Dark Times #3: The Path to Nowhere, part 3 (of 5)

Answer: Yes, no and no.

 

If there's a dark side, how is lightning not corrupting?

 

Because it is not a purely Dark Side power.

 

It's pure, concentrated hatred and rage! What's more Dark Side than that?

(I wasn't really expecting to actually debate any of this )

 

Flagrant, flamboyant, displays of Force power intended to torture, perhaps unto death, is not dark side?

 

We have seen it used by characters who were clearly not on the Dark Side when they used it. I see it as a power that the Jedi avoid to use because it can be used to torture and kill, not because it would be only a Dark Side power. It is not the act of using it that corrupts, it is the act of using it to kill when does not have to do so which can - and usually does - corrupt. Whether there is external or internal Dark Side, it is the act of unnecessary killing that corrupts, not the method as long as there is no clear alternative to it. Causing unnecessary suffering corrupts and in itself is a sign of corruption.

 

There is no Light Side use for Lightning. It's not electricity; it's pure destructive negative energy. It's there to kill and to destroy. Cade's Dark Side defibrilator was something totally different from traditional Force Lightning (unless there's some canon source that indicates differently that I haven't heard). Palpatine uses Lightning to cause Luke and Mace to suffer because it's the only thing you can do with Lightning, maim and kill and cause pain and suffering.

 

We've seen it used by characters that were in negative mental/emotional states. If Zekk loses control and chokes someone out with the Force, it doesn't automatically makes him a dark sider, but it was certainly a dark side thing to do.

Torture, killing, unnecessary shows of strength...all things associated with the dark side.

Torture is only evil and corrupting if it results in death?

...why use lightning if you can use a lightsaber? Ask the guy getting fried to death by a Dark Jedi whether he'd rather endure the lightning or take a quick lightsaber to the neck.

Yes. Exactly.

Even if it is electricity, it's no good.

In a flamboyant, over the top, slow, painful manner.

Jan and Jon have both said it's not lightning.

Exactly. There are more effective, painless ways to kill people. The only reason to use lightning is because you want them to suffer.

 

For the record, those last three quotes were me, just so no one gets confused and thinks Rogue's a flip-flopper.

 

Here we go again.

 

Sephy: edited.

 

with the delays, who really cares about force lightning and the good and bad. Who cares

 

Hey, we gotta have something to talk about till the next time the issue gets delayed.

 

But dogs can look up.

 

It's coming out next week.

 

Maybe. Diamond doesn't post the final shipping list until Monday.

 

It was just listed in the Saturday AM update, so I think they really have a shot at geting it out on Wednesday.

 

I... I'm truly shocked. It's finally coming out. I... don't know what to say.

Someone sticky this baby!

 

what is that hooved animal?

 

Hallelujah!

 

I'll believe it when I buy it.

 

QFT, my friend.

I still think that the existence of this comic is merely a fever-hallucination. Must be time for my meds again...

 

Anybody come up with a benign use for Force-Lightning yet?

 

Ummm...heating up Pop-Tarts?

 

Jacen did use it for a relatively benign reason in Bloodlines, if I remember correctly, by making unconscious people during a GAG raid. Otherwise the GAG would have just charged in and perhaps killed them all if they would have been conscious and able to resist.