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When a lightsaber gets low on power, what happens?

Does it slowly power down over time, or would it just turn off?

BCdotWEB
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Terry
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    Would you accept Legends canon answers (the old Expanded Universe)? If so, add the tag to your question and we'll get an answer in no time. –  Jan 20 '16 at 17:56
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    By the way, while the spelling "light sabre" is not unheard of, there is nobody in the Star Wars universe who uses "lightSabre". – Mr Lister Jan 20 '16 at 18:02
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    I thought that would be the only way to answer. I've edited my tags now, thanks. – Terry Jan 20 '16 at 18:02
  • Hrmm. I don't think we've seen any examples in movie canon, unless a shorting out lightsaber acts the same as a low power one. –  Jan 20 '16 at 18:04
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    It probably stops using background data and turns off the automatic wifi search. it might even dim the blade based on the amount of ambient light, depending on the kernel version it's running. – Jeff Jan 20 '16 at 18:14
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    @MrLister There should be no one who uses the spelling "light sabre" either; the term "lightsaber" is a unique compound word, not a two-word term where localized spellings of the individual words would be allowed. There's no such thing as a lightsabre or light sabre. – TylerH Jan 20 '16 at 21:36
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    @TylerH You know, you almost sound as if you don't believe me. http://i.stack.imgur.com/NIDlr.jpg – Mr Lister Jan 20 '16 at 22:48
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    @MrLister I believe you that people spell it that way, I'm just saying they're wrong. – TylerH Jan 20 '16 at 23:04
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    @TylerH That is actually from the official novelization (the Sphere edition that is). – Mr Lister Jan 20 '16 at 23:05
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    @MrLister I could tell from the image; the fact that it was a local publication doesn't weigh in its favor. – TylerH Jan 21 '16 at 04:21
  • Lightsabers don't get low on power. – user63248 Mar 14 '16 at 02:31
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    @TylerH That's a very provincial viewpoint. The world is bigger than the United States. – Jane S Mar 14 '16 at 13:18
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    It is also bigger than England. – Oldcat Mar 14 '16 at 19:41
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    @Oldcat Yes, but British English speakers aren't trying to force their spelling on anyone else here. – Rand al'Thor Apr 11 '16 at 14:41

5 Answers5

10

A lightsaber running out of power was depicted in chapter 2 of the novel Shatterpoint (which is Legends, but you indicated that was OK in a comment). It happens to Mace Windu, after an authority had confiscated his lightsaber and secretly drained the power cell before giving it back to him. Here's how it's described:

While he was trying to feel his way toward what they might try next, he noticed that his blade cast a peculiarly pale light. Much too pale.

Even as he crouched there, staring drop-jawed into the paling shaft, it faded, flickered, and winked out.

He thought: And this trouble I'm in just might be serious.

His lightsaber was out of charge.

Hypnosifl
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2

They use force powered crystals which, as far as I understand, only stop working if they are damaged, turned off via the force, disabled, or come into contact with the water (unless the jedi/sith/gray jedi is using a waterproof lightsaber. In these cases, the crystals stop providing the lights aber with power so the blade simply goes out. It's worth noting that the old lightsabers (pre-Old republic) required special packs attached to the jedi's utility belt to power them, but this problem is solved with "modern" lightsabers.

Ferus Olin
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I don't recall an instance of a saber specifically being drained 100% from use in G/Disney canon, but we have specific mention of the lightsaber basically "burning out" because Obi-Wan forgot to turn it off (unclear what the water itself does), and needing "recharging", possibly on its own.

From The Phantom Menace

OBI-WAN : Sorry, Master, the water fried my weapon.

OBI-WAN pulls out his burnt laser sword handle. QUI-GON inspects it, as JAR JAR pulls himself out of the mud.

QUI-GON : You forgot to turn your power off again, didn't you?

OBI-WAN nods sheeplishly.

QUI-GON : (cont'd) It won't take long to recharge, but this is a lesson I hope you've learned, my young Padawan.

phantom42
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Assuming that the lightsaber blade requires full power to maintain a full length blade it would be reasonable to assume that the blade would shorten rather than dim as if it dimmed it would just disperse. This assumption is also made with the fan theory that lightsabers are beams of plasma is true.

DutchOven
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I suspect the lightsaber blade shortens occasionally as it loses power. In this youtube video of Obi Wan versus Darth Vader, you can see Obi Wan's blade briefly shortens around 45 to 55 seconds. That's right before Vader says "Your power are weak old man." And Obi Wan's blade goes back up to full length before it shortens again at 60 to 65 seconds.

Although there is no official movie canon scene where a lightsaber sputters out completely, I think this snippet shows what happens on low power.

RichS
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