Can the "Force" be sensed in someone if they don't use it?

I had a quick look around and could not find a related thread, but this issue got me thinking after reading the Midichlorian Count post in this forum (by RocketGirl) and similar ones related specifically to Ep 3.

Can a Jedi (or Sith Lord) notice the force in someone if they are not using it's power?

Is this a reason that Palpatine is not discovered in Ep 1 & 2?

Would Anakin have been discovered if he had not talked about Pod Racing ("I am the only human that can do it")?

Is this the reason that Midichlorian counts were mandatory in the Republic?

If Luke had not switched off his targeting computer in Ep 4 would Darth Vader have known that he was strong with the force?

Is that why Luke does not notice the potential in Leia until his discussion with Obi Wan in ROTJ?

I know that I am posing a lot of questions here but they all relate back to the same question which is the title of this thread - any thoughts?

 

i disagree qui-gon immediately saw something special in ani.

i do think that a non user can sense it, like when you think you made someone jealous, they feel lit but not as intensely!

 

I'd like to think that a Jedi or Sith can detect the Force in someone even when they are not using it. I think that Qui-Gon noticed Anakin before he started talking about Pod racing. As for Luke not knowing Leia had Jedi potential.Luke probably knew she had potential, as he told her in ROTJ when revealing her hertige. Just because Leia is his sister, doesn't mean that she will have potential. I think he felt that before he relised their relationship.

 

The Force is in everyone, and can be sensed in people even if they don't use it. Remember Yoda's line: It surrounds us. It is in everything, or something along those lines.

Palpatine was not discovered in Ep. 1 and 2 because he was excellent at concelaing his Force presence. To use EU, the former Jedi Knight Vergere was also adept at this. He could dampen down his presence so that even in the presence of Jedi Masters, he could not be detected.

Qui-Gon immediately sensed the powerful potential of young Anakin, so that even if he hadn't boasted about Podracing Qui-Gon probably still knew of his great strength.

Midi-Chlorian counts are not mandatory in the Republic. Parents who think their child is a potential Jedi contact the Jedi Order (on 1800-JEDI-ORDER ) and the Order dispatches a Knight or Master to test the child and, if they have the potential, bring them back to the Temple for training.

In Ep. IV Vader probably still would have sensed Luke's powerful potential, but he was in the midst of a battle and not actively scanning for Force-potentials. When Luke turned off his targeting computer, he deliberately used the Force, making his presence much stronget, which is how Vader sensed him.

Leia's potential is much smaller than Luke's and she had never used it, so her sense was probably there, but really small. That may be the reason why Luke never picked up her Force-potential.

I hope that helps

 

ok, so why do a midichlorian count at all if they can sense the force in someone?

Sure the "force" surrounds us, binds us etc, but that also relates to a rock (in fact everything).

Luke knows that Leia has postential because he asks Ben in ROTJ about who the 'other' is that Yoda spoke of before he died (Yoda and Ben obviously knew that she was strong in the force).

 

A midi-chlorian count is a much more accurate way of distinguishing someone's pure power. Sure, they can be sensed to have heaps of potential, but it may be just below the required Jedi threshold.

 

And I'm still going to deny the existance of Midichlorians

 

holy christ your ignorant the jedi talk about them, go ahead deny them and be ignorant and not realize the whole force thing!!

 

I was joking

 

SithRuler77, disagreeing with somebody is no reason for calling them ignorant. Things go better when we argue intelligently instead of flame.

 

I'm not trying to be an ass or anything, so please don't hit me, but in the truest meaning of the word, ignorant was an appropriate word choice. "Ignorant" obviously stems from "ignore," which means (to quote dictionary.com) "to refuse to pay attention to; disregard."

 

You're right, but you gotta look at intent too.

Let us not get off topic, please.

 

...but you gotta look at intent too.

Of course.

Let us not get off topic, please.

Of course again....

I think the main reason that Palpatine can't be sensed is he's using a developed Sith technique to shroud himself from Yoda and the gang. Additionally, though, I think sensing the Force being with someone is dependent on actually probing the Force to see unless that person does some active tapping into the Force.

The testing for midichlorians, I think, was just something done to confirm a level of potential sensitivity for the various youth of the galaxy, especially since those youth would most likely be too young to actively tap into the Force. (Anakin in TPM, being older than most who are tested for midichlorian counts, does not fit into this usual method of operation.)

 

KosmicKnine: It's not a strictly "Sith" technique. All the technique is is minimalising your presence in the Force. Think of building a large power station that runs very hot, and a smaller one that runs a lot cooler. In the dark, the larger one will be much easier to find because of its greater size, heat production, and IF signature. The smaller one will be harder to locate. That's basically the technique, and it's like a Force Push or Pull. Not light, not dark, can be learned by either Jedi or Sith.

 

Hmm...
In the O.T the jedis sensing/feeling the force .It seems to me very mystical .
( somewhat ,a religious conection )

The prequel ( The science triumphs , I guess ) The jedis needs a machine to counting the Midchlorians ... np very powerful if you ask me...

 

Agreed

 

>>>Can a Jedi (or Sith Lord) notice the force in someone if they are not using it's power?

If you mean the ability to use the Force; no. There's nothing anywhere in the films to suggest that they can.

On the other hand;

-Vader didn't sense anything in Leia in ANH.
-The Emperor couldn't sense Luke on Endor (although Vader recognised his presence.)
-None of the Jedi sensed Palpatine in TPM or AOTC.
-The PT Jedi rely on midichlorian counts to detect potential Jedi.

The ONLY time when someone has "sensed" the Force with someone was Vader sensing it in Luke in ANH- at a time when a dead Obi Wan (who had become one with the Force) was talking to him through the Force, telling him to "use the Force."

 

I agree Scott3eyez, though we do seem to be in the minority.

 

"The ONLY time when someone has "sensed" the Force with someone was Vader sensing it in Luke in ANH- at a time when a dead Obi Wan (who had become one with the Force) was talking to him through the Force, telling him to "use the Force.""

Ah, yes. My favorite example (did you get that from me?) It would seem that Vader may have been sensing Obi-wan, who is "one with the Force", rather than Luke. After all, Vader says "The Force is strong with this one", not "This one is strong in the Force." The focus is on the Force, rather than with Luke.

 

In the official AotC novel, Yoda tells Padme' that the force is strong with her when they first meet in Palp's office. I think Jedi and Sith can sense the force in non-Jedi. How would there be a good amount of Jedi if they couldnt? I dont think that they have tests on all the people in the galaxy to see if there midi count is high. I believe someone has to sense something in them to have them be tested first... But that's just IMHO...

 

In ANH, Darth Vader says:

"I sense something..a PRESENCE I have not felt sinse..."


Later on , Obi-Wan was sneaking through the Death Star to reach de shield generator, he obviously has in a stealth mode, and Vader told Tarkin:

"He is here, the Force is with him"

I think when someone is strong with the Force, it is quite easy for a Force user to detect his PRESENCE or Aura.

 

MeBeJedi
>>>>Ah, yes. My favorite example (did you get that from me?)

I don't think so- although I couldn't rule it out!

>>>>It would seem that Vader may have been sensing Obi-wan, who is "one with the Force", rather than Luke. After all, Vader says "The Force is strong with this one", not "This one is strong in the Force." The focus is on the Force, rather than with Luke

Exactly.

I think this might be an idea that midichlorians are supposed to emphasise- the difference between someone who the Force is strong with (for whatever reason) such as Luke (with Obi Wan's spirit there, speaking to him) or Anakin in TPM (ie. completely untrained as a Jedi), compared to someone who has become strong with the Force (such as Palpatine.)

I think it could be very interesting if it turns out that Luke's midichlorian count isn't at all high, making it clear that midichlorians aren't the "be all and end all" to the Force being strong with someone that TPM implied...