MovieChat Forums > Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) Discussion > Psychometry and the blue lightsaber

Psychometry and the blue lightsaber

posted 7 years ago by Winters_Suicide
11 replies | jump to latest

I finished the canon novel, Dark Disciple, not long ago. The hero is a Jedi who has the power of psychometry. I don't know if anyone posted on this yet and I'm not sure why it didn't dawn on me sooner, but I'm wondering if that is what's going on with Rey and the blue lightsaber. If so, then she drew the information out of it, as opposed to it downloading information to her.

[–] Bag_of 7 years ago

Would mean Kanata is mistaken about the saber calling to her. And weve yet to see any other object have the same effect. Although she did seem to know how to use the falcon. Rey would also have to be able to see into the sabers future (woods scene) although again its no odder than the saber seeing its own future.

Would you agree that the dream segment of Rey and Unkar Plutt suggests that the saber was present in that scene so Rey has been in contact with it before?

[–] Winters_Suicide 7 years ago

Would mean Kanata is mistaken about the saber calling to her.

I don't think they are mutually exclusive. There's no doubt the saber called to her (or more properly, "The Force called to her through the saber"), but did she then use a latent ability for psychometry?

And weve yet to see any other object have the same effect.

True, but the saber was "the first step," so that stands to reason. And did the Force work through the saber to trigger her ability?

Rey would also have to be able to see into the sabers future

This is an excellent point. Quinlan Vos seemed to only be able to see into an object's past. I thought about this before I posted, but decided to post anyway. It's fiction, so, as you've alluded to, it's just as feasible that her psychometry works both directions in time as it is that the saber has some sort of consciousness and saw into its own future.

Would you agree that the dream segment of Rey and Unkar Plutt suggests that the saber was present in that scene so Rey has been in contact with it before?

I would really like to think so. I'd like to think that there's a clever canon way of explaining it so that Rey (or at least the saber) took active participation in this telepathic moment. As opposed to it being a case of the Force randomly choosing the saber to impart visions, because if it's that, why use the saber (from the Force's perspective)? Why not "just send a vision?"

I'd also like to see psychometry play a role in an episodic film. Since we're going to be looking into the past on both sides of the coin (the Jedi Temple on one hand and whatever esoteric, arcane dark side secrets Snoke has up his sleeve on the other), I think it would be an interesting way to go about it. It would also build up suspense, since, like the saber, it would come in quick, flashing, jumbled scenes. This would allow for the mysteries to be slowly revealed. As opposed to some scene at the Temple where Luke is like, "Check this book out. It tells us "X" so let me read you a passage..."

[–] Bag_of 7 years ago

I havent read any of the novels but think i might have to. A quick bit of research of Quinlan Vos does sound similar to what Rey experienced in the vision but I dont see this as a trigger for learning the force, more a perk of already being a force user.

I think some people have a natural or genetic affinity with the force but its use of lightsabers and their crystals that make the big difference, much bigger even than being a skywalker. So I dont think the force or the saber is choosing Rey. I think she already had enough contact with the saber when she was a child and the recent 'awakening' in the force is starting to manifest.

This doesnt rule out that like Quinlan, Reys use of the force might include psychometric ability and I think it would be a great character trait to explore, especially as you say because its flashback exposition without the clunkiness.

But I would see it as a separate coincidental element that is causing her (and us) much confusion. Reys previous use of the saber, gradually manifesting through an 'awakening' of the force, combined with psychometric ability that she doesnt know she has, means that when she picks the saber up, all hell is going off with her senses in a way that we haven't seen before.

All imo obvs

[–] Winters_Suicide 7 years ago

I havent read any of the novels but think i might have to.

You should. At least canon stuff and maybe Legends that occurs before/during the first six films. Legends that occurs after Ep VI is obviously rubbish now, but actually, of the stuff I read a long time ago, it was mostly rubbish quality to begin with, long before it became disingenuous to the plot of Ep. VII. If you choose only one Legends book to read, make it Darth Plagueis. It's by far the most canon-feeling book of the bunch. It will open your eyes about a lot of things, and even though it's been declared non-canon, you'll come away feeling like it should be.

But yeah, read the canon stuff for sure. I decided I was going to do that because I was tired of other posters telling me tidbits about Snoke and I couldn't offer anything in return. Ultimately, that's why I'm reading the books. I'm obsessed with Snoke. I'm running through them in chronological order. Dark Disciple was good, but belongs more with the look and feel of Clone Wars and Rebels. Lords of the Sith was great. I learned a few things about Palpatine and Vader and got a new perspective on what the Rebellion was before it was the "Rebel Alliance." I'm working on Tarkin now, which is shedding even more light on how Palpatine ran his inner circle, the political roles that Mas Ameda, Janus Greejatus and Sate Pestage play in things, etc. So far, all three are books you can fly through, too. Easy reads. Nothing at all like Truce at Bakura and Courtship of Princess Leia, which were BORING.

[–] Bag_of 7 years ago

I read splinter of the minds eye once a looong time ago but i dont think that was ever close to being canon.

Lords of the sith sounds good will have a look, thanks.

[–] Winters_Suicide 7 years ago

All of the EU books were once canon, though, right?.

So yep, it was once a canon fact that Leia had to pick up Luke's lightsaber and duel with Vader. I loved that scene in Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Wish it had happened on film.

[–] Bag_of 7 years ago

I wasnt sure if it was an old eu book or a just a sequel that was never made but i cant remember much about it at all anyway.

Leia is part of my reasoning that lightsabers are what shape force users rather than genetics. But it would have been cool to see her use the force in the OT. Not now though, worst twist ever if she starts doing cgi backflips and ninja moves at her age.

[–] Winters_Suicide 7 years ago

Naw, I've called for her to display high level telepathy or healing technique in the ST, any kind of passive power like that. Or even better, high level foresight. She could play the role of oracle.

[–] GorchBrother 7 years ago

If the force can converge inside a man-made cave like on Dagobah, and induce a vision so vivid that Luke actually fights with it, then I can believe the force converging around a light-saber, particularly one with that kind of history, and inducing that sort of vision in Rey.

"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof

[–] Winters_Suicide 7 years ago

There's no doubt that the Force can do pretty much whatever it wants.

[–] Winters_Suicide 7 years ago

Keep in mind, though, that Lucas built the model for the Force as kind of a Pantheistic version of God.

It controls a person's actions, but also obeys a persons commands.

This hearkens back to Yahweh of the Bible, who, although in control and all-powerful, seeks active participation from each individual during the tribulations of life and co-activity in the shaping of an individual's destiny.

To me, the Force acts the same way in this galaxy. It could easily "just make everything happen," but wants the players to actually play the game.