With a 4 colours to work with, dithering can give you a lot more to do with your picture, and if you can pull it off, make it seem like a bit more. Or at least, make it smooth things out between two distant colours.
AAing? Probably not as likely, but possible.
I don't know what's mental about it. *shrug*
About the stuff, not much I can say about them, they look like weapons to me. Though the light sword looks crooked, or at least one side isn't even with the other. Dunno if that was your intention.