Lightsabers, death rays, and other neato weapons

Unique weapons are hallmarks of great fiction, or at least they make things interesting. Lightsabers are my personal favorite, mainly because I adore swords and the lightsaber is a science fictiony medieval sword--and it's just pure awesomeness on a stick. Also, naming the weapons (like calling the hero's pistol, "Lil' Darlin'") creates a curious connection that makes the weapon more memorable. After all, many people name their cars, so why not their weapons?

Another aspect of fictional weapons is the variety they produce. My guess is that, in the real world, weapons tend to grow smaller and more powerful. I'm surprised that there isn't more fiction dealing with nano technology, simply because that is certainly the direction military science is going. Imagine pointing your finger and having a nano-tech weapon form itself around your digit... or simply fire a laser right out of your fingernail. Fantasy tends to use magic, though it doesn't have to... as the famous saying from Arthur C. Clark goes, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.")

Weapons are important to societies, as defense and offense. I suppose it could even be said that a societies' weapons define that society. I'm still waiting for those death rays that I saw in the old cartoons and Flash Gordon serials (well, maybe lasers are the same thing, but they don't quite have the same style.) In fiction those unique weapons certainly have an impact on the audience. Another Star Wars weapon that I love is the Death Star--a ridiculous weapon that is the size of a small moon and can obliterate entire planets in one shot.

- M