Anna Daniels
In the past decade, big entertainment franchises have created their own universes. And even before that, Star Wars was constructing lore and history through novels and comics outside of their movies. Now that television shows exist in the franchise, the opportunity for crossing over ideas and big reveals is more prevalent. The most recent example of this is with The Mandalorian’s newest episode and The Rise of Skywalker.
In the last episode before the finale, The Mandalorian dropped a bomb on viewers: Baby Yoda not only had the Force, but a special power too. And that very same power is shown in The Rise of Skywalker. MAJOR SPOILERS for The Rise of Skywalker and Episode 7 of The Mandalorian ahead!
Baby Yoda used this Force power for the first time on ‘The Mandalorian’
In the penultimate episode of Season 1 of The Mandalorian, “Chapter 7: The Reckoning,” Mando and Cara Dune go back to Nevarro. Greef Karga contacted Mando with an offer and plan he couldn’t refuse; he wanted Mando’s help to kill The Client and free the town and his guild from ex-Empire Stormtroopers. In return, Mando would be able to leave with Baby Yoda in peace.
That, of course, didn’t turn out how they had planned, and Baby Yoda’s fate hangs in the balance going into the finale. But before that cliffhanger, the Child showed a power that hasn’t been on any Star Wars show or movie in canon before. He Force healed Greef Karga’s massive wound until it was as good as new. They were all stunned, and even longtime fans were too, considering that’s not a power typically shown by Jedi.
Rey also uses Force healing in a major way
Interestingly enough, just days after this episode aired, The Rise of Skywalker came out and showed Rey doing the exact same thing. She first heals the monster in the cave that almost kills her and the gang. She gains its trust and it lets them go.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOysCrEonhw?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]
The two most important times Force heal is used in Episode IX are when Rey and Ben Solo heal each other. First, Rey does it when she strikes Ben in the side of his abdomen. And then after Ben turns back to the light, he gives his whole life Force to Rey after she dies during her battle with Palpatine.
Force healing is the power of the Light Side
It’s rather interesting that those creating new Star Wars media decided to bring this type of major power into the franchise. It existed in canon before, in the mobile game Star Wars: Uprising. And it was a big thing in Star Wars Legends, with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Baris Offree, and others using it. However, those instances aren’t typically considered part of canon.
Force healing is a power only the Light Side can use, as stated by the YouTube channel Star Wars Theory. Sith can do it, but it’s through hate and fueled by anger. It’s a “perversion” of actual healing, according to Legends.
So, not only is this a power that’s new to the bigger canon, it also confirms that Baby Yoda is on the Light Side (for now) and that Ben truly was fully removed from the Dark Side before he died.
Does the existence of Force healing change the past trilogies?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43EOw_comk?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]
It does make things in the past a bit messier. Take The Clone Wars for example. The whole series takes place during a war, so tragedy happens all around them. Obviously, Obi-Wan and Anakin couldn’t be out there, healing every single person on their side. However, there were more than a few close calls, yet Force healing was never put on the table. Especially when Ahsoka dies in Season 3. Of course, it’s part of the story to bring her back a different way, but Anakin would have done anything, especially Force heal her if he could.
Plus, wouldn’t Anakin have been a lot less worried about Padmé dying? If Force heal was an option, why did he go to such great lengths to try to save her, turning to the Dark Side in the process? It is possible that it’s not a commonly known power. Rey was studying old Jedi texts for a year, so maybe it’s an ancient art and little is known about it.
There are a lot of questions that Force healing has now caused, and probably not a lot of answers will come fans’ way. But it is a cool addition to the franchise and made for some exciting moment in both the show and the movie.
Written by: Cheat
