9mm bullet vs Lightsaber

[Burning Kitty]

Which wins?

nerdist.com/could-a-lightsaber-block-…

Because science

9mm bullet

[Afro Samurai]

Since SW is entirely fiction, the rules of real life don't necessarily apply. If we give credence to anything we've seen in the SW universe, and depending on who is wielding the lightsaber, it could block a bullet. After all, a trained Force user can detonate planets and make cosmic storms, blocking a bullet isn't so unimaginable.

[Burning Kitty]

A Force user could use the Force to block a bullet but not with a Lightsaber.

[mdk]

I dunno if it's cut and dry like that. The math makes assumptions -- velocity of lightsaber = 0, temperature of lightsaber is constant, angle of bullet through lightsaber = 90*, velocity of bullet is constant, velocity vector disruption = 0 (after melting and exploding, no less), even heating, etc. 9mm bullets get deflected by regular old glass, like, on the regular -- are we taking elasticity of the blade into account? What about the bullet's drag coefficient, which is altered as the bullet deforms and amplified (possibly significantly) by the plasma of the blade?

IOW, what we really need is a demonstration. Preferably by an actual proficient force user. Too many variables are ignored here -- I think it's entirely possible that a lightsaber can block 9mm bullets (well not entirely possible, I guess, but.... shut up). Of course it begs the same question as blocking arrows with a sword -- if you're so fast you can do that, why not just get out of the damn way?

[Burning Kitty]

Of course it begs the same question as blocking arrows with a sword -- if you're so fast you can do that, why not just get out of the damn way?

@mdk

The answer is obvious, blocking an arrow with a sword is way cooler than dodging it. Sure dodging proves how fast you are, but blocking with a sword requires you to place your sword in the precise spot the arrow will hit, that takes way more skill.

[Sanctus Spooki]

Well (I could be wrong not a Jedi or a huge star wars fan) but don't Jedi defect blaster bolts through a sort of force-enabled precognition? Its not so much about being fast enough to block it/dodge, so long as they are able to see the shot, they should be able to always block it - assuming they don't make mistakes. Now a spray of bullets though...

Also while I agree about the numbers making assumptions, unless someone can provide some feats to extrapolate other numbers, is their much point in arguing the numbers? I was going to argue them myself, for example: We know a lightsaber can slice through a bone with little to no resistance, at what temperature does bone simply vaporize? Then I remembered I'm not on the up and up of star wars, and I'm not willing to waste time with checking all this stuff. So until then I will take this man and his legendary locks' word for it.

[Polymorpheus]

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[Burning Kitty]

<Snipped quote by Burning Kitty>
The canon sides with the lightsaber.

@catchamber

If it is not a movie or tv show I don't count it. Regardless what Lucas or Disney say.

[Polymorpheus]

.

[mdk]

<Snipped quote by catchamber>

If it is not a movie or tv show I don't count it. Regardless what Lucas or Disney say.

@Burning Kitty

I mean, you counted the Nerdist.

[Burning Kitty]

<Snipped quote by Burning Kitty>

I mean, you counted the Nerdist.

@mdk

I was referring to information from Star Wars.

[PrinceAlexus]

Deends what state it leaves after hitting the sabre energy.

It may be molten metal, flashes into super hot gas or even plasma..

All.cpuld harm you, but its of force powers cam deflect that. Might want armour, and a helmet!

[mdk]

<Snipped quote by mdk>

I was referring to information from Star Wars.

@Burning Kitty

It's even possible using the Nerdist's math -- he did everything assuming the bullet enters at a 90-degree angle to the blade. Let's say it enters at a 0-degree angle -- now the bullet is traveling down the full length of the lightsaber. He didn't do the math, but it's a pretty easy extrapolation -- that bullet is vaporized. So if the question is "CAN IT," then yes. Absolutely. From what angle can it be done -- I'd have to do math, and I don't feel like doing math, but it wouldn't take long -- calculate the distance a bullet would have to travel through a lightsaber blade under these assumptions, then use that as the hypotenuse of a right triangle with a base of (saber width) and length of X. Solve for X, you find the max angle of total vaporization.

But also: the way he's defining his saber traits is very suspect. Very small sample size, poorly justified, and ignoring a whole boatload of contrary evidence -- sabers demonstrate hard properties when they clash, what drives that material behavior and how would it affect a high-energy projectile impact?

[Smash]

I like to imagine luke skywalker marching on normandy, jutting his light saber forward, stabbing bullets because he can.

In my head canon, he also gets hitler to renounce his evil ways, and Hitler is Darth Vader, but without magical powers.