Mind probe (Force power)

A mind probe was a powerful ability of the Force that allowed the user to sift through the thoughts of the victim, seeking useful information. The mind probe was highly invasive and those being subjected to it could both feel and attempt to resist, though such resistance would be unsuccessful in a being without the power to use the Force.

History
"Get out of my head!"

- Rey to Kylo Ren as she resists his mind probe Members of the Jedi High Council were able to use the mind probe ability when sensing the thoughts of prospective Jedi Padawans. When Anakin Skywalker was first brought to the Jedi Council to be considered for training at the behest of Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Yoda, and Ki-Adi-Mundi were able to sense within a young Anakin Skywalker the great conflict he felt over having left his mother to remain on his homeworld of Tatooine.

Anakin Skywalker himself would later be capable of using the ability as the Sith Lord Darth Vader. He once used the ability to sense conflict within his son, Luke Skywalker aboard the second Death Star. His probing of his son's emotions led Vader to the discovery that Luke had, indeed, a twin sister, born to himself and Padme.

The powerful dark side-wielder Kylo Ren was adept at the mind probe and used it to great effect. When seeking the map that would lead to the location of Luke Skywalker, he captured the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron. While Dameron was resistant to traditional interrogation techniques, he had no power to resist Ren's mind probe, which revealed that Dameron had stored the information he sought in the astromech droid BB-8, who was on the planet Jakku. Later, Ren captured the scavenger Rey after learning that she had seen the map and subjected her to a mind probe as well. As he sought the information, he discovered other memories, such as her encounters with Han Solo, and taunted her. Rey, however, discovered something new within herself, an ability in the Force. To her surprise, she turned the mind probe's effect back upon Ren, learning something of him: that he feared he would never be as powerful as the legendary Darth Vader. Ren, rattled, left her in order to regroup. When Rey was alone with but a single guard, she considered what she had done with Ren's mind. Her dawning realization led her to perform a mind trick on the guard.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens novelization
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens junior novelization