The Philosophy of the Force and Balance Explained

The Force is one of the most important ideas in the Star Wars universe. It is not just a power that characters use to move things or fight battles. The Force is much deeper than that. It is a way of thinking, a way of living, and a way of understanding the world. The Force is not just about good and evil, light and dark. It is about balance, about how everything in the universe is connected, and about how people should live their lives.

The Force is described as a natural energy that flows through everything. It is like a river that runs through all living things, connecting them together. This idea is not new. Many real-world religions and philosophies have similar ideas. For example, in Chinese philosophy, there is something called qi or chi. This is a life force that flows through all living things. In Hinduism and Buddhism, there is a similar idea called prana. The Force in Star Wars is like these ideas. It is not something that only Jedi or Sith can use. It is something that everyone has, but not everyone knows how to use it.

George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, said that the Force was inspired by many different religions and philosophies. He wanted to make something that felt familiar to people from all over the world. He took ideas from Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and many other traditions. He also took ideas from mythology and stories about heroes. The Force is not just about fighting or using powers. It is about how people should live their lives, how they should treat others, and how they should understand the world around them.

One of the most important ideas about the Force is balance. In the original Star Wars movies, balance was often described as the light side being good and the dark side being bad. The Jedi were the good guys who used the light side, and the Sith were the bad guys who used the dark side. The Jedi believed that the dark side was dangerous and that it should be avoided. They thought that balance meant having more light than dark, or even getting rid of the dark side completely.

But over time, the idea of balance has changed. In the newer Star Wars stories, balance is not about getting rid of the dark side. It is about having both light and dark in the right amounts. The Force is not just about good and evil. It is about having both sides in harmony. This is a very different idea from the original movies. In the old movies, the Jedi were supposed to be pure and avoid all darkness. In the new stories, the Jedi are not always pure, and the dark side is not always evil.

The idea of balance is shown in many ways in Star Wars. One of the most important examples is the Mortis Gods from The Clone Wars. The Mortis Gods are three beings who represent the light, the dark, and balance. The Daughter is the light side, the Son is the dark side, and the Father is balance. The Father’s job is to keep the light and dark in balance. He does not try to get rid of the dark side. He just makes sure that there is not too much of one or the other. This is a very different idea from the Jedi in the original movies. The Jedi in the original movies wanted to get rid of the dark side, but the Father in Mortis wants to keep both sides in balance.

Another example of balance is the Prime Jedi from The Last Jedi. The Prime Jedi is the first Jedi, and he is shown in a mural as being both light and dark. He is not just a servant of the light. He is a servant of balance. This suggests that the original Jedi were not just about the light side. They were about balance. Over time, the Jedi changed and started to focus only on the light side. This is why they lost their way and why the Sith were able to rise.

The idea of balance is also shown in the way the Force is used. The Jedi use the Force in a calm and peaceful way. They try to avoid anger, fear, and hate. They believe that these emotions lead to the dark side. The Sith, on the other hand, use the Force in a passionate and aggressive way. They embrace anger, fear, and hate. They believe that these emotions make them stronger. Both ways of using the Force have their strengths and weaknesses. The Jedi way is peaceful but can be weak. The Sith way is strong but can be destructive. Balance means finding a way to use the Force that is both strong and peaceful.

The Jedi Code is another important part of the philosophy of the Force. The Jedi Code is a set of rules that Jedi live by. It tells them how to behave and how to use the Force. The Jedi Code says things like “There is no emotion, there is peace” and “There is no death, there is the Force.” These rules are meant to help Jedi stay on the light side and avoid the dark side. But the Jedi Code is not perfect. It can be too strict and too focused on avoiding emotions. This is why some Jedi fall to the dark side. They are not allowed to feel emotions, so when they do feel emotions, they do not know how to handle them.

The Sith have their own code too. The Sith Code is very different from the Jedi Code. It says things like “Peace is a lie, there is only passion” and “Through passion, I gain strength.” The Sith Code is about embracing emotions and using them to become stronger. The Sith believe that the Jedi are weak because they avoid emotions. The Sith believe that emotions make them strong. But the Sith Code can be dangerous too. It can lead to anger, hate, and destruction. Balance means finding a way to use emotions that is strong but not destructive.

The Rule of Two is another important part of the philosophy of the Sith. The Rule of Two says that there should only be two Sith at a time: a master and an apprentice. The master holds the power, and the apprentice craves it. The apprentice must eventually overthrow the master and become the new master. This rule is meant to make the Sith stronger. It is based on the idea that constant challenge and ambition make people stronger. The Rule of Two is not just about power. It is about survival. The Sith believe that they must always be challenged and always be trying to become stronger. This is very different from the Jedi, who believe in peace and harmony.

The philosophy of the Force is not just about Jedi and Sith. It is about everyone. The Force is not something that only special people can use. It is something that everyone has. The way people use the Force depends on how they live their lives. Some people use the Force in a peaceful way, like the Jedi. Some people use the Force in a passionate way, like the Sith. Some people use the Force in a balanced way, like the Mortis Gods or the Prime Jedi. The philosophy of the Force is about finding a way to live that is right for each person.

The Force is also about connection. The Force connects all living things. It is not something that separates people. It is something that brings them together. The Force is not just about power. It is about relationships, about how people treat each other, and about how they understand the world. The Force teaches people to care about others, to help others