- “The Force is everywhere. It surrounds us, and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”
- ―Kanan Jarrus tells Ezra about the Force[src]
Yoda communes with Ezra Bridger through the Force.
The Force is an energy field and the binding, metaphysical, and ubiquitous power that exists throughout the universe. It is known to many beings and by different names, as are its two sides, and has numerous manifestations. The light side of the Force is known as the "spirit of the galaxy" or Ashla, while the dark side is called the Bogan by both the Lasat and the The Bendu. Some beings are born with the innate ability to connect to the Force and make use of its power, which has led to the rise of such organizations as the Jedi and the Sith.
Abilities[]
The Force can grant advanced physical abilities, temporarily augmenting attributes such as strength, durability, endurance, stamina, speed, reflexes, agility and dexterity to varying degrees. Aside from temporarily augmented attributes, Force users commonly possess a variety of mental and psychic abilities, including telekinesis, telepathy, hypnosis, mind control, enhanced empathy, animal taming, clairvoyance and even precognition and retrocognition in some cases. For most users, limited range, as well as being physically or mentally impaired would subsequently weaken or nullify their abilities. Users often require significant focus and will to both develop and utilize their abilities, lest they become exhausted or strain themselves in attempting to do so. Due to this limitation, various Force users are often forced to refrain from using the full extent of their abilities too heavily or frivolously and notably tend to resort to physical combat, especially with the use of a lightsaber.
Users of the Force could manipulate their surroundings by applying force without physical contact and from a distance, usually as a means of attack. Force users could potentially manipulate even large star ships in accordance to their will, which could be achieved by letting go of the distinction of the object's size, mass, and weight, though this was difficult for most users. This would limit uses of this ability mostly to levitating and otherwise manipulating small to medium sized objects or mechanisms, the latter skill being enough for some users to manipulate certain electronics, such as automated doors. The Fifth Brother was able to use such an ability to manipulate bombs that Garazeb Orrelios and Sabine Wren attempted to use on him, first to deactivate them before they detonated near him and then to send them towards the duo to detonate them. For advanced uses with less overall effort, the ability is usually accompanied by motion of the eyes, hands or even the entire body, the latter being the most common way to use the power, which can can also limit use of the ability, especially when the user's mind or senses are strained or overwhelmed. Some Force users can apply force onto themselves, allowing them to perform feats of mobility such as enhanced leaps or slowing their falls from otherwise dangerous heights.
Less tangible manifestations of the Force is the experience of visions, in which the user sees or hears things that are not actually physical through their connection to the Force. This allows skilled Force wielders-such as Yoda or the Bendu-to communicate with others over vast distances; the ability of those involved can also affect whether such a vision includes a visual manifestation or simply a voice heard in one's mind. Visions can also be received from the Force itself, which can provide glimpses of events to come, though these are difficult to interpret. Force users were also able to influence and control the weak minded by making use of the Jedi Mind Trick. Dark Side users, such as The Grand Inquisitor and Seventh Sister, were shown to be able to forcibly pry into the minds of others and to force their victim to either convey information or perform an act. Trained Jedi were more resilient to such probing, while it is unknown if others can resist it as well.
For Dark Side users, their intense, raw and aggressive feelings such as fear, pain, anger, hatred and passion enhances their powers beyond their normal limits, such as telekinetic strength and intensity. However, use of such emotions usually came at a cost of awareness, reaction time, mental strength, and analytical thinking capabilities. This was due to a unrefined or arrogant user being overwhelmed by their intense and controlled feelings and unable to think clearly, especially in combat, which rendered the user vulnerable to enemy's with more emotional and mental control and, therefore a clearer mind. However, more refined and disciplined combatants, such as Darth Vader and The Grand Inquisitor, could learn to channel their dark emotions into their combat ability and Force ability without losing much control, lest they become overconfident and underestimate their opponents, as the latter did when fighting Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger, which allowed them to escape multiple times and eventually allowed Kanan to defeat him.
The Dark Side Of The Force[]
Ezra taps into the dark side in an effort to control a Mega Fyrnock.
The Dark Side of the Force, or simply the Dark Side, represented the raw power of the Force that was not practiced by the Jedi, who regarded it as corrupting. Channeling intense and aggressive feelings, such as pain, fear, anger and passion would increase one's connection to the Dark Side. While its power would enhance the strength of their powers beyond their normal limits, it would also corrupt their personality and morality, usually creating an unstoppable drive for more power. The Sith, practitioners of the Dark Side, wielded their power to gain power and dominance over the galaxy.