Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2019 January 26

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January 26

When did the Star Wars franchise become mostly about lightsaber battles?

Most people who saw the original Star Wars film when it first came out in 1977 enjoyed the film primarily due to the space battle that occurs between the rebel spaceships and TIE fighters when the rebel spaceships launch an assault on the Death Star. So when did the Star Wars franchise become mostly about lightsaber battles? Yellow Sunstreaker (talk) 20:31, 26 January 2019 (UTC)

I think the assumption is flawed. While almost every film has featured lightsaber battles (with the exception of the anthology films), only Episode II features a large-scale lightsaber battle and the battle in Episode III in pivotal for the story. But each of those films featured space battles to some extent as well. I think lightsaber battles were featured more prominently in the Expanded Universe because they are better to describe in writing and in games it allows players to fulfill their unique Star Wars related fantasies (space battles happen in many games but lightsaber fights are basically what makes a Star Wars game). Regards SoWhy 21:00, 26 January 2019 (UTC)

Nil Einne (talk) 05:34, 27 January 2019 (UTC)

Specifically, if there's a source that counts the number of minutes dedicated to light-sabre action and to TIE fighter action in each film. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:28, 27 January 2019 (UTC)

Yes but also "Most people who saw the original Star Wars film when it first came out in 1977 enjoyed the film primarily due to the space battle that occurs between the rebel spaceships and TIE fighters when the rebel spaceships launch an assault on the Death Star" is uncited. Nil Einne (talk) 18:35, 28 January 2019 (UTC)

BTW, I'm not trying to simply be contrary here. I can easily imagine that at the time, before CGI really existed and where the special effects of Star Wars were fairly ground breaking [1], it battles were the key reason why people enjoyed it but this changed over time when their special effects including battles were great but no longer that special compared to everything else. But 'I can imagine' is not actually good evidence. Nor for that matter the comments of reviewers of the movies. Nor for that matter what me and my mates felt. And noting also the primary reason why someone enjoyed something could be different from the reason why they went to watch it. Although I would also note that it is possible that the key reason why people enjoyed it changed without there being a corresponding change in the number of minutes (or production effort) devoted to each. But "mostly about lightsaber battles" is unclear anyway. Ultimately is if you think something happened, before asking why it's probably good to ask 'what actual evidence do I have that this happened' which in this case would include establishing that what things like originally is correct, and that there has been a change. Nil Einne (talk) 04:06, 30 January 2019 (UTC)

In other words, George Lucas shifted focus in the Star Wars universe from rebel spaceship pilots to lightsaber wielding Jedi Knights. As soon as Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was released, the Star Wars story became more about the Jedi Order rather than the Rebel Alliance. Yellow Sunstreaker (talk) 07:14, 30 January 2019 (UTC)

According to PLAYING JEDI: THE HISTORY OF TOY LIGHTSABERS, they were hugely popular toys from the outset. Alansplodge (talk) 13:51, 1 February 2019 (UTC)