I always considered blaster "bolts" in Star Wars to be something different from lasers. I don't know what the in-universe lore is, but I heard a different scifi story explain blaster fire as a magnetized pocket of ignited plasma gas, propelled in a fashion similar to a railgun. I don't know what it would take to make that a reality, but I'm sure it would be easier to "stop" in mid-air than a beam of light.<br><br>That said, I'm impressed that this is a real thing, and that"laserist" is an actual job title.