this seemed implied to me in the novelization of ROTJ), so probably they're not easy to acquire.

I kind of get the impression thats it is the locating of a crystal (I recall hearing somewhere that many sith synthesize the crystals instead of hunting a real one down) that makes lightsaber construction difficult. Asfter all, blasters are in mass production, and its the same basic concept for both (energy passed through a focus mechanism) the difference is that blasters don't have something to concentrate the energy into a solid, stable blade, nor can they maintain the release of energy. the principle is the same, i suppose.

[Jacno]

The blade, being pure light, has no weight, and the weight of a sword blade is much of what a swordsman uses to swing the sword and react to its weight. IMO the Jedi (and the Sith) use the Force as a balance and counterbalance to use and react to the sword blade as if it did have its own weight.


So, in theory, someone could practice on the lightsaber until they developed the skill to wield it, even without the Force. Difficult as it may be.

[Tovor]

So, in theory, someone could practice on the lightsaber until they developed the skill to wield it, even without the Force. Difficult as it may be.
In theory, I'd guess so. Luke used it against the remotes during the trip to Alderaan, and though Force-sensitive, he was babyfresh new to using the Force to control his actions.

[Darill Cyllem]

I kind of get the impression thats it is the locating of a crystal (I recall hearing somewhere that many sith synthesize the crystals instead of hunting a real one down) that makes lightsaber construction difficult. Asfter all, blasters are in mass production, and its the same basic concept for both (energy passed through a focus mechanism) the difference is that blasters don't have something to concentrate the energy into a solid, stable blade, nor can they maintain the release of energy. the principle is the same, i suppose.
Yes, indeed. The novelization of ROTJ also suggested, as i recall, that one must actually use the Force the build the lightsaber itself - as in, assembling its parts. Anyone else remember that? Maybe it was in a different book... if so, sorry for bringing it up in the movie threads.

[Darth Massacrus]

actually, there are stories (all EU) of non-forcesensitives building lightsabers, and using them. As for finding parts for a lightsaber, the only difficult one to find would be a focusing crystal. Most crystals, and even more than a few gems and stones, work in lightsabers (EU). As for that Ilum question you asked, yes, it was resettled, but by pirates. In the game Empire at War, you can sieze the planet from them.

[Jacno]

Awesome, thank you very much.

another question about Ilum:
Was the location of the Jedi caves (featured in the clone wars mini-cartoon) ever uncovered?

if you havent already figured it out, i have a force-insensitive (as far as I can tell he is not force-sensitive, at least) character who is trying to build his own lightsabers. He needed a place to go to get a lot of crystals, so naturally i sent him to Ilum. I'm now running into these questions about Ilum after I've written the chapter, so I'm wanting to make sure I haven't done anything too, too incorrect. It's one of the hazards of having not paid much attention to the EU until I got halfway done with my story.