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star wars - How did Yoda counter Count Dooku's Force lightning?


In the scene where Master Yoda fights Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus on Geonosis in Episode II, Dooku uses Force lightning on Yoda.


Here's a relevant clip. The lightning starts around 3:22


In a recent question, it came up in the comments that this was an Disney canon example of absorption/tutaminis.



It looks like the energy of the first bolt is concentrated and redirected. The second assault shows the arcs of lightning shooting off away from Yoda before striking him, and then dissipating.


I would like a Disney canon only explanation of this mechanic.
In what way is Yoda using the Force to counter Tyranus's attack?


I'm interested in the full path of the "energy" of the lightning attack after it's produced by Count Dooku, including any conversions of that energy to other forms (if they occur).


If there are no canon sources on this particular scene, then a similar scene in any other canon media, if such a scene exists, that sheds light on what happened would be acceptable. Preferably, it would still be with Yoda, but the attacking Sith is irrelevant to me.



Aside from the Yoda vs Sidious scene in Episode III, I also found this scene from The Clone Wars where Yoda fights Sidious. Lightning attacks start around the 1:00 mark and at 3:05 & 3:18.



Answer



If we take only disney canon we can't say for sure what the power is exactly. But lets take a look at two of the films there. Star wars 2, 3 and star wars 5.


In these films 4 instances of force lightning or energy bolts being used and countered are being seen. According to the novelisation of star wars 6 there was a fifths attempt when luke was electroluted by the emperor but utterly failed.



In all other 4 instances the jedi either use their lightsabers or their hands to counter the lightning. From what we see there are 2 instances (Yoda vs. dooku and mace vs. Palpatine) where the force lightning is sent out again against the source (the sith who created it). In the other two instances there is the blaster bolts hitting walls after being redirected by Vaders hand / seemingly absorbed (according to the screenplay only a redirection occurs) for the Han Solo vs. Vader scene in Episode 5. The other is Yoda vs. Palpatine where Yoda absorbs the lightning into his hands again with the same glow as in Episode 2 against Dooku but does not unleash the lightning against its owner in this case but instead created sort of a force explosion / force push.


So going with the films it seems like it works in this way:



  • The force user defends himself against the energy and gathers it in his hands or mediums

  • The force user then releases the energy in a way (be it by redirecting the blaster blots effectively, or unleashing the lightning again or making a force explosion / force push)


If we take the newer special effects into account and the glowing ball of energy which yoda has in his hands which resemble the lightning he just "absorbed" it seems very likely that they defend themselves by stopping the energy like a falling piece of debris and then releasing the energy into a different form / direction. Thus just from the films it looks way more like solely redirection of energy than absorbing it (or a combination of both).


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