43 years ago, Darth Vader revealed the true danger of a force power we all take for granted

A decade Star Wars The comic finds Darth Vader revealing the true danger of an iconic Force power that viewers often take for granted. Marvel classic Star Wars comics from the 1970s and 80s are one of the most underrated gems in the world. Star Wars franchise. These comics are among the oldest non-films Star Wars properties, and allowed viewers passionate about A New Hope to follow the continuing adventures of the rebel heroes between and after the releases of the original films in the trilogy. The comic also includes a use of the famous Jedi mind trick that I find frightening.

Jedi mind tricks are one of the first Force powers shown in the Star Wars films, so they are naturally one of the most iconic in the franchise. Luke Skywalker and viewers themselves were impressed by Obi-Wan Kenobi’s use of the power to escape a confrontation with Imperial Stormtroopers in Mos Eisley, and the power appears again in the first act of Return of the Jediwith Luke now using the ability – and showing us how far he’s come since A New Hope. When used by a Sith Lord, however, we see the danger of a mind trick used unscrupulously.

Darth Vader showed how terrifying mind control can really be

Darth Vader is famous for executing Imperial military personnel on the spot if he considers them a liability, and his signature method of murder is a brutal Force choke. There are, of course, occasional exceptions, and a matter of Marvel Star Wars the comics show Vader using a Sith mind trick on Major Kuhru, forcing him to exit a Star Destroyer through the airlock without a spacesuit. To make the moment darker, Darth Vader dismisses the murder as the result of a “faulty mechanism,” which the terrified Marine Officers around him grudgingly accept.

Original Legends continuity includes other examples of Sith mind tricks that demonstrate how terrifying power is when unbridled by morality. Palpatine planted a suggestion in Mara Jade’s mind to kill Luke Skywalker, although she managed to follow his last command without actually killing Luke. Palpatine is also accused of having used mind tricks on countless beings on Coruscant to keep secret the existence of the Lusankya, a Super Star Destroyer hidden beneath the surface of Coruscant. Obviously Jedi don’t use mind tricks like this, but I still thought it was a strange ability for them.

It always seemed strange to me that mind control was a “Jedi” force power.

Due to their use by Obi-Wan and Luke in the original trilogy and their apparently non-violent nature, mind tricks are more associated with the Jedi than the Sith. However, I have always found the ability to be ethically questionable at best. I understand that Obi-Wan had few options for escaping the Stormtroopers at Mos Eisley that didn’t involve lethal force or end with him and Luke being pursued by the Empire, but mind control alone seems antithetical to the Jedi code of honor. Suppressing someone’s free will, even to prevent violence, is almost impossible to justify.

When thinking about the implications of mind tricks and their use by the Jedi, I am reminded of a passage from Ryder Windham’s book. Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force. The book includes a quote from the Jedi Master Yarael Poof, who warns Jedi initiates about the potential dangers of affecting another person’s mindbut Poof considers mind tricks to be ultimately more ethical than killing an enemy. While I understand this perspective, I still think interfering with another being’s mind should be a last resort, as much as using lethal force.

Star Wars is recognizing the dangers of mind control

Interestingly, my opinion is reflected in the modern Star Wars canon Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project. In this era of relative peace following the apparent destruction of the Sith, the Jedi Order referred to mind tricks as “mental touch”, and felt that the power took its practitioners to a dark place and thus discouraged its use. Despite its iconic status within the Star Wars franchise, mind tricks have always been questionable as a Jedi power, so I feel like this perspective really aligns with the high ethical standards of the Jedi Order.