Jedi Archive
Thread: Force Lighting as a ranged special? Why a dark side power?
Everitt_Cage wrote:
Fiach wrote:
Could that be considered an evil act?
No, however I have seen it referred to as "Sith lightning" in official sources, such as the ROTS visual dictionary published by LucasBooks. Perhaps there is some technical difference between force lightning and "sith lightning" (such as sith lightning involving some kind of sith teachings and techniques to make it more destructive or deadly)
Message Edited by Everitt_Cage on 11-03-2005 09:59 PM
Interesting point. Makes me wonder how the mind trick can be considered a good power. What's so good about forcing your will on another being?
More food for thought 
Exactly my point, and I too have mostly heard it called Sith Lightning. I was aware some light side characters in the EU have used them on some occasions, but the EU is a bit spotty at times when things like this are involved, and I personally haven't read said events.
If there is a positive way to focus this power, then fair enough I suppose, I'm not really all for it, but I can accept it as such. I've just never seen anything to lead me to believe it isn't deeply entangled with the dark side, meaning that it's use, however well intended, brings the user closer in touch with a dangerous aspect.
I think what we may be delving into here is what Palpatine discussed in ROTS: how the Sith use the force in unnatural ways. The Jedi seem to use the force only to aid their NATURAL abilities(make themselves faster, stronger, etc), while conjuring electricity out of the air might be considered an unnatural use of it. I like that term, "conjuring", applied to Sith lightning; here is where I saw it used:
"As a result of having artificial limbs, Darth Vader will never be able to conjure Sith lightning - nor be invulnerable to it."
Additionaly, in the novel of ROTJ, when Palpatine uses lighting, it speaks of it as a perversion of the force(or something along those lines). They should used a special attack like force push, that didnt seem light or dark in nature(from what we've seen in the films), or alternatively let your special attack be granted by a light or dark quest(force push for light jedi or lightning for dark jedi). At least give the people who think its inherrantly dark another option this way.
Message Edited by Everitt_Cage on 11-03-2005 10:15 PM
RebelArchAngel wrote:
There is no power that is related directly t either side of the force... they r only defined by the weilder...
What do you think of the dark side being an "unnatural" use of the force, as Sidious said in ROTS, and as explained 3 posts up?
Message Edited by Everitt_Cage on 11-04-2005 08:45 AM
Jengu-Fet wrote:
DocSavag wrote:
ThRippeR wrote:
SpaceJawa wrote:
There are no darkside powers, only darkside intent. One of Leia and Han's kids used lightning and they were Light Jedi.
/cough (books)
/cough MMO
/cough LOL
Why do I feel like I should be turning my head?
wooo! your hands are cold doc!
Everitt_Cage wrote:
RebelArchAngel wrote:
There is no power that is related directly t either side of the force... they r only defined by the weilder...
What do you think of the dark side being an "unnatural" use of the force, as Sidious said in ROTS, and as explained 3 posts up?
Message Edited by Everitt_Cage on 11-04-2005 08:45 AM
im sorry.. i forgot qoutes... This is what Kyle Katarn said (who was a LJ but had lightning and choke) in Jedi Academy
Good subject this.
I reckon that techniques like force lightning and force choke etc, are considered dark side powers because of their destructive and pain inflicting intent, they stem from the drawing of negative energy and the manifestation of wrath and anger, it really does all come down to the intent of the user as we have seen.
Anakin is a very powerful light-side force user to begin with, but as his descent to the dark-side begins, his intent becomes more frightening and dangerous (the slaughterof the Tusken Raider camp is a prime example) at this time he is using light-side Jedi powers for revenge and destruction (which he thinks he has good cause to do at the time, because of the death of his mother) this is where the anger and dark-sidebegins to consume him, although in the grand scale of things, he doesn't really know it yet, therefore his intent is still really to be a good guy but he has used Jedi powers for merciless killing out of hatred and anger. Therefore his intent is what controlled his actions.
When Anakin finally becomes Darth Vader, we see a different kind of intent, one of total dark-side submission, he could still use his powers for good, but decides not to do that, when he enters the Jedi Temple and basically wipes it out, he probably uses just as much light-side force power as dark-side because his Dark-side power is only just beginning to grow, so here we have a light-side skilled Jedi using light sided skills to kill his (former)own people.
In conclusion I think powers are just pigeonholed into which side uses them most, but Dark-side powers seem to be more attack and destroy based, and LightJedi powers are more defensive. but either one or the other can be used by either side.
It's all about intent