Star Wars: The Acolyte is one of the most polarizing projects of the franchise’s Disney era. The show was cancelled after just one season, earning a mixed reception in part due to some divisive storytelling choices. Though The Acolyte didn’t resonate with all Star Wars fans, certain aspects of it received a high amount of praise (see: Many Jacinto’s performance as The Stranger). One of the show’s strongest elements was its lightsaber combat, with The Stranger’s massacre of several Jedi in Episode 5 a highlight. One of the reasons why The Acolyte was able to deliver that kind of action is because it broke the rules of what was possible with lightsaber props.
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During an appearance on the podcast Blank Check With Griffin and David, The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland explained her approach to the show’s lightsabers. “I said, ‘I want specific lightsabers that can do that. That can be light, and can be fought with quickly. And I also want a lightsaber that has a shoto that you can unlock and pull out,’” she said. “They lost their minds. They were like, ‘What are you talking about? We cannot create lightsabers that are that light. That are that lightweight. We cannot do that … I also said I want the light within … I want it to be practical, so that you can actually see the light on the actors’ faces.”
She continued, “But the shoto was a big deal because they were like, ‘It doesn’t make sense for the handle to be that long.’ By the way, these are guys who I respect. They are doing their job. But I did have to essentially change the way that they had been thinking about lightsabers for, y’know, the Disney reboot/television era.”
Could The Acolyte Revolutionize Lightsaber Props for Future Star Wars Projects?
Headland’s requests for The Acolyte‘s lightsabers make sense. Not only was she looking to expand franchise lore by introducing a new type of weapon (the shoto lightsaber), the show is also set during the High Republic era. This was a time period when Jedi Knights were particularly active across the galaxy and the Order was arguably at the height of its powers. Giving The Acolyte‘s actors lightweight lightsaber props could easily convey that visually. Well-trained Jedi who have mastered their abilities would be able to effortlessly use a lightsaber during combat, giving The Acolyte creative team an opportunity to craft action in a way that hasn’t been done before in Star Wars.
It remains to be seen if Lucasfilm ever revives the shoto lightsaber, but it’ll be interesting to see if The Acolyte leads to a change in the way lightsaber props are made. Future Star Wars actors would probably prefer lightweight swords since those would be easier to handle, but it would likely depend on the needs of the story. It wouldn’t make sense if a character who’s never held a lightsaber before could fight with it quickly and efficiently. Having a standard (heavier) lightsaber prop could communicate that fighting with the weapon takes some getting used to and the character needs to undergo some training before they master the skill set. A lightsaber isn’t just a melee weapon; its power means a newcomer has to be careful when using it.
It seems unlikely there will ever be another on-screen High Republic project that could make use of The Acolyte‘s redesigned lightsaber props. The publishing initiative that introduced the era to the Star Wars timeline is now complete, and Lucasfilm would probably be wary of setting a new movie or TV show during that time frame considering how The Acolyte was received. While it was interesting to see a new Star Wars story so far removed from the Skywalker Saga (yet still lay the foundation for intriguing connections), it obviously didn’t fully work or else a second season would be in the works by now. Especially as the studio looks to usher in a new era of Star Wars movies, it probably won’t be interested in investing a hefty amount of money into the High Republic again.
If Star Wars: New Jedi Order ever gets off the ground, perhaps that could be a spot for a lightweight lightsaber prop. That film is said to take place 15 years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, following Rey as she looks to train the next generation of Force users. Giving Daisy Ridley a lighter lightsaber could help the actress illustrate how Rey has grown since audiences last saw her, as she’s spent the past several years honing her abilities and staying prepared for the next major galactic threat. Her padawans could be stuck with the heavier props to highlight the difference in skill.
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