Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Light Saber
Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Light Saber
Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Light Saber Reviews
A while ago Hasbro released the Star Wars Ultimate Lightsaber set. As those who got it or who saw it in stores well know, this set allowed you to build your own personalized lightsaber. Now flash forward to 2008. The Ultimate Lightsaber makes it’s return, this time as the Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber.
This time around theres a few new items that those of the original set never got which allows you to recreate the lightsabers of Yoda, Mace Windu, Count Dooku, and even Maris Brood from the video game “The Force Unleashed.” Some elements from the original set are missing, such as the lens disks that went over the bulb and the bulb housing itself. Others, while still there, have changed in design, these are the sleeves, the hilt, and the caps.
The handle is, of course, the heart and soul of the set. In essence it’s an LED flashlight powered by three AA batteris. Depending on how many of the “Kyber crystals” put in place a minimum of three out of the nine bulbs will always come on. Each set of three is linked to a certian crystal slot so as to activate the bulb of that color when you turn the lightsaber on. Also, the placement of the crystals helps to determine the sound effects.
Beyond the handle lightsaber construction is fairly simple once you get used to it. Simply place the telescopic blade over the LED end of the handle and then screw on one of the three sleeve rings to hold it in place. Select one of the three Kyber crystals, insert it into it’s housing (there are three slots in the crystal housing, each fitting a particular crystal only and the none can be put into the wrong slot), and you’re all set. In fact that’s all you need do as the handle itself is nicely decorated already but is unable to hold the blade in place by itself. But this only renders nine designs (remember there’s three different rings and you could choose to use just one of the three crystals at a time with each ring, so three times three), and the most basic designs at that. If you want to go beyond these nine you can add a second cyrstal to the crystal housing (or if you’re like me you can choose all three at once for a white/silver blade color). This adds another nine possible lightsabers as you can have and additional three different colors per ring.
Yet you can keep going further. Add one of the four endcaps to the mix. Slide on at least one of the four different hilt sleevs. Add the Tonfa handle. Add the blade-emitter guard to one of the sleeve rings. Sudenly the possibilities seem endless (well, Hasbro figues only a thousand possibile combinations, but that’s still a lot of possibilities to go through
The most noticeable difference between this and the original set is the lack of the second telescopic blade. The original set gave you the option of making a double-bladed lightsaber, much like Darth Maul’s weapon or one of the types wielded by the player character in “Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy” (or as those into the EU know, the design created by the fallen Jedi turned Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun). While it’s loss may be something to be mourned by owners of the original set, the inclussion of the tonfa handle, which produces a police riot club type lightsaber, and the LED handle seem to make up for it’s loss in my mind.
While the set is quite enjoyable, it falls a little shy of five stars for an over all score. The missing elements of the first set are excuseable as having them with all the new elements would have greatly increased the price. Plus why should those who own the original set buy the stuff they already have just to get new elements? But some of the elements of this new set have lowered the overall score.
Firstly, the tonfa handle. As I already said, it’s addition is one of the things that makes up for the loss of the second blade from the original set. But when wielding the lightsaber by this handle I’m a little worried it will break. While it may be just fine, I find myself wishing it were a solid piece. Though that would add to the weight, it would also increase the durability.
Secondly, I’m far too reminded of my first lightsaber, a C cell flashlight painted to look like a lightsaber with a white telescopic blade that screwed in place The bottom most part of the blade naturally never retracted so when collapsed it was little more that a flashlight baton, the kind you see police and others who control traffic at outdoor events such as fairs use to direct traffic. I purchased this lightsaber back in ’97 and have since purchased a Hasbro Qui-Gon lightsaber, a Darth Vader costume lightsaber, and a spring activated lightsaber. All of these the telescopic blade fully collapses into the handle, leaving you with something that looks more like what a lightsaber should look. And further there is less worrying about potentially damaging the blade when it’s collapsed. Yet this blade does not collapse into the handle.
Also, with the new spring action style the now classic flick of the wrist extending blade is a bit archaic. It would have been nice to see this new set incorporate the spring action for activating the blade as well as having the blade fully collapse into the handle. It’s understandable why they didn’t do so, but it’s still disappointing.
One of the disappointment’s I’ve got, and it may just be mine, is the duration the blade stays active for. After so many minutes it automatically shuts off. Why? Is it just to save power. I’m a collector of Star Wars items, and I admit to occasionally playing with the toys, particularly lightsabers. But if I were a kid learning to be a Jedi this would prove a huge turn off for me.
Finally, the blade-emitter guard. It’s required to make Dooku’s blade, But I have so far found it too difficult to remove without fear of breaking it. If I can ever get it off undamaged I am unsure I’ll want to put it back on.
However, despite it’s minuses, the biggest plus is that you can make your own personalized lightsaber. This is the greatest thing about both sets. Prior to the first set you had your choice, generic lightsaber or character specific. There was never a lightsaber to suit you personally. Folks who follow Star Wars know that each Jedi is expected to build his or her own lightsaber and it says something about who they are. But again, until the first set was released you had to settle on a generic design or that of a specific character. Yet no more with the sets. Now you can make a lightsaber to fit your personality.
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