Newsbeat's resident Star Wars geek: What is with that lightsaber?

Now if you're a self confessed Star Wars geek like me, your thought process during what had to be the highlight of your week might have gone something like this: "Dusty barren looking planet- check.

Cool voice over. Oh my god - those Stormtroopers look wicked.

Yes - The Millennium Falcon doing battle with Tie fighters!

But… WHAT IS UP WITH THAT LIGHTSABER!!!"

Yes, there is a lot to like about the new Star Wars teaser trailer. It harks back to the original far superior trilogy and doesn't appear to have made the same mistakes as the risible prequels.

However the red lightsaber on show does stick out like a sore thumb.

Since when does a jedi's 'elegant weapon for a more civilized age' have a crossbar? Even episodes 1 to 3 managed to get the most iconic of movie weapons just about right (although frankly Darth Maul's double ended number was mildly offensive).

Scene from the trailer for Star War Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Frankly, there's no need to go changing something that was already perfect.

Luke Skywalker's lightsaber during the first two films set the standard. No gimmicks, just a solid piece of metalwork with a nice crisp glowing blue blade.

Darth Vader's red number was spot on too. But this monstrosity is all wrong in my humble opinion.

Or is it?

Ray De-Daan is a stunt coordinator who worked on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Episode I: The Phantom Menace. He told Newsbeat that every light sabre to date was based on a classic sword design, and this new number is no different.

"On the previous Star Wars, it (the lightsaber) was based on epee and sabre and we used similar moves whilst in a sword fight. With this new system it's more like a broadsword".

Ok Ray, I'll take your word on it. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. To be honest I'm just jealous that you got to hold one, even if the design is a bit dodgy.

Ray told us he didn't actually get to use any of the lightsabers: "All we get is the handle. They put the blades on afterwards - if it was for real, I'm sure I would have lost a limbs by now."

You and me both. I'm not convinced that even a Jedi knight could safely wield the new lightsaber, what with all it's unnecessary add-ons.

Stormtroopers in the trailer for Star War Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Haven't Star Wars characters already lost enough limbs as a result of lightsaber accidents? Didn't anyone learn the obvious lessons from Empire and Return of the Jedi?

Luke will be frothing. Fortunately, there's still 12 months for JJ Abrams to tinker with the design to get back to basics.

Use the force JJ.

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