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Is Sith lightning what The Force really is?

Discussion in 'Star Wars Saga In-Depth' started by Darth_Lear, Nov 15, 2006.

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  1. Darth_Lear

    Darth_Lear Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Feb 21, 2003
    I think it's clear from the SW saga, both the movies and EU aspects, that the Sith permit themselves to investigate aspects of The Force that the Jedi do not. So is this one of the great Sith discoveries, how to completely make The Force, shall we say, explicit, and that it actually manifests itself as lightning? Not sure that I've expressed this somewhat vague idea in the best way possible. Is Sith lightning what The Force really is, in a highly concentrated form, so concentrated that it is actually visible? After all, as Yoda himself said, all living things emanate The Force. It would make sense that if possible, the Sith would exploit this fact and turn The Force into a weapon.

    Discuss

    DL
     
  2. rumsmuggler

    rumsmuggler Chosen One star 7

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    Aug 31, 2000
    I prefer the term Force lightning over Sith lightning. The use of it isn't exclusive to the Sith, but I won't get into that right now.:)
     
  3. Darth_Lear

    Darth_Lear Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Feb 21, 2003
    Fair enough, I don't think the term really matters, although of course in the movies, only the Sith use it. One related question is: if The Force is not simply the electromagnetic force, and Sith...sorry, Force lightning is not simply the usual kind of electromagnetic discharge we are all familiar with, then how valid is the explanation usually given for the fact that Darth Vader cannot emit lightning like Darth Sidious and Darth Tyrannus, i.e. that it would fry his circuitry? Not at all, as far as I'm concerned. Of course it must have an electromagnetic aspect because we can see it and light is electromagnetic radiation, but this does not necessarily imply that Sith/Force lightning is the kind of electromagnetic discharge that we have observed in our own experience.

    Vader's impotence is just a side issue, however, and I don't want this thread to end up primarily discussing this rather than addressing the main question, which is: what, in the most fundamental sense, really is Sith/Force lightning? [face_thinking]

    DL
     
  4. rumsmuggler

    rumsmuggler Chosen One star 7

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    Aug 31, 2000
    I think force lightning is exactly what it is called to a certain extent. It is electricity and force energy emitted through a person and used as a weapon.
     
  5. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 29, 2000
    It's obviously not natural lightning. Natural lightning kills (usually) on contact. Force lightning does not.
     
  6. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jun 28, 2001
    The lighting is one aspect of what the Force is. As you've said Lear, it is the Force power made manifest in a sense. The summation of anger and hate, bottled in a visible form of energy that can be unleashed. The Force is an energy feild and since the lightning is energy, it is a demonstration of what can be done with that energy.
     
  7. Jedi-Queen

    Jedi-Queen Jedi Padawan star 4

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    Feb 16, 2005
    It's gas buildup.
    Palps eats too much spicey food.
    Ya never hear him fart do ya? No, case closed :D
     
  8. sith_rising

    sith_rising Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jan 7, 2004
    I don't think it's pure Force, but the Force channeled through hate and focus. I guess you could say it's a destructive bastardization of the pure, life-nurturing Force.
     
  9. Spike_Spiegel

    Spike_Spiegel Former FF Administrator Former Saga Mod star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 12, 2002
    To me, Force Lightning doesn't need to be a Dark Side power only, just a destructive use of the Force that the Jedi refuse to use because of its effects. Same think with the Force choking, which it seems all Jedi are able to do (like Luke on RotJ) but simply choose not to. There are no "Dark Side Powers" just uses of the Force that Jedi refuse to do.

    Having said that, I think that Force Lightning is simply the channeling of energy using the Force, not the Force itself.
     
  10. rumsmuggler

    rumsmuggler Chosen One star 7

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    Aug 31, 2000
    Force choke is just telekinesis.
     
  11. On_Your_Six

    On_Your_Six Jedi Youngling star 1

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    Jun 5, 2005
    In my opinion, the only true time we get to see what the force really is is when Vader chooses to throw the Emperor down the shaft... It's not a matter of demonstration of power, Yoda defeating Dooku's force lightning, and then Yoda only getting bested by the power of Sidious' hatred within the force lighting (as I understood it... but on level ground Yoda would have won), it's a matter of choice to do what is good for the galaxy... Forget the actual demonstration... The force is about ones connection to the universe... Not the manipulation of it... Vader truly was the most powerful in the force... Not even the whole Jedi Order at the time of Anakin's fall could do right by the universe...
     
  12. Master_EdgeCrusher

    Master_EdgeCrusher Jedi Knight star 3

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    Dec 21, 2005
    Yeha I would go with what you said. You look at the lightning as Yoda was throwing it back at him.
     
  13. Darth-Erevos

    Darth-Erevos Jedi Youngling star 1

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    Sep 19, 2006


    Force lightining is one of the many manifestations of the Force. A destructive one. Because Force is grey. And according to its user (and its power) can become briefly light or dark. Destructive or beneficial.
     
  14. Cryogenic

    Cryogenic Force Ghost star 5

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    Jul 20, 2005
    That's a great insight.
     
  15. Guy-from-Tatooine

    Guy-from-Tatooine Jedi Youngling

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    Oct 19, 2006
    Not becessarily. There are much smaller forms of natural lightning than those in thunderstorms.
     
  16. SEPARATESICKLEROOK2

    SEPARATESICKLEROOK2 Jedi Youngling star 2

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    Sep 1, 2003
    I think the force has powers that not even the Jedi or Sith are even aware of. Its possibilities are endless.
     
  17. Darth_Lear

    Darth_Lear Jedi Youngling star 3

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    Feb 21, 2003
    Darth_Sinister wrote:

    The Force is an energy feild and since the lightning is energy, it is a demonstration of what can be done with that energy.

    If we don't differentiate between kinds of energy in the SW universe, then we could argue that the kinetic energy of Jar Jar Binks's foot before he steps in some kind of poo-doo or other in Ep. 1 is the same kind of thing as that which Palpatine unleashes upon Mace Windu in his office in Ep III. Not trying to be funny, because in some sense, perhaps it really is true. Indeed it would (effectively) be if all kinds of energy are interchangable, equivalent or identical in the SW universe. But do we know enough about SW physics, even taking the EU into account, to be able to address such issues?

    DL
     
  18. Violent Violet Menace

    Violent Violet Menace Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 11, 2004
    If so, then I guess theoretically there should be a way to manipulate that energy and convert it into heat. Making it cold however is more complex as that comes from abscense of heat. In terms of physics, there really is no cold, only warm, less warm and not warm at all. So a Force user should be able to create heat in an environment. To make it cold however, what he must in effect do is move all the heat elsewhere so that it gets cold where he's at.
     
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