The Force
The Force is a metaphysical, mysterious, and ubiquitous power in the Star Wars fiction franchise. Within the galaxy in which the franchise is set, characters refer to the Force as an energy that interconnects all things, maintaining cosmic balance. Particularly "Force-sensitive" characters, usually through rigorous self-discipline, training, and mindfulness, are able to connect to the Force and thus access and wield certain supernatural abilities such as limited degrees of superhuman strength, telekinesis, and clairvoyance.
Heroes like the Jedi, a peacekeeping group of warrior-monks, largely seek to "become one with the Force", matching their personal wills with "the will of the Force". This is evidenced by their ability to channel its powers, which they do towards selfless goals. Meanwhile, the Sith and other villains try to bend the additional abilities gained through the Force toward their own selfish and destructive desires. Throughout the franchise, this distinction is referred as the light side versus the dark side of the Force. In the conflict between the light and dark sides, characters' actions are often described as either helping to bring balance to the Force or, its opposite, causing a disturbance in the Force.
The Force and the Jedi religion have been compared to aspects of several real-world religions, such as Buddhism and Taoism. The Jedi catchphrase and valediction "May the Force be with you" has become part of pop culture vernacular.
Concept and development
Creation for the original films
created the concept of the Force to address character and plot developments in Star Wars. He also wanted to "awaken a certain kind of spirituality" in young audiences, suggesting a belief in God without endorsing any specific religion. He developed the Force as a nondenominational religious concept, "distill the essence of all religions", premised on the existence of God and distinct ideas of good and evil. Lucas said there is a conscious choice between good and bad, and "the world works better if you're on the good side". In 1970s San Francisco, where Lucas lived when he wrote the drafts that became Star Wars, New Age ideas that incorporated the concept of qi and other notions of a mystical life-force were "in the air" and widely embraced.Lucas used the term the Force to "echo" its use by Canadian cinematographer Roman Kroitor in Arthur Lipsett's 21-87, a National Film Board production, in which Kroitor says, "Many people feel that in the contemplation of nature and in communication with other living things, they become aware of some kind of force, or something, behind this apparent mask which we see in front of us, and they call it God". Although Lucas had Kroitor's line in mind specifically, Lucas said the underlying sentiment is universal and that "similar phrases have been used extensively by many different people for the last 13,000 years".
The first draft of Star Wars makes two references to "the Force of Others" and does not explain the concept: King Kayos utters the blessing "May the Force of Others be with you all", and he later says "I feel the Force also". The power of the Force of Others is kept secret by the Jedi Bendu of the Ashla, an "aristocratic cult" in the second draft. The second draft offers a lengthy explanation of the Force of Others and introduces its Ashla light side and Bogan dark side. The Ashla and Bogan are mentioned 10 and 31 times, respectively, and the Force of Others plays a more prominent role in the story. In this draft, Luke Starkiller's mission is to retrieve the Kyber Crystal, which can intensify either the Ashla or Bogan powers. The film's shorter third draft has no references to the Ashla, but it mentions the Bogan eight times and Luke is still driven to recover the Kyber Crystal.
Lucas finished the fourth and near-final draft on January 1, 1976. This version trims "the Force of Others" to "the Force", makes a single reference to the Force's seductive "dark side", distills an explanation of the Force to 28 words, and eliminates the Kyber Crystal. Producer Gary Kurtz, who studied comparative religion in college, had long discussions with Lucas about religion and philosophy throughout the writing process. Kurtz told Lucas he was unhappy with drafts in which the Force was connected with the Kyber Crystal, and he was also dissatisfied with the early Ashla and Bogan concepts.
Lucas and screenwriter Leigh Brackett decided that the Force and the Emperor would be the main concerns in The Empire Strikes Back. The focus on the Emperor was later shifted to Return of the Jedi, and the dark side of the Force was treated as The Empire Strikes Backs main villain.
Prequel films and midi-chlorians
The Phantom Menace introduces midi-chlorians, microscopic creatures that connect characters to the Force. Lucas later requested a passage about midi-chlorians be retroactively added to notes written in August 1977 expanding on the nature of the Force. Lucas based the concept on symbiogenesis, calling midi-chlorians a "loose depiction" of mitochondria. He further said:In a rough draft of Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine says he "used the power of the Force to will the midichlorians to start the cell divisions that created Anakin Skywalker". This line was removed as the script progressed.
Sequel films and other productions
Lucas' story treatments for a potential sequel trilogy involved "a microbiotic world" and creatures known as the Whills, beings that "control the universe" and "feed off the Force." He elaborated that individuals function as "vehicles for the Whills to travel around in", and that midi-chlorians "communicate with the Whills in a general sense... are the Force." After selling Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, Lucas said his biggest concern about the franchise's future was the Force being "muddled into a bunch of gobbledegook".When writing The Force Awakens with Lawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams respected that Lucas had established midi-chlorians' effect on some characters' ability to use the Force. However, as a child, he interpreted Obi-Wan Kenobi's explanation of the Force in Star Wars to mean that any character could use its power, and that the Force was more grounded in spirituality than science. Abrams retained the idea of the Force having a light and a dark side, and some characters' seduction by the dark side helps create conflict for the story. Pablo Hidalgo of the Lucasfilm Story Group gave his "blessing" for writer-director Rian Johnson to introduce a new Force power in The Last Jedi "if the story required it and if it felt like it stretches into new territory but doesn't break the idea of what the Force can do." Johnson observed that every Star Wars movie introduces new Force powers to meet that film's story needs.
Star Wars Rebels producer Dave Filoni cites several influences on how the Force is used in the show. The character Bendu—named in homage to the term Lucas originally associated with the Jedi—does not align with the franchise's normal dark-or-light duality, and this role is an extension of Filoni's conversations with Lucas about the nature of the Force. Filoni credits the prequel films for better developing the concept of the Force, particularly the idea of a balance between the light and dark sides.
Depiction
describes the Force as "an energy field created by all living things" in Star Wars. In The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon Jinn says microscopic lifeforms called midi-chlorians, which exist inside all living cells, allow some characters to be Force-sensitive; characters must have a high enough midi-chlorian count to feel and use the Force. Midi-chlorians are sentient, and arguably were the first species to emerge in the Star Wars universe. The species was a foundation of all life, as some deemed life impossible without midi-chlorians, and ultimately resided in all living beings, connecting two aspects of the Force. The Living Force is the energy generated by all living things. Through midi-chlorians, it is fed into the Cosmic Force, which binds all things and communicates with living sentient beings.In 1981, Lucas compared using the Force to yoga, saying any character can use its power. Dave Filoni said in 2015 that all Star Wars characters are "Force intuitive": some characters, like Luke Skywalker, are aware of their connection to the Force, while characters such as Han Solo draw upon the Force unconsciously. Filoni said the most potent Force users are characters whose midi-chlorian count provides a natural affinity for using the Force and who undertake intense training and discipline. Rogue One portrays the Force more as a religion "than simply a way to manipulate objects and people". In the years following the Great Jedi Purge depicted in the prequel trilogy, some characters have lost faith in the Force, and the Galactic Empire hunts down surviving Jedi and other Force-sensitive characters. By the time of the events in The Force Awakens, some characters think the Jedi and the Force are myths.
Some Force-sensitive characters derive special, psychic abilities from it, such as telekinesis, mind control, and extrasensory perception. The Force is sometimes referred to in terms of "dark" and "light" sides, with villains like the Sith drawing on the dark side to act aggressively while the Jedi use the light side for defense and peace. According to Filoni, Lucas believed a character's intentions when using the Force—their "will to be selfless or selfish"—is what distinguishes light and dark sides. The Force is also used by characters who are neither Jedi nor Sith, such as Leia Organa and Kylo Ren. Characters throughout the franchise use their Force powers in myriad ways, including Obi-Wan using a "mind trick" to undermine a stormtrooper's will, Darth Vader choking subordinates without touching them, Qui-Gon Jinn repelling several battle droids at once, Rey lifting a large pile of rocks, and Kylo Ren stopping blaster fire in mid-air. Film and television use of the Force is sometimes accompanied by a sound effect, such as a deep rumble associated with aggressive use or a more high-pitched sound associated with benevolent use.
File:Jedi spirits-Return of the Jedi.jpg|thumb|From left: Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi appear as spirits at the end of the original version of Return of the Jedi.
Jedi with special training can continue to exist after death, and some interact with the living as "being of light" referred to as "Force ghosts." Obi-Wan's spirit provides Luke with guidance at key moments in the original trilogy, and Yoda appears as a spirit to guide Luke in The Last Jedi. Voices of past Jedi help Rey at the climax of The Rise of Skywalker, and Luke's and Leia's spirits watch over her at the film's conclusion. In an early draft of Return of the Jedi, Lucas planned to resurrect Obi-Wan and Yoda at the climax, and some drafts included scenes of the two helping Luke stop the Emperor. The final arc of sixth season of The Clone Wars reveals that Qui-Gon Jinn learned how to transition into the "cosmic Force" from entities who represent various emotions; Yoda hears the deceased Qui-Gon's voice in Attack of the Clones, and he reveals in Revenge of the Sith that he has contact with Qui-Gon. A short story by Claudia Gray depicts Obi-Wan learning this technique from Qui-Gon in the years leading up to Star Wars.
The Force plays an important role in several Star Wars plot lines. Anakin Skywalker's rise as a Jedi, descent into the Sith Lord Darth Vader, and redemption back to the light side of the Force is the main story arc for the first six Star Wars films. Yoda's arc in the sixth season of The Clone Wars depicts him exploring "bigger questions" about the Force and taking various inspirations from the franchise's expanded universe. In The Force Awakens, Finn's exposure to the Force helps make him question his training. Writer Rian Johnson used the Force to allow Rey and Kylo Ren to communicate in The Last Jedi, developing the characters' relationship.