as i came into the hobby in 5e any previous DnD incarnations of the swordmage are largely unknown to me, conceptually to me what i imagine when i hear 'swordmage' what i think it should be is this combination of martial ability enhanced by elemental weapon damage and effects, if you gathered all the concepts between the bladetrips, elemental weapon, zephyr/steel wind strike, lightning/flame arrow, the smites and similar, mixed it all up and made a whole class out of them, the ranger kind of plays at it but leans into other thematic areas more than it does this.