Skip to main content

Aside from the Force, is there magic in Star Wars?


Is there any sort of magic, besides the Force, existing in the Star Wars universe?


What triggered me to ask this question were the Nightsisters. The Wookieepedia article refers to their powers as "magicks" and seems to present deeds unseen in other force users:



The most powerful of them could use that ichor to summon objects out of the thin air, transform people into ghostly versions of their true forms, or even reanimate the dead.



I have found one description of them in Star Wars Encyclopedia that almost alludes to the Dark Side of the Force once; however it does so without a proper citation, and only actually says "gifted with the power to wield dark magicks", avoiding the topic.



Answer






  1. As far as I'm aware, there's NO magic that is explicitly canonically noted to be NOT force based (with one disputed exception - see #2).


    In other words, anytime a magic or something similar is mentioned, it's either:




    • Force abilities being called "magic", by either practitioners or laypeople




      • This includes things like Sith magic/alchemy, Nightsisters, Rakata, various Ewok etc... shamans.





      • covered in some detail in Wookieepedia article on magic






    • More rarely, unknown magical connection that is NOT specifically noted to NOT be Force-based; but most likely is.







  2. Notable exception:


    Nightsister Mother Talzin claimed to use non-Force magic in Clone Wars Episode "Disappeared part 2" . However that assertion seems false - it's based on her OWN claim to have "no connection to the force". Which may or may not be true, we aren't told.




    • Evidence for: Her own statement:



      "I am not a natural Force wielder like the Jedi or Sith. I use dark magic to achieve power".



      However, her own claim aside, we aren't told what evidence there exists that said "dark magic" isn't simply another form of Force use, like all other magics in Star Wars.





    • Evidence contrary:




      • Palpatine wanted to learn her "magics". That seems to indicate they were Force-based




      • Her son (Maul) was Force-sensitive





      • It's known from the rest of canon and Legends that Nightsisters in general were Force users.








  3. Research done:





    • Somewhat surface text search of all of my digitized Star Wars Legends material. Excludes comics/cartoons.




    • Full search on Wookieepedia. That isn't conclusive in and out of itself, but a good indicator.




    • Generally good knowledge of canon.







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

tolkiens legendarium - Did Gandalf wear his Ring of Power throughout the trilogy?

After Gandalf discovered that Sauron was back and sent Frodo on his quest to Rivendell, did he continue to wear Narya (one of the Three Rings)? It seems like a huge risk to continue to wear it after the Nazgûl (Ringwraiths) started to try and reclaim the One Ring; if they managed to get the ring to Sauron, couldn't he be corrupted by his power? Whatever powers Narya bestows upon him couldn't possibly be worth the huge risk, could it? Answer When Sauron forged the one ring and put it on his finger, the other ring bearers were immediately aware of him and his intentions and removed their own rings. There is no reason why they couldn't merely do so again. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and preceived that he would be master of them, and of all they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings. "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," Silmarillion
Post a Comment
Read more

aliens - Interstellar Zoo story

I vaguely remember this story from my childhood: it was about an interstellar zoo that came to Earth with lots of bizarre and unusual species, and humans would file through and gape at all the crazy looking creatures from other planets. The twist came at the end when the perspective shifted to the other side of the bars and we discovered that the "creatures" were traveling through space on a kind of safari. They thought they were the visitors and we were the animals. Neither side knew that the other side thought they were the zoo creatures. Answer Got it. Zoo, by Edward D. Hoch. Published in 1958. Link to Publication History Link to PDF
Post a Comment
Read more