Star Wars enters a bold new era with The Mandalorian and Grogu as it completely abandons a prominent weapon featured in every film from the galaxy far, far away. For nearly five decades, Lucasfilm's Star Wars movies have prominently featured lightsabers, the iconic weapon of the Jedi and the Sith that defined the big-screen experience of many fans. The Skywalker Saga featured a plethora of iconic duels, including Obi-Wan versus Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker versus Darth Vader, and Rey versus Kylo Ren, across multiple movies. Other spinoff films, namely Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story, also featured lightsabers, including Darth Vader's iconic hallway scene and Darth Maul's brief but meaningful appearance, when he ignites his double-bladed red lightsaber to deliver a chilling reminder to Qi'ra. The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars theatrical film in nearly 50 years to completely forgo lightsabers, breaking the franchise's 49-year tradition as it enters a brand-new era. None of the main characters and supporting players use lightsabers in the movie, and there is a notable absence of Jedi and Sith appearances as well. Star Wars Read full article on The Direct.