Midi-chlorian counts.

[Havok]

When Qui-Gon first takes Anakin's blood sample and sends it to Obi-Wan, he is amazed at how high it is. "Off the chart." Obi-Wan says, "Over 20 thousand"
"Not even Yoda" "No Jedi has".

So my question is this, why would Obi-Wan so readily refer to a test that was taken almost 900 years before? Or do Jedi regularly get midi-chlorian tests? Why would they do this? Is it just an easy thing to check during regular check ups, like was shown in TPM?
If they are taking regular tests for it would that imply that the count can change?
Or is it just a folk lore kinda thing that all the Jedi know from when they were a Padawan. "Gosh, Yoda scored a 1600 on his SATs." That kinda thing.

[Lord Revan]

well test like that probably have the data some where, so it might be that Obi-Wan encountered it during studing for something or it might have been used as an example of a high midi-clorian count (since Yoda is so well know to all Jedi).

this is ofc seculation as there never was an offical explanation.

[Knife]

The jedi were arogant remember; it's possible that info like Yoda's midiclorine count was bantered around as the mark to beat.

[Surlethe]

My guess is that while midichlorian counts can fluctuate, they don't change substantially over time, so a test taken centuries ago is still a pretty good measure of how many midichlorians a Jedi has.

[Kihmbar]

From what I remember, midichlorian counts are a measure of how strong in the force one is. For example, in the Death Star trench Vader remarked "The force is strong wtih this one." This implies that Luke had a strong relationship with the force and (to relate to this topic) would have a high midichlorian count. The test was performed on Anakin in TPM to see how attune with the force he was. The measurement isn't of one's ability to manipulate the force but of how well one is connected to the force.

I would like to note that I have read a lot of the non-canon literature, specifically the SWRPG material published by West End Games. Please advise if my explaination conflicts with canon.

To answer your question: Obi-wan was probably amazed that another being would be more attune with the force than Yoda. Yoda's was the highest count to date, so they probably used him as the "gold standard" for midicholrian counts.

As to your question about changing levels of midichlorians - I would assume the count would not change over one's lifetime since they live in a symbiotic relationship with force users. However, I have no evidence to support this other than my fundamental knowledge of biology.

[DesertFly]

I don't know if this is really backed up, and it may actually be contradicted by the movie (c.f. Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace), but my understanding is, and it would make much more sense to have it this way, that Midi-chlorians aren't originators of the Force in sentients, but rather an indication of Force-sensitivity due to their attraction to Force-strong individuals. According to the Star Wars wiki article, I'm not the first to have this theory.

[Stark]

If the question is 'why do Jedi know the highest recorded midichlorian count', the question is stupid. That's like being amazed weightlifters know the unbeaten world record.

[Havok]

If the question is 'why do Jedi know the highest recorded midichlorian count', the question is stupid. That's like being amazed weightlifters know the unbeaten world record.

It's not the same thing. A weight lifter might one day be able to break that record with enough hard work and training. It is a goal one can set for ones self.

[Stark]

SO? You're saying the results of a 900-year old test should be obscure even though it's the sitting galactic record - that's stupid. Aside from Jedi seclusion, it'd probably be on fucking google. People don't only remember records they might beat one day, genius.

For 100 points and a shot at the board, what is the highest recorded midichlorian count?

[Havok]

SO? You're saying the results of a 900-year old test should be obscure even though it's the sitting galactic record - that's stupid. Aside from Jedi seclusion, it'd probably be on fucking google. People don't only remember records they might beat one day, genius.

For 100 points and a shot at the board, what is the highest recorded midichlorian count?

No shit. Hence the last sentence of the OP.

[Stark]

Oh sorry, I thought you were asking why people would know about it. It's not my fault you answered your own question and then argued with someone who agreed with you.

Frankly, since Yoda takes an active role in training young Jedi and is a pretty chatty guy, Obi Wan probably heard it straight from the horse's mouth. Probably in the class called 'what's a midichlorian', where the question 'what's the highest lol' is going to be basically unavoidable.

[Kurgan]

So do people buy the theory that your midichlorian count decreases (and hence your force potential) when you have limbs amputated or organs replaced?

Does this have anything to do with the "Shroud of the Dark Side" perhaps?

[Noble Ire]

So do people buy the theory that your midichlorian count decreases (and hence your force potential) when you have limbs amputated or organs replaced?

I certainly don't. My personal hypothesis is that midiclorians manifest themselves in the human body because of Force potential already present there. And even if they are tied to its application or strength somehow, the concept that serving a limb would deminish an individual's potential sounds a bit off to me; I suspect that midiclorian count and concentration is measured by the cell, not the body as a whole. Luke Skywalker's capabilities did not see to be hindered after he lost his hand on Cloud City after all, and there have been several other Jedi and Sith, like Empatojayous Brand, who have been "borged" to any even more considerable extent and have suffered little apparent Force inhibition for it.

[Surlethe]

And even if they are tied to its application or strength somehow, the concept that serving a limb would deminish an individual's potential sounds a bit off to me; I suspect that midiclorian count and concentration is measured by the cell, not the body as a whole.

Whether midichlorians are the cart or the horse, I agree with this notion. Midichlorian count probably measures the concentration of midichlorians in the body, not the total number (although you could derive the total number by the appropriate calculations). For an analogous example, white blood cell count is measured in cells/mL (source), which are units of concentration.

[Dark Flame]

So do people buy the theory that your midichlorian count decreases (and hence your force potential) when you have limbs amputated or organs replaced?

I certainly don't. My personal hypothesis is that midiclorians manifest themselves in the human body because of Force potential already present there. And even if they are tied to its application or strength somehow, the concept that serving a limb would deminish an individual's potential sounds a bit off to me; I suspect that midiclorian count and concentration is measured by the cell, not the body as a whole. Luke Skywalker's capabilities did not see to be hindered after he lost his hand on Cloud City after all, and there have been several other Jedi and Sith, like Empatojayous Brand, who have been "borged" to any even more considerable extent and have suffered little apparent Force inhibition for it.

How does that fit with Darth Vader? He was highly "borged" and his potential and strength seemed to be the same, but he could not use Force lightning after the events of Mustafar.

[Kurgan]

We don't exactly have evidence that he could use lightning before the incident either though, do we?

If Palpatine had his legs cut off, would he be unable to use Lightning? His hands?

[Noble Ire]

How does that fit with Darth Vader? He was highly "borged" and his potential and strength seemed to be the same, but he could not use Force lightning after the events of Mustafar.

There are several potential explanations for this. It is entirely possible that he simply never learned the technique at all, as Kurgan suggests. Then again, the complex metal and electrical components in his armor and artificial limbs may have made using that particular manifestation of the Force too dangerous to him to be useful (it was the failure of his suit more than the Emperor's actual lightning that killed him, IIRC).

[phred]

different people have different tastes. just because we never see Vader using lightning doesnt mean he cant. AFAIK we never see Palpatine choking people from several miles away. Does that mean he is incapable of such a feat?

Also, its seems more likely that the concentration of midichlorians is what was being measured, and fell into legend. His midichlorian count is OVER 20 THOUSAAAAAAND!!!!!!

[Dark Flame]

different people have different tastes. just because we never see Vader using lightning doesnt mean he cant. AFAIK we never see Palpatine choking people from several miles away. Does that mean he is incapable of such a feat?

Also, its seems more likely that the concentration of midichlorians is what was being measured, and fell into legend. His midichlorian count is OVER 20 THOUSAAAAAAND!!!!!!

IIRC, in the Episode 3 novelization Palpatine mentioned that because of his injuries Vader would never use Force lightning. However, I can't find my copy of it, so I can't check.

[Darth Quorthon]

different people have different tastes. just because we never see Vader using lightning doesnt mean he cant. AFAIK we never see Palpatine choking people from several miles away. Does that mean he is incapable of such a feat?

Also, its seems more likely that the concentration of midichlorians is what was being measured, and fell into legend. His midichlorian count is OVER 20 THOUSAAAAAAND!!!!!!

IIRC, in the Episode 3 novelization Palpatine mentioned that because of his injuries Vader would never use Force lightning. However, I can't find my copy of it, so I can't check.

It was in Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno where Palpatine observes in the narrative that Vader would never be able to use lighting, or "jump around like the Jedi were so fond of doing", but that otherwise his powers were intact. Palpatine goes on to say that his force lightning could easily overwhelm the delicate devices in the suit that keep Vader alive. Sorry I can't provide exact passages or page numbers, but I have recently moved and my copy is still packed away in a box.