My flirtation with lightsabers goes back about 10 years when I picked up a Darth Vader lightsaber at a Comic Con. At the time it was over £250, but it brought the magic of Star Wars home in a way that was unthinkable at the time of the movies. It came with a fixed blade, so display wasn't the easiest, and with no way to power it outside of batteries and that constant hum, it wasn't practical to display it lit. Still, I had a lot of fun with it, even challenged to a duel at a comic con one year, even though it has since been replaced with the Force FX version with a removable blade, I have fond memories of it.
Since then, I picked up a second hand Luke saber (which was disgusting - yellowed and stinking of smoke, now cleaned up and passed on to a friend's son) and the Ahsoka Black Series saber because I like the character. Sadly I wasn't overly impressed with it. While it looked nice, the finish was sharp and uncomfortable to hold, with unresponsive buttons that made the features - changing blade colours and fiery tip - almost impossible to use. And that put me off for a good few years.
My recent trip to Galaxy's Edge changed that. Having created my own lightsaber, I was fascinated by the ability to build and modify the hilt, especially when I was able to buy parts from Reclaimed & Reforged, easily the most interesting set available, which was sadly a very limited run.
When I got home, I watched Maul: Shadow Lord and really enjoyed it. Learning that series lead Devon Izara was to receive a limited edition production of her lightsaber, complete with faux-leather wrap, I ummed and ahh-ed for about 2 weeks before laying down the extortionate and vastly inflated £300 Disney Store UK was asking, £100 more than the price asked in the US. I just hoped I didn't resent the decision.
So what do you get with a limited edition lightsaber? An oversized cardboard box with magnetic flaps which seems to exist purely to house the lithograph I probably won't display and the saber itself. Almost obnoxiously there's no blade included, you have to buy that for another £50 and thankfully it uses the standard Disney blade, though from what I've seen of recent releases like the Baylan Skoll, newer sabers require specific blades, which to my mind is insanity - why buy a lightsaber that can't replace the most delicate part? Anyway, bottom line is that if you want to actually light this saber, that'll cost extra, bringing the total to £350. Now we're well into third party territory.
Only 3,000 copies of this hilt were made, and I have to say that's really the main draw when you take into account cost, lack of a blade and no wooden box. FOMO is a powerful force and It is, honestly, poor value for money in the UK.
Here's an official shot of everything included because I can't be bothered to get the box out again.
Despite that, let's judge the hilt on its own merits for now. Firstly, it looks very nice indeed - the faux-leather is actually rubber, but it's very detailed and absolutely looks the part. It's mostly comfortable to hold (the edges of the ignition switch are sharp and the belt clip attachment occasionally feels in the way, but the soft cover and otherwise smooth tubular design makes it more comfortable than most sabers.
It's also one of the thinner Disney sabers. The pommel loses a couple of millimeters in circumference just below the wrap, which gives the illusion that it's thinner than it is, but it's still quite svelte next to Ahsoka saber and those I made at Galaxy's Edge. It's surprisingly smooth too, the only things outside of the almost perfect tube are the belt clip, covertec wheel and ignition switch. The switch itself feels purposeful - it requires a decisive push to activate, which means it won't fire accidentally. It's very satisfying to use actually, a nice click and a quality motion make it feel very premium indeed, a world away from the stupid enclosed, impossibly narrow button affair that blights the Hasbro Ahsoka saber.
It's a weighty thing too - about the same weight as a Savi saber yet a good inch shorter, it feels like very good quality material, the exterior being mostly metal. The wrap could have been an excuse to skimp on the details, but far from it - the hilt has etched details, a number of black rings running at the top of the hilt and around the pommel, both smooth and ridged. While the majority of the finish is matte silver, there's a singular chrome ring that makes a lovely contrast to the rest of the presentation. It would look fantastic even without the wrap, which is exactly as it should be. Top this off with a painted silver endcap, and it makes a fabulous and distinctive display piece.
The endcap provides a quality finish that's far superior to the usual black plastic plug
When you do add a blade, it ignites blue and has a metallic sound unlike anything I've heard before, suggesting this is a brand new soundboard specifically built for this release. The hum and swing sounds are about as responsive as most Disney blades, which is to say a little delayed, but it works well enough to convey the feeling of being a Jedi knight ready for battle.
Because the wrap adds bulk, it's not the easiest blade to spin with, you'd need large hands to keep it under control and mine are fairly average, so I doubt I'll be practicing the Obi-Ani swing with this lightsaber. I do very much enjoy its presence on my desk and I'm often picking it up to feel the weight and enjoy the tactile sensation the wrap provides.
much has been made of the covertec wheel being placed in the centre of the hilt, but it is intentional - the D-ring is for hanging at the waist, while the covertec wheel is intended for horizontal placement behind the back, hiding the weapon in a way that doesn’t impede movement. It can feel a bit in the way when gripping the hilt, but you can spread your fingers or grip either side.
The etching is nice throughout, the covertec wheel is really the only major protrusion you have to work your fingers around.
I can't honestly recommend the saber at full price - the cheapened presentation of the box (though briefly you could buy a wooden box at the Disney store, I snagged a pre-order before it sold out because I'm stupid and impulsive) and the lack of a blade make this appear seriously overpriced, even taking into account VAT and customs. At most, this should have been £250, £300 just seems grasping.
I will confess to being slightly baffled that this sold out online - the Maul series' viewing figures couldn't even crack Disney's own top 10, making it a very niche show with the Kathleen Kennedy repulsion factor clearly affecting even good shows. The price and lack of a blade would have suggested to me that it would be shelf-warming before a sale cleared the stock but, no, all gone both in the UK and US. Your only hope of finding one now is Ebay or Galaxy's Edge, and all the extra cost that entails.
If you do want one, despair not for many of these limited edition releases find their way to retail in standard boxes (just like the Jedi Temple Guard hilt) so it may return for a victory lap at a more reasonable price in future. For now, it remains an elusive, overpriced and baffling item that - despite its charms - was probably worth missing. I'm pleased I have one, but I can't possibly say that the price I paid was close to worth it.
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