My 7 Favorite Swords (Film/TV)
The pointy end goes in the other man! Theres hardly a type of prop as iconic as an awesome looking sword. Coming in all shapes and sizes in science fiction, fantasy, kung fu, and historical epics; the ur-badassery of the long blade is a staple of film and TV cuture.
Here are my 7 personal favorites based on design, function, plot utility, and straight-up cool factor.
7. Sulu’s Retractable Sword — Star Trek (2009)
Many of these entries will talk about the weapon's thematic significance. Not this one, though. JJ Abrams took a piece of trivia from the original series — Sulu is a fencing enthusiast — and made an elaborate action scene out of it.
In said scene, Sulu employs a sword with a blade that extends rapidly from the hilt to a length of approximately one meter by unfolding in segments. And it’s f#cking awesome.
Is it stupid? Yes. The whole scene is stupid. The only intelligent analysis I could attempt would be a Freudian dissection of the concept, and… let’s not.
Watch the video (the sound is part of the appeal) for yourself.
It looks cool. It sounds cool. I want one. There’s nothing more for me to say.
6. The Wallace Sword — Braveheart
Forget that it’s the eponymous weapon of the legendary William Wallace. This sword is the perfect reflection of Mel Gibson's directing style: big, beautiful, heavy-handed, shaped like a crucifix, and covered in blood most of the time.
This two-handed broadsword sees some crazy action, being thrust, swung, and even thrown into Englishman after Englishman in the underdog pursuit of Scottish independence.
(SPOILERS. Skip to the next entry to avoid.)
This one doesn't only make the list for how well it’s utilized in the film or its historical accuracy (the real one is significantly longer, if you could believe it). The blade is used as the ultimate visual assertion of the film's central message about the power of martyrdom.
As Fred Hampton put it: “You can kill the revolutionary, but you can’t kill the revolution.”
5. Sting — Lord of the Rings
The main means of survival for both Frodo and Bilbo before him, the iconic weapon is remembered for a number of reasons. Starting with the story behind it.
Forged in the hidden city of Gondolin by elves, it was originally designed as a dagger endowed with magic to make it glow with a cold light when orcs are near — so the elf can be ready for a fight. But for a halfling like Frodo, it’s more than long enough to be considered a sword and the glow is really more of a signal to run.
The elegant design is from the mind of Daniel Falconer and forged at Weta Workshop in New Zealand by the hand and hammer of Master Swordsmith Peter Lyon. Their work combined with that chilling glow made for some of the most tense scenes in Jacksons iconic original trilogy.
The sword was also in The Hobbit.
4. The Darksaber — Star Wars Franchise
The original lightsaber is iconic. Ben Burts amazing sound design, the 360 degree all cutting blade, the bright colors as a reflection of the warriors who wield them, all contribute to one of sci-fi’s greatest hits. But the Darksaber is such a great cover.
Shapped flat and sharp, a bright white light emmits from the black blade. An aura that leaves a magnificent trail when its swung (this happens less in live action). The sound is also distinct, being higher pitch. The unique aesthetic, if you’ll forgive the pun, gives this particular saber a bit of an edge.
For all of Star Wars’ thematic and aesthetic homage to old legends like King Arthur and Samurai films where the swords are tied to noble families or even thrones to whole kingdoms, none of the lightsabers ever felt that important until the darksaber. Thematically significant? Yes. Cool? Of course. But as a practical matter within the story, lightsabers are relatively disposable. Both Luke (because his father cut off his hand) and Anakin (because he’s a dumbass, I guess) replace their lost blades in their respective trilogies. Expanded lore confirms that it’s relatively easy.
Now, here’s a lightsaber with a unique legend and political significance. Forged through mysterious means by a legendary warrior and endowed with the right to rule a people for whoever earns the right to wield it. It’s one of a kind and means so much more to the universe than being a simple tool for fighting. It’s downright Arthurian.
3. Zuko’s Dual Broadswords — Avatar: The Last Airbender
Duality is Zuko’s thing. It’s been written on his face, should he forget. But the writers of this show where far to clever to leave it at “he uses two swords”.
Zuko uses his skills in swords as a substitution for his firebending to take on a whole new identity — The Blue Spirit — so that he can pursue his own interests against his country. The decietfulness of this persona — and his abandonment of it— are both important parts of his character arc. Which ends with him betraying his father (and by extension the country he rules over) to his fathers face.
To go further (and to get out of being accused of cheating), the two blades are actually one sword. In the highly regarded episode, “Zuko Alone”, Zuko explains the swords to a young boy as follows:
“Keep in mind, these are dual swords. Two halves of a single weapon. Don’t think of them as separate, ’cause they’re not. They’re just two different parts of the same whole.”
That’s a very interesting way of explaining the form, and also parelels Zuko’s journey toward reconciling conflicting aspects of his personality.
The creators are endlessly inventive, as they are with all things; with how Zuko utilizes his skills with the blade. Not even just in the fight sequences.
As are all the fighting styles in ATLA, the broadsword action is character driven, dynamic and beautiful to watch.
2. Kikuchiyo’s Katana — Seven Samurai
In the beginning of this Japanese Western movie, the sword is a gag. A ridiculously oversized blade is to the samurai of feudal Japan what a Hummer is to modern car enthusiasts. A compensatory prop for an illegitimate samurai. A reminder that this drunken bum is the comedic relief of the stoic group that reluctantly let’s him follow them on their mission to protect a village seized upon by bandits.
Later on, as the group starts to take him more seriously as a member of the group, it becomes an extension of his outsized personality and lack of discipline. An augmentation of cinema legend Toshiro Mifunes already considerable charisma. Kikuchiyo is the wild card — the one who may save them or do them in — and his weapon makes conveys that in any still frame.
(SPOILERS. Skip to the next entry to avoid.)
Then, it takes on a tragic shade when Kikuchiyo reveals his tragic backstory. Born a commoner and victimized by the merciless greed of Samurai, a supposedly noble tradition. Now he poses as a dead Samurai that his peasant family killed.
Then, he uses the weapon in the noble persuit of protecting the innocent from greedy Ronin, fulfilling the promise of the Samurai better than any member of the ruling warrior class. Finally, it is a memorial for a fallen hero. It’s hard to think of a weapon that has carried so much meaning throughout a film.
1. The Green Destiny — Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Based on Chinese chuan swords, this dignified longblade enhances the fighting skills of whoever wields it. So powerful, that it’s edge will break most all weapons made of lesser steel.
The weapon originally belongs to Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat) but is stolen by Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi) to live out a life of swashbuckling adventure as “The Invincible Sword Goddess”.
Yes. She uses those words.
All this is cool, but that’s not why it’s my favorite sword. Near the climax of the film, Zhang Ziyi faces down with Yu Shu (played by the unironic godess of asskicking, Michelle Yeoh) in what might be my favorite fight in movie history.
(SPOILERS. You can watch the fight without it ruining the whole movie. The clip gives very little context.)
Zhang Ziyi has every advantage in this fight. The sword endows her with abilities she wouldn't have otherwise. She can literally break Yu Shus weapons into pieces. Which forces her to continuously replace her weapons with anything she can find in the room, keeping the already heighted wuxia action endlessly dynamic.
And yet, Shu maintains the offense throughout the fight, keeping her opponent on her toes. Shu maintains calm intelligence as Ziyi finds herself exasperated that she could be losing. This is a fight of an infinitely superior weapon against a superior, experienced fighter. Shu is only made more of a badass by the overpowered sword being wielded by her opponent. Her checkmate move is badass incarnate.
Any thoughts on my edgey takes? Offended by the pun? Feel free to let me know in the comments. See ya next week!
