Warning! This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Acolyte episodes 1 and 2.
Summary
One of the earliest Jedi powers shown inStar Warshas become more and more contentious over the last 47 years, andStar Wars: The Acolyteis proving why. As Force-users, the Jedi have exhibited many differentForce powersthroughout the franchise – extraordinary physical feats, visions of the future, communication over great distances, retaining their consciousness after death, and more. One of the earliest Jedi powers, however, as shown in the originalStar Warsmovie, is the Jedi mind trick, a power that has felt increasingly invasive the more it is used in the franchise.
Essentially, the Jedi mind trick allows a Jedi to use the Force to sway a person’s thoughts and actions in a way that is favorable to them. Often, the Jedi use it for the greater good – Obi-Wan Kenobi uses it to bypass a stormtrooper checkpoint on Tatooine in the originalStar Warsmovie, and Rey uses it to defend herself from Kylo Ren’s attacks on her mind inStar Wars: The Force Awakensas well, giving her the chance to escape. Clearly,the Jedi mind trick is incredibly useful, but on the whole, it’s a very sinister ability.
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The Jedi Mind Trick Has Always Seemed Strangely Intrusive
It’s easy to wave away any misgivings about the Jedi mind trick when it’s being used against “the enemy.” The Jedi are fighting for the light, and they should use every resource at their disposal to ensure peace and prosperity. Butthe Jedi mind trick is a slippery slope. It’s not just about briefly changing someone’s mind – they’re taking away a person’s free will.My mind is my own; I am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to lose control, and that is essentially what the Jedi mind trick accomplishes.
The Jedi Mind Trick is an intrusive abuse of power. There is no consent involved.
It may not seem like much, but whenever the Jedi mind trick is used inStar Wars, I’m reminded of the way Rey looked at Kylo Ren when she was being interrogated inThe Force Awakens. Her face so perfectly reflected the horror you’d feel at knowing someone was rooting around in your mind, parsing through your thoughts and feelings. Even when used momentarily, even if it’s over in the blink of an eye and all that’s happened is that you’ve opened a door for someone, the Jedi Mind Trick is an intrusive abuse of power. There is no consent involved.
The Dark Side Mind Probe Is Just A Step Further
The dark side mind probe takes the concept of rooting around in someone’s mind one step further. Instead of merely trying to change a person’s thoughts or telling them to let you pass, the dark side mind probe gives the user access to a person’s innermost thoughts, feelings, and perhaps most importantly, memories. The Jedi may not use the mind trick this way – or at least, they claim not to – but it seems to me that it would be entirely too easy to cross the line. In fact, the Jedi did once cross the line.
InStar Wars: The Clone Wars, there is a scene in which Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mace Windu combine their powers to interrogateCad Bane, one of the galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunters. Bane isn’t an innocent bystander, and the Jedi are trying to save the lives of Force-sensitive children. That’s a noble goal, but how they go about questioning Bane is wrong, even if it does yield the desired results. As they use the Force on Bane, demanding where he hid a Jedi Holocron, Bane tries to block them out, but he is clearly in pain.
Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Mace interrogate Cad Bane inStar Wars: The Clone Warsseason 2, episode 3, “Children of the Force.”
In the end, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Mace essentially torture Bane by using the Jedi mind trick. Their combined power is too strong. Before they enter the interrogation room, Mace even admits that if they were to take it too far, Bane’s mind could be affected forever. How is that any better than the dark side mind probe? Once again, there’s no consent involved. I know how I would feel if someone went through my computer, my phone, or my diary.Privacy is a right, and every time the Jedi use the mind trick, however fleetingly, they are violating that right.
The Jedi Of The Acolyte Are Using Mind Tricks & Mind Probes
The Acolyteproves that the Jedi have been using the mind trick for centuries. Again, the Jedi find themselves in a desperate situation. SeveralJedi have been killed, and they need to find the culprit before they can strike again. The Jedi want to prevent more violence, and the quickest way to do so is by gathering information from those who may be unwilling to talk or are outright lying to them. While I can sympathize with the urgency of their mission, I believe that succumbing to that kind of urgency is exactly how the darkness begins to creep in.
The Jedi want to stop the violence. Their friends are dying, a mysterious darkness is lurking in the shadows, and they want to save innocent civilians in the process. That desperation, however, can easily warp even the best of intentions. How much will it take for a Jedi to cross the line? One character, Qimir (Manny Jacinto), who is working with the assassin, even mentions the possibility of a mind wipe. How would he even know about a power like that?
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He must have heard about it from somewhere. Have the Jedi used mind wipes in the past? Have they ever stolen a person’s entire history and personality like that? It’s hard to say, but the Jedi will do anything for galaxy-wide peace — and perhaps they did. Given everything we know about the Jedi, both in this era and perhaps most importantly the prequel era, it’s certainly possible. They may have believed using that type of power, just once, would be worth it for the greater good. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Mace certainly felt the same way during the Clone Wars.
Perhaps, as Mace Windu once cautioned, a Jedi pushed the mind trick too far, and a person’s mind was fractured beyond repair, robbing them of everything that made them who they were. It’s a scary thought. If I were a civilian in theStar Warsgalaxy, or perhaps even a criminal, and I heard a story like that, I too would be afraid of the Jedi, no matter how hard they work to convince me that they are not the enemy. How would I know if they were or were not messing around in my mind? I’d be entirely defenseless.
Using the Force on someone’s mind, in whatever capacity, is, in itself, a form of violence. Few can defend themselves against an attack like that.
InThe Acolyte’s premiere episodes, it is reiterated again and again that the Jedi do not fight those who are unarmed – but a mind is unarmed as well. Using the Force on someone’s mind, in whatever capacity, is, in itself, a form of violence. Few can defend themselves against an attack like that.
I know that the Jedi are, above all, benevolent, becauseStar Warshas proven it time and time again. They tried their best to protect the galaxy during the Clone Wars. Those whosurvived Order 66fought valiantly against the Empire, even in the wake of a genocide. Duringthe High Republic era, which is whenThe Acolytetakes place, the Jedi protected the galaxy from violent marauders trying to destroy innocent worlds while they were being targeted as well. I also know, however, thatthe Jedi are flawed. They make mistakes, and they don’t always learn from them.
As the lines between the dark side and the light side are blurred inThe Acolyte, and more Jedi fall victim to the violent will of a mysterious Sith lord, how far will the Jedi be willing to go?The Jedi mind trick is a useful tool, but it is also a dangerously intrusive one. If the Jedi continue to use it inStar Wars: The Acolyte, there’s no telling what will happen next.
The Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2 are now available to stream on Disney+.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
