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{{Eras}}
 
{{Eras}}
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{{Otheruses|Lightning}}
{{Citation}}{{Majorspoiler|Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker}}
 
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{{Expand}}
 
{{Force power
 
{{Force power
 
|image=[[File:BZZZZZZ.png]]
 
|image=[[File:BZZZZZZ.png]]
 
|name=Force lightning
 
|name=Force lightning
  +
|alternate=*[[Sith]] lightning<ref name="Character Encyclopedia">''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded]]''</ref>
|alternate=
 
  +
*Storm of Midnight Fire<ref name="Dooku: Jedi Lost" />
 
|alignment=[[Dark side of the Force]]<ref name="Episode VI">[[Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VI ''Return of the Jedi'']]</ref>
 
|alignment=[[Dark side of the Force]]<ref name="Episode VI">[[Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VI ''Return of the Jedi'']]</ref>
 
|area=
 
|area=
 
|purpose=
 
|purpose=
 
|inventor=
 
|inventor=
|notable practitioners=*[[Darth Sidious]]<ref name="Episode VI" />
+
|notable practitioners=*[[Dooku]]<ref name="Master & Apprentice">''[[Master & Apprentice]]''</ref><ref name="EpisodeII">[[Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones|''Star Wars'': Episode II ''Attack of the Clones'']]</ref>
*[[Dooku]]/Darth Tyranus<ref name="Master & Apprentice">''[[Master & Apprentice]]''</ref><ref name="EpisodeII">[[Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones|''Star Wars'': Episode II ''Attack of the Clones'']]</ref>
+
*[[Momin]]<ref name="Dark Lord 22">[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 22|''Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith'' 22]]</ref>
*[[Momin]]<ref name="Dark Lord 22">''[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 22]]''</ref>
+
*[[Rey Skywalker|Rey]]<ref name="Episode IX">[[Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker|''Star Wars'': Episode IX ''The Rise of Skywalker'']]</ref>
 
*[[Darth Sidious]]<ref name="Episode VI" />
 
*[[Snoke]]<ref name="Episode VIII">[[Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VIII ''The Last Jedi'']]</ref>
 
*[[Snoke]]<ref name="Episode VIII">[[Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VIII ''The Last Jedi'']]</ref>
 
*[[Son|The Son]]<ref name="Altar of Mortis">{{TCW|Altar of Mortis (episode)|Altar of Mortis}}</ref>
 
*[[Son|The Son]]<ref name="Altar of Mortis">{{TCW|Altar of Mortis (episode)|Altar of Mortis}}</ref>
*[[Mother Talzin]]<ref name="Massacre">{{TCW|Massacre}}</ref>
+
*[[Talzin]]<ref name="Massacre">{{TCW|Massacre}}</ref>
  +
|affiliation=*Sith<ref name="EncyclopediaSith">{{SWE|groups|sith|Sith|archivedate=20140611233856}}</ref>
*[[Rey Skywalker|Rey]]<ref name="Episode IX">[[Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker|''Star Wars'': Episode IX ''The Rise of Skywalker'']]</ref>
 
|affiliation=*[[Sith]]<ref name="EncyclopediaSith">{{SWE|groups|sith|Sith}}</ref>
+
*[[Jedi Order]]<ref name="Master & Apprentice" />
*[[Jedi]]<ref name="Master & Apprentice" />
 
 
*[[Force wielder]]s<ref name="Altar of Mortis" />
 
*[[Force wielder]]s<ref name="Altar of Mortis" />
 
*[[Nightsisters]]<ref name="Massacre" />}}
 
*[[Nightsisters]]<ref name="Massacre" />}}
 
{{Quote|How does one defend against such power?''"<br />"''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|Witches of the Mist}}
 
{{Quote|How does one defend against such power?''"<br />"''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|Witches of the Mist}}
  +
'''Force lightning''' was a [[Force power|power]] that [[Force-sensitive|Force users]], such as the [[Sith]] and even [[Light side of the Force|light siders]] like the [[Jedi]], could conjure through the [[Dark side of the Force]].
'''Force lightning''' was a [[Force power|power]] that [[Force-sensitive|Force users]], such as the [[Sith]] and even [[Light side of the Force|light siders]] like the [[Jedi]], could conjure through the [[Dark side of the Force]].<ref name="EncyclopediaSith" /><ref name="Master & Apprentice" /> 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, another variant used by Sidious was the power to produce a [[Dark Aura|dark aura]], a miniature storm of malevolent Force energy and lightning that slowed the movement of, and tortured all caught within its radius.<ref name="Battlefront II">''[[Star Wars Battlefront II]]''</ref> Its use was forbidden by the [[Jedi Order]].<ref name="Expert Guide">''[[Star Wars Expert Guide]]''</ref>
 
  +
  +
==Description==
  +
Force lightning 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>
  +
 
Force lightning occurred in at least four colors; blue, green, yellow, and red. The standard color was a bluish-purple as demonstrated by Palpatine, Dooku, Snoke, and Rey; Nightsister Magic equivalents were green like [[Magical ichor]] as demonstrated by [[Mother (title)|Mother]] [[Talzin]]. Lord [[Momin]] used yet another version that was yellow. 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 [[Anakin Skywalker|Darth Vader]] when he entered the portal in his castle on [[Mustafar]]. Anakin blasted the illusion of his master, [[Darth Sidious|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|''Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith'' 25]]</ref> Momin planned to pour the Force with his version of Force lightning into his engine at the moment of ignition and use it to slow down time, trapping the expressions of horror and pain on the city's inhabitants forever.<ref name="Dark Lord 22" />
   
  +
[[File:Sidious Force storm.png|thumb|left|250px|Darth Sidious unleashes a storm of Force lightning on Exegol.]]
Force Lightning occurred in at least four colors; '''blue''', '''green''', '''yellow''' and '''red'''. The standard color was a bluish-purple as demonstrated by Palpatine, Dooku, and Snoke; Nightsister Magic equivalents were green like [[Magical ichor]] as demonstrated by [[Mother (title)|Mother]] [[Talzin]]. Lord [[Momin]] used yet another version that was yellow. 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 [[Anakin Skywalker|Darth Vader]] when he entered the portal in his castle on [[Mustafar]]. Anakin blasted the illusion of his master, [[Darth Sidious|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]]''</ref> Momin planned to pour the Force with his version of Force lightning into his engine at the moment of ignition and use it to slow down time, forever trapping the expressions of horror and pain on the city's inhabitants forever.<ref name="Dark Lord 22" />
 
 
A Jedi and Sith could deflect the lightning with a [[lightsaber]]; a powerful [[Jedi Master]], such as [[Yoda]] was capable of deflecting the attack using [[Force deflection]]<ref name="EpisodeII" /> but only for a short while and with immense effort.<ref name="Character Encyclopedia" /> [[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> [[Mace Windu]]<ref name="EpisodeIII" /> and [[Rey Skywalker]] were both able to deflect [[Darth Sidious]]' lightning back onto him using lightsabers. In Rey's case, the force of his own reflected lightning was what ultimately destroyed Darth Sidious.<ref name="Episode IX" /> [[Quinlan Vos]] with his lightsaber was able to deflecting the Force lightning of [[Dooku]] back onto him.<ref name="Dark Disciple">''[[Dark Disciple]]''</ref>
   
 
Other dark side wielders besides the Sith were able to harness the ability. [[Mother (title)|Mother]] [[Talzin]] conjured her own version of Force lightning that was powerful enough to block Darth Sidious' lightning.<ref name="Son of Dathomir, Part Four">[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 4|''Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir'' 4]]</ref> [[Supreme Leader]] [[Snoke]] used it to subdue his apprentice, [[Ben Solo|Kylo Ren]] when the young [[Knights of Ren|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.<ref name="Episode VIII" />
A Jedi could deflect the lightning with a [[lightsaber]]; a powerful [[Jedi Master]], such as [[Yoda]] was capable of deflecting the attack using [[Force deflection]]<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> [[Mace Windu]] and [[Rey Skywalker]] were both able to deflect [[Darth Sidious]]' lightning back onto him using lightsabers, in Rey's case two. The force of his own reflected lightning the second time was what ultimately destroyed Darth Sidious for good.<ref name="Episode IX" />
 
   
 
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&mdash;as demonstrated with Mace Windu<ref name="EpisodeIII" />&mdash;or even through [[Vader's armor|heavy armor]].<ref name="Episode VI" /> And during the [[Battle of Exegol]], Darth Sidious unleashed a barrage of Force Lightning that disabled the [[galaxy fleet]] above.<ref name="Episode IX" />
Other dark side wielders besides the Sith were able to harness the ability. [[Mother (title)|Mother]] [[Talzin]] conjured her own version of Force lightning that was powerful enough to block Darth Sidious' lightning.<ref name="Son of Dathomir, Part Four">''[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 4]]''</ref> [[Supreme Leader]] [[Snoke]] used it to subdue his apprentice, [[Kylo Ren]] when the young [[Knights of Ren|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.<ref name="Episode VIII" />
 
   
  +
===Usage by the Jedi===
Light siders like the Jedi could also use this power. [[Dooku]], during his time as a member of the Jedi Order, utilized it spontaneously during a painful Force vision to kill some [[Presagers of Hakotei]], without any known prior training<ref name="Dooku: Jedi Lost">''[[Dooku: Jedi Lost]]''</ref> and also used it on [[Shenda Mol]] to save his [[Padawan]] [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] whilst on [[Numidian Prime]].<ref name="Master & Apprentice" />
+
Although its use was officially forbidden by the [[Jedi Order]],<ref name="Expert Guide">''[[Star Wars Expert Guide]]''</ref> light-siders like the Jedi could also use this power. [[Dooku]], during his time as a member of the Jedi Order, utilized it spontaneously during a painful Force vision to kill some [[Presagers of Hakotei]], without any known prior training<ref name="Dooku: Jedi Lost">''[[Dooku: Jedi Lost]]''</ref> and also used it on [[Shenda Mol]] to save his [[Padawan]] [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] whilst on [[Numidian Prime]].<ref name="Master & Apprentice" />
   
  +
Rey briefly unleashed a blast of Force Lightning on a [[AAL-1971/9.1 Troop Transport|First Order transport]] on [[Pasaana]] while she and Kylo Ren were both trying to bring the transport to themselves with the Force, and in her anger, she accidentally unleashed lightning upon it, destroying it immediately.<ref name="Episode IX" />
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&mdash;as demonstrated with Mace Windu<ref name="EpisodeIII" />&mdash;or even through [[Vader's armor|heavy armor]].<ref name="Episode VI" />
 
   
  +
===Variants of Force lightning===
{{Stub}}
 
  +
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. Another variant used by Sidious was the power '''[[Dark Aura]]''', a miniature storm of malevolent Force energy and lightning surrounding its producer that tortured and slowed the movement of all caught within its radius.<ref name="Battlefront II">''[[Star Wars Battlefront II]]''</ref>
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
[[File:Adventures of Luke - Force Lightning.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Darth Sidious blasting Luke Skywalker with lightning in [[Ralph McQuarrie]] artwork seen in ''[[The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight]]'']]
+
[[File:Adventures of Luke - Force Lightning.jpg|thumb|250px|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|''Star Wars'': Episode VI ''Return of the Jedi'']], the final film of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[original trilogy]].<ref name="Episode VI" /> In [[Star Wars Legends|''Star Wars'' Legends]], a few [[Jedi/Legends|Jedi]], such as [[Luke Skywalker/Legends|Luke Skywalker]], used a variant of [[Force lightning/Legends|Force lightning]].<ref name="DNI:TJK">''[[Dark Nest I: The Joiner King]]''</ref> The [[Databank (website)|Databank]] entry for Force lightning, however, says that in current [[canon]], it's exclusively a [[Dark side of the Force|dark-side]] power.<ref>{{Databank|force-lightning|Force Lightning|archivedate=20170710190140}}</ref>
 
Force lightning first appeared in the [[1983]] film [[Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VI ''Return of the Jedi'']], the final film of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[original trilogy]].<ref name="Episode VI" /> In [[Star Wars Legends|''Star Wars'' Legends]], a few [[Jedi/Legends|Jedi]], such as [[Luke Skywalker/Legends|Luke Skywalker]], used a variant of [[Force lightning/Legends|Force lightning]].<ref name="DNI:TJK">''[[Dark Nest I: The Joiner King]]''</ref> The [[Databank (website)|Databank]] entry for Force lightning, however, says that in current [[canon]], it's exclusively a [[Dark side of the Force|dark-side]] power.<ref>{{Databank|force-lightning|Force Lightning|archivedate=20170710190140}}</ref>
   
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==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
{{Scroll box|
+
{{Scroll_box|
 
*{{Galaxy of Adventures|Jedi vs. Sith - The Skywalker Saga}}
 
*{{Galaxy of Adventures|Jedi vs. Sith - The Skywalker Saga}}
 
*''[[Dooku: Jedi Lost]]''
 
*''[[Dooku: Jedi Lost]]''
 
*''[[Master & Apprentice]]'' {{Flash}}
 
*''[[Master & Apprentice]]'' {{Flash}}
*''[[Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1]]''
+
*[[Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1|''Age of Republic - Darth Maul'' 1]]
 
*''[[Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace]]'' {{Mo}}
 
*''[[Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace]]'' {{Mo}}
 
*''[[Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings]]''
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*''[[5-Minute Star Wars Villain Stories]]''
 
*''[[5-Minute Star Wars Villain Stories]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Battlefront II]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Battlefront II]]''
*''[[Age of Republic - Count Dooku 1]]'' {{Co}}
+
*[[Age of Republic - Count Dooku 1|''Age of Republic - Count Dooku'' 1]] {{Co}}
 
*[[Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones|''Star Wars'': Episode II ''Attack of the Clones'']]
 
*[[Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones|''Star Wars'': Episode II ''Attack of the Clones'']]
 
*{{Galaxy of Adventures|Yoda vs Count Dooku – Size Matters Not}}
 
*{{Galaxy of Adventures|Yoda vs Count Dooku – Size Matters Not}}
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*''[[Dark Disciple]]''
 
*''[[Dark Disciple]]''
 
*''[[Dark Disciple (audiobook)]]''
 
*''[[Dark Disciple (audiobook)]]''
*''[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 1]]''
+
*[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 1|''Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir'' 1]]
*''[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 2]]''
+
*[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 2|''Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir'' 2]]
*''[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 3]]''
+
*[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 3|''Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir'' 3]]
*''[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 4]]''
+
*[[Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir 4|''Darth Maul&mdash;Son of Dathomir'' 4]]
 
*[[Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith|''Star Wars'': Episode III ''Revenge of the Sith'']]
 
*[[Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith|''Star Wars'': Episode III ''Revenge of the Sith'']]
  +
*{{TCW|Shattered}} {{C|Audio only}}
*''[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 1]]''
+
*[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 1|''Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith'' 1]]
 
*''[[Lords of the Sith]]''
 
*''[[Lords of the Sith]]''
*''[[Age of Rebellion - Darth Vader 1]]'' {{Flash}}
+
*[[Age of Rebellion - Darth Vader 1|''Age of Rebellion - Darth Vader'' 1]] {{Flash}}
*''[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 25]]'' {{Vision|Darth Vader}}
+
*[[Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith 25|''Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith'' 25]] {{Vision|Darth Vader}}
 
*''[[Leia Organa: Ordeal of the Princess]]'' {{Flash}}
 
*''[[Leia Organa: Ordeal of the Princess]]'' {{Flash}}
 
*''[[The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight]]''
 
*''[[The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Battlefront]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Battlefront]]''
*''[[Star Wars Annual 1]]''
+
*[[Star Wars Annual 1|''Star Wars Annual'' 1]]
*''[[Doctor Aphra 33]]''
+
*[[Doctor Aphra 33|''Doctor Aphra'' 33]]
 
*{{Galaxy of Adventures|Yoda – The Jedi Master}} {{Flash}}
 
*{{Galaxy of Adventures|Yoda – The Jedi Master}} {{Flash}}
 
*[[Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VI ''Return of the Jedi'']] {{1st}}
 
*[[Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|''Star Wars'': Episode VI ''Return of the Jedi'']] {{1st}}
Line 96: Line 107:
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel]]''
*''[[The Last Jedi Adaptation 1]]''
+
*[[The Last Jedi Adaptation 1|''The Last Jedi Adaptation'' 1]]
*[[Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker|''Star Wars'': Episode IX ''The Rise of Skywalker'']]}}
+
*[[Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker|''Star Wars'': Episode IX ''The Rise of Skywalker'']]
  +
*''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition]]''
  +
*''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: A Junior Novel]]''}}
   
 
===Non-canon appearances===
 
===Non-canon appearances===
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==Sources==
 
==Sources==
*{{SWE|groups|sith|Sith}}
+
*{{SWE|groups|sith|Sith|archivedate=20140611233856}}
  +
*{{SW|url=series/clone-wars/dooku-captured-episode-guide|text="Dooku Captured" Episode Guide - ''The Clone Wars''|archivedate=20191021031451}}
 
*{{LEGOCite|Classic|75093|Death Star Final Duel}}
 
*{{LEGOCite|Classic|75093|Death Star Final Duel}}
 
*''[[Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know]]''
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*{{Destiny|Across the Galaxy|link=|cardname=Burst of Lightning}}
 
*{{Destiny|Across the Galaxy|link=|cardname=Burst of Lightning}}
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Dark Side]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Dark Side]]''
*{{SWKidsYoutube|wQ0GhIIgQAk|The Sith <nowiki>|</nowiki> Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures Fun Facts}}
+
*{{SWKidsYoutube|wQ0GhIIgQAk|The Sith <nowiki>|</nowiki> Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures Fun Facts|archiveurl=https://archive.is/fveMf}}
*''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: New Edition]]''
+
*''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia, New Edition]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: How Not to Get Eaten by Ewoks and Other Galactic Survival Skills]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: How Not to Get Eaten by Ewoks and Other Galactic Survival Skills]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi]]''
  +
*{{DisneyGallery|Legacy (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian episode)|Legacy}}
*{{Databank|anakin-skywalker|Anakin Skywalker|archivedate=20170706054025}}
+
*{{Databank|anakin-skywalker|Anakin Skywalker|archivedate=20200513132600}}
 
*{{Databank|asajj-ventress|Asajj Ventress|archivedate=20190531005019}}
 
*{{Databank|asajj-ventress|Asajj Ventress|archivedate=20190531005019}}
 
*{{Databank|force-lightning|Force Lightning|archivedate=20170710190140}}
 
*{{Databank|force-lightning|Force Lightning|archivedate=20170710190140}}
 
*{{Databank|sith|Sith|archivedate=20170911135720}}
 
*{{Databank|sith|Sith|archivedate=20170911135720}}
 
*{{Databank|the-force|The Force|archivedate=20191001004924}}
 
*{{Databank|the-force|The Force|archivedate=20191001004924}}
*
 
   
 
==Notes and references==
 
==Notes and references==
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{{Interlang
 
{{Interlang
 
|de=Macht-Blitz
 
|de=Macht-Blitz
  +
|el=Αστραπές της Δύναμης
 
|es=Rayo de la Fuerza
 
|es=Rayo de la Fuerza
 
|fr=Foudre Sith
 
|fr=Foudre Sith

Revision as of 16:47, 18 May 2020

This article covers the Canon version of this subject.  Click here for Wookieepedia's article on the Legends version of this subject. 
For other uses, see Lightning (disambiguation).
TPMCGYoda

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"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 and even light siders like the Jedi, could conjure through the Dark side of the Force.

Description

Force lightning was an offensive technique which involved a discharge of electrical energy from the practitioner's hands[3] and was capable of inflicting severe pain on the target of this attack as well as possible disfigurement.[12]

Force lightning occurred in at least four colors; blue, green, yellow, and red. The standard color was a bluish-purple as demonstrated by Palpatine, Dooku, Snoke, and Rey; Nightsister Magic equivalents were green like Magical ichor as demonstrated by Mother Talzin. Lord Momin used yet another version that was yellow. 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.[13] Momin planned to pour the Force with his version of Force lightning into his engine at the moment of ignition and use it to slow down time, trapping the expressions of horror and pain on the city's inhabitants forever.[6]

Sidious Force storm

Darth Sidious unleashes a storm of Force lightning on Exegol.

A Jedi and Sith could deflect the lightning with a lightsaber; a powerful Jedi Master, such as Yoda was capable of deflecting the attack using Force deflection[5] but only for a short while and with immense effort.[1] Gungan personal energy shields were also capable of repelling Force lightning.[14] Mace Windu[12] and Rey Skywalker were both able to deflect Darth Sidious' lightning back onto him using lightsabers. In Rey's case, the force of his own reflected lightning was what ultimately destroyed Darth Sidious.[7] Quinlan Vos with his lightsaber was able to deflecting the Force lightning of Dooku back onto him.[15]

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.[16] 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.[8]

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[12]—or even through heavy armor.[3] And during the Battle of Exegol, Darth Sidious unleashed a barrage of Force Lightning that disabled the galaxy fleet above.[7]

Usage by the Jedi

Although its use was officially forbidden by the Jedi Order,[17] light-siders like the Jedi could also use this power. Dooku, during his time as a member of the Jedi Order, utilized it spontaneously during a painful Force vision to kill some Presagers of Hakotei, without any known prior training[2] and also used it on Shenda Mol to save his Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn whilst on Numidian Prime.[4]

Rey briefly unleashed a blast of Force Lightning on a First Order transport on Pasaana while she and Kylo Ren were both trying to bring the transport to themselves with the Force, and in her anger, she accidentally unleashed lightning upon it, destroying it immediately.[7]

Variants of Force lightning

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. Another variant used by Sidious was the power Dark Aura, a miniature storm of malevolent Force energy and lightning surrounding its producer that tortured and slowed the movement of all caught within its radius.[18]

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.[3] In Star Wars Legends, a few Jedi, such as Luke Skywalker, used a variant of Force lightning.[19] The Databank entry for Force lightning, however, says that in current canon, it's exclusively a dark-side power.[20]

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.[12] 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.[3] 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.[21]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

Sources

Notes and references