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Master Qui-Gon, more to say, have you?

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"Obi-Wan had never addressed telekinesis with me. It was likely that I wasn't strong enough to begin training in such an advanced field of study. That didn't mean I shouldn't try."
―Luke Skywalker in his personal writings[10]

Telekinesis, also known as Force telekinesis, was the ability to move and otherwise manipulate physical matter in a variety of ways, all while using the power of the Force. The ability was virtually ubiquitous among Force-sensitive individuals and organizations, though the techniques could differ greatly. It had a tremendous number of applications, both combative and utilitarian.

Description[]

"You know how you guys can move things around by thinking about it?"
"We use our connection to the Force, but yes, I know what you mean."
Joss Adren and Jedi Knight Te'Ami[11]
Saber throw DV12

Darth Vader telekinetically guiding his hurled lightsaber at a Rebel Y-wing starfighter.

Telekinesis was one of the most basic Force powers.[12] A commonly used ability for those with power in the Force, the purpose of telekinesis was to manipulate matter, allowing the user to touch, hold, move, and otherwise interact with a target through the Force. For a sufficiently skilled and powerful practitioner, the size, weight, distance, and mass of a targeted object would seldomly hinder their ability to influence it. One could lift something as small as a piece of fruit to an X-wing starfighter, while they could also use it to manipulate liquids or to dispel gaseous substances.[13][14][15]

Applications[]

"Those adept at using the Force are able to access its energies to manipulate objects using nothing but their minds. It may seem effortless, but it's not an easy skill to master, requiring a great deal of focus and willpower, It wasn't until my training with Master Yoda on Dagobah that I began to realize is true potential, watching as he used the Force to lift my X-wing from the swamp. I've found countless valuable uses for Telekinesis myself, from clearing debris in my path to calling a lightsaber to my hand in the heat of battle."
―Luke Skywalker[16]

Despite the ability allowing the user the ability to manipulate targets without physical contact and from a variable distance, the precision, accuracy, range, and strength of the ability were tied to the user's concentration,[17] willpower, emotions,[18] senses, and spatial awareness. Therefore, a user's power of telekinesis could be weakened, nullified, or destabilized, causing said user to be unable to properly control it.[17] The power was generally used at close range, but in rare instances, a user was able to affect a target only by having to know the targets location relative to themselves, whether it be around a corner or in another room.[19] As such, the power could be applied even if the user did not have a direct line of sight to the target with enough concentration, even if the target was light-years away, viewed though a holocomm or viewscreen.[20][17][19][21][22][23]

Force crush KoF

An IG-100 MagnaGuard Force crushed by a Nautolan Jedi

During meditation, which drew forth a stronger and more direct connection with the Force, the enhanced state of consciousness could sometimes inadvertently affect one's surroundings, usually by causing surrounding objects, or even the practitioner themselves to levitate.[17][24] In fact, some practitioners were so skilled and powerful that they could consciously resist gravity, inertia, friction and other physical forces to enhance their mobility, notably allowing them to slow their falls.[20][25][26]

Users of the Dark side could use physical pain, as well as intense and raw emotions, to strengthen their power to allow them to exert more telekinetic effort than normal, especially during moments of great stress, fear, desperation, and rage.[27][28][29][30] Force Rend saw an enemy violently lifted into the air, where their body would contort through stress applied by the Force.[6]

Water could be manipulated through the Force, but also lava, fire and explosions.[31][32][33][34] It was possible to affect targets that were otherwise obscured, such as the inside of a target, which notably could allow a target to affect technology to an extent by manipulating its internal or external mechanisms. The user was able to reach out and essentially lock onto a target through sheer concentration, picturing it in their mind if it was obscured or obstructed.[35][36] This allowed for feats such as disabling and then reactivating thermal detonators or opening doors without touching them.[37][38]

EzraStopsShinLightsaber-Ahsoka

Ezra Bridger uses telekinesis to hold back an incoming lightsaber strike.

In a lightsaber combat situation, telekinesis could be used to hold back an incoming lightsaber blade.[39][18] Some users were also skilled with activating or deactivating lightsabers from a distances or keeping the blade ignited while not touching it.[20] This additionally allowed a user to throw their lightsabers like boomerangs while manipulating their trajectory to strike a distant target before causing it to deactivate and return to the user's hand.[40] Consequently, some Force users could muster enough telekinetic strength to crush all sorts of objects such as ships, walls, and droids.[41][42][43]

Telekinesis naturally possessed both offensive and defensive capabilities, with most Force user being able to combatively use it to a degree. In combat, the ability could be used to exert harmful amounts of physical force against a target, such as to push, pull, throw, grab, or choke them. This allowed a user to grab an opponent with the Force to suspend them in the air, occasionally holding them up by a certain part of their body, such as the neck, or to pin them against walls and ceilings.[44] Alternatively, this could be used to pull or hold back an target, effectively restraining or completely immobilizing them.[45][30][46]

HE3-Force-push

Darth Vader uses a powerful Force push against the Orphans.

Furthermore, as a user can grip and squeeze certain parts of their targets, they can potentially manipulate their targets motor skills or make them unable to move.[47][48][49] This could also be done more subtly, such as to disrupt the aim of an opponent, usually with a telekinetic shove, whether they be using longer-ranged weapons such as blasters or melee weapons such as lightsabers.[50][51] Indeed, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker used telekinesis on a corpse during his mission to Batuu to make it appear as if an enemy agent was still alive. However, Skywalker confessed such an act was harder than making one's limbs move: for the scheme to succeed, the individual needed to look as though they were breathing, he needed to ensure their balance remained stable, and he had to make sure their muscles under the skin moved properly. Skywalker's partner for the mission, Chiss Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn," was interested in Skywalker's plan and deemed the final product adequate.[52]

Despite the strengths of telekinesis, many users of the ability were susceptible to limitations, which were in part brought on due to their own physical and mental limitations. The weight of an object could affect the speed in which an object could be moved and it was normally less easy to control targets that were already moving or had stronger force already exerted on them, such as the debris and concussive force of an explosion.[53] In addition, the effort of using the ability was able to induce physical and mental exhaustion.[3][54] Focusing the ability with only one hand was adequate for some objects. However, with heavier objects, a user likely needed to use two hands to help guide the mass.[3]

Even the most powerful and skilled users of the Force, who naturally possessed greater levels of precision and accuracy with their ability, commonly refrained from repeated use of this ability in combat, using it more in short bursts to repel or otherwise attack their opponents, rather than to perform more delicate, complex, or strenuous tasks, as the effort and concentration could leave a user vulnerable and potentially weakened against their opponent. More times than not, they were forced to divert an intense amount of continuous effort on such tasks and as such, they were left unable to perform other tasks in the meantime, including moving in most cases. As this could leave them vulnerable in dangerous scenarios, such as open combat, Force users usually had little time or focus to manipulate their environment in more drastic ways, such as dismantling supports on large structures or surgically controlling small objects, without some form of cover or outside protection to ensure they were not interrupted.[55][48]

ReyTelekineticStaff-Allegiance3

Rey using the Force to spin her staff striking multiple opponents.

The ability was usually accompanied by or channeled through physical gestures, specifically the motion of the eyes, hands, fingers, or occasionally the entire body. Such gestures were the most common way to use the power, especially when the user's mind or senses were strained or overwhelmed, as the user required comparatively less concentration, focus, and effort to manifest their ability. However, the feature could also limit the use of one's abilities if the user is restrained or otherwise rendered immobile. As such, physically restraining a Force-user was an effective way to neutralize their ability to use their power effectively enough to escape, especially if they were surrounded by enemies. Additionally, the use of a containment field or stuncuffs, was even more effective at disabling Force-users and keeping them from being able to use the Force to attempt to overpower their captors.[38][56][48][57][58]

Additionally, by using the Force on oneself, combined with the user's strength of mind and will, a Force user could telekinetically increase their resistance to harm, especially to other Force abilities. This typically allowed both strong and skilled practitioners of the Force to defend against another Force-user's attempt to restrain, constrict, throw, repel, or otherwise affect or harm them with the Force. Most Force users were, therefore, less able to effectively use the Force on each other and tend to rely on physical attacks to break their opponent's guard before attempting to use a telekinetic attack. However, those with sufficient enough skill or power in the Force could more easily overwhelm such defenses with less effort as well as make themselves practically immune to having their protection broken by others while actively using their power to protect themselves and negate the attack, making them extremely dangerous in direct combat.[source?]

Saber Throw SWLcore

Darth Vader throws his lightsaber down the hallway of a ship.

Because of the ability's common deployment by Force users, many non-Force using combatants devised ways to counteract and mimic the effects of telekinesis. Among their other technologies developed during and after the Mandalorian-Jedi War, the Mandalorians built weaponized repulsors and grappling lines that could mimic the effects of telekinetic pushes and pulls. Jetpacks such as those utilized by Mandalorians and bounty hunters were used to provide counter-thrust against telekinetic attacks while others such as the Purge Troopers of the Empire's Inquisitorius were trained to recover or react quickly from pushes and shoves or to counterattack whilst being pulled.[59] In fact, individuals of a sufficient level of size, strength and resilience could more easily withstand telekinetic attacks and could capitalize on the limits of a Force user's capabilities to overcome them.[60][61][62]

Users[]

High Republic Era[]

"Sometimes I use the Force to play catch with her. It's a good way to practice control and concentration"
―Bell Zettifar speaks to Kai Brightstar about his charhound Ember during his visit to Tenoo[63]

During the skirmish at the wedding of Phan-tu Zenn and Xiri A'lbaran, Jedi Knight Gella Nattai used telekinesis to hold up the collapsing ceiling of a building in the Erasmus Capital City, protecting herself and Axel Greylark, the rogue son of Supreme Chancellor Kyong Greylark. Focusing on what he had told her, trusting in her own abilities, and trusting in the Force, Nattai, repeating the Guardian's Mantra, slowly but surely loosened each piece of the collapsing ceiling off until they were safe.[64]

As a Padawan, Jedi Knight Bell Zettifar trained the use of his telekinesis by playing fetch with his charhound Ember. Once, on a visit to the Jedi Temple on Tenoo, Zettifar offered the same training opportunity to youngling Kai Brightstar, however, Brightstar accidentally sent the stick into a nearby forest, where the charhound chased it. While searching the forest together for the charhound, Brightstar fell out of a tree and Zettifar used telekinesis to slow his fall and save him. Eventually they found Ember confronted by a gangul and Brighstar used his own telekinesis to help distract the gangul by throwing a log, in order to save Ember.[63]

Late Republic Era[]

"Well we'll lower it slowly. There are two of us. Ready?"
"Yeah… wait wait wait, are we cutting first and then using the Force?"
"I was thinking we'd do it at the same time."
"How exactly do we do that?"
"Well, one hand to cut the strap, and the other to Force grab the crystal."
"One hand for something that heavy?"
"We only have to keep it from crashing to the ground, Anakin. We don't have to hurl it like a grenade."
―Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, during the Mission to Utapau[3]
AnakinShowoff

Anakin Skywalker uses telekinesis to move a piece of fruit.

Once, when having a meal with Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker used telekinesis to manipulate a piece of fruit. He lamented that Master Obi-Wan Kenobi would be grumpy if he knew that he was doing it because a Jedi was not supposed to use the Force for frivolous purposes. Yoda and Dooku used this power to fight their enemies.[38] Asajj Ventress was skilled in telekinesis.[8]

During the mission to Utapau, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were forced to lift a massive kyber crystal onto a repulsorcraft. Skywalker mentioned how he believed that the crystal was too large to be Force grabbed with one hand, but Kenobi stated it would be simple.[3]

Imperial Era[]

Unlimited-ForceThrow

Darth Vader, a skilled user of telekinesis

Upon discovering his wife's death, Darth Vader inadvertently unleashed his anger, despair, shame, and grief on the chamber of the Grand Republic Medical Facility where he was cybernetically rebuilt, resulting in a tremor inside the room that severely damaged it, while multiple objects and droids were telekinetically crushed. He then blasted Palpatine against a wall with his power and attempted to choke him. However, Palpatine was able to use his own powers to resist the second assault, and it had no visible effect on him.[24]

Luke Skywalker lamented the fact that Kenobi had never addressed the subject of telekinesis in his lessons during the brief time that he trained under him, likely because Kenobi felt he wasn't ready to train in something that was considered an advanced field of study. The power could be used to focus the kyber crystal used in a lightsaber using one's mind. Skywalker decided to give it a try, but couldn't seem to get the hang of it at first. He was pleased when he was finally able to access the ability.[10]

Force Rend SWDL Charro

A Rebel trooper being subjected to Force Rend, a violent form of telekinesis

When Luke Skywalker was training under Master Yoda, he was tasked with lifting his T-65 X-wing starfighter out of a Dagobah swamp, but did not believe it was possible. Yoda proved him wrong by completing the task himself after which Skywalker again expressed disbelief, only to be told that it was his disbelief that caused his failure.[17] When Padmé Amidala's former body-double Sabé chose to remain with Vader instead leaving with her fellow Naboo Royal Handmaidens, as she believed in[65] Amidala's final words about the light existing in Vader[66] and felt that only the Empire had the resources to defeat the civilian-killing revolutionary Jul Tambor, she detached an antigravity device to fall to the ground and reunite with Vader. With Sabé falling through blaster fired from stormtroopers shooting at the handmaidens, Vader guided her back to the ground with telekinesis.[65]

The New Republic's reign era[]

GroguThrashesStormtroopers-TMCh14

Grogu uses telekinesis to move stormtroopers around his cell

In 9 ABY,[67] Grogu trained in telekinesis with his adoptive father, Din Djarin, aboard the Razor Crest as they journeyed to Tython. After being captured by Gideon's Imperial remnant, Grogu used telekinesis on two stormtroopers in a cell on Moff Gideon's light cruiser, thrashing them around the room.[68] After he arrived to rescue Grogu, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker used telekinesis to dispatch multiple hostile Third-generation Dark Troopers, including crushing one inside its own armor.[69]

Rise and rule of the First Order era[]

ForcePull-Convergence

Kylo Ren pulls Dopheld Mitaka across the room with the Force

Kylo Ren was skilled in telekinesis, able to suspend a blaster bolt in midair and leave it harmlessly hanging until he left the scene, which caused it to turn towards and then hit a wall as it was released. He could immobilize victims in a paralyzing grip, to the point where he could control their motor skills. His grip allowed him to squeeze a specific body part, notably gripping Dopheld Mitaka by the neck from across a room to drag him over to his hand. Even his use of the mind probe was strong enough to exert physical force on a subject, as he pinned Poe Dameron against his interrogation chair and held up Del Meeko by the arms without touching them.[70] Supreme Leader Snoke was also skilled in telekinesis.[8]

A weakened Ren, who had been weakened physically and emotionally by Chewbacca's bowcaster and killing his father, respectively, attempted to use telekinesis to retrieve the lightsaber that had once belonged to Anakin and Luke Skywalker, believing it to be his birthright. However, the aspiring Force user Rey managed to do the same and secure the lightsaber via telekinesis.[71] Her knowledge in the use of this skill was also partially taken from the memories she managed to extract from Kylo when he attempted to use the Force to interrogate her earlier.[72]

TelekinesisBattle-TLJcomic

Kylo Ren and Rey both use telekinesis in an effort to take the Skywalker lightsaber.

During the Battle of Oetchi, the Skywalker lightsaber sat beside Snoke as Ren turned his lightsaber closer to a captured Rey, making it seem to Snoke he was preparing to strike down the light side user. In truth, the feeling of turning a lightsaber to kill his true enemy, as felt by Snoke, came from Ren using telekinesis to move the lightsaber beside Snoke, which he activated via telekinesis to cut Snoke in two and execute the Supreme Leader. The lightsaber was then retrieved with telekinesis and used by Rey in a battle against Snoke's Elite Praetorian Guard. Afterward, Rey and Ren engaged in a battle of telekinesis over who could claim the Skywalker lightsaber, shattering it in two in the process. Rey escaped with the broken weapon.[20]

Behind the scenes[]

Telekinesis first appeared in the original Star Wars films and, alike the continuity of Star Wars Legends covers a wide range of named abilities including the Force choke and Force Push. Telekinesis was first identified by name in canon in the 2015 novel Heir to the Jedi by Kevin Hearne.[10]

Appearances[]

Non-canon appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. Star Wars: Jedi Challenges
  2. StarWars-DatabankII Force Choke in the Databank (backup link)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Crystal Crisis"
  4. StarWars-DatabankII Force Push in the Databank (backup link)
  5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season Four
  6. 6.0 6.1 SW Destiny Template Star Wars: DestinyLegacies
  7. SW Destiny Template Star Wars: DestinyTwo-Player Game (Card: Force Stasis) (backup link)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Star Wars Book
  9. SWUnlimitedLogo Star Wars: UnlimitedSpark of Rebellion (Card: Force Throw) (SWUDB backup link)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Heir to the Jedi
  11. The High Republic: Light of the Jedi
  12. Topps logo 2015 Topps Star Wars Chrome Perspectives: Jedi vs. Sith – Jedi Training (Card: Levitation) (backup link)
  13. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Lair of Grievous"
  14. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Prisoners"
  15. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Zillo Beast Strikes Back"
  16. Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
  18. 18.0 18.1 Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
  19. 19.0 19.1 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Wrong Jedi"
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
  21. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Lost One"
  22. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much"
  23. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Family Reunion – and Farewell"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Darth Vader (2017) 1
  25. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Landing at Point Rain"
  26. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Lawless"
  27. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Witches of the Mist"
  28. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Shadow Warrior"
  29. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Revival"
  30. 30.0 30.1 Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Twilight of the Apprentice"
  31. Darth Vader (2017) 3
  32. Darth Vader (2017) 24
  33. Chapter 8: Redemption
  34. Jedi Night
  35. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Fighter Flight"
  36. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Rise of the Old Masters"
  37. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Always Two There Are"
  38. 38.0 38.1 38.2 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
  39. AhsokaS1 Logo Ahsoka — "Part Seven: Dreams and Madness"
  40. Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
  41. Star Wars (2015) 2
  42. Darth Vader (2020) 1
  43. Kidnapped
  44. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  45. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Visions and Voices"
  46. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "Rise of the Old Masters"
  47. Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
  48. 48.0 48.1 48.2 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Gungan General"
  49. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Heroes on Both Sides"
  50. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Padawan Lost"
  51. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Wookiee Hunt"
  52. Thrawn: Alliances 2
  53. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Jedi Crash"
  54. Rebels-mini-logo Star Wars Rebels — "The Holocrons of Fate"
  55. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Gungan Attack"
  56. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Dooku Captured"
  57. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Cargo of Doom"
  58. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Bound for Rescue"
  59. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
  60. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Padawan Lost"
  61. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Wookiee Hunt"
  62. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A Necessary Bond"
  63. 63.0 63.1 Charhound Chase
  64. The High Republic: Convergence
  65. 65.0 65.1 Darth Vader (2020) 32
  66. Darth Vader (2020) 27
  67. Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian" and "Chapter 16: The Rescue" to 9 ABY. The events of Chapters 1–16 must therefore also take place in 9 ABY.
  68. The-Mandalorian-logo The Mandalorian — "Chapter 14: The Tragedy"
  69. The-Mandalorian-logo The Mandalorian — "Chapter 16: The Rescue"
  70. Star Wars: Battlefront II
  71. Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
  72. Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition
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