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Ezra's lightsaber (pictued below) features a gun attachment that can be single-handedly fired while the lightsaber is activated. The energy bolt cannot be deflected back at the firer.

Regarding the lightsaber his Jedi Master, Kanan, flippantly said "Well, it's…different, but that seems about right for you. Come on" (Star Wars Rebels: Path of the Jedi)

enter image description here

I believe that he has overlooked the greatest advancement in lightsaber technology in millenia. Should the opponent be forced to block the blade with his own lightsaber, the gun becomes nigh impossible to evade.

Here are some pictures to illustrate my point (complete with bad drawings and sound effects):

Exhibit: How Ezra's lightsaber could have saved the Old Republic

Exhibit A: It could have saved Mace Windu enter image description here

Exhibit B: It could've helped Yoda defeat Sidious enter image description here

Rogue Jedi
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Twilight Sparkle
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    Are you aware that Ezra has had his ass comprehensively kicked by every other duellist that he's come into contact with? – Valorum Mar 23 '16 at 22:03
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    +1 for the quality of your elite Photoshop skills – Peter Mar 23 '16 at 22:04
  • Well he hasn't used it this way yet :) Thanks Peter, I try. – Twilight Sparkle Mar 23 '16 at 22:04
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    Given the fact that Rebels takes place before A New Hope and by The Force Awakens gunless lightsabers are still used, it seems the answer is no, it didn't revolutionize lightsaber duels. – Rogue Jedi Mar 23 '16 at 22:50
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    Awfully tempted to VTC as speculation based. – phantom42 Mar 23 '16 at 22:55
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    @Peter The mad photoshop skills secured my +1 as well :) – Josh B. Mar 24 '16 at 00:31
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    @Peter But -1 for lack of freehand circles. – jpmc26 Mar 24 '16 at 02:14
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    +1 for the sound effects. Including "Pew! Pew!" improves many things, young padawan. – pleurocoelus Mar 24 '16 at 10:31
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    A better question is why don't Jedi simply carry a small stunner in addition to their light saber. It would allow them to disable their opponent without needing to carve them up or deflect lethal laser blasts into them. – Michael Richardson Mar 24 '16 at 13:43
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    Your "pew pew"'s are without doubt, the highlight of my day so far. – Fetchez la vache Mar 24 '16 at 14:03
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    This is why my Sith costume includes a blaster AND lightsaber. Sith don't care about rules... just victory. – Omegacron Mar 24 '16 at 15:50
  • It's usefulness only lies in being able to have both a lightsaber and a blaster without carrying two items. I've never seen any example when the two modes were used simultaneously. – vsz Mar 24 '16 at 16:14
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    Everything pales in comparison to the elegance that is the Jedi-Killer – BinaryTox1n Mar 24 '16 at 17:00
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    Also keep in mind that Jedi Masters were a stubborn bunch. No self-respecting Jedi Master would be caught dead using a blaster, unless it was an absolute last resort (ex. Kenobi's fight with Grievous). – Him_Jalpert Mar 24 '16 at 18:41
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    These pictures show scenarios where it would have helped, but because it wasn't present in these actual scenes, it's hard to say the actual effect it would have had. I imagine had the bag guys known that the other had a blaster/sabre combo, they wouldn't have put themselves in the position in the first place to get shot. – Carcigenicate Mar 24 '16 at 23:37
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    How is the question opinion based? There's solid evidence that this was a unique and revolutionary design, but that it did not change lightsaber combat long-term. Reasons as to why it didn't might be speculative, but at it's core the question has a very apparent and provable answer. – Mwr247 Mar 29 '18 at 18:16

3 Answers3

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No. According to Star Wars Insider #154, you need to disengage the blade in order for the battery pack to power the blaster. Your lightsaber duel would last about four seconds and then you'd get your hands cut off.

enter image description here

If anything, Ezra's revolutionary design would make it more likely that you'd get killed in record time which is why this style of fighting is known as Form 8; Dumbasso

Valorum
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    "where he can disengage his saber". it does not say he must disengage for the blaster to work. – phantom42 Mar 23 '16 at 22:56
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    I believe every instance we've seen of the blastsaber has the blade disengaging when being fired. I think you are also misreading that sentence. The "can" relates to the option to use the multi-function, wherein the blade is disengaged and the blaster enabled. – NKCampbell Mar 23 '16 at 23:00
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    Although, the stun blaster does give Ezra (and Kanan, who has wielded this lightsaber on occasions) something to do while they close the gap to their opponent. – Ellesedil Mar 23 '16 at 23:09
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    What's a mutli function? – Bergi Mar 24 '16 at 01:16
  • @Bergi Aside from being a typo, it's a polite way to call it a multi tool. Luke gave us the sci fi sword. Ezra gave us the sci fi swiss army knife. – candied_orange Mar 24 '16 at 03:00
  • I'm almost positive I've seen Kanan fire the blaster while the lightsaber was engaged, and Ezra was surprised because he "never thought of using it like that". I'll try to dig up the specific scene later. – Liesmith Mar 24 '16 at 06:05
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    The image says his lightsaber is light and quick, but the addition of the blaster would appear to make the handle unbalanced and heavier than normal. – Xantec Mar 24 '16 at 11:47
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    Bah! Why does it need power? Just fit one of these to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mIK7CujSrQ It would probably be pretty good for distracting your enemy in the face mid-dual and is smaller than the blaster. – Murphy Mar 24 '16 at 15:00
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    @Murphy - Hey, I've had a great idea. I'll strap an explosive to the side of my lightsaber. I can't see anyone using that against me in combat. – Valorum Mar 24 '16 at 15:08
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    @Richard You've already got a battery pack which is pretty much a big blob of potentially explosive energy. – Murphy Mar 24 '16 at 15:51
  • @Murphy - Slug throwers? How inelegant. – Valorum Mar 24 '16 at 15:57
  • @Xantec It also makes its form closer to that of an actual saber. –  Mar 24 '16 at 16:02
  • @Axelrod http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/8850/lightsaber-blade-weight-in-universe – Xantec Mar 24 '16 at 16:53
  • @Xantec In the OT, lightsabers were meant to feel heavy and hard to move when activated. Thus Luke swinging like a baseball player. –  Mar 24 '16 at 17:13
  • Hand-drawn circles get an automatic +1. – ibid Mar 25 '16 at 01:24
  • I'm frankly surprised to see such condescension in a post from @Valorum... – T.J.L. Mar 29 '18 at 15:41
  • @T.J.L. - If you can suggest a better name for the form, I'm open to suggestions; "Suicidio", perhaps? – Valorum Mar 29 '18 at 15:51
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Ezra's lightsaber's design would have changed the rules of lightsaber combat, but not enough to save the Old Republic. Your idea, however, is potentially enough to save the Old Republic.

There is a major difference between Ezra's lightsaber and your idea. Like Richard stated, Ezra's weapon cannot draw the blade and fire simultaneously.

Ezra's lightsaber was able to significantly influence the tactical circumstances of battle, however. In the finale to Season 1, Kanan borrowed Ezra's lightsaber to fight with the Grand Inquisitor. Kanan had the sense to mix shooting and swordfighting, which was enough to surprise the Grand Inquisitor and grant a measure of tactical advantage. Ezra's reaction to Kanan's strategy was simply one of surprise and "why didn't I think of that?"

Ezra never intended for his lightsaber to do both at the same time. It just didn't come to mind. When he built his lightsaber, what drove his design decisions is the need to not get caught by Imperial spot checks. Therefore, he had the illegal lightsaber doubled as a legal stun pistol to evade detection, and to ensure he is not helpless in battle when revealing his Jedi identity is not an option.

The idea of shooting during swordfighting, however, is a very good one nonetheless (though Ezra can't claim most of the credit):

  • As the Clone Wars and the Great Jedi Massacre demonstrated, Jedi are vulnerable to shots they can't block, such as during a saber lock.
  • A traditional lightsaber has three Kyber crystals: The main energy focusing crystal, and two secondary crystals that allow the wielder to configure the blade's length and power
  • If you can reduce the power output of a blade, theoretically you can also divert part of the power into shooting without sheathing the blade.
  • It can be a low powered stun, or maybe even shoot to kill. Who knows?

Basically, it seems the theory is sound that a lightsaber that can swordfight and shoot simultaneously is feasible. That said, the question then comes down to: If a lightsaber's shot is incapable of killing, then would a stun blast be significant against a Sith Lord, a master of pain? A comic I chanced upon a month back showed a pre-Phantom Menace Darth Maul being attacked by a Nightsister with Force Lightning - and the Nightsister implying that only the Sith Lords can endure and resist such an attack.

thegreatjedi
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  • Hmm. You've got an interesting point about "would a stun blast be significant against…a master of pain?". – Bob Apr 05 '17 at 00:17
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I don't think it would make much of a difference. Especially if it became widespread and it wasn't a surprise. Look at that picture of Windu. He is using the force to catch a lightning storm with his blade. What do you think would happen if there was a couple blaster bolts added into that malestrom?

Judging by what happens when Vader get shot in ESB, Not too much.

enter image description here

It would just be something they'd have to adapt to.

Shane
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    Just a minor comment, Palpatine is casting a Lightning storm from his hands. It's Mace Windu who is catching it, and then on his Lightsaber. – Obsidian Phoenix Mar 24 '16 at 16:51
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    Catching on his saber, and deflecting. That's why Palpatine is getting deformed. – Daniel Mar 25 '16 at 18:13
  • Right concept, wrong movie and person. In the beginning of TFA, Kylo Ren stops a blaster/lightning bolt with the Force that was fired by Poe Dameron. In the scene above I don't think Vader is using the Force at all. Remember, his arm is metal. I think he just blocks the blaster bolt (note the sparks and smoke that result) – Machavity Mar 25 '16 at 18:54
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    Darth Vader didn't use the Force. In Legends at least, his artificial hands are made of a very strong and durable metal, which is attributed to as the reason he could block and absorb Han's shots with negligible damage to his bare hands. – thegreatjedi Mar 27 '16 at 10:40