The Force and its various aspects are explored throughout the Star Wars franchise, yet the saga films of George Lucas have never mentioned a “light side” of the Force. The Force and its dark side play key roles throughout the Skywalker Saga and most of the Star Wars franchise’s non-movie material in both the canon and Legends continuity, but they are often misunderstood by fans and even creatives within Lucasfilm. While it is easy to assume that the Force has a “light side” as the dark side’s antithesis, Lucas’ works prove that there is only the Force and a corruption of it.
In Lucas’ six saga films, the dark side is discussed frequently, but the term “light side” is never once spoken, with characters like Luke Skywalker using the term “good side” instead. The prequel trilogy’s concept of balance in the Force is also commonly misunderstood, with many believing that it is found between the dark and “light” sides, despite all evidence to the contrary. This view of the Force has also led to popular and lore-inaccurate concepts such as “Gray Jedi” who can use the dark side and traditional Jedi powers without consequence. Even the canon continuity’s Star Wars sequel trilogy is inconsistent with Lucas’ portrayal of the Force.
Why Star Wars' Original Trilogy Calls The Force The "Good Side"
As explained in the original Star Wars trilogy, the Force exists throughout the galaxy, and while it is present in all life and all objects, a being must strenuously train and focus to tap into its power, and some beings can do this more easily than others, due to intrinsic Force sensitivity. The dark side is described as a seductive and addictive but ultimately self-destructive perversion of the Force, and while Anakin succumbs to its allure to save his loved ones, Luke resists it without shunning attachments in the process. While the term “dark side” is spoken numerous times, the “light side” is only referred to as the “good side.”
The original and prequel films and George Lucas himself describe the Force as being an element of nature while the dark side is an inherently unbalancing corruption of it. Therefore, the term “good side” is used instead of “light side,” it is merely shorthand for the natural, uncorrupted, state of the Force without the dark side’s influence. There is no light side because it is simply the Force itself, and the assumption that there is a light side that is antithetical to the dark side has led to misconceptions of what balance in the Force means.
Gray Jedi Legitimizes The Light vs Dark Sides Of The Force
Many Star Wars viewers not only believe that there is a “light side” of the Force, but also that both sides are not necessarily good or evil and that balance is a mixture of light and dark. The epitome of these misconceptions is the popular concept of Gray Jedi, who use both sides of the Force and are thus “balanced.” While Legends-era Gray Jedi are simply Jedi who do not strictly adhere to the traditions and authority of the Jedi Order, the more popular idea of them exacerbates misunderstandings of the Force, its dark side, the Jedi Order, and balance.
The dark side is not a neutral entity, as it intrinsically corrupts its users, turning them into murderous megalomaniacs. Moreover, the “light side” has no negative consequences, as fans of the Gray Jedi concept often project the faults and failings of the Jedi Order as an organization onto the Force itself, framing the “light side” as potentially hazardous without a degree of the dark side to balance it out. Consistently using the dark side alongside the “light side” will inevitably lead to corruption, making the more popular definition of Gray Jedi a concept that simply does not fit in George Lucas’ lore.
How The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Misunderstands The Force
The Star Wars sequel trilogy, unfortunately, is more consistent with fan misconceptions of the Force than it is George Lucas’ saga films. Kylo Ren states that the “light” calls to him, despite the dark side being the only iteration of the Force that is supposed to seduce beings. Luke Skywalker claims that balance is “powerful light, powerful darkness,” and an Ahch-To mosaic depicts the Prime Jedi as being in “balance” between the light and dark. This, unfortunately, may necessitate that viewers and future creators contort the text of the sequel films to fit with the rest of the saga.
While the “light side” seems to sway Kylo Ren, one can interpret it as Leia trying to bring her son back rather than the Force itself. Luke Skywalker, whose characterization is already inconsistent with that of his original trilogy appearances, may have further fallen from his once-progressive understanding of the Force by embracing an outdated view of the Force embodied by the Prime Jedi. In each case, the sequel trilogy films do not understand the Force as it was depicted in George Lucas’ Star Wars films, as they imply, if not insist, that it has a light side, which was not the case in the original and prequel trilogies.