Purple. Not everyone's favorite color... right? No. It was Sam Jackson's favorite color. Had he preferred blue, or had GL not agreed to create a purple lightsaber just for the character of Mace Windu, chances are that this lightsaber may have never been made. At least not with a purple blade. ;)
By the time that I owned an Anakin ROTS, Vader ESB, and Luke ROTJ, I was ready to call it quits. I didn't need that older generation Mace Windu with the blotchy looking blade and blue LEDs with a red tube around them or whatever it was. Right? Right. It just so happened that I was at North Star Mall at the right time, as Gamestop had this lightsaber that I had never before seen in person. I was surely surprised. But after holding the lightsaber and igniting it, I decided I should stick to my plan and not buy it. After all, I didn't want it, right? Yes! Of course I wanted it. It was the only color lightsaber that my collection didn't have. So after much debating with myself, I called my mom and asked her what she thought. Should I or shouldn't I? She suggested that since it wasn't as common of a lightsaber as some of the others that the best thing to do might be to buy it. This of course, was the kind of advice I like hearing from my mom. ;) So... I bought it. My collection was now complete with the fourth and final lightsaber color in the Star Wars movies. I was the proud owner of the Mace Windu, ROTS lightsaber. ;D
The hilt on this lightsaber is simply gorgeous. One look at it, and it's probably the most impressive lightsaber hilt on any of the FX sabers. At least to those who don't know them too well. I simply love the uniqueness that was given to this handle... the gold plating really adds something to it that it wouldn't otherwise have. In addition, the rubber grips are very comfortable on the hands. They're soft, and not of a hard plastic like the Anakin ROTS or Vader ESB. While I'm not particularly fond of where the ignition button was placed, it's not really that bad. Overall this is the heaviest FX hilt that I own, which makes it harder to swing around. However, this is one of the better sabers for two-handed dueling because of the way the hilt was designed... in two parts almost. I have heard cases of the gold rubbing off on this hilt, but I have yet to experience it for myself. I try not to touch the gold parts, or I wear gloves when possible so that this does not occur. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1153.jpgThe blade that the Mace saber features is rather sturdy. It doesn't move around as the Anakin and Luke ESB sabers do when swung. This makes it extra nice for swinging. Since the saber was made without purple LEDs, MR compensated by using blue LEDs and a red tubing of some sort, I believe. This of course causes the brightness of the Mace saber to be less than that of the other sabers. The color shows up as a lavender color rather than a solid purple. It's pleasing to the eyes, but clearly not the purple that we see in AOTC or ROTS. :-\ I have found that the blade has appeared a bit more purple to me over time, but that's probably because I've seen it more than a few times. The consistency in this blade is pretty good overall, in comparison to some pictures I've seen on the net.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1155.jpgThe sound on the Mace FFX isn't as loud as the Anakin ROTS or Luke ROTJ. It's about the same as the Vader ESB, and about twice as loud as the Luke ESB. I was a bit put off that the recording on the idle hum has an obvious skip to it where the hum starts over in two different areas. I've gotten used to it over time, but I can't help but notice it every time the saber is on. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish the idle hum from the swinging sounds, since the sounds on this saber are quite rough and a bit scratchy in sound. I believe that the motion sensor in the Mace ROTS is the most sensitive of any of the FX sabers. The slightest movement of the blade causes a swinging sound. The battle clashes are nice, and pretty much the same as they are on any of the other sabers except the Vader ESB. :)
A comparison of the Mace ROTS (right) and Anakin ROTS (left)... just because. :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1007.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1008.jpgAll in all, I am not as impressed with the Mace Windu ROTS lightsaber as I am with any of the other ones that I own. The wow factor just isn't there for me in that same way. For this reason, it is usually the last lightsaber I'll pick up to enjoy. That's not to say I don't like it, of course. I do enjoy it, as it has an incredibly awesome hilt, and it is an FX saber, regardless of its shortcomings. The Mace ROTS would be one of the last FFX lightsabers that I'd recommend to someone who is looking into purchasing one. ;) As mentioned, the Anakin ROTS, Vader ESB, and Luke ROTJ re-issue are better all-around sabers than this one is.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/Mace.jpgTomorrow night... my final review, the Luke Skywalker ESB FFX. :)