Question about the Force

[Knife]

It is worth noting that Joruus C'Baoth was pretty much darkside through and through (not to mention insane) by the time he used force lightning.

Ahh, but the point is that, without any Sith training, he was able to generate lightning and make use of it, suggesting it may not be as secret as people presume.

Force lightning is still just a tool. The reason you don't see Jedi using it is because it's only function is to basically torture and Jedi don't do that. If you needed as jumpstart on your hover car, I'm sure if there was a Jedi around that had bothered to learn how to use FL, he could get you going.

Precisely my point. We see at least one Jedi who knew how to use the power, and apparently there are others within the Old Republic. It's fairly useless for most situations. It's like the "accelerate plant growth" power. Many Jedi may know it, they're just not in a position to use it ever when we see them.

The fact that Yoda understood it's nature enough to be able to absorb and redirect Dooku's FL says some Jedi at some level understand and know the 'power'.

[Crazedwraith]

Ahh, but the point is that, without any Sith training, he was able to generate lightning and make use of it, suggesting it may not be as secret as people presume.

Well force lightening doesn't seem to require any training beyond 'touching the dark side and wanting to cook some fools' as far as the EU shows us. For both Jaina and Jacen in the EU going a bit dark came with the instant ability to zap people.

[Darth Hoth]

There may also be different forms of lightning in existence (for example, the green lightning Jacen used was supposedly nonlethal). Interestingly, Lomi Plo could use her lightning to kill Yuuzhan Vong, who are untouchable to ordinary Force powers.

[Crazedwraith]

So did Jaina. Jacen in Traitor however couldn't. His lightening kept arcing into Vergere instead.

[sexyloser]

In my opinion, to divide the Force into dark and light sides is foolish. The Force encompasses everything including good and evil. Thus ultimately it's neutral. The Force is like nature it doesn't have sides nor does it take sides. However, there are some force powers that are more offensive in nature. Thus given the Jedi's commitment to "knowledge and defense", I wouldn't be surprised if they limited themselves to defensive and supporting Force powers.

[hawke's nightmare]

exactly the whole point. the force is just a tool to use for whatever. the jedi order only emphasized the use of defensive powers, and thus only defended their troops in battle. they had no need for offensive powers until they went to war.

another thing about force choke is that it's force push and pull on their windpipe simultaneously.

[Knife]

In my opinion, to divide the Force into dark and light sides is foolish. The Force encompasses everything including good and evil. Thus ultimately it's neutral. The Force is like nature it doesn't have sides nor does it take sides. However, there are some force powers that are more offensive in nature. Thus given the Jedi's commitment to "knowledge and defense", I wouldn't be surprised if they limited themselves to defensive and supporting Force powers.

Well, given the events of the OT, and even the PT, it is clear the Force is a little more than a tool. It serves as some sort of deity, has a hand in fate, and moves pieces around a galactic board per say; however, when a Jedi or Sith use the Force, they are using it as a tool so I'll agree to that point. How a user directs the Force will determine whether or not they are Light or Dark but I think the Force itself represents god and/or fate in the Star Wars universe so the Force itself isn't a tool.

[Kingmaker]

In my opinion, to divide the Force into dark and light sides is foolish. The Force encompasses everything including good and evil. Thus ultimately it's neutral. The Force is like nature it doesn't have sides nor does it take sides. However, there are some force powers that are more offensive in nature. Thus given the Jedi's commitment to "knowledge and defense", I wouldn't be surprised if they limited themselves to defensive and supporting Force powers.

Except, you know, that we've seen that using the dark side is addictive and has a tendency to cause cause megalomania/ham. Seriously, it has been pretty consistently shown, both in the movies and the EU, that people saying "the Force isn't split into light and dark, it's how you use it", are wrong and/or lying. While we've seen varying philosophical schools associated with the Force in the EU, the ones we've seen that walk the line (such as Mace Windu's, the Jensaari) are in constant danger of falling off the edge.