The 4 Most Force-ful Moments in 'Star Wars'

“It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”

You don’t have to be Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to know that in the world of Star Wars, it’s all about “the Force.” An ancient energy source that is present in all life, it is an indescribable phenomena that can’t be seen, tasted, or heard. There are those with innate sensitivity, Jedis, for instance, who can harness remarkable abilities through spiritual devotion to the Force. But a Sith Lord can be just as committed to corrupting its potential, tilting the power toward death and destruction.

But the force is bound to neither the light nor the dark side—its place in the universe is a delicate balance between both.

Not all of us may be Force-sensitive, but after reading these moments from Marvel’s Star Wars lineup, even you may feel a little choked up.

1. AT-AT VS. DARTH VADER (STAR WARS #2)

Fresh off their destruction of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, and the rest of the Rebel Alliance, pushed their cause forward with an attack on Cymoon-1, a weapons factory with enough artillery to outfit the whole Empire.

But Palpatine’s most prodigious pupil was prepared, and, following a lightsaber duel with Luke, shows the Force its true master by hurtling and dismantling an AT-AT Walker bit for bit.

Impressive. Most impressive.

2. OBI-WAN'S RETURN TO THE FORCE (STAR WARS #7)

This entire issue, with pencils by guest artist Simone Bianchi, is a journal excerpt from Obi-Wan’s undercover period on Tatooine. A Jedi general no longer, Obi-Wan adopted a hermit’s life on the edge of the Dune Sea, visited only by the occasional womp rat or Tusken Raider.

Until a pack of bloodthirsty knaves laid a hand on the young lad Skywalker.

Obi-Wan got his excuse to break out his “Force flings,” leaving the pack of scoundrels headfirst in the sand.

Master Kenobi has undoubtedly the most measured grasp of the Force—unlike former Padawan Anakin Skywalker who instead wields it like a blunt instrument.

3. YODA, MOVER OF MOUNTAINS (STAR WARS #30)

In a move surprising no one, the Jedi Order’s oldest member showed his connection to the Force by telekinetically lifting a mountain. A flex for any 900-year-old, and for Yoda, an easy one.

At this point in the series, Luke was still grappling with his legacy of a father who was a former Jedi Knight. His own Force training was coming along slowly and steadily, but his tutor’s incredible show of power was just the nudge Luke needed to feel the Force within.

4. VADER TAKES DOWN A FLEET (STAR WARS: VADER DOWN #1)

For those still lacking faith, Darth Vader makes our list twice, embodying the outermost limits of the dark side.

Crossover event VADER DOWN, continued in DARTH VADER (2015) #13-15 and STAR WARS (2015) #13-14, pits the Sith Lord Supreme against insurmountable odds… an entire Rebel fleet that’s now itching to get in their licks.

For Vader, a flick of the wrist packed more punch than one sardonic barb, giving those Rebel scum a course redirect, if not colliding their ships entirely. Across a sky of carnage, Vader emptied out the battalion’s torpedoes (plus chucked a few pilots), crash landing like a cat with endless lives on a nearby planet.

But did you doubt him?

These are just a handful of picks from an entire catalog of Star Wars comics, classic and new, all available on Marvel Unlimited. You can read some of our Favorite Star Wars Marvel Stories here, or choose from hundreds of other series starring Jedis, droids, Wookiees, bounty hunters, and more from the ‘70s-onwards.

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