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'''Force lightning''' was a [[Force power|power]] that [[Force-sensitive|Force users]], such as the [[Sith]], could conjure through the [[Dark side of the Force|dark side]].<ref name="EncyclopediaSith" /> It was an offensive technique which involved a discharge of electrical energy from the practitioner's hands<ref name="Episode VI" /> and was capable of inflicting severe pain on the target of this attack as well as possible disfigurement.<ref name="EpisodeIII">[[Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith|''Star Wars'': Episode III ''Revenge of the Sith'']]</ref> A variant of the ability, known as '''Chain lightning''', involved a burst of lightning that would spread from the first target to those around them.<ref name="Battlefront II">''[[Star Wars Battlefront II]]''</ref> Its use was forbidden by the [[Jedi]].<ref name="Expert Guide">''[[Star Wars Expert Guide]]''</ref>
  
'''Force lightning''' was a [[Force power|power]] that [[Force-sensitive|Force users]], such as the [[Sith]], could conjure through the [[Dark side of the Force|dark side]].<ref name="EncyclopediaSith" /> It was an offensive technique which involved a discharge of electrical energy from the practitioner's hands<ref name="Episode VI" /> and was capable of inflicting severe pain on the target of this attack as well as possible disfigurement.<ref name="EpisodeIII">[[Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith|''Star Wars'': Episode III ''Revenge of the Sith'']]</ref> A variant of the ability, known as '''Chain lightning''', involved a burst of lightning that would spread from the first target to those around them.<ref name="Battlefront II">''[[Star Wars Battlefront II]]''</ref> Its use was forbidden by the [[Jedi]].<ref name="Expert Guide">''[[Star Wars Expert Guide]]''</ref>
   
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Force Lightning has appeared in three colors; blue, green, and red. The standard color was a bluish-purple as demonstrated by Palpatine, Dooku, and Snoke; Nightsister Magic equivalents were green like [[Spirit ichor]] as demonstrated by Mother Talzin and it would appear that the most powerful manifestation was red as it was used by The Son (the manifestation of the Dark Side itself) and the disembodied spirit of [[Darth Vader]] when he entered the portal in his castle on [[Mustafar]]. Anakin blasted the illusion of his master, Emperor Palpatine with red force lightning after the latter tried to bar him from going to the balcony to see Padme.<ref name="Darth Vader 25">''[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 25: Fortress Vader, Part VII]]''</ref>
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Force Lightning has appeared in three colors; blue, green, and red. The standard color was a bluish-purple as demonstrated by Palpatine, Dooku, and Snoke; Nightsister Magic equivalents were green like [[Spirit ichor]] as demonstrated by Mother Talzin and it would appear that the most powerful manifestation was red as it was used by The Son (the manifestation of the Dark Side itself) and the disembodied spirit of [[Darth Vader]] (the Chosen One) when he entered the portal in his castle on [[Mustafar]]. Anakin blasted the illusion of his master, Emperor Palpatine with red force lightning after the latter tried to bar him from going to the balcony to see Padme.<ref name="Darth Vader 25">''[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 25: Fortress Vader, Part VII]]''</ref>
   
 
A Jedi could deflect the lightning with a [[lightsaber]]; a powerful [[Jedi Master]], such as [[Yoda]] was capable of absorbing the attack using only [[the Force]]<ref name="EpisodeII" /> but only for a short while and with immense effort.<ref name="Character Encyclopedia">''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded]]''</ref> [[Gungan personal energy shield]]s were also capable of repelling Force lightning.<ref name="Weapons Poll">{{SW|url=news/poll-which-star-wars-weapon-would-you-use|text=Poll: Which Star Wars Weapon Would You Use?}}</ref>
  
A Jedi could deflect the lightning with a [[lightsaber]]; a powerful [[Jedi Master]], such as [[Yoda]] was capable of absorbing the attack using only [[the Force]]<ref name="EpisodeII" /> but only for a short while and with immense effort.<ref name="Character Encyclopedia">''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded]]''</ref> [[Gungan personal energy shield]]s were also capable of repelling Force lightning.<ref name="Weapons Poll">{{SW|url=news/poll-which-star-wars-weapon-would-you-use|text=Poll: Which Star Wars Weapon Would You Use?}}</ref>

Revision as of 17:16, 2 June 2019

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Warning: The following parameters in the infobox are unrecognized: notable practitioners, era


"How does one defend against such power?"
"A wise master does not reveal all his secrets at once. In due time, my apprentice."
―Savage Opress and Darth Tyranus, after assaulting Opress with a barrage of Force lightning[src]

Force lightning was a power that Force users, such as the Sith, could conjure through the dark side.[7] It was an offensive technique which involved a discharge of electrical energy from the practitioner's hands[1] and was capable of inflicting severe pain on the target of this attack as well as possible disfigurement.[8] A variant of the ability, known as Chain lightning, involved a burst of lightning that would spread from the first target to those around them.[9] Its use was forbidden by the Jedi.[10]

Force Lightning has appeared in three colors; blue, green, and red. The standard color was a bluish-purple as demonstrated by Palpatine, Dooku, and Snoke; Nightsister Magic equivalents were green like Spirit ichor as demonstrated by Mother Talzin and it would appear that the most powerful manifestation was red as it was used by The Son (the manifestation of the Dark Side itself) and the disembodied spirit of Darth Vader (the Chosen One) when he entered the portal in his castle on Mustafar. Anakin blasted the illusion of his master, Emperor Palpatine with red force lightning after the latter tried to bar him from going to the balcony to see Padme.[11]

A Jedi could deflect the lightning with a lightsaber; a powerful Jedi Master, such as Yoda was capable of absorbing the attack using only the Force[2] but only for a short while and with immense effort.[12] Gungan personal energy shields were also capable of repelling Force lightning.[13]

Other dark side wielders besides the Sith were able to harness the ability. Mother Talzin conjured her own version of Force lightning that was powerful enough to block Darth Sidious' lightning.[14] Supreme Leader Snoke used it to subdue his apprentice, Kylo Ren when the young knight lost control of his anger. Snoke's use of Force lightning varied from previous practitioners as he projected energy against the floor, causing it to bounce upward and knock the target off their feet.[3]

During his time as a Jedi, Dooku used it on Shenda Mol to save his Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn whilst on Numidian Prime.[15]

In some cases, the intensity of Force lightning was so high that the victim's skeletal system glowed and could be seen through his or her skin—as demonstrated with Mace Windu[8]—or even through heavy armor.[1]

Behind the scenes

Adventures of Luke - Force Lightning

Darth Sidious blasting Luke Skywalker with lightning in Ralph McQuarrie artwork seen in The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight

Force lightning first appeared in the 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, the final film of the Star Wars original trilogy.[1] In Star Wars Legends, a few Jedi, such as Luke Skywalker, used a variant of Force lightning.[16] The Databank entry for Force lightning, however, says that in current canon, it's exclusively a dark-side power.[17]

There has been a debate about the consequences of Force lightning in an individual. In Revenge of the Sith, after having been bested by Mace Windu, Darth Sidious uses Force lightning against the Jedi Master, who repels it with his lightsaber, deflecting it on Sidious and disfiguring and scarring the Sith Lord's body.[8] However, previous to the Force lightning's appearance in Sith, Sidious blasted Luke Skywalker with Force lightning in Return of the Jedi several times and Skywalker wasn't disfigured or scarred.[1] Though an official explanation of this inconsistency has yet to be given, Lucasfilm Story Group's Matt Martin has shared his thinking for what the explanation could be, as he never saw it as an inconsistency. In his mind, it was Sidious' own fault that his disfigurement took place, assuming that he overexerted himself, causing the Force lightning's voltage to be higher unlike when he later attacked Skywalker.[18]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Altar of Mortis"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Massacre"
  6. ↑ Template:Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 25: Fortress Vader, Part VII
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 StarWars Sith in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
  9. ↑ Star Wars Battlefront II
  10. ↑ Star Wars Expert Guide
  11. ↑ Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 25: Fortress Vader, Part VII
  12. ↑ Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
  13. ↑ StarWars Poll: Which Star Wars Weapon Would You Use? on StarWars.com (backup link)
  14. ↑ Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir, Part Four
  15. ↑ Master & Apprentice
  16. ↑ Dark Nest I: The Joiner King
  17. ↑ StarWars-DatabankII Force Lightning in the Databank (backup link)
  18. ↑ TwitterLogo Matt Martin (@missingwords) on Twitter: "This is not an official answer but I just always assumed there was more going on with Palps and it wasn't just a result of the lightning itself. Maybe he overexerted himself and that caused it? Maybe he had the voltage turned up higher? IDK, but I never saw it as an inconsistency" (backup link (missingwords/status/1034554469596319746) not verified!)
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