Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith whom Skywalker knew as Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, sought to lure Skywalker to the dark side of the Force[8] by recounting a so-called Sith legend[11] that involved the midi-chlorians. "[24] George Lucas, on the other hand, considers the two aspects of the Force separately, treating the midi-chlorians as the practical, biological side, distinct from the spiritual and metaphysical side of the Force. [23] Darth Plagueis, Dark Lord of the Sith, sought a way of influencing the midi-chlorians with the Force to create new life from nothing, and he may have succeeded before his death at the hands of his apprentice. Through these experiments, Plagueis discovered that these midi-chlorians would not die; instead, they drew upon sustaining Force energy, which acted on a microscopic level to halt tissue decay in their host, putting an end to aging and disease. [41][42][43] Steve Perry, who used midi-chlorians in his novel Death Star, opined that they were "less than inspired. Wookieepedia is a FANDOM Movies Community. [38] In 2006—as a tribute to this similarity—a newly discovered species of bacteria residing within mitochondria was named Midichloria mitochondrii after the midi-chlorians. Lucas incorporated the explanation of midi-chlorians into the film as part of Anakin Skywalker's journey towards understanding the Force. Sociocultural characteristics Others, however, believe that having a physical aspect to a mystical Force calls upon real-world religious traditions, feeling that the mythic qualities of the Force have been strengthened by midi-chlorians. [18] Circa 3956 BBY, the Rakata, a species that had almost lost all trace of Force-sensitivity, conducted their own scientific inquiries to find a genetic basis for the Force, which they hoped would allow them to become Force-sensitive once again. Sociocultural characteristics The anima governs life, and it is through this state that all Force healing is possible. Sentient[1] When not forbidden, studies of midi-chlorians occurred among those who could master the Force and those who could not. Try the quiz again and see if you can get an EVEN HIGHER score. [18], George Lucas' original outline for the sequel trilogy explained that the midi-chlorians served as a conduit between the vessels (who were all the living things) and the Whills, who controlled the Force and were essentially it. [12], Lucasfilm maintains that midi-chlorians were first conceived by George Lucas as early as 1977. You are clearly extremely Force-Sensitive. In his writings, Plagueis believed this could only be achieved with a sharpened mental focus and an affinity for the Force to impose a measurable effect on living cells. Through the years, Plagueis experimented with Venamis, killing and reviving him, manipulating the midi-chlorians within the Bith's body. J.W. The Jedi therefore sometimes used alternative methods to determine Force-sensitivity, such as testing with a mental maze or testing screen.[21]. Yoda then traveled to the Sith homeworld of Moraband, where he ultimately prevailed against the Sith Lord Darth Sidious in a battle of wills. In this case, the purpose of examining blood was to calculate the number of midi-chlorians that resided within the living cells of a subject, and therefore, determine the natural strength of the connection between said subject and the Force. Kim approached Supreme Chancellor Palpatine with his plan, but Palpatine, who secretly was Sidious, discouraged him, advising him that it would be politically impossible. He developed the Force as a nondenominational religious concept, "distill[ed from] the essence of all religions", premised on the existence of God and distinct ideas of good and evil. The species has a survival mechanism, in which the midi-chlorians protected the consciousness of their vessels by refusing to be manipulated.[19]. After journeying to the planet Dagobah at Jinn's insistence,[4] Yoda discovered the birthplace of the midi-chlorians, where he learned of their role as the link between the Living Force and the Cosmic Force,[2] a connection embodied by five ethereal beings: Anger, Confusion, Joy, Sadness, and Serenity. This mutually advantageous relationship allowed the midi-chlorians to communicate the will of the Force to their Force-sensitive symbionts, who were capable of utilizing the powers of the Force through the midi-chlorians.[1]. [13] Indeed, though Force ability often meant a high midi-chlorian count, it was not always the case. Midi-chlorians were microscopic, intelligent life forms that originated from the foundation of life in the center of the galaxy, and ultimately resided within the cells of all living organisms, thereby forming a symbiotic relationship with their hosts. Lucas said that there is a conscious choice between good and bad, and "the world wor… [6] On Vjun, high midi-chlorian counts were a mark of status, possessed by the more prestigious families. [6], With their help, the ancient Jedi Master gained greater insight into the nature of the midi-chlorians. [14] They were loosely based on mitochondria, organelles that provide energy for cells; like midi-chlorians, mitochondria are believed to have once been separate organisms that inhabited living cells and have since become part of them; even now, mitochondria act in some ways as independent lifeforms, with DNA all their own. Lucas established this relation with mitochondria, in particular the necessity of midi-chlorians for life to exist, as a metaphor for society; namely, he says all parts of society must get along in much the same way the midi-chlorians and their symbiont do. However, the chips attracted criticism from the Jedi Order for their inaccuracies, as did the midi-chlorian counts provided; Yoda's, for example, provided the wildly inaccurate number of four million. With the rise of the Empire, research into Jedi and the Force was banned, and though midi-chlorians continued to be tested for, sometimes by the Empire itself to root out hidden Jedi and other Force-sensitives, knowledge of them was diminished and inquiries into them were branded as illegal medical research. Physical characteristics They also allowed for a connection with the pervasive energy field known as the Force;[7] in sufficient numbers, midi-chlorians could allow their symbiont organism to detect the Force, and this connection could be strengthened by quieting one's mind,[2] allowing the midi-chlorians to "speak" to their symbiont and communicate the will of the Force. Try the Quiz again! Therefore, life could not exist without the midi-chlorians.[1]. As Lucas explained in a talk with author Terry Brooks, who was about to start writing the novelization of the film, “In Anakin’s case, … [19], A computer readout of Anakin Skywalker's midi-chlorian count, In 32 BBY, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was stranded on the planet Tatooine, where he encountered the slave boy Anakin Skywalker. [20] Darth Drear, another Sith Lord, incorporated the midi-chlorians into his own research into immortality. A misconception exists that rather than being indicators, midi-chlorians actually are the Force or create it; there is no canonical basis for this belief. Midi-chlorian was the scientific name[2] for a species of sentient and microscopic organisms that inhabited the cells of every life form. [12] Such tests were mandatory for beings born in regions controlled by the Galactic Republic. Parts of this article have been identified as no longer being up to date. [10] Jedi had especially high midi-chlorian counts, and of them Anakin Skywalker was said to have the highest ever recorded[2] at over 20,000, even higher than the powerful Jedi Master Yoda. "[22], Even people associated with the franchise, such as author James Luceno, felt that the concept robbed the Force of some of its mystery. Your relationship with the Force is a strong one. Though initially skeptical of the maverick Jedi Master's claims, the High Council ultimately accepted Skywalker into the Order in the aftermath of the Battle of Naboo.[1]. Intrigued by Skywalker's natural strength, Jinn's fascination grew[1] when the boy's mother, Shmi Skywalker, revealed that her son was born without a biological father. [25] Plagueis also possessed a lab located in the planet Aborah, in which he experimented with different species, altering their midi-chlorians in order to prolong their lives. [11], Anakin Skywalker, possibly conceived by the midi-chlorians, The magnitude of the midi-chlorian count served as a measure of one's potential in the Force,[12] though there were other inheritable characteristics that could influence Force ability as well. Untitled Obi-Wan Kenobi television series, How Wookieepedia treats Canon and Legends, Star Wars: The Making of Episode I The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, J.J. Abrams discusses meeting George Lucas to talk Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: “He loves his Midi-chlorians”, Midi-Chlorians: Physiology, Physics, and the Force, https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Midi-chlorian?oldid=9445342. [14], A misconception exists that rather than being indicators, midi-chlorians actually are the Force or create it; there is no canonical basis for this belief.[25][26][27]. Kylo Ren: 22,500 [36] In addition, JW Rinzler also indicated in another interview that George Lucas added the midi-chlorian concept to his statements after the fact in the Making of Star Wars hardcover edition. [4], In addition to their connection with the Force, midi-chlorians lived in a symbiotic relationship with their organic hosts—a bond that was especially strong with Force-sensitive beings, who possessed a high quantity of midi-chlorians in their cells. Lucas sat down with a member of his staff, Carol Titelman, to dictate a number of guidelines for these works, explaining various concepts of his universe. [1], Skywalker was ultimately liberated and brought to the Jedi Temple on the Republic capital of Coruscant, where he would begin his training with the permission of the Jedi High Council. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! [10] At the same time, Darth Plagueis sensed Tenebrous' midi-chlorians wink out, like lights slowly deprived of a power source, and yet, he could perceive his master in the Force. [29] How the Jedi detected Force-sensitives in their early millennia was lost to time, but shortly after the Battle of Ruusan in 1000 BBY, midi-chlorians were either discovered by them for the first time, or rediscovered after having lost knowledge of them in an earlier era[12]—at least one Jedi, Hestizo Trace, had known of the existence of midi-chlorians as early as 3645 BBY. [1] Their existence was integral to the all-encompassing energy field known as the Force, connecting the Living Force to the Cosmic Force. Communication with the Force[1] Physical characteristics The idea would not appear in any Star Wars product for twenty-two years; Lucas chose 1999's Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace as the opportunity to first mention the midi-chlorians, explaining why some were sensitive to the Force while others were not, an issue that he had left unresolved since the original film Star Wars. When Lucas sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to The Walt Disney Company in 2012, these plans for the sequels were ultimately scrapped. These especially tenacious midi-chlorians were privately named maxi-chlorians by Tenebrous himself, and had been altered to be long-lived midi-chlorians, and would migrate, not in the Force, but into Plagueis, as a retrovirus designed to infect the host's blood, in order to gain conscience beyond death. Biological classification When the Order was disbanded and Galactic Empire declared, though, the taboo was broken. Not good! [37], A mitochondrion, inspiration for the midi-chlorians, Midi-chlorians in The Phantom Menace are part of a recurring theme throughout the movie, that of symbiotic relationships. The Sith Lord Darth Drear devised it as a means of immortality, the final step of which involved eating the living heart of a Jedi, and thus obtaining an infusion of midi-chlorians from the Jedi's blood. The midi-chlorian method was rediscovered by the Order at some point before 40 ABY. [26] The DRK-1 Dark Eye probe droid, a tool of the Sith, was also capable of scanning lifeforms for the presence of midi-chlorians. "[7], The existence of midi-chlorians was known to both the Jedi[1] and the Sith. Which is Nerdier: Star Wars or Star Trek? Not bad, you are certainly Force-sensitive enough to become a Jedi Knight! He finds they look like assistant editor Philip Simon, then orders them back to work. Jinn was referring to the prophecy of the Chosen One; while the Council recognized the reference, they did not agree with Jinn's conclusion,[7] although some Jedi nonetheless believed Skywalker had the potential to become the most powerful Jedi ever. Rinzler Executive Editor & Star Wars Author, Lucasfilm. When Kornell Divini, a doctor on the Death Star, measured an abnormally high midi-chlorian count from one of his patients, he put out a request on the MedNet for any further information on midi-chlorians. They were successful, but at a cost: when the entire planet became Force-sensitive with no mental training to handle it, the populace went mad and murdered each other. [19] Therefore, Plagueis concluded that in order to stop aging, the solution was not to add more midi-chlorians to a body, but to impose one's will on the midi-chlorians already present on the subject; because midi-chlorians were linked by a universal mind, the ones in Plagueis' cells initially resisted his imposition upon their fellows, but eventually he succeeded, first with small creatures, then with slaves. When present in sufficient numbers, they […] [1], On the world of Vjun, a high midi-chlorian count was synonymous with status, leading to a surge of interest in midi-chlorian phenomena. The test results, Skywalker's unique conception, and the reemergence of the Sith were all factors that led Jinn to a single conclusion: Anakin Skywalker was the prophesized Chosen One,[1] destined to destroy the Sith[8] and bring balance to the Force. Midi-chlorians were only rediscovered after the New Jedi Order was founded. There he informed them of Skywalker's unusually high midi-chlorian count and stated his belief that the boy had been conceived by the midi-chlorians. That night, Jinn took a blood sample from a scrape on Skywalker's arm and tested it, telling the boy that he was checking for infections. Seventeen months later, the Jedi Ronhar Kim conceived of the idea to test the midi-chlorian counts of the senators, believing that the Force-sensitive Sith would be revealed in this way. [18], When Darth Tenebrous was killed by his apprentice Plagueis on Bal'demnic, amidst the billions upon billions of individual midi-chlorians in his cells, a tiny fraction of his midi-chlorians were not dying. In order to gauge an individual's potential in the Force, blood tests were used to estimate the number of midi-chlorians within the subject's cells. However, Lucas is sure that fans would have hated his idea much like they hated the prequels, though at least the story from the beginning to the end would have been told. The scientists of Emperor Palpatine treated the Force as a purely physical phenomenon, breaking it apart into the tangible components of midi-chlorians and energy. Darth Caedus/Jacen Solo/son of han solo/former master of ben skywalker 18200 midichlorians per cell/16100 after turning to the dark side. [23], Experimentation on midi-chlorians happened occasionally as well. [26] During the reign of the Empire, midi-chlorian tests were performed routinely on Inner and Mid Rim worlds to root out Force-sensitives and Jedi in hiding. Homeworld Count dooku/sidious's apprentice 18100 midichlorians per cell. [21], Though rumored, the Yinchorr were resistant to Force suggestion. Lucas established this relation with mitochondria, in particular the necessity of midi-chlorians for life to exist, as a metaphor for society; namely, he says all parts of society must get along in much the way the midi-chlorians and their symbiont do. [31], Force Detectors, a tool used to measure midi-chlorian counts, In the closing years of the Republic, studies of midi-chlorians were conducted by Jedi healers and medical personnel alike. In this time the first Expanded Universe products were being created, including the ongoing Marvel Star Wars series and Alan Dean Foster's novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Microbe[2] Midi-chlorian counts were measured through a blood test; the Jedi used this method to locate Force-sensitive children before their Order was purged by the Galactic Empire. In this UDPATED version of the Midichlorian quiz, we’re going to be finding out what our Midichlorian count is. Among them were an explanation of midi-chlorians, which Force-sensitive beings were said to have more of in their cells. Were Midi-chlorians REQUIRED to Join the Jedi Order? Hidden planet[3][4] [27], Measuring midi-chlorian counts was not always accurate, particularly among older children or individuals with unusual psychologies. Distinctions [20], Force-sensitive members of the rock-based B'rknaa species had microscopic midi-chlorian-infused structures that were very different from the midi-chlorian-infused cells of organic beings. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Statute OB-CPO-1198, covering illegal medical research that included studies of midi-chlorians, was also enacted. The experiment yielded unfruitful however, and the midi-chlorians, unwilling to comply, struck back in retaliation conceiving a savior to ultimately destroy the Sith: the prophesied Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker. [23], Darth Plagueis, manipulator of the midi-chlorians, In the decades before the Battle of Naboo, Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Plagueis commenced his own experiments with the midi-chlorians. [2], After the rise of the Empire, Palpatine ordered a complete ban on all information related to Jedi or the Force and had such data purged from data banks galaxy-wide. Blood samples were analyzed to estimate the number of midi-chlorians in a person. The update page names the planet Andowyne as the possible homeworld of the midi-chlorians.[40]. They would not die as long as they inhabited a living host. [21] Some Jedi comlinks could have midi-chlorian samplers attached to them to measure blood samples,[22] though these results would need to be interpolated through a computer, such as that found aboard a starship, to get a count. Skywalker ultimately turned against the Jedi, becoming Sidious' Sith apprentice, Darth Vader, in the hope of gaining Plagueis' knowledge through his new Sith Master. In addition to their scientific knowledge of midi-chlorians, Jedi philosophy held that the midi-chlorians were the foundation of all life itself. Please update the article to reflect recent events, and remove this template when finished. He also wanted to "awaken a certain kind of spirituality" in young audiences, suggesting a belief in God without endorsing any specific religion. Average length Savage Opress/ 17000 midichlorians per cell 18100 midichlorians per cell after getting upgraded by mother talzin. The seventeenth Viscount Malreaux of the esteemed House Malreaux, along with a consortium of others, worked to genetically manipulate the midi-chlorians and thereby enhance the counts of Vjun's population. Furthermore, Plagueis believed that only the Sith understood that sentient life was on the verge of a transformative leap; that through the manipulation of midi-chlorians, or the overthrow of the Forceful group that supervised them, the divide between organic life and the Force could be bridged, and death could be erased from the continuum. With the Jedi's records on midi-chlorians no longer available for study and any information on their relation to the Force kept out of medical libraries, medical professionals knew little of the nature of midi-chlorians, even as they continued to test for them. Anakin Skywalker: 28,000. I decided to make a part 2 because part 1 was so popular! [28] The Sith knew of midi-chlorians by c. 4645 BBY, when Darth Drear utilized them in his experiments on immortality. [35] That Lucas had planned the midi-chlorians as far back as 1977 was hinted at on the DVD commentary of The Phantom Menace, but the details would not be fully revealed for another eight years, coming to light in the 2007 book The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film, the hardcover edition of which had, among its appendices, Lucas' notes for the Expanded Universe authors. While the Jedi thought of the cellular organelles as symbionts, Plagueis believed they were interlopers, running interference for the Force, and standing in the way of a beings' ability to contact the Force directly. In this time the first Expanded Universe products were being created, including the ongoing Marvel Star Wars series and Alan Dean Foster's novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye.