A lightsaber wasn't as effective as a blaster would have been. For fighting unarmed people a lightsaber is no different than a vibroblade which everyone has accept to if they have the money
A light saber is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. But actually- it’s hard to argue a blaster would be more effective. A lightsaber travels in an arc- meaning it can easily kill or injure several people at once. At such close range, a lightsaber has every advantage to a blaster except for the skill it takes to wield (lightsabers aren’t just “swords- they generate gyroscopic forces that require a trained user to be able to overcome.) The blaster has a delay between shots. With multiple opponents at close range, a shooter can be mobbed before they can kill all their targets. Trying to “dog pile” a person holding a rod of hot plasma is not advisable. Even in real life- for very close range a knife is generally preferred in statistics than a gun for these and other reasons.
The light saber also effectively doesn’t “run out of ammo” and cannot generally “jam” or malfunction in a way that will make it no longer effective as a weapon. Vibroblades are generally illegal on most civilized planets and within the empire. Meaning not “anyone” could have one. One would need the connections and funds, and be willing to be in possession of an illegal weapon, in order to have one, or be rich/connected or otherwise have legitimate legal reason to have a vibro weapon. Vibroblades are also not on par with a lightsaber. They are still bound by the physical properties of their blade alloy and other details of their construction. Vibroblades are also prone to malfunction or critical failure in ways lightsabers are not. Also, I don’t know who downvoted younornwhy but it wasn’t me.
To effectively use a lightsaber in combat, you also need to be chosen by the Force. Without it's protection, no lightsaber wielder would stand a chance against even the primitive slugthrower or blaster.
If I had to pick between a blaster and a lightsaber, I'd take the blaster because I'm already familiar with similar ranged weapons, and I'm not blessed by the Universe as far as I know.
Strictly speaking you don’t need to be strong or even gifted in the force to use a lightsaber effectively. Very few if any humans or even most aliens who do not have strong force connections posses the reflexes and other talents to use a lightsaber for things like deflecting blaster bolts etc. It is however possible through augmentation, or even for a very sophisticated construct, to effectively wield a lightsaber, likely not to par of a highly skilled or even mediocre force sensitive- but still with proficiency enough to use it as an effective offensive and defensive weapon. If I wasn’t a Jedi, or didn’t posses Jedi like abilities, I’d stay away from lightsabers too though. In the hands of the untrained and not force inclined you’re as likely or more likely to hurt yourself using one.
the thing is that he didnt JUST kill a single room full of yougnlings. He lead an attack on a temple full of unarmored individuals. His kill count would have been much higher with a blaster. You only see the single room with no actual deaths on screen because its a movie with time constrains and age rating to think about but in canon he does kill far more people than the single room of children.
The individuals may be unarmored- but it’s a Jedi Temple. A single blaster is not in general an effective weapon against a Jedi with a light saber. The short comings of the blaster such as pause between fire, malfunction, etc. still apply, and if even one person of any skill has a light saber and deflects a boot back at you- you die. If they deflect your lightsaber- you have a lightsaber. You can fight them. This is part of why Jedi use lightsabers. They actually are, in many ways, superior to a blaster, with their only main draw backs being they require skill to use and aren’t great at long range (although can be thrown and recalled with the force.)
Blaster v blaster= fastest draw, best shot, who doesn’t malfunction wins OR double KO. Blaster vs blasterS- multiple blaster opponents likely to take casualties but still win.
Blaster v. Unarmed= blaster likely to win at medium or long range. Close range is a question of speed and reflexes.
Blaster v. UnarmedS = same, but at close or medium range (as is likely in a temple,) blaster is at disadvantage to mob.
Blaster v lightsaber= a lightsaber user with any skill wins at all but the most extreme ranges or circumstances.
Blaster v. LightsaberS= lightsabers. As above but worse.
Light saber v. BlasterS= depends on how many blasterS at once. A skilled Jedi still likely wins.
If we break down the possible scenarios a skilled Jedi who is not surprise attacked or overwhelmed will almost always win with the light saber. It had the clear tactical edge here.
If I had to pick between a blaster and a lightsaber, I'd take the blaster because I'm already familiar with similar ranged weapons, and I'm not blessed by the Universe as far as I know.
Blaster v. Unarmed= blaster likely to win at medium or long range. Close range is a question of speed and reflexes.
Blaster v. UnarmedS = same, but at close or medium range (as is likely in a temple,) blaster is at disadvantage to mob.
Blaster v lightsaber= a lightsaber user with any skill wins at all but the most extreme ranges or circumstances.
Blaster v. LightsaberS= lightsabers. As above but worse.
Light saber v. BlasterS= depends on how many blasterS at once. A skilled Jedi still likely wins.
If we break down the possible scenarios a skilled Jedi who is not surprise attacked or overwhelmed will almost always win with the light saber. It had the clear tactical edge here.