"Before the dark times... before the Empire."And so the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi would greatly influence the young Tattoine farmboy... to an extent he never imagined.
At first glance, the 2006 Master Replicas Obi-Wan Kenobi Force FX Lightsaber Collectible portrays something of a regal and classical era... a time when good rose above evil and the power of the light kept the dark at bay. Obi-Wan Kenobi may be the best example of a Jedi Knight of the Old Republic; and fittingly so, his
Revenge of the Sith lightsaber may very well be the best representation of a Jedi's weapon.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi lightsaber comes at a time when Master Replicas has continually strived to put out a better product. Each Force FX lightsaber collectible tends to be a step above the previous. Perhaps the Obi-Wan release is a step below, taking into consideration the fact that it utilizes the technology of Generation 3 lightsabers from 2005. But is really a step down from the Generation 4 Darth Maul from
The Phantom Menace; or on the contrary, is it a step beyond what Master Replicas has offered it's collectors in the past?
The HiltTo say that your product is the "offical" reproduction of a character's weapon from the most sucessful film franchise in history, you'd better have something to substantiate your claim. The hilt on the Obi-Wan Kenobi Force FX clearly resembles what was shown on-screen in the third chapter of the Star Wars saga. But is it identical? No. And understandably so, of course. The Luke Skywalker
Return of the Jedi Force FX lightsaber from 2003 (later re-issued with Generation 3 technology in 2005) went through the same fate as the current lightsaber when it's neck was widened to accomodate the necessary components that enable a Force FX to function. This widened feature doesn't really retract from the overall look of the replicated lightsaber. (At least not in my opinion.) The filming prop of Obi-Wan's lightsaber from
Revenge of the Sith was crafted to replicate the original prop from
A New Hope. As such, the prop department did a splendid job of re-creating the iconic weapon wielded by Sir Alec Guinness in the original film. The Obi-Wan ROTS Force FX follows the material pattern that both props utilized. The base and center band of the weapon feature an elegant chrome finish. The "grenade" portions of the lightsaber are metal. And finally, the emitter is aluminum. Just as the prop masters at Lucasfilm stayed true to the
A New Hope prop, the wizards at Master Replicas remained true to the
Revenge of the Sith prop. These combinations make for a very shiny lightsaber that is very pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, my own lightsaber has a few scrapes in the centerband near the ignition switch bridge. They're not too noticeable, but to a perfectionist such as myself, they're a bit of a bummer. I do know that there's probably not a perfect Force FX out there, so it isn't a big deal.
In hand, the Obi-Wan Force FX lightsaber feels very well balanced. The metal hilt provides an excellent grip that is most comfortable to the hands. It is probably the easiest Force FX to swing around, due to the unique design. I'd have to say that this lightsaber could very well be easier to handle than the actual prop was, being that the widened neck provides additional grip space. The weight of this iconic replica is about perfect, as far as I'm concerned. It's not too lightweight and not too heavy. I'd say its weight is about on par to the Darth Vader
The Empire Strieks Back lightsaber. It certainly isn't as heavy as the Mace Windu
Revenge of the Sith release, and it shouldn't be. With only three AA batteries supplying power to the 64 LEDs and sound module, this lightsaber shouldn't weigh any more than the Anakin ROTS... or especially the Mace Windu ROTS, for that matter. Or should it? Where the Luke ROTJ was made of both aluminum and plastic, the Obi-Wan ROTS is nearly entirely metal. As with the second release of the Anakin ROTS, we know that extra metal certainly equates to extra weight. Unlike the Anakin ROTS, I have noticed that the Obi-Wan lightsaber does not capture fingerprints as easily. As I'm pretty sure the chrome used in both lightsabers is pretty much the same, it's hard to say what might account for this. Similarly to the Darth Vader ESB, the Obi-Wan Kenobi lightsaber is ignited when the switch on the control box is pressed forward. As the Vader ESB featured my favorite lightsaber ignition switch, I'm most pleased at where MR placed the same button on this lightsaber. All in all, the Obi-Wan ROTS Force FX hilt is very well-designed and most attractive to the eye.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obihilt.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obihilt2.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obihilt3.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obihilt4.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obihiltmini.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obisaber.jpgThe Ignited Blade"I will do what I must."Looking ahead into the dark, unaware of what lies ahead, a sense of courage falls upon you as you're thumb moves to ignite the blade of the Jedi's weapon. Obi-Wan Kenobi's weapon. That is the feeling you get when you switch on the Obi-Wan Kenobi Force FX for the very first time. You know to expect something great... something magical. And as that arc of blue light shines before your eyes, you are swept into that galaxy far, far away.
Without a doubt, the Obi-Wan lightsaber contains the brightest of all blue FX saber blades. It's brighter than the Anakin ROTS. The blue color itself is lighter than it is in the Anakin lightsaber, but darker than the Luke Skywalker
The Empire Strikes Back release. Below is a picture with the Anakin ROTS on the left. At the time the picture was taken, the Anakin lightsaber had brand new batteries, whereas I'd already had the Obi-Wan on for my testing purposes and for the pictures I took. The Obi-Wan lightsaber was still brighter than the Anakin.
As far as consistency goes, I've read several reviews indicating that the Obi-Wan lightsaber has a smoother, more consistent look to the ignited blade. After testing and comparing my lightsaber to older Force FXs, I'd have to say that it is smoother. But more consistent? Not really. My old version one Anakin from early 2005 is about the same in consistency; perhaps just a bit less consistent. The Obi-Wan still has a few LEDs that are brighter than the majority of them, as do all Force FXs, so to me it isn't much different in that regard. The smoothness alone, however, does account for a brighter and crisper looking blade. And that's very important with each new Force FX release. Unfortunately, this saber also has the infamous dark spot at the center of the blade. It is a bit harder to see than it is on the version one Anakin ROTS, but it is still there. Another point of interest is that the Obi-Wan lightsaber seems to have a more distinct arc wave than the other blue Force FXs. That's another step up. And of course, a neat thing about the Obi-Wan ROTS is the way that the light from the blade reflects at the top of the emitter. As others have stated, it makes the smal grooves in the emitter appear as if the emitter is surrounded with tiny LEDs. It's one of those cool little things like the light shining from the openings of the Luke ESB emitter that make you appreciate your Force FXs even more.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obisaberlit.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obisaberlit3.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obisaberlit2.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obisaberlit5.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Obisaberlit4.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/ObivAni.jpg(As a sidenote, the reflection of the ignited blade on the red oak table reveals the differently lit LEDs. The reflection also looks like the lightsabers on old artwork from
The Empire Strikes Back.)
SoundAlways of importance to Force FX collectors are the sound effects of each Force FX collectible. With the Obi-Wan ROTS lightsaber, Master Replicas re-used the sound module from both the Anakin ROTS and the Luke Skywalker ROTJ. It sounds more crisp this time around. These particular sound effects have never sounded better, but as they are rehashed sounds, they're nothing special. They serve their purpose, and that's important. Apart from the idle hum, the ignition, swing, clash, and power-down sounds are all the same. I must point out that the clash sounds are a bit hard to activate... the blade has to be hit pretty hard. The swing sounds don't sound as easily as in other lightsabers, but that may be due in part to the fact that my lightsaber is new.
FinAs a new lightsaber from an iconic character who's weapon has never before been offered, the Obi-Wan Kenobi Force FX Lightsaber Collectible from Master Replicas is a wonderful addition to any collection. While the technology utilized in its creation is nothing that has not been accomplished before, the Obi-Wan Force FX is a step beyond what Master Replicas has come out with in the past. The blade is brighter than that of any previous blue-bladed offering, and the sound is clearer. The hilt is also about as accurate as you can get with the current technology, and it's a marvel to look at. Those qualities make for a better product, and that's what Master Replicas should strive to offer with each new release. Unlike the Darth Maul TPM release, which in my opinion, as a single-bladed lightsaber was inferior to the Darth Vader ESB, the Obi-Wan Kenobi outshines it's predecessors. I have to say that I am extremely pleased with the Obi-Wan Kenobi ROTS lightsaber and that I am very happy to own it. I know that if I were to go to battle against the Sith, this is the lightsaber I would carry with me. I now prefer it over my other Force FXs... save for the Luke ESB.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/ToriJedi.jpgMe and my cherished Obi-Wan Kenobi Force FX Lightsaber, by Master Replicas.