Ahsoka Just Refined Some Major Star Wars Rules – Here’s What It Means For The Saga – /Film

One of the first things we ever learned about the Force is that it resides in all living things. Everything that’s alive is part of the living Force. Then, in “The Phantom Menace” we learned that there’s another component to it. Residing in all living cells are symbiotic lifeforms known as midi-chlorians. “Without midi-chlorians,” Qui-Gon Jinn told a young Anakin Skywalker, “life could not exist and we would have no knowledge of the Force.”

But when Qui-Gon tests Anakin Skywalker, he learns that his count of midi-chlorians is off the charts. Does that make it easier for him to commune with the Force? Yes. He has more latent talent and ability than someone with a low count (and everyone has at least a low count.) But does that mean people without high concentrations of midi-chlorians can’t use the Force?

The answer is complicated, and Dave Filoni might be the best person to explain it, like he did in this press round table for ComicBook.com:

“To me, when you talk about the Force, the Force is in everything that’s alive; that’s what Obi-Wan says originally. That’s true, even in the days of midi-chlorians, which everybody is afraid to talk about, but I’m not…When I was a kid, I believed that everybody probably had the Force, and they just didn’t believe – midi-chlorians actually prove that theory out. We all have them, just to differing degrees.”

Filoni has often described Force ability in terms of Bruce Lee’s martial prowess. The executive producer said, “He has, if you like, a lot of talent for martial arts –- or a very high midi-chlorian count. If I train in martial arts, can I learn martial arts? Yes, I can improve my midi-chlorian count in that discipline. Will I be as good as Bruce Lee? No, that’s not my talent.”

So, can Sabine Wren train as a Jedi and improve her ability to sense these things? Yes. Will she ever be as good as the candidates that the Jedi went after when they were a large and impressive order? Probably not. In fact, Huyang, the ancient droid portrayed by David Tennant, even tells Sabine that she has less ability and aptitude in the Force than literally any Padawan he had ever seen in the Jedi Order. Harsh, but fair.