Across the expansive universe that isStar Wars, there has been a whole host ofincredible force abilitiesthat both the Sith and the Jedi have wielded. While many of those powers have been relegated to the Legends canon, there are still plenty of fantastical abilities that remain canon, and even more that become canon as time goes on.Star Warsfans will never know when their favorite abilities will become canon, but it might be sooner than they think.
With force abilities, powerful Jedi and Sith are capable of incredible feats. Whatever true connection to the Force means, those with allegiance to the Force, regardless of their motives with the mystical energy, can be capable of utterly destroying someone or taking the time to save someone from the grip of death.
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What Is The Force?
Whether people like it or not, the Force is an ethereal concept as it is seen as some kind ofenergy that literally connects all things across the universe. There is some level of the Force existing in pretty much all beings, though only a few are said to be truly Force-sensitive, something that can lead to a being becoming a powerful Jedi or Sith. A large factor in the capacity to harness the Force is Midi-Chlorians, which, when concentrated in the body of a being, leads to greater Force-sensitivity.
Depending on the civilization, the Force has gone by a number of different names and has a lengthy history. With different ways to interpret the Force, a schism would eventually form between those who most ardently followed the ways of the mythical energy. Those two sides of the schism would become known as the Jedi and the Sith. The Jedi generally represent good and the use of the Force to help others, while the Sith see the Force as a way to become more powerful for selfish reasons.
There are a variety of Force abilities that both types of Force schools are able to use. One of the simplest is a form of telekinesis, something that is seen quite often throughout theStar Warsfilms. Some other common abilities among Force users are the ability to use stasis on objects, the capability to have visions, and the ability to sense the intentions of others. With a strong enough connection to the Force, some beings could sense disturbances within the Force itself.
What Are Jedi Force Abilities?
There are a whole host of Jedi abilities that are universally used for good. InThe Last Jedi,Luke Skywalker was able to use the Forceto make it appear as if he were on a planet elsewhere in the galaxy. Like a few other powerful Jedi, he too was able to become a Force spirit to essentially live forever. This ability has become even more powerful in the sequel trilogy, because it was shown that a Force spirit could directly interact with certain objects despite not having a physical form.
Many of the other Jedi-specific Force abilities center around their philosophy of aiding others.The recent fan-favorite Cal Kestishas the powerful Psychometry Force ability, which lets him sense the history of a specific place or item of importance. Other Jedi demonstrate attachment to animals to the point that they can eventually tame and influence them. Others are capable of healing, and in the case of Ben Solo inThe Rise Of Skywalker, can even bring someone back from the dead.
Whether seen as a kind of gift of the Force or created as a direct counter to dark-side users of the Sith, some Jedi even have the ability to block or counter Sith Force abilities. One of the most powerful Jedi to ever live,Yoda is one of the few Jedito ever demonstrate the ability to directly counter the deadly Force Lightning ability. He did this in bothAttack Of The ClonesandRevenge Of The Sith,against Count Dooku and Darth Sidious respectively.
What Are Sith Force Abilities?
While the Dark Side of the Force is said to be powerful, they have demonstrated far less prowess with the energy in canon. The most common abilities seen are things like Force Lightning, Force Choke, and overall manipulation of the Force. Outside of that, most of the Sith’s most powerful abilities are simply legends of supposed accomplishments from powerful Sith.
Darth Plagueis was said to have the powerto keep beings from dying and even create life, though that feat arguably hasn’t been demonstrated outwardly by the Sith. This leaves Force Lightning as one of the most powerful Sith abilities, since it is so dangerous that it can easily backfire on the user. The Sith have access to immense power, but many of their shown skills overlap with skills Jedi can use, though the Sith tend to add darker twists.
Are Light Abilities Stronger Than Dark Abilities?
It might be possible to make the case that the Sith are the stronger overall force users in the Legends canon. However, it does seem to be the case that the potential with the light side of the Force is overall much greater. A major reason for this is that there hasn’t been a Sithcapable of becoming a Force Spirit, which essentially confers immortality. The dark side is powerful, but an equally powerful Jedi will always have a worthwhile counter to Sith’s abilities.
With the canonicity of abilities like Psychometry and Force Healing to the point of reviving someone from death, along with Force Spirit’s ability to interact with the world around them, it does seem that Jedi with a true connection to the force is the more powerful being. At the same time, it probably is true to say that the Sith have the strongest combat ability in Force Lightning, even if it is possible to repel the attack through a lightsaber, and more impressively, through the Force alone.
