Saga A new theory on Force Ghosts: They can't appear just anywhere.

Hello, this is my first post on these forums. Wanted to share my latest article.

I wrote up a theory I have on Force ghosts.

ARTICLE HERE

 

I really like your theory. And in Episode III, doesn't Yoda say that he will teach Obi-Wan how to communicate with Qui-Gon? To me it suggests that Force ghosts can only reach out to living people in times of great need, but otherwise it's down to the living person to make a connection (as Yoda seems to suggest). How strong that connection is might very well come down to one's Force ability and/or training.

 

Makes sense, and ties well into the concept of certain locations being stronger or weaker in the force.

 

Well, they can. They are part of the (Cosmic) Force, which is present everywhere. If they can be seen by anyone is another matter.

 

I think this is probably it. They can appear somewhere, but they need someone with enough training in the Force to see them. At the end of ROTJ, Luke can see Anakin, Yoda, and Obi-Wan, but Leia cannot, even though she is force-sensitive.

 

Even Luke's ability to see Obi-Wan's ghost improves as his training goes on.

 

Right. The only time location is key is when Anakin, Obi-wan and Ahsoka are on Mortis and the older Jedi can see Qui-gon, even though he could not manifest on Dagobah, Coruscant and Polis Massa. And that was due to the incredible amount of Force energy being so concentrated in one location, that he could be seen.

 

Welcome to the boards.

As a fanfic writer, I love your theory.

One idea, though: perhaps the appearance of multiple Force ghosts in one place weakens each individual ghost's ability to, err, render?

If three Force ghosts are less clear than a single one, in a place that is otherwise pretty strong in Force (at least in legends - two Force users are near Luke and Leia in the scene, there are two Force sensitive species elsewhere on the moon and numerous Force artefacts), maybe that's why.

 

Uncle George left this area very vague. Im not ashamed to admit I am slightly concerned with how they will be portreyed in the new films. Hopefully force ghosts will be used sparingly if at all in the next set of films...

 

For future reference, when starting a thread like this, even if (or especially if) there is a link to an article or blog or whatever, would you include some excerpts or details or description in the OP? Gracias.

(Will read your link and probably comment later.)

 

I do like the idea that it's also linked to Luke's control of the Force, but I'm not convinced it's the whole story. Could be a combination of both ideas.

 

This is my interpretation for Force Ghosts:

1. The Ghost and the person seeing the Ghost have a strong relationship, kinship (Teacher, Mentor, Father, etc.). Luke cannot see QGJ because he doesn't know him personally or have a close relationship with.
2. The Jedi has to become One with the Force in order to maintain his "self" and train (though QGJ and Anakin did not really disappear when they died maybe they are different)
3. Both the Ghost and the Jedi seeing the Ghost want to communicate and are strong in the Force. Luke, Anakin, Obi-wan and Yoda are some of the most powerful Jedi ever, based on the on-screen evidence and comments.

I don't subscribe to the areas strong in the Force. Even though Yoda does say "that cave is strong with the dark side of the force..." in ESB. I took this as a test that Yoda devised and he manipulated the cave with the Force to test Luke and it was never a Dark side cave but just a training site.

 

Well said. I always thought the cave was Yoda's doing as well. The other explanations for the cave have been nixxed due to no longer being canon right? I never really took the EU as being canon anyway but I thought one explanation originated there...

 

Luke cannot see Qui-gon because he wasn't sufficiently trained yet. He had just started learning how to retain his identity when he was sent to Naboo. This was confirmed by Lucas and later in the novelization and the script for ROTS and in TCW.

Uh, nope. TCW confirmed there are planets strong with the Force in a particular location, or in general.

QUI-GON: "Obi-Wan, have you done as I asked? Have you trained the boy?"

OBI-WAN: "Master Qui-gon. How are you here?"

QUI-GON: "I am here because you are here."

OBI-WAN: "No, I don't understand. What is this place?"

QUI-GON: "Unlike any other, a conduit through which the entire Force of the universe flows."

OBI-WAN: "Are we in danger?"

QUI-GON: "This planet is both an amplifier and a magnet."

--"Overlords".

YODA: "Strong this planet is with the Force."

QUI-GON: "It is one of the purest places in the galaxy."

YODA: "How are you here?"

QUI-GON: "I am a manifestation of the Force, a Force that consists of two parts. Living beings generate the Living Force, which in turn powers the wellspring that is the Cosmic Force."

YODA: "Show yourself, can you?"

QUI-GON: "I cannot. My training was incomplete."

--"Voices".

Qui-gon sends Yoda to the tree cave where he sees a vision of the future. Later, they continue.

YODA: "Such darkness. Such evil. When will this happen?"

QUI-GON: "It is happening right now. It has always been happening. With each day the Clone War wages, evil is growing in its power. What you felt in the cave is merely a portion of what the dark side now holds."

On the Force planet.

YODA: "What is this place?"

SERENITY: "All that surrounds us is the foundation of life, the birthplace of what your science calls Midichlorians, the foundation of what connects the Living Force and the Cosmic Force. When a living thing dies, all is removed. Life passes from the Living Force into the Cosmic Force and becomes one with it. One powers the other. One is renewed by the other."

YODA: "This I know."

SERENITY: "Come with me. At death, in order for you to preserve your identity, you must know yourself, your true self, and then let go. On that island dwells all that remains unconquered, what, in your existence, some call evil, otherwise known as fear, all which must be finally overcome before the journey can be taken."

--"Destiny".

Yoda goes to the island and finds an evil version of himself which is the darkness within made manifest. He later goes to the Valley of Extinction and faces another vision, dealing with the temptations that come from the dark side.

 

Well, since the Force is created by living beings, planets full of/rich in life forms are inherently strong in the Force.

 

True, but the way Yoda speaks about Dagobah and the Force planet, they appear to be much stronger in the Force than other places.