CT Your reaction to Palpatine's force lightning

Like everyone else who witnessed him utilising it for the first time, I assumed it was a power that was unique to him. He was so powerful he could shoot lightning from his finger tips! The Emperor truly was a terrifying character. I mean, even Vader bowed before him.

 

Same here. I was more worried about if Luke would make it out of there...

 

My jaw dropped, I never saw it coming. I was 8 years old, and saw it in the theaters. That type of power never crossed my mind, so to see it unleashed on Luke was just . However, after the movie, I remember running around pretending I was the Emperor and shocking the **** out of everyone!

 

I was very little but I remember being terrified of the old creep he just embodied fear and evil for me and it made him so powerful showing the full potential of the darkside in my mind (this was before the prequels of course).

 

HOLY **** JUST GOT REAL SON!!!!

 

Something like that

 

That was essentially my reaction. He is a more feared villain to me than Vader honestly.

 

Scary to watch as a kid. As an adult it's a tad bit goofy in way that's still fun to watch, just like the wicked witch persona of the Emperor as a whole.

 

For me, it showed how truly powerful and evil the Emperor was. When I saw Dooku use it in AOTC, it sort of brought down the impact of the Emperor using it in ROTJ. Had we not seen Force lightning at all up until ROTJ, or had it been something we only saw the Emperor use in ROTS, then I think it would've maintained some of that effect on me.

 

Can't precisely remember what was my reaction when I first saw ROTJ back in 1983 honestly.

But it has sure always been awesome and impressive moment to me, as the Emperor spends all of his scenes before just speaking, except for briefly using the Force to free Luke's hands.

It just comes out of nowhere and it's pretty chilling onscreen. Especially with that close-up showing him raisng his hands slowly before striking ("If you will not become one of us, then you must be..destroyed"). Along with the noise.

Actually the Emperor is definitely the most mysterious and fearsome character of the OT and ROTJ. So I guess those sudden blue lightnings are really moving when you see this for the first time. Particularly as a child or an early teen.

 

That's right! I had forgotten that he used the force to free Luke's hands. I should have known then of his capability. He was scary to me before the lightning based solely on his words.

Oh...I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when
your friends arrive. (the way he says this sardonically always gets me)


...are walking into a trap. As is your Rebel fleet! It was I who
allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It
is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my
best troops awaits them.


Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design.


I was like, "This guy can tell the future and knows what's happening without being there. He's thought of everything." I recall having a deep foreboding. The lightning was the creme of the crop.

 

My reaction is very different from others who've seen it first. I knew from people role playing and referencing the films that Palpatine and others used Force Lighting. I recall seeing it in the third film for the first time. It... Was... AMAZING! I'm serious. When Palpatine used his force lighting against Yoda in a duel was nicely done. But in Return of the Jedi, it was done to perfection. Because of the seriousness of the fight and Luke's pain at being struck.

 

At first when i saw rotj, iwas like what can palpantinr do his just a weak old man then when he blasted that force lightening I was likr woah damn thats some powerful abilities he has. Its goes to show not to underestimate palpantine because he has a walking stick and is old.

 

I saw them when I was young, about 5 or 6 so it don't exactly remember much from my first few watchthroughs of the OT, but I can only assume I have the same reaction I have to this day in my 20's, just not as extreme anymore. In more of the "brutal" parts like the force lightning or Luke getting his hand cut off I still grimace. It's a kind of reaction thats been ingrained into me after so many times watching the movies. Except maybe now along with the "ingrained reactions", there's that bit of sheer pleasure of seeing some of my favorite parts from my favorite series. Sure it's gotta hurt like hell to have lightning pumped through your body, but watching such a masterpiece is so so very satisfying, a kind of mixed emotions and nothing can take away that satisfaction.

 

Well, if you recall, Obi-Wan and Yoda are able to deflect Dooku's lightning easily. But Mace barely manages to hold back Palpatine's lightning with his lightsaber, and once it's gone, he's completely defenseless. Yoda was overwhelmed when Palpatine launched the first lightning salvo in his office, and later Palpatine is able to blast Yoda's saber right out of his hand, and Yoda is unable to deflect Palpatine's lightning with his bare hands for very long, resulting in the explosion that throws them both backwards.

Palpatine's lightning gave Mace and Yoda a very hard time, making his power vastly superior to Dooku's.

 

Why no mention of it then in ESB or ROTJ before then?
Obi-Wan and Yoda see it in the PT but leave Luke to the wolves in ROTJ.
The PT duels should have done others powers imo.

 

Either Yoda forgot to teach Luke that trick (absorbing lightning) or he didn't think Luke would have to face the Emperor, just Vader.

 

Or it's a power, which takes many years (if not decades) to master.

 

I was 12 and like others I don't remember being that shocked or wowed by the force lightning. I think I was all about the lightsabres and this just seemed less impressive but I think I understood it was potentially more lethal.

The scene itself was excellent though, Luke's pleas, Vader's internal struggle first shuffling to his master and then looking to his son and then back, then the lift, and the skull shot, and nearly being pulled into the chasm himself. Then the wheezes, oh Man! I remember that all resonating at once.

 

On the other hand, Yoda does warn Luke not to underestimate the Emperor's powers or he'll suffer Vader's fate. So, he must've assumed Luke would face the Emperor as well.

 

When there was just the OT, I was of the view that Obiwan and Yoda had no idea what Palpatine was actually capable of, rather than leaving Luke to the wolves. This made the magnitude of his power all the more terrifying. It's a different state of affairs now of course.

 

Exactly!

 

Luke was an incredibly fast learner with plenty of raw talent, but I think learning that technique would take a while. Even Yoda wasn't able to defeat Palpatine with the absorption technique.

 

Force Ghost Obi-Wan: "Should we tell Luke about Force Lightning?"
Master Yoda: "More fun watching him fry, it is."