Can Jedi become immortal?

Just watching ROTJ again and I noticed something in Yoda's Death scene. Luke says "Master Yoda...you can't die..." and then Yoda says "Strong am I with the Force...but not that strong." So does this mean if a person is really strong in the force then they can't die?

 

I think Luke meant it as sort of plea. Yoda was the only Jedi left to train him, and the last of the Jedi in general. He didn't want him to die.

 

I think what Luke means by saying "you can't die" is that he doesn't want him to die yet because he has so many more things to teach Luke.

I think Yoda's "strong am I in the Force, but not that strong" line refers to anyones inability to make themself immortal using the Force. He kinda means its possible to do so many things with his high level of Force use, but immortality using any level of Force training is impossible.

 

...didn't Vader demonstrate a certian level of immortality? Doesn't the dark side (and his portable iron lung) keep him alive, when he really SHOULD be dead from his injuries? Isn't it possible that Vader could have gone on for a near indefinate amount of time, had he not tossed the boss down the well?

 

I don't think the force can make you immortal. And I really don't think Darth Vader was anywhere close to immortality. In fact isn't it said somewhere that the dark side of the force will eat away at you. Hence The Emperor's appearance. I don't think Vader was kept alive by the force, but rather that dark side of the force put him in worse shape than he would have been. If Vader was close to immortality how did he get so worn out in the fight with Luke, and he looked near death when he got his mechanical hand chopped off. I don't think throwing the boss over the edge is the only thing that could have killed him.

 

...well, are we absolutely certian that the dark side rots you out of body, and soul? Do we actually know how old the emperor is? Certianly, if the guy's 53, the dark side is doing quite a number on him, but suppose he's 953? Yoda didn't look much better, and he always paid his taxes, ate his broccoli, and said his prayers. Sure they have a lousy dental plan, but that aside, dark side adepts seem to really know their stuff. Immortality doesn't seem THAT great a stretch.

 

I don't think so, Shiro. I think each species of Jedi lives his, her, or its lifespan, regardless of how powerful they are in the Force. In ESB, Yoda tells Luke, "Life creates it, makes it grow.", referring to the Force. He doesn't mention that it maintains life forever, even for a powerful Jedi. I also think this might lead to beings trying to become Jedi for the wrong reasons. I mean, even in space, what creature wouldn't want to become a Jedi if it meant they could live forever? Immortal could also be looked at as not being able to be killed, which certainly is possible for the Jedi (OB1 in ANH).

 

"That is the way of things, the way of the Force"

The Force, in the natural order, encompasses life and death. As far as the physical world goes, there is no one strong enough to beat the natural order with physical immortality. That is the point of Yoda's statement. To try to live in the physical world forever is against the natural order.

Vader (and possibly Palps) are examples of this. It is probable that Vader uses the Dark Side as well as machinery to sustain his life. However, even if it is only machinery, he is attempting to create a level of immortality as Diogonese pointed out. The problem was Vader was only postponing the inevitable. He could not accept that no one is strong enough to cheat physical death until he was finally willing to turn away from the Dark Side. Using the Dark Side is an unnatural practice of the Force, so it is fitting that Vader (and possibly Palps) would unnaturally attempt to cheat death.

On the flip side, the ability to let go of the physical world and accept the natural order of the Force was part of the puzzle for those who we see as Force ghosts.

 

Jedi can extend their lives a little longer but they are not immortal.

 

This question will be answered in Episode III.

 

Yoda already answered the question in the CT. Death "is the way of things...the way of the Force."

 

Yes, and they can only be killed by having their heads cut off - then, when only a few remain, they will feel an irresistable urge to go to a far-off land.....where they will fight for The Prize.

 

It's time to take your medication

 

Ooops, I keep forgetting those pesky pillls.......!

 

I beleive a Jedi could sustain themselves with the Force beyond the typical lifespan of their species but not by that much. I'd say 20 - 40 more years.

Depending on how powerful the Jedi was.

 

Anakin says, "Strong enough to stop people from dying!"

 

In TPM, Anakin says to Qui-Gon that nothing can kill a Jedi. Qui-Gon responds that he wishes that that were true. So obviously they are not immortal.