Summary
AnyStar Warsfan knows that a lightsaber is the fabled weapon of the Jedi. Audiences learn this in the very firstStar Warsmovie. True, the Sith also carries these energized tools, but these guys are Jedi gone bad. Both factions utilize the mystical energy field known as the Force. Because of that, viewers naturally expect someone trained in such ways to wield a lightsaber. Although, that’s not always the case.
Over the franchise’s long history, some characters have wielded lightsabers without the Force. In theory, all it requires is swinging a laser sword. Anyone can do that. It’s just a question of who can do it well. That’s where these characters usually falter, be they heroes or villains. A lightsaber is at its fullest potential when guided by the Force. An elegant weapon calls for such supernatural finesse that some of these characters lack. Yet, without the Force, they still harbor an impressive feat of having swung a lightsaber in the galaxy far, far away.
5General Grievous
A Sadistic Cyborg Who Made A Habit Of Killing Jedi & Keeping Their Lightsabers As Trophies
The most famous example, General Grievous is a ruthless Separatist leader during the Clone Wars. He doesn’t just combat clones, though. Instead, he goes out of his way to fight Jedi, as he takes sadistic pleasure in snuffing them out and adding their lightsabers to his collection. Fans might wonder how he can overcome these masters of the Force.
While he may not channel the Force, Grievous has several other factors on his side. He undergoes intense fencing lessons fromSith Lord, Count Dooku, who was among the most formidable Jedi Masters before turning to the Dark Side. Plus, Grievous is a cyborg who can sprout two additional arms, letting him swing four sabers at once. Such a barrage is enough to overwhelm the most disciplined Force user. Finally, if he can’t defeat someone on his own, he has an army of droids as backup. His specialized MagnaGuards wield electrical staves, keeping Jedi at bay while the boss goes in for the kill. Playing fair comes second to winning.
4Sabine Wren
Learning The Basics, Before Becoming Ahsoka’s Padawan
Though she now wields the Force thanks to Ahsoka Tano’s training, that wasn’t always the case. InStar Wars Rebels, Sabine Wren takes lessons from Kanan Jarrus in basic lightsaber technique. The process requires overcoming her own uncertainty, but she doesn’t have to use the Force. In fact, these lessons are only a means to an end, that being an upcoming duel.
To freeher peoplefrom imperial occupation, Sabine must defeat the villain’s puppet ruler, Gar Saxon, in single combat. He wields the darksaber while she borrows Ezra Bridger’s lightsaber. Saxon can’t feel the Force, either, so Wren can overcome him through deft swordplay. In hindsight, this likely gives her a leg up once Ahsoka takes her on as a student.
The troubled Cal Kestis is a wanted man inStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, and not just by the Empire. The Jedi Knight soon runs afoul of the underworld, namely the Bedlam Raiders. These guys pursue the hero across the galaxy. Thanks to their boss, Rayvis, they’re a cut above normal bounty hunters.
The bulky villain graces some of his followers with makeshift lightsabers.He reserves this perk for the most skilled among his ranks. Neither they nor their master wields the Force; they mainly get by on sheer ferocity. The evidence lies in the weapons themselves, which are crossguard sabers a la Kylo Ren. Sadly, these gifts are all for naught. Cal swiftly defeats these pretenders and uses their saber parts to modify his own. At least the tools don’t go to waste.
2Han Solo
A Scoundrel, Who Wields Luke’s Lightsaber To Save Him From Frostbite
How ironic that someone so skeptical of the Force picks up a lightsaber. Admittedly, though, it’s an isolated incident. When Luke Skywalker becomes stranded in the snowy wilderness of Hoth duringThe Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo rides out on a tauntaun to find him. He eventually succeeds…right before his mount gives out. Han knows his weakened friend can’t weather the impending snowstorm, so he takes drastic measures.
He activatesLuke’s lightsaber, cuts open the tauntaun, and stuffs the young Jedi inside. This creative solution keeps the kid warm until the other Rebels find them. Again, Solo doesn’t make a habit of using this weapon. Considering how clumsy and uncertain he is, that’s probably for the best. This smuggler should stick with a blaster.
1Finn
A Former Stormtrooper Who Doesn’t Hesitate To Use A Lightsaber
It doesn’t get much weirder than a Stormtrooper swinging a lightsaber.The Force Awakensbegins withFinnabandoning his post within the imperialistic First Order. He then stumbles into an adventure to find the missing Luke Skywalker. During a battle inThe Force Awakens, he receives the wayward Jedi’s lightsaber from Maz Kanata. There’s no telling how she got it since it was presumably lost in Cloud City. However, Finn immediately puts it to use by fighting another Stormtrooper. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go well, as the armored warrior’s electrified weapon puts Finn on the defensive. He only survives because of Han Solo’s timely intervention. Viewers can’t really fault him for this failure, though, as he’s never even touched a lightsaber. It figures that he’d be a little unsteady.
He makes a more confident attempt later in the film. Cornered by Kylo Ren, Finn engages the wannabe Sith Lord in a duel. This fight somehow turns out worse. The hero mostly flails with no finesse, soit’s not long before the villain puts him down for the count. Ren’s skills aren’t anything to brag about, but at least he has the Force. That’s more than one can say for poor Finn, who starts to develop a sensitivity to the Force by the end of the Skywalker Saga.
