Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #25While the lightsaber is an elegant weapon for a more civilized age in the Star Wars galaxy, one of its chief weaknesses s the theory that Marvel's vibranium could withstand the classic weapon of the Jedi Order and Sith Lords. Having made a prominent return to the Star Wars canon after being largely forgotten, the unique metal known as cortosis shares a key commonality with the rare metal primarily found in Wakanda. As such, the debate about whether vibranium would be cut by a lightsaber may now have a more definitive answer.
Back in 2018, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill responded to a fan who asked whether a lightsaber would be able to cut through Captain America's vibranium shield. While reassuring fans that Luke would never willingly attack another hero, he did claim that a lightsaber would cut Cap's shield into "a million little pieces" if asked to do so. Hilariously, Captain America actor Chris Evans seemed to agree in his own response while pointing out he'd then have a collection of "vibranium ninja stars". However, the rare metal in the Star Wars galaxy known as cortosis may prove otherwise, a metal that has only recently been confirmed as a part of the current Disney canon.
Related: Star Wars Confirms The One Weapon More Metal Than Any Lightsaber
As seen in the new Doctor Aphra #25 from Alyssa Wong and Minkyu Jung, cortosis is featured as a primary element used in the creation of the Ascendant's Null Blade, capable of rendering lightsabers temporarily ineffective. In the established canon, the reasoning behind the metal's power is that it can absorb and redirect massive amounts of energy. Coincidentally, this is an exact feature of vibranium in the Marvel Universe.
Cortosis Is Essentially The Star Wars Version of Vibranium
The canon capabilities of Marvel's vibranium and Star Wars' cortosis are essentially identical. As such, if cortosis ore can stop a lightsaber, it stands to reason that vibranium should be able to do the same. To that end, a lightsaber should not only bounce off Cap's shield but also be disabled for a short period of time, giving Marvel's Super Solider a key advantage in a fight against a Jedi or Sith Lord.
Thanks to cortosis, the debate between lightsabers and vibranium should effectively be settled for fans or either or both franchises. While lightsabers are impressive weapons, vibranium should be able to withstand them all the same rather than being cut to pieces if Captain America were to ever make his way to the Star Wars galaxy. Doctor Aphra #25 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.
