The Force is the greatest power in the Star Wars universe. All the major conflicts eventually lead to the battle between the Dark and the Light Sides.
Politics and romance aside, the franchise was always adamant about exploring the topic of good versus evil.
The Force, however, also functions as a popular loophole for storytellers and writers. It seems like every single issue can be easily fixed with this great power.
Naturally, I can’t help but ask: “Why don’t the Jedi use the Force for everything?”
The answer hides behind the Jedi Code, tactics, and other aspects I will discuss today.
Contents
Why don’t the Jedi use the Force more often in combat?
I am not a Force user, and the given question is rarely explored in the canon. As such, I can only use bits and pieces of evidence available. Let’s go through the major points together.
Force vs Lightsaber
“A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack.”
-Yoda
From Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
There is a huge difference between defence and offence. The only true weapon that all the Jedi have is a lightsaber. It is the only tool that can be used as an offensive weapon. The Force, on the other hand, is commonly used in dire situations or as extra help.
The Force is a friend or an ally. Is it a powerful weapon in the wrong hands? Yes, many Force-sensitive individuals have committed atrocious crimes with it. The Dark side users are an excellent example. Force is neither good nor bad. It can be used for defence and offence equally.
Because of peaceful Jedi beliefs, they normally do not indulge in the use of the Force, especially against other individuals.
The Jedi, as a community or religious group, dedicate their lives to understanding and following the Force. They do not wish to abuse it or go against the Jedi Code.
The Jedi Code
There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.
— Credit to The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force by Daniel Wallace
I would imagine that it is extremely challenging to have this kind of power and avoid using it. That is why we see a distinction between the Dark and the Light side. They both have different views on the Force. One bends it to its will, and the other greets it like an old friend.
No one is perfect, of course. That is why the Jedi have committed many war crimes during the Clone Wars. They lift people off the ground, manipulate minds, and destroy droids. Surely, Force can be used to attack. The Jedi are no strangers to violence, even if they see themselves as peacekeepers.
Although hypocrisy is not the topic of our discussion…
Here I can also talk about corruption that comes with power. I won’t argue that a Jedi who overused Force will undoubtedly become a Dark user. However, Star Wars constantly reminds people that power is a slippery slope that comes with mind control and a sense of superiority.
The more you use your power, the more of it you desire!
I imagine the Force can be addicting. It would be so easy to use the Force for every single occasion. From tying your shoelaces to destroying armies, the Force is the greatest weapon in the Star Wars universe.
It is much more challenging to stop yourself and be mindful of your own power!
Anakin Skywalker will always remain the best example of my argument. He slipped a couple of times, suffocating people and killing the whole village. Surely, he had good intentions in mind at first. Poor Anakin wanted to save his wife and his children. He also wanted to get rid of hypocrisy associated with the Jedi Order.
Good intentions were sadly not enough!
Eventually, he became power-hungry and blind to his own faults!
It is up to debate whether he simply overused his power or was manipulated. I personally believe that it is a combination of both.
Learning Force
One thing is clear — Force takes years to master. Even Jedi Masters don’t fully realise all the potential that Force offers.
With the years of training comes another conclusion. Force is anything but mundane. One cannot simply use it anytime, whether they have perfected it or not. No matter how much new Star Wars films rely on the natural talents of their protagonist, the Force should still be treated as a skill as much as a gift.
Thus, it can’t be used without proper concentration and there are several scenes available to prove this point!
For example, every time Obi-Wan Kenobi uses Force, he looks thoroughly focused on the task.
Is he the most gifted Force user? No.
Is he a Jedi Master with decades of training? Yes.
If Kenobi doesn’t strike you as a good example, I can also bring up Master Yoda into the debate.
In one of the few fights he actually had in canon, he certainly focused a lot on using the Force. He looked tense, squinting and wincing.
I’m no body language expert, yet the signs of fatigue are clear!
The consequences of using Force in combat could be harmful to a user.
Imagine having to concentrate on the battle, troops, strategy and the Force, all at the same time. The Jedi can endure much more than normal people. Still, it doesn’t mean that they are invincible or tireless.
The Jedi can also use the Force to predict some of the actions of their enemies. At least this definitely concerns fire targeted at them. Naturally, focusing on destroying a couple of droids might result in a missed shot. This is not only dangerous but possibly lethal.
Overall, using the Force during combat goes against the Jedi Code. However, it would also be a foolish move that could endanger not only the Jedi but their troops.
This can also be proven by the Dark Side users. During the combat, they use the Force a little bit more and more ruthlessly, but not for every single second. If they could have used the Force all the time, I’m sure they would have avoided lightsabers altogether.
Why do you need a fancy laser sword when you have universal power?
Why don’t the Jedi use the Force to fly?
Sadly, I don’t think that the Jedi can fly.
They can soften their fall with the Force using it like a pillow. They can also increase their strength and stamina. However, never once do we see them fly off to meet the sunset.
If anyone could use the Force to fly, it would be Master Yoda. He is the grandmaster of the Jedi order and arguably one of the most powerful beings in canon.
Yoda is also several hundred years old and uses a special flying chair to move around. The fashion of his power chair is very similar to Grogu‘s one.
I can imagine that if he could fly, he probably would. Instead, he relies heavily on this piece of technology.
Additionally, the Jedi are still subject to falling. Obi-Wan Kenobi, in the third episode, is a good example. When Order 66 was executed, the Jedi master was shot down by his own troopers.
Did he fly away like a Mandalorian with a fancy jetpack?
No, the Jedi Master fell just like any other human being and was lucky enough to survive. The Force might have been soft and the impact, but it definitely did not give him a supernatural ability to fly.
Finally, I imagine if the Force could have been used for flying, it would require a lot of strength. Not many would be able to find this kind of power.
If Force was a good fit for flying, new Disney movies and shows would definitely use it!
Why don’t the Jedi use the Force to turn off lightsabers?
There were quite a few times when the Jedi mentioned “inappropriate use of Force” to shame those who used the power too much. Anakin Skywalker seems like a type to overuse the Force for small things. I can bet he did use Force to turn off the lightsaber when his Master was away.
Anakin often relied heavily on the Force. More than any other user. As such, he mostly remains an exception.
Headcanons aside, there is no need to use Force for such a simple act. Lightsabers function almost as the actual limbs. They are extensions of the Force user. Naturally, it doesn’t take a lot of concentration to press the activation button.
I personally do not own a real lightsaber. Still, I envision a choice between concentrating on the Force and pressing the button is easy enough. Besides, the Force takes a lot to learn and perfect. Star Wars always reminds us of this aspect.
Why waste energy on a mundane task?
It can be easily achieved without extra effort.
Conclusion
In short, Force can be used for many things. The Jedi simply choose not to overuse it.
Using Force for the attack goes against the Jedi Code. The Jedi swore not to harm the others if they could help it. I won’t argue whether using lightsabers is a better option, yet Force is mostly resolved for dire situations. The Jedi choose to follow it instead of summoning its power for the offence.
Besides, it takes a lot to discover the secrets of the Force. It would be foolish to do so on the battlefield with shots and missiles flying around.
The same reasoning can be extended to using the Force for flying or turning off a lightsaber. For one, flying was never shown on screen or anywhere in canon and legends alike. Secondly, using such power for a mundane task that can be achieved with one button is foolish.
Thus, the Jedi morals, convictions and beliefs (as well as common sense) would not allow them to use the Force more.
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