Force-sensitive/Legends

"You've taken your first step into a larger world."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker

A Force-sensitive was a being who was highly attuned to the flow of the Force. Force-sensitives could, with training, learn to sense and manipulate the Force.

The Jedi and Sith alike, of the Old Republic took Force-sensitive children at a young age to become a part of their Order. A Midi-chlorian count through certain tests could determine how strong in the Force one was.

Trained Jedi could sense high levels of the Force in persons. The presence of those persons in a vicinity could also be sensed. For more accuracy, they performed midi-chlorian counts to detect Force-sensitivity in candidates. There were also several other testing technologies developed to hunt Force-sensitives during the Great Jedi Purge.

Species and objects
Species with high number of Force-sensitives included Humans, Ithorians, Twi'leks, Zabraks, and even the rare and mysterious Duinuogwuins. Species producing low number of Force-sensitives included the Wookiees and Caamasi. The Neti and Miraluka were entirely composed of Force-sensitives. Gotals all possessed the force, although they had little practical use for it.

Certain species such Khommites and the Humans of Jabiim, openly feared or detested those who could be touched by the Force. This was especially true of the Yuuzhan Vong, who not only could not feel the force, but were entirely unaffected by it.

A creature (or object) doesn't necessarily have to be sentient to be able to possess force sensitivity. Qui-Gon Jinn once gave Obi-Wan a stone from his homeworld's "River of Light" and it by unknown means appeared to be Force-sensitive as speculated by Obi-Wan.

Creatures such as the Vornskr and Ysalamiri of the planet Myrkr are other examples of nonsentient creatures who are considered Force-sensitive. An ancient mynock species was even rumored to establish a Force-sensitive run civilization relying on dark side energy.

However, droids were an anomaly, being sentient yet not a part of the Force, although droids are non-living machines. Some Jedi, such as Joruus C'baoth, therefore disliked them. The same could be said of the Yuuzhan Vong, who for reasons unknown, couldn't even be sensed by the Force.

The Rakata had lost their sensitivity since the days of the Infinite Empire but held experiments to rekindle it in subsequent generations.

Origins
People could be Force Sensitive by three known means. Either they inherited it by an also Force-sensitive family member (which was often the case), acquired the sensitivity through random mutation or evolution, or, in rare cases, one could be artificially imbued with sensitivity with the force. Such was the case of the Reborn and Sith Cultist. Latent force sensitivity could also be artificially activated or magnified; some members of the reborn Palpatine's Dark Side Elite benefited from this process.

Abilities of Force-Sensitives
"With that kind of luck they don't need any skill"

- Zu Pike about Luke Skywalker and co

The Force, being far more powerful than any machine in the Galaxy, had the ability to be used as a weapon by the Sith, or as a tool by the Jedi. In either case, the Force gave Force-Sensitives the ability to perform actions that would otherwise be considered impossible. For instance, Jedi Master Yoda had the ability, even at 800-some-odd years old, to use the lightsaber form of Ataru, demanding incredible acrobatics and speed. This was in no small part due to his amazing power in the Force. Some Force abilities included healing, psychokinesis, increased physical abilities, foresight, and various offensive techniques, such as the notorious Force Lightning.

Force sensitives were considered to have a strange unusual amount of luck, lucky guesses, and correct decisions; actually this is how droids could recognise Force sensitives and enlist them for the New Jedi Order. Most untrained force-sensitives still had raw force associated talents, such as improved reaction time, physical strength, an affinity to animals, weather or certain other aspects of the force. For example, due to his raw Force abilities, Anakin Skywalker was an accomplished pilot at an age of ten, despite a complete lack of formal training.

It was commonly considered near impossible to wield a lightsaber without a sense of the Force, This was, however, an exaggeration, as non-sensitives have successfully utilized lightsabers on numerous occasions. It did, however, require Force training to successfully build one, and a Force-user would generally be a more accomplished combatant.

Some force-sensitives such as Streen were known to have drastic side effects for possessing Force sensitivity, although not having the knowledge to properly control it.

Force Sensitives throughout history
Qui-Gon Jinn discovered Anakin Skywalker through his prowess at Podracing. Anakin himself once believed as a boy that he had a "string of lucky guesses", when actually these guesses were early indicators of the Force. His mother Shmi Skywalker noticed these anomalies in her son as well, and described Anakin Skywalker as "special". Indeed he was, for Skywalker had no biological father; Shmi was a virgin mother.

Other potential Jedi have been discovered in roughly the same way - when there seemed to be an unusual amount of luck associated with an individual; in fact, when Luke Skywalker was looking for candidates for his Jedi Academy (later Jedi Praxeum) he told the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO to search for people with an unnatural amount of luck.

In the Old Republic era, Force-sensitives were typically discovered by the Jedi at a young age and enlisted for training as Jedi. Individuals discovered late enough to have developed family ties and friendships with others were not generally trained; an example of this would be Alexi Garyn. This rule originated after the Exar Kun War but was not strictly enforced until after the Ruusan Reformation.

During the time of the Galactic Empire, force sensitives were known to be taken in to be trained as Inquisitors, Emperor's Hands, or otherwise. Most force sensitives discovered by the Empire however, were killed due three possible factors: the threat of other powerful force wielders was a fear of Palpatine's and as such most were simply eliminated on sight, discovered alien force sensitives were likely killed upon discovery as Human High Culture would suggest, or some were eliminated due to lack of sufficient power during vigorous "tests" performed by Imperials.

Force-user
The terms Force-user and Force-sensitive are distinct in meaning. Force-sensitive denotes anyone with Force power, latent or active, while being called Force-user implies that the individual has at least some understanding and control of his abilities and is able to use them to accomplish specific tasks. The latter is also used in a more specific sense as a general term for Force-trained individuals who do not belong to any of the two major Force traditions (the Jedi and the Sith). Another term for Force-user is Force adept, for dark-siders sometimes Dark side adept (not to be confused with the Imperial title and organization proper).

Independent Force-users
Besides Sith and Jedi traditions and Imperial dark side cadres, there were other organizations devoted to the Force. Often, these originated in another earlier tradition, but had left it after a schism or similar event. These could belong to either the Light or Dark side, or simply exist somewhere in between. Some of the more well known examples of independent Force-user groups include the Ysanna, the Witches of Dathomir, the Aing-Tii Monks, the Baran Do, the Fallanassi, the Jensaarai, the Krath, and the Sorcerers of Tund (for more information, see Force-based Organizations). Also, some Force-users did not adhere to any code or creed, but were self-taught or raised and trained by independent masters.

Behind the scenes

 * The non-canon April Fools Day Databank entries for the film Willow imply that the individuals who use magic in the film are Force-sensitives.

Appearances

 * Willow
 * The Shadow War Chronicles
 * Shadow Moon
 * Shadow Dawn
 * Shadow Star
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Shatterpoint
 * Splinter of the Mind's Eye
 * Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
 * Betrayal