Force Lightning: Anakin and Luke- Weak, Wall, or Faking?

Okay, it bothers me every time I see Dooku use that lightning on Anakin in Attack of the clones. He is only exposed to it for about, what? Three seconds? Then he remains out of action for a full five minutes.

Then there is Luke. How freakin' long did Palpatine torture him with Force Lightning? He still managed to help his father even after all he had suffered.

So I have several thoughts:

Anakin was thrown against a wall. Was that why he didn't get back up right away? Luke got smashed into metal canisters, and those were pointy.

Was Luke for some reason able to . . . well, not tolerate exactly, but handle the blow easier than his father?

Or was, in fact, Anakin faking after Dooku stuck him? That seems unlikely to me, because I don't think he would allow his master to be injured as long as he could help it. And I know Luke wasn't faking.

So tell me, what's the matter with Anakin? Can't he take as much as his son . . . or not?

Your call.

 

You are neglecting to mention the fact that Anakin had just gotten his arm sliced off. That is why he didn't get up and fight. He was probably in pain from it as well...

 

He didn't get his arm sliced off untill after he got up from the lightning, actually.

Dooku obviously used some type of Force Push in conjuncture with the Lightning, as Anakin got picked up and tossed. I don't think that Palpatine used force push on Luke, he just gave ground to the lightning blow. The may have contributed.

Another factor could have been that Palpatine was using the lightning in "Torture Mode" while Dooku was in "Disable The Enemy" mode. Most of the lengthy dose of lightning that Luke got was to punish him for his "Lack of foresight".

Carnage

 

Yup. Palpatine wasn't ready to kill Luke yet.
That, and for dramatic purposes, you really don't want your characters writhing on ground for five minutes after a big dramatic moment. Keep the scene going, and give it a good conclusion.

 

Another factor could have been that Palpatine was using the lightning in "Torture Mode" while Dooku was in "Disable The Enemy" mode.

That's certainly the most logical explination.

 

i think that one's knowledge of the force helps or is a factor to how lightning is absorbed. at the time anakin was struck, his knowledge was far less then when luke was struck. luke was a jedi at the point he was struck, anakin was a padawan. Yoda was able to absorb dooku's stike because he is more knowledgable.

"this contest cannot be settled by our knowledge of the force, but by our skills with a lightsaber" dooku aotc.
or some similar line

 

Luke had far less training than Anakin and had no idea what Force Lightning was. I hardly think he was absorbing it, unless he, like I think I said, was able to cope with it better, like a cold. For some people, a cold knocks them on their butts, but others can get over it easier.

I don't know.

 

Without delving into the EU, we see no signs that Anakin has a Clue what force lightning is in AoTC. Darth Maul did not use it and I would figure that while travelling with Obi-Wan and hearing his tale of fighting Maul, he assumed he was running into a hardcore lightsabre battle and not a bolt of lightning. I think that the lightning was a big surprise for Anakin.

Obviously the lightning was a BIG BIG surprise for Luke, too. He had no idea that it was coming. He knew that the Emporer was going to be very very angry, but how was he going to know what was to come.

I would say that both father AND son were taken aback by the Force lightning.

Carnage

 

I think that Palpatine was not using it that bad on Luke because he wanted Luke to live, in a way but who knows maybe Dooku had a stronger lighting maybe Luke could stand the lighting easier then his father could or it is just another Star Wars mistake.

 

well i don't wanna say this, but Anakin was rammed into a wall by the lightning.You didn't hear this from me okay.

 

Yeah, the wall. nuff said. Luke didn't get slammed nearly as hard.

Sidious was really pouring it on toward the end, so I think you can hardly say he was just playing around and that Luke didn't get REAL force lightning. You also would think Sidious' lightning is more punishing than Dooku's. So it's gotta be the wall that knocked Anakin out of the fight so long.

 

Even though neither expected, I think we can all agree on, Anakin was in the midst of a running attack when he was hit with it. It would be like getting sucker punched.

Luke on the other hand, while I doubt he expected it either, had to be expecting something. Luke didn't get sucker punched.

 

Actually, Luke got sucker punched because he had laid down his arms and then BAM the Emperor throw lightning at him. Anakin wasn't sucker punched, because he was in the act of attacking Dooku. Dooku was sort of obligated to do it.

But, I know what you mean about Anakin flying face first into a surprise lightning attack.

 

I think Luke is stronger as well, maybe hard to prove, but I think that might have something to do with it.

I also think the big things is that Palapatine was torturing Luke, so he may have intended to do so for a while, not putting his all into it so to speak. Dooku was not held up in this way.

 

Well, in the ROTJ novel, Luke actually managed to deflect the lightning with his hand briefly, but eventually he lost.


As far as Anakin goes, he was the victim of horribly plotted fight scenes. Remember in ROTS when he and Obi-Wan were fighting Dooku? He got knocked over, then just laid on the ground and watched Dooku pin Obi-Wan to the floor.
That boy has serious balance issues...

 

Dooku hit Anakin with the Lightning and then lifted him up, while still unleashing it and threw Anakin at the wall. Look at Dooku's hand. You can see him moving his hand as he's doing this. Palpatine does this later against Mace, once the Jedi Master has lost his saber. Palpatine blasts him until he does a Force shove that sends him to his death. Luke is being slowly tortured, before Palpatine cranks it up and is going in for the kill. Vader picks Palpatine up and through sheer strength of will and the fact that Palpatine can't perform the Force shove properly, Vader stands up long enough to make his deposit.

 

Emperor: And now, young skywalker, you will die......

doesn't sound like Torture mode to me.....

 

Yes it does. He was torturing him first, then when he was finished with torturing Luke he says: And now, young skywalker, you will die...... Clearly stating that what Force-lightning Luke had recieved until now was nothing. Now he was going for the lethal dose.

 

You know, I thought this one over a bit more and came up with a more "Way out there" theory.

The Force is still somewhat of a mystery to us and we do not know everything about what it does to a Jedi's physical and mental state. With that in mind, look at the different between father and son at the point where they get blasted with lightning.

Luke had just stood up to and defeated a very menacing villian that also happened to be his father. He had a brush with the dark side but stood his ground and turned away from it. I would argue that onscreen, this is the moment where Luke is most imbedded in and aware of the light side of the force. It could very well have given him the power to sustain himself through the Emporer's harsh assault.

Anakin, on the other hand, was acting rash and not very much like a Jedi. His concentration was probably not there as he was thinking more about Padme who had just fallen off the ship as well as wanting to get revenge a la "You'll pay for all the Jedi you killed today." He was letting his emotions, not the force, guide him. This could have left him more vulnerable to such an onslaught. Kenobi, calm and collected, was able to stand his ground and fend off Dooku's Force lightning with his lightsabre.

I still think the answer lies in the Knockout mode/Torture mode arguement, but this was another possible point of view that I thought up.

Carnage

 

I really like that theory..I'd never thought of it that way.

I agree with the knockout/torture mode too. He was playing with Luke, just toying with him at first to show him the "power of the Darkside" before he went for the kill.

I also noticed that as Anakin is slammed into a wall by the lightening, Luke whacks his head on the floor a few times while in the throes of his force lightening agony.

 

Very insightful. I commend thee.

 

which Luke takes for 20-30 seconds before Vader picks up the Emperor, and guess what... Luke's still alive.... You are reading way too much into it...

 

Everybody on these forums reads way too much into everything, I mean every sight and every sound is scrutinised for deep multi level interpretations. Every inflection in speech is analysed for spiritual or political connotations. No aspect of the saga is left undissected and to paraphrase ObiWan from AOTC "that's why we're here".

I think if non fans were to see the way the smallest plot point can produce weeks of emotive debate, they would be astounded!

Long live Star Wars, long live these forums and may the force be with us all!

 

You're missing the point. When Palpatine first attacks Luke, he does it in fits and spurts. Small blasts. He pauses to talk. Then he says that Luke will die and he pours it on. It even appears worse than before and he doesn't stop. If Vader had not chosen to save his son, Luke would be dead soon. Mace was already dead when he went out the window.

 

Is Mace dead before he goes out the window? He was screaming rather loudly as he was held up in front of Anakin and Palps. I don't think the screams stop before he gets tossed out. Can't remember though.

Carnage