Editorial: Lucasfilm Story Group Continues to Expand/Redefine Original Understanding Of The Force

“It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”

This is the first explanation given to us about the Force, oh so many years ago. Over the years that simple line has been expanded upon to include everything from different orders who tap into this mystical energy to an explanation as to how certain individuals can actually manipulate it (midi-chlorians we’re singing back). Some seem happy to keep the Force as a mystery beyond any concrete explanation, while others are happy to delve into the mysticism, peeling back layers like an onion. Regardless of your stance, the Force is enmeshed in the Star Wars tapestry just as much as it intertwines all life in-universe. Both Rogue One (see Chirrut Imwe and the Guardians of the Whills) and certain signs via Pablo Hidalgo, as well as little bits in canon have brought even more to the table that warrants discussion. Jump down the rabbit hole, after the jump.

 

 

Jedi, Sith … simply two ways of viewing and using the Force. Beginning (canonically) with The Clone Wars we have seen that there are several other documented groups featuring the Force as a central piece in their way of life, with more being included as we get further adventures added to this great saga. The old EU also featured similar sects. The reason I titled this article with the words “expand/redefine” the Force is because having more than two ways of viewing the Force didn’t originate with the Lucasfilm Story Group. George Lucas himself introduced such concepts in TCW. Let’s take a look at some of the groups besides the Jedi and Sith that have either appeared or been mentioned in the SW canon.

 

 

 

The Nightsisters 

 

 

This order of Force-using “witches” was adapted from a similar group (who actually used encantations) in the old EU novel, The Courtship of Princess Leia. Like the original concept, the Nightsisters of Dathomir use the Force through “Magicks”. The Nightsisters have the ability to perform transmutations via their unique way of tapping into the Force. They could even use this power to make the dead walk again and fight for them. The Nightsister’s power seems to be derived from the ichor in the depths of their homeworld. Considering how they used their abilities, it seems that their connection to the Force was decidedly via the dark side. The Sith all but wiped out the Nightsisters and Asajj Ventress sacrificed herself to save Quinlan Voss. However, a nightsister outcast did show up in the canon game, Uprising.

 

 

 

The Force Priestesses 

 

 

Not much is known about this mysterious group located on a Force-planet, which happens to be the homeworld of the Midi-chlorians. These entities are the ones who ultimately taught Yoda the key to retaining one’s consciousness in the Force. Dave Filoni has mentioned that the priestesses probably are different parts of one entity. In a recent episode of the Star Wars Show, Pablo Hidalgo teased that one day, a story may delve into whether or not the Shaman of the Whills(mentioned as the entity which taught Qui-Gon Jinn the ability to retain consciousness after death in the ROTS novel) and the Force Priestesses are the same or have some kind of link. He also seemed to imply that it also may not happen, so who knows.

 

 

 

The Force-wielders (The Ones) 

 

 

The mysterious beings, who comprise a triumvirate “family” on the planet Mortis in TCW are a topic of much debate in the Star Wars community. Are they manifestations of the Force itself, serving as metaphors for the lightside, darkside and balance? Are they simply incredibly powerful creatures who feature an unheard of connection to the Force? One thing is for sure, this group remains a confusing enigma. After all, Lucas himself has mentioned that “bringing balance to the Force” involved wiping out the cancerous perversion that were the Sith. Yet, the Father’s lines here seem to support another view, namely that too much light or dark would have disastrous repercussions for the universe as a whole.

 

 

 

The Dagoyan Order 

 

 

During TCW, we are briefly introduced to another sect of Force-users, though they are not explored to a deep extent. Yoda has this to say about the Bardottan mystics … “A strong connection to the Force, the Dagoyan Masters have. Yet unlike the Jedi or Sith they are. Warriors they are not. Intuition, knowledge, the harmony of the universe is what they sense. Passively they connect with the Force.” Keep that final sentence in mind, as we’ll be examining it closer shortly in regards to Chirrut Imwe and his connection to the Force. It seems that the Dagoyan Masters didn’t believe in actually controlling or manipulating the Force, but rather bending to its will and maintaining a more cerebral connection. Again, more on parallels with Chirrut to come.

 

 

 

The Church of the Force 

 

 

This isn’t so much a group of Force-users as it is a group of Force believers. That being said, there’s no reason to think outright that there are no Force-sensitives among their ranks. Again, we’ll get into “Force-users” vs. “Force-sensitives” in a bit. Lor San Tekka was a member of this organization and they also had a presence on Jedha.

 

 

 

The Lasat and the Ashla 

 

 

It’s hard to say if an actual Force-using order exists among the Lasat. We do know that they follow the Ashla, which is their word for the Force (the Ashla originally meant the lightside of the Force in GL’s early drafts). A mystic named Chava the Wise helps Zeb and the Ghost’s crew locate the fabled world of Lasan, clearly with the help of the Force. This did not however provide any evidence that she herself could actually manipulate the energy field. A combination of her staff, as well as Zeb’s bo-rifle brought about mystical results.

 

 

 

The Knights of Ren 

 

 

To be fair, we don’t in fact know if this is a collective of Force-users or not. As much has even been brought up by Pablo Hidalgo, himself. While he didn’t confirm it, he didn’t actually deny it either. For the time being, we can only speculate on this. Signs point to this being the case though, especially given their connection to both Snoke and Kylo Ren, their leader. Perhaps they seek to replace the Jedi Knights as “protectors” of the galaxy.

 

 

 

The Guardians of the Whills 

 

 

Yet another example of a group that we don’t concretely know are an order of Force-users or not. Of the two members we’ve met, one’s connection seems non-existent, while the other’s is certainly ambiguous and open to interpretation. We do know that the Whills are a mystery that has long intrigued Star Wars fans since they were included in GL’s orginal script for the first film. The term, Whills, was originally the name of the Force, much like the Ashla was the lightside and the Bogan was the darkside. These terms have cropped up again, as have the Whills, via not only Rogue One, but also The Force Awakens novel. Who the Whills, themselves, are is a speculation piece in and of it’s own for another time. What about this idea, though … could the Whills be Force Ghosts?

Another interesting fact regarding the GOW is that they have have an all-encompassing view of the Force, as opposed to just relying on the light or darkside in the beliefs. This is definitely very similar to the Dagoyan Masters who also believed in surrender to the Force as a whole. Based on the limited info we have on this group, plus Chirrut’s mantra and behavior, highlights that like the Dagoyan Masters, the GOW seem to be more interested in being used by the Force rather than using it themselves.

 

 

 

The Bendu

 

 

Whether or not this refers to an order, species or simply the individual that has helped Kanan on Rebels has certainly not been made clear yet. This massive creature is once again a Force-user who believes in not limiting its practice of the Force to either the lightside or the darkside. The Bendu even seems to find Kanan’s concept of the Force amusing and states that he exists somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of Jedi and Sith. We have yet to see what the Bendu can actually do and based on its mindset, seems to be another entity that believes in a more passive usage of the Force.

 

 

Beyond just these groups that have varying degrees of ways of directly manipulating and “using” the Force, canon has established that anyone can feel the Force given the proper focus. In the Rogue One lead-in novel, Catalyst, Lyra Erso believes and apparently feels exactly that …

 

“Jyn had nursed herself to sleep, and Lyra could hear Galen and the others talking in the main cabin, glad not to be a part of the conversation. For her, governments of any stripe would have their constituents believe that they were attempting to remove chaos from the galaxy, that they were trying to make things perfect, when only the Force was perfect. For ordinary beings, life was a constant interplay between order and chaos, day and night, light and dark.

 

Yes, she thought of herself as agile and strong and intuitive, but she understood that her skills were a far cry from those attributed to the Jedi. She did, however, embrace the Order’s philosophy of generosity, compassion, and peaceful resolution, and on many a far-flung world she had experienced moments in nature that could only be described as transcendent. It was certainly possible that those peak moments had their basis in belief and emotion, but that hardly mattered; even if she wasn’t able to use the Force, she could at least feel it, and she was content with that.” 

 

 

I’m sure many Star Wars fans remember this barrage of interesting tweets by GFFA maestro and walking, talking encyclopedia, Pablo Hidalgo …

 

 

 

 

Both before and after this gem of a conversation starter, fans have been debating the Force and how people connect with it for a long time. All of this just supported the theory that everyone has some degree of latent Force talent. Really, it begs the question, is there a distinct difference between being a “Force-user” vs. being “Force-sensitive”? I’d argue that there’s absolutely a difference in terminology based on the seeds the LFG has been planting, whether in-universe or via tweet storm.

 

We know that the Force exists in all life, everything actually, from Obi-Wan’s first mention of it, which is also later supported by Yoda’s teachings to Luke. This does not, however, mention anything about all life being able to tap into and affect it. Then the PT established that certain midi-chlorian counts dictate the level of Force-aptitude. That still seems to fall under the umbrella of how easily one is able to influence the Force with proper training.

 

In addition to the bits of information mentioned above, this topic came into play on the latest episode of Rebels, where Kanan brings up the fact that the Force resides in all life and that Sabine doesn’t seem able to open herself to it. Does this mean that Sabine would be able to levitate objects? No. But it could mean that she is potentially able to let it flow through her like a conduit, guiding her actions to a degree. Not unlike, as many have argued, how the Force possibly may have helped sharpen Han’s piloting instincts.

 

 

This brings us to Chirrut Imwe. The blind warrior-monk is a key cog in the apparent redefining of what it means to be Force-sensitive. Rogue One did make a point of showing Chirrut’s usage of his heightened sense of hearing when we first see Chirrut in action. Additionally, Pablo Hidalgo has talked about the kyber crystal sliver on the end of his staff, allowing him to know where it ends. Clearly his uber-hearing allows him to detect the crystal that Jyn is wearing. So, we can’t necessarily use that as an indicator of Force-sensitivity. Nor can his ability to fight effectively with a staff or dodge blaster bolts be attributed to it outright. Although, it would certainly make a ton of sense. The one thing that cannot be explained away by his four remaining “natural senses” being augmented is his ability to detect dark intent in Cassian Andor. I suppose, one could state that he simply felt it like one can feel negative energy coming off of a person. But isn’t that often detectable due to a combination of senses setting off a warning sign.

 

Certainly in other stories there are examples of blind characters who can do amazing things, the most well-known probably being Daredevil. In Netflix’s Daredevil, Matt Murdoch is able to use his four senses to create a fiery “picture” of the world around him. Toph, on Avatar: The Last Airbender, is able to use her to use her earth-bending skills to create a mental image of her surroundings. While one could argue that Chirrut is able to do something very similar to Mr. Murdoch, this is Star Wars. The Force is a central, binding theme. As noted not only in fictional works such as Daredevil, but in real life, blindness causes an elevation of the other senses. Why couldn’t this also be true for a “6th sense” such as feeling the Force. Add proper training from a group dedicated to this mystical energy and you have a formula for someone who could in theory use the Force to “see” and “sense”, though perhaps not actually “use”. Whereas Jyn’s mother was able to feel the Force via the life around her, Chirrut can actually see it’s flow and use that to guide him, just not affect its currents.

 

We learned from the OT that the Force is part of all life and is the connective tissue that weaves it all together. At the time, we knew that some seemed to have the gift of being able to access it in a physical sense. No further explanation was provided. In the PT we learned that while the Force may be present in every being, a high enough Midi-chlorian count grants greater connection, enough to actually enable a person use of “Force abilities”. The new canon has been dropping nuggets that lead us to believe all can at least sense the Force, just not manipulate it.

 

 

So, we can say that while Chirrut isn’t necessarily a “Force-user” in the traditional sense, he does seem to be “Force-sensitive.” This leads to a passive use of the Force, making him more the Force’s tool than vice versa. Chirrut happens to be in a special position for such connectivity due to both his blindness greatly enhancing this “6th sense” and him having complete faith in the Force. This is another thing that will be interesting to see going forward as The Force Awakens title still leaves a lot to be explored and discussed as to its exact meaning. Does the Force have a will of its own? When both Rey and Chirrut open themselves completely to its flows, amazing feats ensue. Is the Force manifesting itself in people, guiding individuals without them even being aware of it? Have Obi-Wan’s actions in ANH, in addition to the GOW’s Force-usage, shown us that the Force is ready to work through these “vessels” that willingly open themselves to it, in order to achieve its life-giving will?

 

One thing’s for sure, the idea of the Force has evolved quite a bit since it was first introduced, yet retained its core meaning at the same time. The Lucasfilm Story Group respects George Lucas enough to maintain his original vision, yet are finding ways to grow its mystery with each passing tale.

 

 

+ posts

91 thoughts on “Editorial: Lucasfilm Story Group Continues to Expand/Redefine Original Understanding Of The Force

  • February 7, 2017 at 8:14 pm
    Permalink

    Great article.

  • February 7, 2017 at 8:36 pm
    Permalink

    It’s almost like the force is a religion and like earth there are numerous interpretations of it. It makes sense that thousands of species and planets wouldn’t all be unified under 1 belief.

    • February 7, 2017 at 9:05 pm
      Permalink

      The difference is that the Force is a real thing in the SWU, and religions on earth are based on imaginary gods.

      • February 7, 2017 at 9:06 pm
        Permalink

        eye roll

      • February 7, 2017 at 9:27 pm
        Permalink

        Have you finished your sixth grade final book report on Dragon Ball Z manga yet?

        • February 7, 2017 at 10:25 pm
          Permalink

          Dragon Ball Z is amazing, let’s leave it out of the conversation 🙂

      • February 7, 2017 at 10:06 pm
        Permalink

        And by the period in which the new films are set, I suspect the force has been relegated to the same thing. Which is why Han has to tell his new young friends that it is in fact real.

      • February 7, 2017 at 10:17 pm
        Permalink

        I did not realize you have definitely proven that a higher power does not exist. Please show your work.

        • February 7, 2017 at 11:05 pm
          Permalink

          Are you joking?

          • February 8, 2017 at 3:27 pm
            Permalink

            This whole thread is a joke. Crawl of out your own asses, everyone.

          • February 8, 2017 at 6:27 pm
            Permalink

            I agree. But when someone starts in with the “proving a negative” stuff, I just can’t resist. Sorry to upset you.

          • February 8, 2017 at 6:51 pm
            Permalink

            Oh, didn’t upset me haha. It had just gone so far down a rabbit hole there was no way out

          • February 8, 2017 at 10:07 pm
            Permalink

            I agree. I don’t mean ti be negative.

          • February 8, 2017 at 10:14 pm
            Permalink

            Me neither. I enjoy the debate. Tinve Real was the one being negative and arrogant, and I took issue with that.

        • February 7, 2017 at 11:09 pm
          Permalink

          All claims not demonstrated to be false are automatically true?

          • February 8, 2017 at 12:34 am
            Permalink

            All claims not demonstrated to be true or false are automatically false?

          • February 8, 2017 at 12:56 am
            Permalink

            You’re talking about judicial practice in the US, not logic.

            And I am well-acquainted with null-hypotheses. The null hypothesis in this case is “There is no God”. As there is no definitive proof (for most people) that God exists, they would fail to reject the null hypothesis. It doesn’t mean the null hypothesis is true. It just means they can’t reject it.

          • February 8, 2017 at 1:29 am
            Permalink

            We don’t determine, demonstrate, or prove innocence. We determine a person to be “not guilty.” This is logic. Not guilty is not the same as innocent. There is absolutely no need to “prove” the non-existence of something.

            There is an infinite set of things which might exist. Should I therefore behave as if they ALL exist until each one is categorically demonstrated not to?

          • February 8, 2017 at 1:37 am
            Permalink

            You clearly have not had the existence of God demonstrated to you. That’s not true for all people.

          • February 8, 2017 at 1:54 am
            Permalink

            The plural of anecdote is not data.

          • February 8, 2017 at 2:22 am
            Permalink

            I wasn’t aware eyewitness accounts were disallowed in court proceedings.

          • February 8, 2017 at 6:24 pm
            Permalink

            I witness testimony is incredibly unreliable!! Im not even going to bother linking to articles. Do it yourself. Or not.
            Anyway, Star Wars, Jedi and Sith can levitate large objects, shoot lightning out of heir fingers, choke people without touching them, jump and land safely from very high places. They’re able to do thins things that “normals” can’t. They do these things repeatedly, reliably, in front of any audience. I hope you can make the distinction between this and claims of one guy walking on water one time. And I don’t mean that disrespectfully. In Star Wars this stuff is really, really, really real. I could have all the faith in Thor that I’d like, it doesn’t make him real. Han Solo can deny the force all he wants, but Vader can snatch the blaster out of his had from across a room and then sit down and enjoy a meal (somehow through that mask).

          • February 8, 2017 at 6:41 pm
            Permalink

            I’m not arguing that point. I’m arguing the point that Tinve Real made which is not demonstrably true and to which you agreed.

          • February 8, 2017 at 6:45 pm
            Permalink

            Many convictions are made on the basis of multiple witness testimony alone.

            The scientific method is not the only method for arriving at truth. It is a very powerful and useful method, but it is not a cure all. There are certain truths that the scientific method simply cannot uncover, or have a very very difficult time uncovering.

          • February 8, 2017 at 10:09 pm
            Permalink

            I want to believe as many true things as possible and disbelieve as many false things as possible. I want the model in my brain to reflect reality as closely as possible. What method or criteria would you suggest is best to use when working towards this goal?

          • February 8, 2017 at 10:13 pm
            Permalink

            All of the above. Why limit yourself?

          • February 8, 2017 at 1:33 am
            Permalink

            The choice is not between true and false. The choice is between true and “not true.” False is not the opposite of true. False is a subset of “not true.”

        • February 8, 2017 at 3:47 am
          Permalink

          Unfalsifiable hypothesis. That’s all I have to say.

          • February 8, 2017 at 10:16 pm
            Permalink

            Okay, then let the null hypothesis be “There is no God.” You can only fail to reject it. Many billions around the world did not fail to reject it.

          • February 9, 2017 at 1:29 am
            Permalink

            No. A claim can’t be in the negative. A denial can be, though.

          • February 9, 2017 at 1:44 am
            Permalink

            Null hypotheses are asserted in the negative. It’s easier to prove something is not true than to prove it’s true. In fact, it’s impossible to prove that something is always true (at least in the material, math is axiomatic and therefore theorems can be proven true), but it IS possible to prove that something is not true.

          • February 9, 2017 at 7:05 am
            Permalink

            Unless it’s an unfalsifiable hypothesis. Anyway, if something can’t be proven, then most people assume it to be false. EXAMPLE: Please prove that an invisible unicorn doesn’t visit my window every night. You can’t, but I can’t prove said claim either, so you’ll probably assume it to be false.

          • February 9, 2017 at 2:27 pm
            Permalink

            Exactly. But it’s never PROVEN to be false. You just have no evidence to reject the null hypothesis. In the event that you do have evidence, then you can re-evaluate that stance. Such is the case with God. Many people claim they have no evidence to reject the null hypothesis that God doesn’t exist. That’s fine. Then you don’t need to believe. But you cannot claim that you are right with 100% confidence. Most of the world claims that they do have evidence to reject the null hypothesis. That is why these people believe. That evidence is usually in the form of eyewitness accounts or unexplained phenomena interpreted as the intervention of God, which is why staunch atheists reject said evidence. But it is still evidence to those who believe, however weak it may seem to non-believers.

          • February 9, 2017 at 10:09 pm
            Permalink

            You’re right. We do think that eyewitness “accounts” and unexplained phenomena are not nearly enough to evidence to prove a claim like God, just as they would be insufficient to prove my invisible purple dragon. You still haven’t disproved my invisible purple dragon, by the way.

          • February 9, 2017 at 10:57 pm
            Permalink

            I thought it was a unicorn? Check. Mate.

          • February 10, 2017 at 12:40 am
            Permalink

            Who says it can’t be BOTH?? 😉

          • February 10, 2017 at 1:23 am
            Permalink

            Some say it exists as both a unicorn and a purple dragon in a state of superposition until such time that one observes its state.

          • February 10, 2017 at 1:27 am
            Permalink

            And we have yet to disprove it. Sounds good, m80. No hard feelings.

          • February 10, 2017 at 1:31 am
            Permalink

            None at all, TUD. You’re one of the better commenters on this site.

          • February 10, 2017 at 1:34 am
            Permalink

            Awwwww. That’s very nice of you to say. You’re fun, too.

      • February 7, 2017 at 10:23 pm
        Permalink

        Let’s just respect other people’s beliefs.

        • February 8, 2017 at 8:18 pm
          Permalink

          Re: “Let’s just respect other people’s beliefs.”

          While I absolutely agree with should treat people with respect, we don’t have to/shouldn’t *respect* all beliefs regardless of content.

          Examples:
          If someone believes the Earth is flat – respect that?
          If someone believes another race/religion/ethnicity is inferior(should be subservient/destroyed) – respect that?

          Save *respect* for beliefs which deserve it.

          • February 8, 2017 at 9:08 pm
            Permalink

            You’re absolutely right. We shouldn’t generalize that idea to everything.

            Personally I am agnostic and I’m certainly not going to believe in the existence of a god (or several) without facts. I’m not going to argue that there is no god either. Honestly, I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care. I have chosen to believe in something else: humanity, myself, my cat (actually I don’t have a cat).

            However, I am not going to think any less of believers. They were most likely raised that way, and it can be laughable, but we all keep doing things because we were told to when we were young. The people who constantly question their beliefs and habits are very rare (and very deserving of respect).

            Anyway, religion can mean a lot to some people. It’s not just about the actual physical reality of the told stories, it’s about a culture and a set of values, I guess. Whatever helps you!

            Because our beliefs are imperfect, I place the intentions of the individual above all. And for me, it is worse to devaluate other people’s beliefs than believing in something -however questionable it is- that we feel helps us. That’s why I said that.

          • February 9, 2017 at 3:53 am
            Permalink

            Understand. Thanks for the thoughtful reply & explanation.

            I agree with what you’ve written, as well that we truly need to treat all people with respect if we expect respect in return.
            Maybe it’s just a point of semantics, but I also believe that incorrect (/harmful) *beliefs* should be challenged….respectfully. 😉

            So true that we’re a product of our upbringing/environment (culture/geopolitical/social/etc) & that these things will often shape one’s (non-fact/evidence-based beliefs).

          • February 9, 2017 at 7:12 am
            Permalink

            It sounds like you wanna be respectful, yet aren’t comments like “laughable” and “whatever helps” pretty openly condescending?

          • February 10, 2017 at 7:33 am
            Permalink

            No, it’s just badly phrased.

      • February 7, 2017 at 11:07 pm
        Permalink

        You are correct. The force is objectively real in the SWU.

  • February 7, 2017 at 9:57 pm
    Permalink

    When I first got into star wars I was way more enthralled by the pew pew lasers and ships than I was with the Force, but as I learned more about it through the clone wars series and other sources I grew to like it a ton. I’m glad that the story group is giving us more branches of it for people that use it in different ways.

  • February 7, 2017 at 10:00 pm
    Permalink

    YES PABLO FINALLY! Fucking midichlorians were to demonstrate that the Jedi lost their way. Having a more scientific and literal approach to the force meant that they may have lost their spiritual connection in some capacity. That’s always been the way I’ve seen it but it’s nice to hear that it’s the truth as well.

    • February 7, 2017 at 11:52 pm
      Permalink

      Yup I always thought that too. It’s a great way to patch up what the prequels did.

    • February 8, 2017 at 3:45 am
      Permalink

      Nice retcon. I genuinely like it, though it’s clearly not what Lucas was going for.

      • February 13, 2017 at 8:22 pm
        Permalink

        Yea, not the midicholian stuff, that only shows a bit of how jedi were, how they lived, how the do their stuff. at least in the republic era. Espisodes 1, 2, and 3, shows you indeed how jedi were going directly to doom, but with a lot of other elements, not midichorians.

    • February 13, 2017 at 8:06 pm
      Permalink

      Midi-counting was a methoic system to show the potencial of a candidate for training in the jedi order, not necesarely means “jedi lost their way” beacuse of this, it is a blood test, the Jedi order lived in a technological and political world, they were not monks, a lot of other stuff make them lost their way, not the midichorians, or the counting, midis are fucking cells, that was clearly explained in espisode 1, and a lot of people got it all wrong.

      How the “¿what are midichlorians?” and its answer, made people believe that is was a new explanation of the force? that’s dumb. As is dunb to think that a jedi will not use technological methods to study and understand better the force, again they are not monks. The use their “spiritual abilities” to use and see through the force, and “scientific” methods to understand the science of it. This can be resumed with lightsaber, technology and spiritualism (the kyber stuff) in one device.

  • February 7, 2017 at 10:07 pm
    Permalink

    This is a good, well thought out editorial piece. Thanks.

  • February 7, 2017 at 10:29 pm
    Permalink

    Kind of parallel to redefining scriptures…or marriage.
    For a different age.

  • February 8, 2017 at 12:50 am
    Permalink

    Great article. Love these editorials we’ve been getting. Thank you SWNN Staff!

    Luke: “You mean it controls your actions?”
    Ben: “Partially, but it also obeys your commands.”

    These two lines from ANH sum up it rather well in my opinion. The force will partially control the actions of force-sensitive people. They feel the force and let its will flow through them. Whereas the force obeys the commands of force-users. When called upon, the force allows the user to levitate, force-jump, and do all of those crazy things.

  • February 8, 2017 at 1:00 am
    Permalink

    I do find this interesting, but am a little disappointed in how much this question has come to bear on recent story lines. While I get that the force is central to star wars, it feels like more and more of a focus is being put on mysticism and spirituality, rather than a good, fun story. I’d note that this is concurrent with the movie plots seeming to take a”darker” tone. I guess I’m nostalgic for older star wars stories, with heroes and villains and an overall more fun overtone (eg A New Hope). I get that the original trilogy, especially ESB, has dark elements and mysticism, but didn’t focus on it to such a degree.

  • February 8, 2017 at 1:43 am
    Permalink

    “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter”

    this one always stuck with me and I subconsciously assumed Yoda wasn’t talking about only Force-Sensitive individuals.

  • February 8, 2017 at 3:02 am
    Permalink

    I belong to a Midichlorian-Atheist church.

  • February 8, 2017 at 4:53 am
    Permalink

    I have a problem with “everyone” being a force user or force sensitive or whatever spin Disney wants to do. Something so prevalent makes it less “special.” Not to mention Han Solo who, before he met Luke, had no idea about the existence of the force and yet he had traveled “from one end of the galaxy to another.” To now give everyone that sensitivity begins to tarnish the mystique just as midichlorians did.

    • February 8, 2017 at 7:07 am
      Permalink

      the force is in everything but not everyone can use it. that seems both fair and consistent with established lore.

      • February 8, 2017 at 1:26 pm
        Permalink

        I can see how some have felt this is how the Force has worked since the beginning. I can agree with that only partially. In the OT we learned that the Force is the key component of all life, rather everything in the universe. Whether just anyone could actually manipulate its flow in a physical sense was never directly addressed and ambiguous at best.

        The PT stated that midi-chlorians were how people are able connect with the Force, at least in a “usable” sense.

        The latest works in various media formats have implied that everyone can feel the Force if they are able to attune themselves to it. This seems to lead to passive, not active abilities.

        So, yes the tenants are very similar, yet they’ve been delved into deeper and modified in certain ways.

      • February 8, 2017 at 8:58 pm
        Permalink

        Exactly, and it seems to me as though perhaps even though not everyone can use the Force… perhaps the more “awakened” version of the Force might be able to use (i.e. act more directly through) everyone.

        • February 8, 2017 at 9:44 pm
          Permalink

          Idk, even in a more active state I think the force still needs midiclorians as a conduit to the user. People might be more aware of it but it would still not be able to have anymore than subtle effects on the muggles.

    • February 8, 2017 at 11:29 am
      Permalink

      Actually, Han knew what the Force was – or, from his point of view, what was it supposed to be, he just didn’t believe in it. Also, everything in the OT (Kenobi’s and Yoda’s) teachings about the Force, tells us that everyone can learn how to feel and use the Force – it’s only with the PT that the notion of a “genetic” component comes into play.

  • February 8, 2017 at 6:38 am
    Permalink

    I honestly don’t know what the concern is I’ve always thought this was how The Force worked, and if you don’t think it works that way, it would still be easy for you to understand “from a certain point of view.” Continue on everybody, discussion’s cool but there’s no amazing revelation here.

    • February 8, 2017 at 1:28 pm
      Permalink

      I can see how some have felt this is how the Force has worked since the beginning. I can agree with that only partially. In the OT we learned that the Force is the key component of all life, rather everything in the universe. Whether just anyone could actually manipulate its flow in a physical sense was never directly addressed and ambiguous at best.

      The PT stated that midi-chlorians were how people are able connect with the Force, at least in a “usable” sense.

      The latest works in various media formats have implied that everyone can feel the Force if they are able to attune themselves to it. This seems to lead to passive, not active abilities.

      So, yes the tenants are very similar, yet they’ve been delved into deeper and modified in certain ways. The changes, however are only drastic or not based on how one interprets the original depiction.

  • February 8, 2017 at 9:51 am
    Permalink

    Is snoke a Whill?

    • February 8, 2017 at 8:31 pm
      Permalink

      I’ve wondered exactly that. Perhaps the “fallen angel” version of a Whill?

  • February 8, 2017 at 10:33 am
    Permalink

    This is the best post on this website ever. This is going deep into the roots of this whole universe. And one of the reason why star wars is so fascinating it that deep inside ourselves we know this is not only fiction but is also the truth. Many saints have shown special abilities because they joined a higher state of consciousness where they unite with the whole universe (autobiography of an yogi, yogananda for example), Chi/Prana is the vital energy that could be the equivalent of the force and the inspiration of Geaorge Lucas. There are plenty of people who even sustain their bodies on prana these days: suprememastertv.com/breatharians .
    For the movies though, to make it happen in a few hours, the force comes because of some born abilities or tendency to be strong with the force and although this might also be true in real life, everybody can reach higher states of consciousness but through deep committed discipline to work our internal shadows and dualities…. thank you for opening this diaologue….

  • February 8, 2017 at 11:15 am
    Permalink

    I’m okay with where they have gone with it now. Don’t make the same mistake the old EU did by turning them into superheroes. No time travel shit or being able to morph into animals. As fantastical as Star Wars is, The semi-realism is why it’s lasted so long and why R1 was the strongest entry since Empire.

    • February 9, 2017 at 12:40 am
      Permalink

      Turning into a force ghost, flinging spaceships around with your mind, seeing the future before it happens, and items having force connections is grounded by reality. But changing form and time travel is too crazy.

      Huh, Starwars is not semi real at all.

  • February 8, 2017 at 12:41 pm
    Permalink

    I hope this will be explored in the upcoming films. We had the political prequels, maybe it’s time for more philosophical sequels. In general, the force might be a little like light – we are able to see the “visible” range of lightwaves, but animals can perceive a wholly different frequency spectrum, the common denominator being that we all have eyes. I don’t believe that Rey is a “regular” force-user who inherited her abilities from her family. Maybe she can synchronize people somehow (think of the flying scene on Jakku) and by extension, tap into their powers, which would explain why she was so powerful against Ren – she was simply leeching off him. That would make her somewhat similar to the Exile of KotOR 2. Neither do I think that Finn isn’t somehow force-sensitive – Snoke mentioned an Awakening to Ren even before Rey did anything of note.

    • February 12, 2017 at 11:06 am
      Permalink

      I can’t recall the source but I read once that the PT were political strife, OT civil war, and the ST would focus on the force.

  • February 8, 2017 at 3:18 pm
    Permalink

    I like it !

  • February 8, 2017 at 3:58 pm
    Permalink

    No mention of the Bendu?

    • February 8, 2017 at 8:09 pm
      Permalink

      He’s the one in the middle!

    • February 9, 2017 at 12:01 am
      Permalink

      Thanks for pointing that out, I did forget to include that in the article. Situation rectified!

  • February 12, 2017 at 11:03 am
    Permalink

    I like the expansion of force-users and practises, though for me the overall focus should remain on the Jedi. Maybe because I are up with the OT and wanted to be a Jedi, or for me the films have focused upon that ancient religion.

  • February 12, 2017 at 4:52 pm
    Permalink

    Maybe now the title “The Last Jedi” definitely means Luke because he has now seen in his solitude how wrong the Jedi were and through the Will of the force his new academy failed. He has now seen a new understanding of the force so there will now be no more new Jedi. Maybe that was was the true prophecy of the The Chosen One to bring balance by ending the Sith and Jedi

    • February 12, 2017 at 10:07 pm
      Permalink

      Re: Luke / bring balance [ RotJ ]

      Even back-in-the-day, when RotJ first came out, I recall Luke’s actual confrontation w/Vader & Yoda’s direction/teaching being in conflict.
      Yoda – “never for attack”, “anger, aggression…dark side”
      Luke – tapped into anger/fear & only through this was he able to physically defeat Vader. He responded *wrongly* (according to Yoda) to Vader’s threat of turning Leia.

      I realize that Luke managed to stop himself, shocked by seeing his father’s non-human/robotic appendage & reminded of his own *changes*… but it does seem that the evidence indicates that Luke’s (momentary) *turn*, using the dark side, flipped the final outcome of his confrontation w/Vader.

      I suppose it’s possible that Luke’s positive outcome (restoring Anakin, defeating Emperor) could be attributed to his utilizing both sides (light&dark). Balance? Rather than dogmatic – “never give in to fear/anger” Jedi teachings?

      • February 13, 2017 at 6:07 am
        Permalink

        ‘Rather than dogmatic – “never give in to fear/anger”‘

        To expand a little on this and add a few thoughts, if I may?

        *Heads up I’m English, so I preface my post with a pointless question, (I’m going to post it anyway), because it’s the polite thing to do..to ask..err..now I’m being diffident!), anyhew!*

        It could be said that both Anakin and Luke are stymied by their inevitable personal attachments, (Anakin to his mother, Obi-Wan and Padmé and Luke to his family, Ben, Leia, Han and then his father). This is why the Jedi and Sith prefer to catch ’em young.

        It is only then Vaders attachment to Luke and Leia that finally brings him back from the dark side.

        To avoid appearing ‘hippy dippy’, I’ve continued using ‘attachment’ when another word is available.

        This is where your thoughts come to the fore, maybe through Anakins struggle and redemption, and Luke’s realisation that it was the power of his own attachments that drove Vader back from the Dark Side, he has tried and failed to build a new Jedi Order and in there we may find the Knights of Ren with their mythologising of Vader.

        Luke has retreated to seclusion in order to keep balance to the force, yet is still stymied by attachment to Leia, Han and Ben II.

        As there is no balance due to the Knights of Ren the Force has awoken with a child like Anakin.

  • February 13, 2017 at 2:03 am
    Permalink

    An enjoyable read, thank you.

    I think I would add only one word, towards the end you say, ‘a high enough Midi-chlorian count grants greater connection, enough to actually enable a person use of Force abilities’, I would say ‘potential Force abilities’.

    As we know both from TPM, ANH and TFA, Anakin, Luke and Rey whilst all talented had not harnessed true Force abilities but had shown considerable talent in other areas, (piloting and engineering etc).

    It is only through instruction and realisation that they all start to have true Force abilities.

  • February 13, 2017 at 3:08 am
    Permalink

    You did a pretty good job cataloging where we currently stand with our understanding of The Force.

  • February 13, 2017 at 6:51 pm
    Permalink

    They are really pushing this new concept that everybody “has and uses the force”, which goes in the opposite direction of the PT where GL advanced a more “scienbtific” idea of the force as an energy field that could be manipulated / tapped into only by individuals who had a symbiotic association with the midchlorians.

    • February 14, 2017 at 12:47 am
      Permalink

      Thankfully, I’d say – since the concept of the Force in the OT was exactly that everybody has and use the Force and that the whole thing pretty much depends on the way you see the world and how you feel about yourself – as opposed to the unfortunate idea in the prequels, that tried to force (no pun intended) “science” where there was none, creating unnecessary, puzzling questions and selling the idea that Luke was “hero for birthright”, because he was son to the “chosen one” – whatever that meant.

      Basically, GL enforced the concept of the ‘nobody who becomes a hero’ in the OT and then shat massively upon it in the OT. Nothing terrible, though: after all, this is the same man who didn’t bother checking details of his own movies before writing the prequels and – again, thankfully – the LF Storygroup seems oriented on cleaning up Lucas’ mess.

  • February 14, 2017 at 1:50 pm
    Permalink

    GL biggest achieviemnt — the one he must be remembered for — are the midichlorians (mitochondrias?). I’ll explain: he is the only man in the world who inadvertedly created a religion (I mean, in the real world: jedi religion- the religion of the extreme idiots) and then destroied it, with MIDICHLORIANS. And finishing a religion — any religion — is a major step for human evolution. GL IS a genious.

  • February 14, 2017 at 3:22 pm
    Permalink

    The story group is about to mess this up…

  • February 14, 2017 at 3:34 pm
    Permalink

    I like the idea of ‘the last Jedi’ meaning the end of the old Jedi order for these 2 reasons:

    Imagine what Rey would have to become to be a true Jedi according to the old code. It’s her passion, justified anger, and strong emotions that make her who she is. ‘Don’t be angry, don’t love, don’t attack even when it’s justified.’ Not a Rey I would like to see and such rules would possibly push her away from the light to the dark.

    Also
    I always interpreted the ROTJ re-used ‘YOU have that power too’ line from the trailer as an all inclusive ‘you’ not just one person.

Comments are closed.

LATEST POSTS ON MOVIE NEWS NET