Clone Wars Ultimate Lightsaber Brings Out the Jedi in You!

by John P. Barker

I was a kid when the original Star Wars (now titled "Episode 4: A New Hope") hit the theaters. I saw it 7 times. How could I not. I was a pre-teen and this flick was loaded with everything a kid would love. Aliens. Spaceships. Epic battles. A pretty girl with Honey Buns taped to her head. And lightsabers.

I desperately wanted a lightsaber for Christmas--and I got one. But back in 1977 the merchandising tie-ins with movies were nothing like they are today. The lightsaber I received for Christmas was literally this:

An orange flashlight with a long plastic tube attached to the cover. A sticker with the Star Wars logo was plastered to the handle. I wish I had a picture of it. And though it sounds lame (and was), it was my favorite gift that year.

Hey, what can I say? I'm easy to please.

Now I'm much older (though not particularly wiser) and I want this for Christmas:

This lightsaber is no mere flashlight.

The Star Wars Clone Wars Ultimate Light Saber can be customized to look like a wide range of different blades - be it the saber of a film favorite such as Yoda or an original design.

This is done with an assortment of 18 parts including blade colors, end caps, and hilts.

Once assembled, the lightsaber does everything a lightsaber would really do. Well, it won't chop arms off of aliens in a bar, but it still looks and sounds cool.

Speaking of sounds... Not only does it make the "snap-swish" sound of a lightsaber when activated, but it also makes sounds of impact each time the "blade" hits something.

The "blade" telescopes out from the hilt and is clear until a color filter is inserted. Green, blue, red, or any combination can be used to create a wide variety of colors.

What I really like about this toy is that it's pretty tough. It can take a reasonable amount of punishment and still work. How do I know? My nephew has one. I almost managed to steal it last week.

This kid seems to like his:

At just under $30.00, this is a pretty cool toy. It has one of the things sorely lacking in kid's fare these days: variety. And variety leads to extended play in kid land.

Head on over to Amazon to assemble your own lightsaber! May the.... well, you know the rest.