THE STORYTo celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, Master Replicas decided to release many special Original Trilogy replicas. A couple of these were two new Force FX lightsabers. First came the Darth Vader ANH Re-release and now the Luke Skywalker ANH which is completely new!
The preorder for this wonderous new FFX took place in February 2007, of which I got in a group order to save on the purchase price. The saber was finally released in July to a limited amount of MR direct customers. Then the Dark Side clouded the minds of the fulfillment center and no more FFX's were shipped for another couple of months. Waiting and
waiting took its toll on many a Jedi as they waited for this "Elegant Weapon from a more civilized age". Finally only 7 months after the Preorder, stores and online orders finally started getting product to ship. So in late September I finally received the lightsaber that exemplifies what a lightsaber is, The Luke Skywalker ANH Force FX!
THE SABER OUT OF THE BOXThis FX is truly an elegant weapon that every Jedi would be proud to own. With lightweight metal construction adding to the realism of what a lightsaber might feel like.
The packaging is the same this go around as it has been for the past few FX's. My saber was received without a scratch or flaw to be worried with.
The On/Off switch is placed correctly on this Third Graflex-type lightsaber from Master Replicas. As imagined by many throughout the years as being activated by the "bubble strip" on the control box, we can now reenact that scene in Ben's hut as much as we want with a slide of the thumb.
The body of the saber seems to be a lightweight material. I would have to say its a milled aluminum tube as I tested it with a magnet and it would not stick.
The Battery holder is a Generation 4 style that is shared with its ANH Vader counterpart. With the use of three of your favorite Lithium batteries (recommended) you can power your saber.
The battery endcap with the Lucasfilm and Master Replicas copyright info stamped onto it in a not so noticeable way. With what I like to call "pepper shaker" sound holes. The Endcap does take some strenght to get it unscrewed as well as screwing it back into place to line up the D-ring.
The details are well done, but not a perfect match to the original prop replica. Since the same tooling was used as the Anakin FX it would explain why there are large holes near the emitter that were filled with the Glass eye on this side of the graflex-style hilt. The Glass eye details are reproduced in molded plastic to replicate the look of the original. The recharge pins seem to be brass.
The Emitter ring was also replaced with a chromed plastic piece that is part of the blade holder and not connected to the metal tube of the hilt in any way.
The button detail is also a molded plastic piece that was chromed to more match the look of the hilt. The button is non-moving as is the replica "rabbit ears" Even though the Rabbit ears look a bit off, they do match the faux emitter ring detail with its chrome like appearance. The Rabbit ears are made out of metal and riveted to the metal tube of the hilt.
The grips are well done, as well. Rounded at the edges and covered in a soft rubber for easy gripping. The D-ring is set in very tightly and does not move around without pressure being applied.
The Control Box is constructed in metal. The crystal clear bubble strip sits on top and the clamp lever is set on the side of the control box.
THE SABER IGNITEDNormal Room Light
Low Room Light
Complete Darkness
WORKING REVIEWAs I picked up the ANH Luke, I noticed that it was very light, even after putting batteries in it. Although it is light it is nicely balanced. The balance point is about 1/8 inch from the tip of the emitter and even though it would be a tad better if the hilt were a bit heavier. Still very good for spins and tricks. Feeling the weight of the saber is very unlike other FX's which are quite heavy. The Luke ANH actually feels like a lightsaber. Its so light that you can imagine that the blade is weightless and all the weight is coming from the hilt.
A welcome detail is the small square hole in the tip of the emitter that allows light from the blade to shine through, just as it should.
A drawback to the chrome plated emitter ring is that in complete darkness you can notice a slight transference of light through the plastic as seen in the above pic. A problem with this plastic ring is upon back and forth motion with the saber it causes a bit of a creaking noise. More noticeable when the saber is turned off and only slightly noticeable when ignited.
Now with the use of faux rabbit ears the tube loses the holes that allow more light from the blade to shine through, but I did notice upon close inspection that some unwelcome light comes through the large hole filled with the plastic button detail.
The blade itself seems to be the same as the Anakin and Obi-Wan in color and brightness. It is a thin-walled blade so heavy duelling is definitely not recommended.
The Sound is actually quite loud, but it is interfered with by the endcap. Just not enough sound transmission holes to allow for full sound. The sounds used are all the standard Jedi saber sound fx. The motion sensor is quite finely tuned for movement and clash sounds.
One definite improvement is the On/Off switch resistance. Many of the other sabers had enough play in the switch to allow the saber to be accidentily shut off during use. This is not so with the Luke as it takes two things into consideration. The first being that the switch itself is tighter against the sliding bubble strip. The other is the area on the end of the bubble strip that would overlap past the control box when turned on has been decreased. This completely eliminates the chance that the saber would shut off while being used.
THE BOXA couple of shots of the box
Top front
Bottom back
Story
Specifications
A look at Luke
The logo that has so much more meaning now.
THE COMPARISONICONS Skywalker lightsaber replica vs. Luke Skywalker ANH Force FXFINAL THOUGHTSWith this being the last FX released by Master Replicas, it had a lot to live up to. Although it didn't quite make it in all areas it did deliver in the areas that matter. The details that are needed are there. I've actually been using this saber every night having fun with it in this the 30th Anniversary year. Now my MR Force FX lightsaber collection is complete.
Now I have to acquire on of Yoda's prized creations! 8)