Vader's Armor Vs. Luke's Lightsaber???

TheDentedOne

Active Hunter
Hey all,

Im sure this has been asked before. I noticed something watching ESB for the millionth time last night.

My question is how does Vader's armor block the lightsaber attack from luke in the battle scene at the end?

I mean Qui Gon cuts through a steel door in TPM. I dont know if it was just to say "hey lets let Luke get a good attack in" ,or was his armor really made to block lightsaber attacks???

Just wondering because I always grew up thinking that nothing could stop a saber attack. guess that makes Vader even more outstanding.
 
Vader does cry out as if in pain though, and reaches for the spot that was just hit. Of course that was when Vader said forget this and went to work on Luke and cut off his hand. I always just took it that up to that point Vader wasn't trying that hard and when Luke finally scores a hit Vader decides to end it quickly.

Even with him crying out it appears that his armor does protect him to some degree.


Of course if I had Sidious for a master I would want some lightsaber proof armor, just in case
 
I looked like Luke's blow was a bit half-hearted, also.
The second the blade makes contact, notice he retreats to what he must have thought was a better position (the end of a gangplank with his back to a gaping chasm. Dur.)
 
I think it was retconned that the emperor forsaw Vader Slaughtering the Jedi and that he had parts of Vader's armor made with Cortosis (deflects lightsabers). Take also to heart that Vader could have deflected the bolt from Han's Blaster in Cloud City but instead let his hand absorb the blast. In ROTJ we see vader absorbing the emperor's lighting. So In This sense we can guess that A) Vader's armor and suit can absorb an incredible amount of energetic and physical damage, or B) vader is protecting himself from the damage by using the force.

Also there was a retcon in one of the books and the comics and i think a reference to it in the KOTOR game but the style of lightsaber battle that Vader (and Dooku, i think) is a powerful strike style that is difficult to defend against. Getting a glancing blow in a fight of that nature esp. for a newbie Jedi is pretty good, IMO. Luke's style was really meant to get vader's attention or merely disable him, not kill him, as was Dooku's style in AOTC, note he could have easily killed Obi-wan and Anakin, yet chose to maim anakin and ultimately humiliate Obi-wan.
 
His armor is infused with Sith Alchemy so that probably helps. And Luke definitely pulls back his hit. Lesson learned, kids: always follow through.
 
I love all the answers!! I had forgotten about the blaster shots from Han. Makes me realize how powerful Vader actually was. I mean of course it looked cool deflecting blaster shots with your lightsaber like all the other Jedi did but youre pretts bad *** when you just use your hand.

I did see that luke pulled back a little. May have had something to do with during filming we have to remember he was just holding a stick after all :)
 
The republic commando Katarn Armor deflected light saber blows...not lightsaber proof but resistant...and that was technically pre-vader so the technology was there to make it possible
 
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