Though the prequels get bashed for the terrible dialogue, the movies did give to us the visual treat of a modern lightsaber battle. For years Star Wars fans have been trying to come up with complicated choreography with their toy lightsabers, and though it may come as kind of nerdy, it's now considered an official sport in France.
According to the Associated Press, the fencing federation of France has officially recognized lightsaber dueling as a competitive sport. The secretary general of the federation Serge Aubailly had this to say about the decision:
"With young people today, it's a real public health issue. They don't do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs… It's becoming difficult to (persuade them to) do a sport that has no connection with getting out of the sofa and playing with one's thumbs. That is why we are trying to create a bond between our discipline and modern technologies, so participating in a sport feels natural."
Aubailly also goes on to say that ‘cape and sword'' movies have also had a big impact on the growth of their federation, so it was only natural that they would adopt something like lightsabers.
As a bona fide Star Wars fan, it's exciting to see people actually take something as cool as lightsabers and turn it into an actual sport. While I don't think it will come with the same practicality of actually fighting with a weapon, it does come off as a real spectacle.
Even though it's official in France though, don't expect lightsaber dueling to be part of the Olympics anytime soon.
See Also: Star Wars Episode IX: New Info on Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie's Characters
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