Force speed

"You can use the Force to speed up, both physically and mentally, allowing you more time to make decisions."

- Kyle Katarn



Force Speed, also known as Burst of Speed, was a core Force power that allowed the user to maintain sprinting speeds for a brief time. Greater aptitude granted greater boosts to speed and/or greater duration. The power also apparently enabled the user to run for extended distances with no visible signs of fatigue.

Description
Using the Force to increase one's speed was a common ability among many Force-user's throughout history, with many able to both use the Force to increase their muscle speed and to slow down their perception of the world. The increased speed of the Force-user enabled them to see the world and the entities around them in slow motion, allowing them to dodge attacks easily and attack quicker with greater accuracy. With sufficient skill in this ability, one could actually run on vertical surfaces for brief periods of time.

According to Tionne Solusar's tome regarding the Force written at the time of the Second Galactic Civil War, Force Speed would only be achieved after a Jedi used the Force to attune their entire body with their heightened reflexes. The power could be used with such velocity that they appeared to simply vanish from their previous position. If the user was in unarmed combat, they could use it to swiftly bring an end to a skirmish. However, there was a drawback to using this power; using Force Speed had a draining effect on a Force-user's energy and metabolism, and required a longer recovery period.

Applications
"The burst of speed that I experienced was not a fluke, but unlike other Force powers, I cannot say I felt in complete control of it."

- Luke Skywalker reflecting on his experience with Force speed

Increasing sprinting speeds by using the Force to augment the muscles was commonly used by both Jedi and Sith, such as when the Sith Lord Kaox Krul used this Force power to chase Crian Maru and Dree Vandap, who were on a speeder. Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn were known to be skilled in this ability, using it to escape from Trade Federation droidekas, seeming to disappear from their position, only to appear behind them. This technique was not limited to the Jedi and Sith however; the Force-using Matukai who focused on channeling the Force through their bodies, were highly skilled in sustaining agility based motions using the Force.



During the Clone Wars many Jedi used this ability to great effect on the battlefields, as seen when Jedi Master Mace Windu used this technique to gain momentum for a long-distance Force Jump he was about to perform during the Battle of Dantooine. The Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress was also known to have used this ability while fighting the other gladiators in the Couldron.

Slowing down their perception of the world would give a Force-user more time to react to a situation as Luke Skywalker discovered in 3 ABY, during his confrontation with the human replica droid Guri in Prince Xizor's Palace on Coruscant. With guidance from the voice of Ben Kenobi, Luke gave in to the Force and found that time seemed to slow down considerably, allowing him to dodge the assasin’s attack and defeat her with ease. Luke would later remark to his students at the Jedi Praxeum that he didn't feel in control of this power and instead felt that it was the Force guiding his actions.

Kyle Katarn became proficient in this technique after using it for the first time on Nar Shaddaa to escape 8t88's thugs. He would later use the technique to get access to the administrative tower of Barons Hed. When returning to the Jedi after his absence, Katarn had to use this ability in a test prepared by Luke Skywalker to regain his lightsaber. Katarn would later pass this ability on to his student Jaden Korr, who became skilled in its use during his training at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4.

Knight Speed
As a Force-user became more proficient in the use of Force Speed, they progressed to using an advanced form of the ability known as Knight Speed. With this ability they could move up to 20 times faster than normal, as well as increase their jumping distance by up to 10 times. It also allowed the user defend themselves better and attack faster.

Master Speed
As a Force-user's abilities advanced further, they progressed to an even more advanced form of Force Speed known as Master Speed. With this ability they could move up to 30 times faster than normal, as well as increase their jumping distance by up to 15 times. It also allowed the user defend themselves better and attack faster than was possible with Force Speed or Knight Speed.

Behind the scenes
In Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, Speed when triggered, augments the game sprite's speed. In Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast this is not the case; the game around the player slows down while that of the player remains normal, signifying that the ability did not only augment his speed, but it altered the Jedi's perception of time.

Kyle Katarn appeared in the computer game, Star Wars: Empire at War, which is set several months prior the Battle of Yavin IV, before Katarn discovered that he was sensitive to the Force. However, in the game one of his special abilities is speed, which actually could be the untrained use of Force speed. This is supported by the fact that Force speed was the first Force power Katarn ever learned.

In Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II, it is possible for the player to learn the power Burst of Speed. The game has different levels of skill for the power, Knight Speed and Master Speed, which increase the players defense and attack stats with use of the power.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
 * Darth Bane: Rule of Two
 * Darkness Shared
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Tag & Bink: Revenge of the Clone Menace
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars: Empire at War
 * Shadows of the Empire novel
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
 * Dark Forces: Rebel Agent
 * Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
 * Betrayal
 * Fury
 * Betrayal
 * Fury

Notes and references
Macht-Geschwindigkeit