Analog circuits for lightsaber props – a reply to 3D Printing Professor

3D Printing Professor wants to use junk parts to make a simple lightsaber prop but frowns on the use of microcontrollers and addressable LED strips. I describe a number of circuits that animate a row of LEDs, giving the impression of extending and then retracting a lightsaber. Each circuit uses common “jellybean components” while avoiding the use of microprocessors. Hence there is no need to write any code.