Star
Wars: On the Nature of the Force
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....
On the nature of the Force: (v 1.0)
By: Eloy Cintron
I. Introduction
Having played the Star Wars RPG for years, I have noted that most players and some GMs have difficulty in role-playing the Jedi. Most people end up playing the sci-fi equivalent of a D&D paladin. I believe that the difficulty in understanding the Jedi mindset stems from our poor understanding of the Force. So, this document is an attempt to present a possible interpretation of the workings of the Force and the relationship of both Light and Dark Side users. Most ideas in this document are derived from material created by Lucasfilm Ltd. and George Lucas. I do not presume to have these ideas considered "canon," as these are merely my own personal opinion on the matter. I have confined myself to material presented in the movies themselves, as I have only limited knowledge of the Expanded Universe. The one exception to this (that I am conscious of) is the so-called Jedi Code, which is not mentioned in the films. This is a work in progress, and I expect some revisions to be made. Any comments and criticism are welcome.
--Eloy Cintron
March 19, 2001
II. The Force?
"The Force is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us and binds the galaxy together." --Obi-Wan in ANH
The Force is an energy field that responds and reacts to the psyche of sentient beings attuned to it. To some extent, the level of attunement appears to be determined by the concentration of midi-chlorians in that being's cells. A being can thus influence the Force and use it, but are in turn open to influence from the Force itself. The Force reacts both to a being's thoughts and emotions.
"You mean it controls your actions? Partially, but it also obeys your commands."--Luke and Ben in ANH
It is this property of psychic resonance and reactivity that dictates the different approaches used in manipulating the Force: namely, using the Light or the Dark Side.
A. The Force is strong with this one...
The composition of the Jedi Council and Qui-Gon Jinn's statement that midi-chlorians are found in all living things suggest that most (if not all) sentient species have the potential to interact with the Force, other than in the passive role of a living thing which creates the Force.
The potential to wield the Force appears to be related to a being's midi-chlorian count. However, this apparently is not the only determining variable, as evidenced by further testing done on Anakin before the Jedi Council.
Aside from midi-chlorian counts and specific tests, there is evidence to suggest that powerful individuals cause 'tremors' in the Force which can be detected by skilled Force wielders.
"The Force is strong with this one." - Vader in ANH
B. What are Midi-chlorians?
This subject is too vast to cover here, and there is an excellent treatise done by Chris Knight at TheForce.net. Follow this link to the site:
Suffice it to say that midi-chlorians appear to be a marker for potential strength in the Force, and that they are present in all living organisms.
III. The Light Side
The best known wielders of the Force are the Jedi Knights. So the approach to the Light Side of the Force will be treated according to their perspective. The use of the Force by Force Adepts and other non-Jedi will not be addressed in this version of the document.
A. When you are calm, at peace, passive...
From Luke's training and all the advice given to him by Ben and Yoda, one can conclude that the Jedi wield the Force in a state of calm concentration, while keeping their emotions under strict control. This is probably related to the aforementioned psychic reactivity of the Force. Attempts to commune, manipulate or channel the Force while under the grip of strong emotion could lead the person down the path to the Dark Side. (See Section IV, the Dark Side)
The Jedi approach is thus to influence the Force dispassionately. This is more difficult than manipulating the Force using emotions, to which the Force reacts more strongly. The Jedi approach requires a greater amount of discipline, concentration and control. The magnitude or amount of power that can be harnessed from the Force using this method is roughly the same as that which can be harnessed by using the Dark Side. Thus, the Dark Side is "quicker, easier, more seductive," but not stronger.
Even the so-called "positive" emotions present a danger. Love, sympathy, and other similar feelings can be twisted and manipulated to turn to other, more negative emotions. Scorned love can quickly turn to hate, concern for another's safety can turn to fear, friendship can be twisted to envy. So it is that the Jedi choose to relinquish all emotions in their dealings with the Force. Only in the safety of a state of serenity do the Jedi dare surrender themselves to the influence of the Force.
Strong emotions, be they the Jedi's own or those of other sentients, cause "tremors" or disturbances in the Force, particularly those feelings we commonly associate with being "negative". These tremors are like psychic static and can be quite disturbing to Force sensitive beings (as it is for Obi-Wan when Alderaan is destroyed).
So, Jedi seek harmony and balance with the Force and with all life around them. Human (and non-human) suffering on a grand scale, such as commonly happens during wars and violent conflicts, as well as under oppressive, tyrannical political regimes, causes massive tremors. So it is that the Jedi have become the guardians of peace and justice in the Republic.
Of course, though this was probably the original reason for their current role during the era of the Old Republic, the Jedi have developed philosophical (and possibly theological?) belief systems, along with a code of ethics.
Most Jedi of the Old Republic chose to take an active role in bringing and keeping peace and harmony throughout the galaxy under the leadership of the Jedi Council. Others chose a different path, by withdrawing from society and entering a life of quiet introspection, seeking only personal inner balance and enlightenment. These Jedi became hermits living in remote desolate places, away from the chaos and disturbance generated in such places.
Please note that, as part of the Jedi's search for balance, control of the body is also taught during the training. Due to the peace-keeping nature of the Jedi's role, and possibly following a history of armed conflict against Dark Side users such as the Sith, the Jedi are trained in the martial arts, specializing in the use of the lightsaber. The study of martial arts and of the use of a difficult weapon like the lightsaber also stresses the importance of discipline and control.
"A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense. Never for attack." -- Yoda in TESB
B. Control, control. You must learn control...
The Jedi do not forsake their feelings entirely, as may be inferred from the prior section, but rather pursue a life of strict discipline, where they learn to deal with their emotions to keep them from controlling their decisions and actions. Thus, the Jedi can (and do) feel emotions as other sentient beings do, but they're trained to control their feelings when interacting with the Force.
The Jedi feel no particular disdain or aversion towards the display of emotion or towards the emotions themselves (unlike a certain race of pointy-eared near-humans in another sci-fi series.) However, they are aware of the consequences of surrendering control.
C. Search your feelings...
The way that the Jedi are taught to control their feelings involves deep introspection and meditation in order to know and understand their own minds, so that they control them better. The Jedi must recognize and resolve all his internal emotional conflicts, so that his mind is at peace and in balance and harmony with the Force.
Once more, it is important to understand that the Jedi value their emotions and their instincts, and do rely on intuition sometimes.
D. Let go!...
The Jedi follow a path similar to the Asian philosophy of Zen, which as I understand it (and I am by no means an expert on the subject), is that state of mind in which a certain action can be performed unconsciously. Perhaps an example can illustrate the concept better: when one learns to ride a bicycle, one begins being acutely aware and conscious of the necessity of maintaining balance, providing a constant pedaling motion with the leg muscles, keeping equal pressure on the handlebars to keep going straight, etc. At first, one must concentrate and consciously think about each action in order to keep moving and avoid falling. One is so focused and so busy performing these acts that one cannot enjoy the scenery or the wind on your face. With time and practice, the set of actions necessary to ride a bicycle become well known and familiar enough to be performed without conscious effort. One can then concentrate on other things, such as enjoying a nice ride. At this point, one has mastered the Zen of bicycle riding.
The Jedi seek a similar approach to using the Force. A Jedi whose mind is balanced and in harmony, can enter a state in which he opens himself to the Force, partially surrendering control and allowing the Force to guide his actions, yet also allowing him to command it to do his will. They can let go of their conscious selves and act on instinct.
This is something of a paradox, given what has been discussed previously, but seems to be true to what Luke is taught by Ben.
The Jedi must have a balanced, harmonious mind to prevent his subconscious thoughts and feelings from influencing the Force during this Zen-like state, as such uncontrolled emotions could possibly lead to the Dark Side.
E. Too old to begin the training...
The life of the Jedi is one of discipline and control. The Jedi thus choose only infants for the training, as adults are too set in their ways to learn the strict self-control necessary to master their own emotions and resist the temptations of the Dark Side.
Another reason for choosing young candidates is the fact that it is easier for children to change their world views to accept the near-miraculous powers of the Force. Adults (like Luke in Dagobah) find it much harder to change their paradigms to accept a new reality which encompasses the Force.
"You must unlearn what you have learned." -- Yoda in TESB
F. Already know you that which you require...
Some of the ideas for this section have been influenced by Chris Knight's excellent essay on midi-chlorians and the Force. Once more, I recommend that you check it out:
Having said that, let us look into some of the known "Force powers", which are simply different ways in which the power of the Force is harnessed and applied. Therefore, most of these "powers" are not intrinsically linked to either the Light or the Dark Side. The way in which the Force is influenced and the manner in which the "powers" are used are far better determinants.
1. Through the Force, things you will see...
The Jedi are constantly aware of the Force surrounding and penetrating them. It would be like standing in a pool of water, with several exceptions. First, the water permeates the inside of your body, the Jedi would feel not only the water around him, but all the water in the pool AND the pool would vary in size, depending on the Jedi's power, from a few feet around to the size of the entire galaxy...
Physical objects, emotions and thoughts (conscious or unconscious) cause disturbances in the Force, much like a pebble thrown in a pool causes waves upon the surface. Even if one cannot see the stone plunging into the water, one can deduce its location by observing the patterns of the waves and following them to their point of origin. In a similar fashion, Jedi can feel the ripples in the Force and infer the presence of a disturbance.
Different things produce their own signature in the Force. So physical objects, thoughts, emotions and even different people can usually be told apart. Some difficulty arises due to the fact that there are usually thousands of ripples going through the Force at the same time. It is easy to determine the location of a falling stone in a still pool, but not so easy when the water is a raging river rapids, with lots of stones falling in at the same time.
"I saw a city in the clouds..." -- Luke in TESB
a. Your eyes can deceive you...
Inanimate objects generate the weakest of ripples in the Force. Even so, they are relatively easy to tell apart. The range for this ability is probably the shortest of all the sense powers, though the detail conveyed is probably the sharpest. This ability works like a short range radar. A fully trained Jedi can probably detect and track the location of every stormtrooper and flying blaster bolt within a large room with his eyes closed, but it is very difficult to pinpoint the exact location of a grounded transport from high altitude or orbit.
b. I feel a presence...
Living beings, with their thoughts and emotions, create a stronger signal in the Force than inanimate objects. The stronger a person is in the Force, or the stronger the emotion that person is experiencing, the larger the signal emitted. It is thus possible for a Jedi to detect another Jedi's presence when two starships pass close by each other (Vader sensing Luke during the shuttle fly-by in ROTJ) or for a Jedi to feel the suffering of a planet-full of people from half a galaxy away (Obi-Wan sensing the destruction of Alderaan from hyperspace.)
Certain beings, particularly strong Force-sensitives, generate not only a strong signal, but also a specific "signature," which can be used to identify them.
An experienced Jedi can attempt to use the Force to mask or conceal his presence.
"Vader is on that ship... I'm endangering the mission. I shouldn't have come." -- Luke in ROTJ
c. I have foreseen this...
The Force not only permeates the entire galaxy, but also our entire reality, ignoring the boundaries of time and space. Images of the past, present and future exist within the Force and may be seen by skilled users. The future is particularly difficult to see, as countless possible futures exist and constantly change with the actions of men. At best, only sketchy glimpses of most likely futures may be ascertained. These usually deal with large scale populations and events that cannot be easily changed by the actions of a single individual, such as the rise and fall of empires, and the tides of war. Even so, the actions of a handful of beings may change the course of history, as proven time and again in the films.
A more limited, yet much more reliable form of this sense is the ability to foresee the immediate most probable future, in close proximity to the Force user in both time and space. E.g. Anakin's use of the Force to foresee the approach of obstacles and the actions of Sebulba in order to avoid them during the Boonta Eve podrace. This power accounts for inhumanly fast Jedi reflexes, as they are reacting to events moments before they actually happen. Another example is Luke's ability to foresee where the training remote's energy blasts are going to hit, thus enabling him to block them with the lightsaber in ANH.
"Difficult to see. Always in motion, is the future" -- Yoda in TESB
2. Fool! He's using a Jedi mind trick...
Being a psycho-reactive medium, the Force is an excellent conductor of thoughts and emotions. A trained Jedi can use this property to read other beings' thoughts and to send their own thoughts into other's minds.
a. These aren't the droids you're looking for...
This is the most commonly seen of the Jedi mind powers is the ability to alter someone else's thoughts. Using the psychic resonant properties of the Force, the Jedi projects a thought, usually sub-vocalizing it (probably as an aid for concentration), then sends it out through the Force. The suggestion is amplified by the Force and the Jedi implants it into the target's mind.
Jedi can also project emotions (such as friendship or fear) in the same manner. In a similar fashion, hallucinations (auditory, visual, tactile, etc.) can also be projected, as Obi-Wan demonstrates when he distracts the stormtroopers in the Death Star tractor beam control room.
Most people respond to these suggestions as if the thoughts or emotions were their own and act accordingly. Strong willed people are immune to this power, as are some alien species (like Toydarians.)
It would be reasonable to conjecture that a powerful, experienced Jedi could use the Force to tamper, rearrange or alter another being's memories or thought patterns.
"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded." -- Obi-Wan in ANH
b. Your thoughts betray you...
As mentioned previously, a being's conscious and subconscious thoughts and emotions are constantly being projected into the Force. Jedi are trained to keep their mind under strict control, to avoid projecting their thoughts unless they consciously choose to do so. Even well trained Jedi have difficulty accomplishing this all the time, particularly during stressful situations, such as combat, when strong emotions or feelings tend to "leak out" of their minds. Other Jedi can pick up these stray thoughts and learn a being's intentions.
A Jedi could also actively use the Force to probe a person's mind, attempting to sneak past or simply overwhelm their defenses and have access to their thoughts and memories.
"You have a twin sister!... Your feelings have now betrayed her too." -- Vader in ROTJ
c. Leia! Hear me... Leia!
A less invasive version of the Jedi mind trick can be used for long distance communication. A form of telepathy where a person's thoughts are projected through the Force for another person to hear at long distances. This form of communication is probably only possible between Force-sensitive beings, but perhaps would also work between a powerful Jedi and a non-force sensitive recipient. Communication would probably be more difficult and the message garbled, or the recipient could fail to recognize the message as real, possibly dismissing it as just his imagination. In these type of situation, the communication would most certainly be in one direction only, unless the Jedi also used the Force to read the target's mind.
In any case, this form of communication is probably more efficient at close ranges, and less so at long distances.
"Luke... Father... Son..." -- Luke and Vader in TESB
3. A powerful ally it is...
The energy of the Force can be channeled to move objects in response to the Jedi's thoughts. The films demonstrate myriad examples of the applications of this power. From pulling weapons towards the Jedi, to projecting waves of energy to push opponents away. From lifting rocks and droids to lifting starships, and from reaching out to crush a man's windpipe across the length of a Super Star Destroyer to using the Force on yourself, to leap to amazing heights and run at blurring speeds.
As Yoda himself points out, size should be irrelevant to Force users. However, it should be noted that self-doubt (such as Luke has in TESB) can cause difficulties, as these unconscious thoughts cause interference in the Force preventing the doubtful Jedi from accomplishing his task.
"Size matters not. Judge me by my size, do you?" -- Yoda in TESB
4. You think you're some kind of Jedi, waving your hand around like that?
When the Jedi use most of their Force powers, these are usually accompanied by a gesture such as waving a hand or pointing. Strictly speaking, these gestures are unnecessary to manipulate the Force, which responds to the Jedi's thoughts, not his actions. Luke proves this point when lifting Artoo in Dagobah, and later doing the same with Threepio in the Ewok village. He does not gesture in either of those occasions (in fact, his hands were tied in ROTJ.)
Practically speaking, though, gesturing seems to be a very important part of manipulating the Force. Most likely, it serves as a powerful visualization tool to allow the Jedi to focus his thoughts and direct the Force to accomplish the task at hand. For the less powerful or not fully trained Jedi, gesturing is probably an indispensable part of channeling the Force.
When using the Force for communicating across great distances or for influencing minds, it is also common for Jedi to actually speak (or sub-vocalize) the words they wish to project. Again, this is probably just a focusing tool.
It is important to remember that most Jedi utilize these focusing aids most of the time, and only forgo them in times of great need. Observant people aware of these gestures can thus identify a Jedi by his actions, even if that Jedi is trying to conceal his identity.
"Republic credits WILL do fine." -- Qui-Gon Jinn in TPM
G. The Jedi Code
The Jedi code is simply included here to demonstrate how it fits with the previously described view of the Force and the Jedi's relationship to it:
1) There is no emotion; there is peace.
This simply restates our contention that the Jedi control their emotions and approach the Force in a dispassionate way.
2) There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
This emphasizes one of Yoda's teachings, that the Force is to be used only for knowledge and defense.
3) There is no passion; there is serenity.
Despite some claims I have read, this seems to me to be simply a repetition of the first tenet of the code.
4) There is no death; there is the Force.
This particular statement can be viewed as having several meanings: first, it implies that the Force, being generated and sustained by life, is simply synonymous with life, as the antithesis of death. It also alludes to the possibility of continued life in the Force after the death of the body, as evidenced by Ben, Yoda, and Anakin's reappearance after their demises.
IV. The Dark Side
In the simplest terms, the Dark Side is the exact opposite of the Light, and the difference stems from the approach used to commune with the Force and channel it.
The Dark Jedi and the Lords of the Sith are the premiere wielders of the Dark Side of the Force. Their approach is to embrace strong emotion, particularly those considered negative by society's standards, in their interactions with the Force.
A. Anger, Fear, Aggression...
"You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger!... " -- Vader in TESB
While the Jedi seek to harmonize their feelings and hold control over their minds, those who surrender to the Dark Side do the opposite, and allow their emotions free reign, giving them dominion over their actions.
The Dark Side is when the Force responds to an emotional stimulus. This stimulus, be it a 'positive' or a 'negative' emotion, initiates a positive feedback loop in which the Force: a) receives the emotion, b) amplifies it, and c) returns it to the sender, who in turn reflects the strengthened emotion back to the Force. The cycle is repeated as the Force again increases the already magnified emotion and projects it back to the wielder. As this cycle continues to repeat itself, the emotion quickly becomes quite powerful to the point of overwhelming the wielder. Thus the Dark Side is much more difficult to control, and its wielders swiftly end up dominated and consumed by their own emotions. Rational acts then become extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Even the so-called positive emotions, such as love, can easily become overwhelming and cloud a being's thoughts. Also, these strong emotions can swiftly change into other, negative feelings. Unrequited love can swiftly turn to hatred, and even pure love can turn to fear for the loved one's safety in certain situations. Fear can then turn to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering...
The Force responds swiftly and easily to emotion. It is quickly mobilized under these circumstances, thus providing the wielder with large amounts of power with relatively small amount of effort, when compared to mustering a similar amount of energy without an outpouring of emotion. It takes more effort, time, control and concentration to summon the power of the Light Side. The amounts of power that can be harnessed are roughly equal, though, regardless of the approach used, but the Dark Side is "quicker, easier, more seductive." It is difficult to keep emotion out of a fight, and remain objective while your life and everything you value is endangered. So it is that the Dark Side is: "quicker to join you in a fight."
If the Jedi stand at peace in the calm of the eye of the hurricane, the Dark Jedi and the Sith battle for survival as they are swept along the powerful waves of the stormy sea of violent emotion that is the Dark Side. They constantly walk the razor's edge, on the brink of disaster if they allow themselves to be dominated by this powerful force.
"Your hate has made you powerful." -- the Emperor in ROTJ
B. Forever will it dominate your destiny...
The use of emotions to manipulate the Force can become addictive in an of itself, as the powerful feelings result in a massive catharsis and also stimulate the body's pleasure centers, to provide a satisfying experience.
When added to the ease of obtaining large amounts of power for little effort and the capacity to indulge any whim and satisfy every dark desire, the Dark Side is definitely quite seductive.
Also, the Dark Side provides freedom from the disciplined and restrictive ways of the Jedi, which in itself, can be quite an attraction.
"You will be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force..." -- Ben in TESB
V. Difficult to see...
Some aspects of the Force, the Jedi and the Sith remain unclear, and may or may not be answered in forthcoming episodes. Other things just plain contradict the theories that we have discussed here. I have tried to collect some of these unclear topics below.
A. The will of the Force...
Several references are made to the will of the Force in TPM. Whether this refers to simply looking for the path that favors balance and harmony, or whether the Force itself has some kind of sentience and purpose remains to be seen.
Another theory could be that the Force, stemming from all living things, seeks to preserve life. This could account for the Force controlling the user's actions in certain situations to protect their lives.
B. Be mindful of the Living Force...
Again, this reference is unclear. Could there be different kinds of Forces? Or could this be Master Qui-Gon's way of telling his padawan to focus on the here and now?
C. I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine...
The subject of afterlife in the Force will be discussed in the upcoming Episodes II and III, if I understand it correctly, and the reason why only some Jedi endure after their deaths while others do not, will be revealed.
D. I have encountered a vergence...
Again, this is another mystery. It could refer to an immensely important branching point in possible futures. An event from which stems a lot of possible futures; whose outcome will determine the course of events in a grand, possibly galactic, scale.
The decision to train young Anakin could represent such a vergence. A multitude of possible outcomes could result from such a decision, and each would affect the entire galaxy. If he is to be trained by Obi-Wan, he will become Vader and will aid the Emperor in establishing the Galactic Empire. Perhaps if he were to be trained by Yoda, Anakin would not become Vader... or if he were not trained at all... The Empire could or could not rise, the Republic would or would not collapse, all depending on that one event...
Then again, a vergence in the Force could mean something completely different. Only George knows for sure.
E. One who will bring balance to the Force...
The nature of the imbalance in the Force that must be present for this "Chosen One" to bring balance is not apparent to me at this point in the saga.
F. I must obey my master...
Vader's comment, as well as similar words spoken by the Emperor in ROTJ suggests that the Emperor holds great power over other Dark Side users. Whether this is a property of the Dark Side itself, or whether this represents a Sith power held by the Emperor remains unclear at this point. I would favor some sort of Sith power at work.
"With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant." -- The Emperor in ROTJ
G. At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi...
The distinction between Sith and Dark Jedi is unclear in the movies. To ensure consistency with Yoda's statement that there are only one Sith master and one apprentice at a given time, I like to assume that there can also be an indefinite number of Dark Jedi. These are Jedi who have been seduced by the Dark Side, but who have not yet been chosen as apprentices to the Sith master, and have not been taught the mysteries of the Sith.
A possible "code" for the Dark Side Force users could be something diametrically opposed to the Jedi code; maybe something like this:
There is no peace, there is motion. (chaos, conflict?)
There is no uncertainty, there is action.
There is no emptiness, there is passion.
There is no weakness, there is power.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
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