Telekinesis

"The power of energy over matter…and mind over both."

- Luke Skywalker



Telekinesis, abbreviated TK, was a neutral ability that most Force-sensitives had. With it, they could lift objects according to their concentration and move them, hovering the items in any direction. This ability was the base for Force Pull, Force Throw and Force Push, as well as telekinetic lightsaber combat techniques such as Saber Throw. It could be disputed that these are all the same power applied to different means.

Overview
Before Count Dooku renounced his commission, he made recordings on the Holocron of Asli Krimsan dealing with telekinesis. These teachings became required viewing for two generations of Jedi apprentices. While training him on Dagobah, Yoda told Luke Skywalker that the size and weight of an object is only relevant in the mind of the practitioner, and that once the mental distinction about an object's size can be let go of, objects of any size can be moved. Yoda demonstrated this by lifting Luke's X-wing out of the swamp.



Anakin Skywalker used it when he lifted a piece of fruit to cut for Padmé and returned one of the pieces to her.

Revan used it to lift and move several objects, including two chairs and a data pad around himself in a circular motion, while he also elevated himself in a technique called Floating Meditation in the Jedi Academy on Dantooine.

Kyle Katarn used it to hold up a wall of rocks after Jaden Korr battled with Rosh and Tavion while Korr used Katarn's lightsaber to cut them to saftey.

Rahm Kota used it to rip part of a TIE fighter factory off and send it hurtling into the atmosphere of Nar Shaddaa while still inside of it.

Jedi Master Corran Horn was one Jedi who was weak in telekinesis, a long standing inability in his family's Jedi history.

Mace Windu used it to hurl a Vibroaxe in his final duel with Kar Vastor. Count Dooku employed it during his battle against Master Yoda on Geonosis, and again while dueling Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker on board the Invisible Hand. Palpatine used it against Master Yoda in his battle in the Senate Building. Kreia used it while battling against the Jedi Exile. Darth Nihilus also used it to rip his flagship out of the gravity well of Malachor V. Carnor Jax, a former member of the Emperor's Royal Guard and aspiring Sith Lord, had some telekinetic powers.

Among the most skilled users of telekinesis were the Zeison Sha. Neither Jedi nor Sith, their skilled use of telekinetic force use was developed over decades of simply surviving their planets harsh environment, surpassing even some of the most powerful of Jedi in their skills. Their weapon of choice was a discblade, a circular bladed weapon that was thrown and manipulated with the Force and could be recalled. It required great skill in telekinesis to be wielded effectively.



Darth Vader's valet also utilized telekinesis, a power said to be inherent to his species. It is unknown whether this was a manifestation of Force-sensitivity or some other kind of supernatural talent.

Similarly, certain other species, such as Mind-witches, also held telekinetic powers that may or may not have been Force-related.

In perhaps the most stunning display of telekinesis, Darth Vader's secret apprentice Galen Marek used telekinesis to bring down a Imperial I-class Star Destroyer.

Applications
Telekinesis had many applications, including the following Force powers:

Movement-related powers
These powers, that can be considered quite similar in their nature, were used to move objects, people, and so on and so forth. They could be used in a more aggressive way as well.



Basic applications

 * Force Pull.

A telekinetic ability using the Force that could cause a material body to draw close to the caster. The greater the user's aptitude with this, the heavier the object that could be pulled or the more wide arc or radius of the Force "wave". It could be used to pull weapons from enemies, or, at higher levels of skill, the enemies themselves to be brought closer to the Jedi's lightsaber range. This power was also very useful when a chasm or hole lay between the caster and the enemies. It could also be used to pull foes to the ground.


 * Force Push.

Force Push was the ability to create a telekinetic impulse via the Force, launching a concussive burst of pressurized air-not unlike the blast of an archaic 'pipe bomb'-that would impact a target with enough force to knock it over, launch it into the air, or even (particularly in the case of fragile materials such as ceramics) shatter it into pieces. The greater the user's telekinetic aptitude, the larger the pressure differential, and thus the stronger the effect and the heavier the target. With practice, a skilled Force user could increase the range and arc of the blast without lowering the average kinetic energy, creating a blanketed wave instead of a focused impulse. Truly gifted practitioners could generate a concussive blast that would radiate from them for dozens of meters in all directions, detonating with the force of a conventional explosive. This power was an effective tool for keeping enemies at a distance. A well-aimed push could have sent the target crashing into a nearby wall or other obstruction, resulting in bludgeoning damage and possible disorientation or blackout. Particularly ruthless Force users would use a well-timed Force push to send their enemies tumbling off penthouse balconies or into deep chasms. Beyond offense, this power had many utilitarian applications, such as activating a control panel that would ordinarily have been out of reach, or pulverizing heavy debris and other obstructions too large to remove without specialized equipment. A trained Force user could resist Force Push, presumably by generating an opposing pressure surge whose wavefront canceled out their opponent's attack. The opponent usually responded by ramping up the pressure to compensate for the increased resistance. From here it became a telekinetic arm-wrestling match, with a seemingly motionless facade belying each combatant's desperate struggle to overpower the other. As events progressed, a pocket of air equidistant from the opponents would have been slowly compacted, until the pressure reached sufficient strength to bend duranium like kshyy vines. As the pressure increased, the pocket would begin to rapidly destabilize, until even the smallest atmospheric disturbance would cause it to rupture. When the pressure reached a critical threshold, the bubble would burst, generating a powerful shockwave. A textdoc example was provided by Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi when their duel progressed into the control room of the mining platform on Mustafar. The two had simultaneously used the ability while resisting each other's at the same time. Like magnets of the same pole, the combined force eventually hurled them violently to opposite sides of the room.

Applications of telekinesis deriving from uses of Force Push

 * Force Whirlwind

A more advanced form of Force Push, and a feeble version of Force Wave. The Jedi would alter the air currents around an opponent, turning it into a maelstrom. This swirling force would lift an opponent into the air, spin them around, and completely immobilize them. This allowed the Jedi to attack without resistance. One of the most notable uses of this ability was from Jacen Solo when confronting Tsavong Lah on Duro. Jedi Master Streen and Teneniel Djo demonstrated a natural talent for this ability, as well as Plo Koon, who further modified it with his knowledge. Darth Malak used this ability during his confrontation with Revan on the Leviathan. The former Dark Lord of the Sith, as well as the Ho'Din Jedi Master Plett may also have known how to use it. This ability was known to the Witches of Dathomir as the Spell of Storm. The Jedi Exile and her companions may also have used this force power during her quest to save the galaxy.


 * Force Wave

One of the most powerful forms of Force Push. It was essentially a wave of pure Force-energy that pulsed out from the Force user that utilized it, which knocked back anything within the power's blast radius. The strength of Force Wave was extremely potent, and its raw power was on more than one occasion described as a telekinetic explosion. It was more widespread, like a wave, hence the name, and could push multiple opponents at once. It was very useful in tight, cramped quarters when the Force user needed room to move, since Force users could damage their opponents by pushing them into the walls. It could also be used as "crowd control," when overwhelming numbers of enemies immediately swarm towards the user. Using Force Wave gives the Force user time to rethink their strategy and cast more Force powers, or they could also attack fallen opponents as they are stunned. Mace Windu and Yoda used this power against Super Battle Droids during the Battle of Coruscant. Mace also used this power when he lost his lightsaber on Dantooine in Clone Wars. This power was also used by Darth Bane against his former master on the Unknown World, Lehon, in order to bring part of the Temple of the Ancients down on top of him, to kill him. It was similar in function to Force Repulse though it is unknown which was the stronger of the two.


 * Force Repulse

An extremely powerful telekinetic Force power, similar in function to Force Push, and perhaps even more Force Blow, but on a far larger scale, akin to that of Force Wave. The user created sharp, visible kinetic ripples in space, which expanded outward rapidly, flinging nearby objects away at high velocity. The power only affected objects a certain distance away from the user, and therefore anyone could avoid its effects by moving closer to the user. Darth Vader was a master of this ability, as was his apprentice, Galen Marek.


 * Force Throw

A telekinetic ability of the Force, perhaps related to Force Push. It caused objects, and even people, to be hurled towards a target at an astounding velocity. A skilled Force user could throw multiple, large objects simultaneously at great speed, as evidenced by Palpatine during his duel with Yoda in the Grand Convocation Chamber of the Senate Building, during which he hurled Senate pods at the Jedi Master. Anakin Skywalker used this ability when he was attacked on Geonosis, hurling droideka arms at oncoming Geonosian warriors. As Darth Vader, he used it to defeat Jedi Master Roan Shryne in combat on Kashyyyk. He later used it to overwhelm and subdue his own son, Luke Skywalker, during their battle in Cloud City on Bespin. Later on in the New Republic Era, Corran Horn faced a Jensaarai warrior skilled in accelerating thrown objects like coins to near lethal velocity. The Jensaarai called this ability ballistakinesis.

Choking powers
These powers, considered to be similar in some aspects, were used to telekinetically "grip" one or more of the target's internal organs and apply pressure.


 * Force Wound

This power allowed the Force user to telekinetically attack their opponent's organs. If not resisted, it could crush the victim's heart or spasming lungs, thus stunning them and inflicting considerable damage to the organ, and incredible pain and suffering. On Korriban, Darth Sidious used Force Wound on the black-market dealer Auben's heart, killing her instantly (As said in Star Wars Jedi Quest: The Final Showdown).


 * Force Kill

The Force user would cause damage to an opponent simply by thinking it, resulting in the victim being choked to death or suffering immense pain if not resisted.


 * Force Choke

It caused immobilization and choking, which with prolonged focus, could lead to death. The area affected was typically the target's neck. The target was not lifted or moved about. The reason why Sith masters usually used it instead of Grip, is when they need to just punish, threaten, or scare their target, without wanting to cause death. Possibly the most notable display of this ability was by Darth Vader in the Death Star. Admiral Conan Antonio Motti expressed his feelings concerning the Dark Lord's "sorcerer's ways," to which Vader replied with a Force Choke to his throat, saying "I find your lack of faith disturbing." Those most experienced with Force Choke needed only a live visual of their victim in order to perform the technique. Darth Vader demonstrated this by choking Admiral Kendal Ozzel over a viewscreen, even though the admiral was on the bridge at the time. Darth Vader was in fact one of the most infamous users of this Force technique, often choking those whose "lack of faith was disturbing" or who had failed him, in a clear and powerful demonstration of the Force to any non-believers in view of the grim display. Other Force users known to have used this power included Darth Revan, who was seen choking a Republic soldier who was on his flagship. Dooku choked his former apprentice, Komari Vosa, after being defeated by a bounty hunter. Although users of the dark side reveled in using the power, especially for humiliation, this power was used by the light side as well. One of the most famous Jedi to use Force Choke after the Great Jedi Purge was Luke Skywalker who used it against Gamorrean guards in the process of gaining entrance to Jabba's Palace. Luke also used it in on one of the Nightsisters. In both instances, he used his ability to disable his opponent, not to kill them. In 40 ABY, Jacen Solo used this technique against a female Hapan officer who questioned his authority to chastise her, releasing her afterwards. Kueller used force choke on Femon. Gorc, who would keep a victim stationary while his "brother" Pic attacked; Maw, who took pleasure in his enemies' suffering. The Jedi Exile could also use the power regardless of alignment.
 * Force Grip, or The Grip.

A crushing application of the Force, Force Grip was an advanced level of Force Choke and could be used to levitate and strangle a target's internal organs. However, the primary purpose was to immobilise or control a target's movement and choking the target to death could be secondary. The target could be seized with great strength and subsequently lifted off their feet and suspended in the air by a powerful user. Very similar to Force Choke, the main difference between the two was that choke did just what it sounds like, it was used to strangle its victim, as it seems the usual method was to use the Force to crush the throat or windpipe of its victim. Grip, on the other hand, was used to literally grab someone with the Force. More powerful users were quite capable of lifting the intended target off the ground and moving them through the air. Also, the user was not limited to merely strangling their prey, but could crush organs or bones, or even the entire body, (although this is commonly called Force Crush). Those most experienced with Force Grip needed only a live visual of their victim in order to perform the technique. Some used this provision as an advantage to escape the Grip's clutches: Jedi could implement Force Persuasion or Force Blinding to obscure a Grip-user's vision, or some could immediately leap to escape it (with mixed results in either case, depending on the user's knowledge of the Force). Boba Fett was known to have been able to escape a Force Grip by firing his jetpack, utilizing the external propulsion to fly safely out of the Grip-user's line of sight.

If one could not escape the sight of a Grip-user, the next best method was to disrupt the user's concentration. Jedi in the time of the New Republic could commonly do this by simply pushing their enemy with the Force, and others were known to have broken a Grip by blasting the user with a weapon. These solutions were both limited, however; those most powerful in the use of the technique could maintain concentration during a Force Push, and even more could control the Grip so well that the choked target would not be able to even draw his or her weapon. A skilled user would not restrict himself to only the grip to subdue opponents, some would take the opportunity to simultaneously move an opponent over a fall, throw him, slam him into a wall, or merely force an opponent to disable his lightsaber, then follow with an attack. Force users known to have used this power included Count Dooku, who used it on Obi-Wan Kenobi when Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker boarded Grievous's ship to rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine; and Desann, who used the power at least once on Kyle Katarn. Kyle Katarn himself used this very Force power, for he first exercised a degree of control over Force Grip during the Reborn crisis, against Tavion Axmis, who had enraged Katarn by her involvement in his partner's apparent death. Though Katarn released Axmis once she revealed that the supposed killing was a ruse, and though he would quiet his anger from that moment forth, Katarn would continue to demonstrate the power through the rest of his days. Darth Vader's apprentice, Galen Marek, was also extremely competent with Grip and employed it as one of his primary weapons. Force Grip was not always regarded as a Dark Side ability, as a Jedi could use it to peacefully immobilize an opponent. Force Grip could also be applied to objects.


 * Force Crush.

It was possibly the darkest Force ability known to both the Sith and the Jedi. This deadly ability lifted the opponent into the air, and as he/she was floating, his/her body literally imploded as it was crushed by the Force. Common among followers of the dark side, by 3,951 BBY many Force users (rarely Jedi) could use the ability. During the latter part of the Clone Wars, Mace Windu used Force Crush on General Grievous as Grievous was attempting to transfer his captive Palpatine to the Invisible Hand, thus crushing one of the few organs he had left: his lungs. This was in part responsible for his constant choking and coughing throughout the rest of his life. Though his lungs could have been repaired with surgery, he didn't live long enough to get it. Darth Vader, who would not hesitate to use Force Crush and similar techniques on Imperial personnel that he deemed incompetent, was capable of crushing small vehicles on the battlefield. Even during the end of the Clone Wars, Anakin displayed this power on Nelvaan when he used it to break the Techno Union scientist before his attempt to escape. Although the Halcyon family was deficient in telekinesis, Nejaa Halcyon was able to employ Force Crush against Nikkos Tyris after absorbing the energy from Anzat's lightsaber. Darth Traya also used this powerful attack to compensate for her age and lack of physical strength. It made for an effective display of her power.

Galen Marek was also noted to use this ability against an AT-ST on Raxus Prime during his assault on the Imperial factory

Lightsaber combat

 * Saber Barrier

A defensive technique, the saber barrier was a telekinetic lightsaber combat technique used by some practitioners of dual-saber combat in Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order. It consisted of having the lightsabers whirl hovering in a horizontal circle around the saber-wielding Jedi, thus creating a defensive yet deadly wall of lightsaber blades, defending the Jedi primarily against melee attacks. Jedi Master Mace Windu was a practitioner of saber barrier, as were the Dark Jedi Alora and several New Reborn. Jaden Korr might also have mastered this technique. Darth Traya used a variant of this power in her final confrontation with the Jedi Exile, conjuring three violet lightsabers to fight for her.


 * Saber Throw

It was an offensive use of the lightsaber. It is not clear if it was an ability in its own right or a technique combining powers such as Force Pull. The Force user, whether by manually locking the blade in the 'on' position or holding in the activation button using the Force, could throw the lightsaber in a boomerang fashion, with it cutting its way through obstacles and (usually after deactivation) returning to the hand of the caster. Variations in the skill of users meant that some could hurl their lightsabers great distances, make mid-air course corrections, or keep them hovering in place. These techniques, finely honed, could be combined to make telekinetic lightsaber combat possible.


 * Telekinetic lightsaber combat

Telekinetic lightsaber combat techniques made use of telekinesis in lightsaber combat. Some telekinetic lightsaber combat techniques, like the Saber throw, were offensive, while others were defensive. A defensive technique, called the Saber barrier, was used by practitioners of dual saber combat. It consisted of having the lightsabers whirl in a circle around the Jedi, thus creating a defensive, but deadly, wall. Darth Traya displayed the most remarkable form of telekinetic lightsaber combat&mdash;having the ability to wield at least three lightsabers independently in combat, holding each of them aloft with the Force, and having them fight with a will of their own. Darth Bane demonstrated a heinous expression of this ability when he telekinetically used his lightsaber to kill three young boys while their father helplessly watched on. Millennia later, Mace Windu would use this exact same ability during the Battle of Coruscant, igniting his lightsaber telekinetically. While brief, his use of the Force allowed him to unclip and activate his weapon, destroying a Super battle droid with one swift stroke. Galen Marek used this power when fighting Maris Brood on Felucia, after breaking a Force Lock against her, damaging her with her own lightsabers.

Other applications

 * Force Flight

"Don't tell me Jedi Knights can fly now."

- Anja to Jacen

Force Flight was a Force power that enabled the user to telekinectically move themselves towards a specific destination, taking levitation (see below) to an extreme degree. To use this Force power took a great deal of concentration. The Dark Jedi Maw was skilled in this power. After having his lower body severed by the Jedi Qu Rahn, Maw initially relied on a repulsorlift for transport, but he soon learned to wield Force Flight so well that it became second nature. Darth Vader, Count Dooku, and Darth Sidious may have also possessed this power, being able to hover above the ground in standard gravity. The Dark Jedi Yun may have possessed this ability as well, to some degree. Luke Skywalker could use this power, as he demonstrated on several occasions. His wife had also learned this skill by 40 ABY. Ganner Rhysode once mentioned to Corran Horn that he could levitate them both for almost a kilometer&mdash;but that it would be highly energy-consuming. It is possible that Force Flight had some relation to Floating Meditation, a meditation technique where the user floated several inches off the ground during meditation.

Morag the Tulan witch used the force ability in Star Comics, Ewok number 12. The ability is shown in the cover of the comic plus several pages inside. Wicket also states, "Look Morag is flying to that brush."


 * Levitation

Levitation was a Force power that allowed Jedi to suspend themselves against the force of gravity. Levitation required no direct physical contact. Using the Force, an individual could then hover in place or move about wherever they desired.

Revan also briefly used levitation to attune his connection to the force during his 're-training' at the Jedi Academy on Dantooine.

Jedi Knight Dace Diath used levitation to carefully descend to the surface of Ossus after surviving the crash of his Star Saber XC-01 Starfighter.


 * Force Wind

An ancient Sith technique. This power would allow the Force user to manipulate and channel air currents to form a powerful and destructive tornado that could lift up targets and fling them about.


 * Projected fighting

An application of telekinesis which could be used to harm an opponent without physical contact. The damage inflicted using projected fighting was dependent upon the attacker's physical strength&mdash;the power effectively acted to extend their physical body in hand-to-hand combat. The user could also choose to attack with less than full strength, in order to stun rather than injure. A target could defend against projected fighting as though it were a standard hand-to-hand attack, or if Force-sensitive, by using the Force. Knowledge of unarmed hand-to-hand combat techniques and pure physical strength would also make projected fighting techniques more effective. The power could be used against any opponent within the attacker's line of sight, and was easier to use against nearer opponents. The use of projected fighting was dangerous not only for the intended target, but for the attacker. As it used the Force to deliberately assault another, it brought the user closer to the dark side. Jacen Solo used this technique during his interrogation of Ailyn Vel during the Second Galactic Civil War, eventually killing her.

Telekinesis
In the Wizards Star Wars Role Playing game for streamlined play, many similar uses of telekinesis were renamed "Move object", also called "Object manipulation". This includes Force Jump, Fall, Push, and Pull in most cases. Force strike/push and grip/choke were the only other TK attacks. Otherwise, the skill is vaguely referred to as Object manipulation or "Alter."

Movement-related applications

 * Force Push

In the Star Wars Roleplaying game, "Force Push" was the standard telekinetic offensive for trained Force users. In the revised version, "Force Strike" is the use of the Force to "strike" the target, dealing damage more like a punch than a push. Using Force Strike on a living target (as opposed to a droid or inanimate object) was considered an act of the dark side until Jedi Counseling 60. "Force Push" became a variant of this—only usable by creatures such as jakobeasts—in which the opponent is knocked down in the more familiar way. As one of the few offensive powers not fundamentally dark in nature, Force Push frequently forms the cornerstone of a Jedi's offensive arsenal. In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel there are three levels of Force Push. The first is the conventional Force Push, which knocks back an opponent; the second is called Force Whirlwind, which lifts off an opponent from the ground and creates a whirlwind around him; the last is more like the first one, except that it affects a far greater range in front of the player.


 * Force Wave

Admittedly, it has the power to destroy an entire droid squadron. This was demonstrated by Mace Windu at the Battle of Dantooine, when he was without his lightsaber. Darth Vader seems to use a very powerful Force Wave in the computer game Star Wars: Empire at War, not only pushing enemies at a great distance, but also killing them. In the Revenge of the Sith game, Obi-Wan and Anakin use a Force Wave to clear a path for them to escape battle droids aboard the Invisible Hand.

Lightsaber combat



 * Saber Throw

Saber throw is seen only twice in the six movies, yet is comparatively common in video games. This is most likely due to the desire to add a ranged dimension to lightsabers, which are more typically thought of as melee weapons. In the movies, saber throw is used by Yoda against a clone trooper in Revenge of the Sith, and by Darth Vader against Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi.


 * Saber Barrier

The saber barrier technique was introduced in Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles as Mace Windu's special power. While the player's character cannot move while executing this move, non-player characters can actually "jump out" from the barrier. The technique is named on Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, and in the 'datapad' in-game.

Other applications

 * Force Flight

Many fans insist that most examples of this are not actual instances of "flight" but merely a slowing of movement during a fall, or added power to the legs during a jump. The determining factor should be the actual movement involved, falling (Dooku's floating, Kenobi and Skywalker falling great distances), leaps (Mace Windu on Dantooine) or hovering (the witches of Dathomir). With the exception of Dathomir and specific instances in Battlefront, all other uses were some variation of moving an object, oneself. Force flight was also mentioned in the 2001 Dark Side Sourcebook by Wizards of the Coast as an ability that the Witches of Dathomir possess. That talent has since been redesigned to afford movement for a brief period of time, but not prolonged flight It is asserted by some that Mace Windu exercised the Force flight power in Chapter 13 of the Clone Wars cartoon series; however, this has not been confirmed, seen as an extreme demonstration of Windu's skill at telekinetically moving himself and droids quickly and far distances. Morag the Tulan Witch was able to fly in star comics Ewok issue 12. This ability is shown in the front cover plus several pages inside. Wicket even says, "Look, Morag is flying to the brush."

Non-canonical appearances

 * Rather Darkness Visible
 * Phantom Menaces
 * Star Wars: Epic Duels
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick

Notes and references
Macht-Zerdrückung Telequinesis