star wars - What keeps lightsabers from going through each other?

A canon answer would be great, but not sure how likely that would be. But what keeps lightsabers from simply going through or slicing through one another?

Answer

From Wookieepedia

Once focused by the crystals, the plasma was sent through a series of field energizers and modulation circuitry within the emitter matrix that further focused it, making it into a coherent beam of energy that was projected from the emitter.[32] The blade typically extended about a meter before being arced by the blade containment field back to a negatively charged fissure ringing the emitter, where it was channeled back to the power cell by a superconductor, completing the circuit.

Basically the blade of the lightsaber is encased in a field designed to control the flow of the plasma. Because its nature (being a barrier to the plasma flowing out), it would also act as a barrier to plasma flowing in. Thus, another lightsaber's plasma would not be able to flow through the boundary of the first. Also note, this is occurring at both sides simultaneously, thus doubling its effect. The interaction of the fields is likely the cause of the unique sound effects.

This possibly also explains the deflection of blaster bolts, and other such things.

Comments

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