There is a contradiction of approach to the Force between the original Star Wars trilogy and the prequel trilogy, and it begins with midi-chlorians. Everyone hates midi-chlorians, but what makes them so offensive isn’t actually their half-hearted science, it’s that they introduce classism into a mythos that previously decried it. It took the Force, which originally stood for a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment, and turned it into super-powered wish fulfillment. In the prequels, one is born special, and simply needs to wait for their midi-chlorian letter from Hogwarts. There’s nothing wrong with Harry Potter, but this storytelling device is woefully mismatched with the Star Wars universe and what was established in the original trilogy.

The original films had an inclusive approach to the Force. Despite what many assume, there is actually no indication that the ability to use the Force was dependent on genetics. Before the prequels, there was really no reason why an all-encompassing energy field would react differently depending on one’s bloodline. Luke Skywalker’s parentage had important story implications, but having a unique connection to the Force was never one of them. It’s true Luke was “strong with the Force,” but this relates, at most, to talent and potential, not an innate ability that distinguishes him from other people. There is ample evidence in the original films that the importance of Luke’s genetics was in his personal connection to Darth Vader, and not to his ability to train as a Jedi. Here we can briefly dismantle the myth of “Force potential,” and that the only restrictions to being trained as a Jedi are those of age, imagination, and hard work.

Luke’s Upbringing

If Luke was born with “Force potential,” and if it was his power that posed a threat to Darth Vader and the Emperor, then it paints Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda as incompetent. If Luke possessed a unique power, and Kenobi cared about defeating the Empire, then he would have taken the boy at birth and sent him to live with Yoda on Dagobah, where he’d be trained from the start. What we see instead is Luke living a normal life up until a chance encounter with Kenobi, who then decides, only after given a new mission by Leia, that Luke should be trained as a Jedi.

Why train Luke then and not at birth? What did Kenobi know about Luke in A New Hope that he didn’t know when Luke was born? His personality. Kenobi had to see if Luke possessed the right disposition to both be a hero and someone who would be receptive to the teachings of the Force. In both A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, it’s established that open-mindedness is possibly the most important requirement for developing a strong connection with the Force. This is why Yoda mentions that Jedi cannot be trained after a certain age. Learning the Force is like learning a new language- the mind has to be open enough to perceive this new way of seeing the world.

The Threat of “Skywalker’s Son”

When the Emperor tells Vader “The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi,” some have interpreted this to imply that the Skywalker line creates inherently powerful Jedi, or that the Skywalkers are the last people capable of becoming Jedi. While the former may partly be true (with regards to Luke’s talent, at least), the latter has no evidence behind it, and is contradicted by the details of the setting. Vader and the Emperor exterminated countless Jedi, another one existing is trivial from a military perspective. Nor is Luke an incredibly powerful Jedi who can destroy them (the Emperor shows how easily Luke is at his mercy in Return of the Jedi). Luke’s threat to the Emperor is not one of power, but of his emotional connection to his father. Luke’s existence unravels the persona of Darth Vader, and it is this that “could destroy” Vader and the Emperor.

Kenobi even says “The Emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him.” He does not say “The Emperor knew that Anakin’s offspring would be strong in the Force.” If that were the case, then the Emperor would see Anakin’s children as a prized possession, not an inherent threat. The Emperor doesn’t want Luke to become a Jedi not because he fears Luke’s power to fight him, but because Luke’s emotional connection to his father would be strengthened. If Luke confronts Vader as a “fully trained Jedi,” he has the spiritual advantage, in a sense, which is what leads to his ultimate victory in Return of the Jedi.

Yoda, Tao, and the Force

The real-world inspiration for the Force lies mostly in Eastern religions like Taoism and Zen Buddhism (natural, given the samurai influence in Star Wars). I’m not the first to point out that the Force is essentially a more literal fantasy expression of the Tao, with its manifestation being similar to chi in Chinese cosmology. Its an all-pervasive energy that can be manipulated with skill and mental clarity. More importantly, because the Tao is all-encompassing, understanding and accessing it is not limited to a bloodline. Some might be more talented than others (Kenobi does confirm Anakin’s natural talent in RoTJ), but by its very definition, it is not exclusive.

Throughout the original films there is an emphasis that the Force is something that transcends the physical, and to use it requires a leap of imagination and spiritual transcendence. This is encapsulated by Yoda, who subverts our expectations of a “great warrior,” emphasizing that the Force is independent of any physical constraints. In all of Yoda’s teachings, there is a clear message that the Force is present in all things, and using it well is determined by one’s own mental and emotional state.

Lucas’s inclusion of midi-chlorians contradicts and undermines this theme, going so far as to explicitly state that, prior to Anakin, Yoda had the most midi-chlorians. Yoda wasn’t a powerful Jedi because he was wise, it was because he had the most Force juice. Not only does the “scientific” explanation garble the metaphysical nature of the Force, it directly contradicts its all-encompassing, universal nature. It took what was originally a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment and turned it into mutant powers.

Agency vs. Fate

An extension of the midi-chlorian problem is that it introduces a component of destiny in a setting where it doesn’t belong. Despite the term being thrown around by its villains, “destiny” isn’t much of a factor in the original Star Wars films. Nothing is ever presented as preordained at any point in the three stories; Yoda goes so far as to outright state that the future is “always in motion.” While it’s clear that Vader and the Emperor believe in some kind of destiny, it’s demonstrated to be false when Luke does not fulfill their expectations. If anything, Return of the Jedi showed that faith in destiny was the path of evil and ruin.

By introducing a plot device that predetermines Jedi (and even worse, a messiah), Lucas’s prequels forced a classist, medieval Christian layer onto the Jedi where it makes no sense. Monarchic concepts like divine birth directly clash with the universal and previously demonstrated open-ended nature of the Force. A hero forging their own path has been replaced with characters fulfilling a prophecy. Fatalism, originally presented as the folly of Star Wars’ villains, is now the official position of its entire universe.

How to Fix It

The Star Wars franchise since The Phantom Menace has had to follow the “divine birth” model of the Force, which is likely why many may not even notice how far it deviates from what was originally established. This is a large reason why Star Wars ‘99 is set, continuity-wise, where it is. The Jedi of its setting are neither chosen from birth nor are sought out to be trained, but rather apply to the various Jedi academies in hopes of becoming Jedi. Just like skills in real life, those who have the drive or potential to learn the Force succeed, and those who have neither, don’t.

The first real Star Wars ‘99 content is on its way! Check back here in the next few weeks for the first concept art and setting info. I’ve just finished the final draft of Episode 1, and will be updating with some fun things in the next few months!