Compared to the Star Wars original trilogy, the Force has come far in terms of what it's capable of. There was a time when lifting an X-wing out of a swamp was seen as the peak of Jedi power, but since the release of the prequel and sequel trilogies, it's known that Jedi powers can reach far beyond that. But still, the most common use of the Force is to levitate objects or jump far distances, and so it begs the question, why didn't the Jedi use the Force to fly?
First things first is the argument of whether Jedi can even fly, to begin with. On one hand, with the countless Jedi seen throughout the Clone Wars era, not a single one has been seen flying; and given how powerful that ability would be, it seems unlikely that no one would use it. But on the other hand, Force-sensitives have lifted huge starships, and Leia managed to propel herself through space with a push. Even Rey is introduced into Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker by levitating high off the ground, so it seems logical that they could take things a step further and fly around.
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While Jedi flying has never been seen, it was somewhat addressed in the 2021 canon novel Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark. As pilot Affie Hollow transports Jedi Knight Dez Rydan, she asks, "You Jedi can fly, right?" To which Dez replies "We can't fly. Some of us can levitate - but it's a complicated thing to do, and difficult under stressful situations." Affie then makes fun of the Jedi, saying, "So you're telling me you can only fly when you don't need to? What good is that, exactly?"
So during the High Republic era, it appears as though Jedi were unable to fly. And even if they could, it seems like it would be too dangerous to do so, as breaking concentration could cause a Jedi to fall to their death. Although, at the very least, they have the levitation ability, which could likely be taken to higher heights than previously seen, as they just need to do it in a safe area that's more peaceful.
From a storytelling perspective, it also makes sense that Jedi can't fly. They're already powerful enough, and it would make numerous situations feel way too easy for them. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace already made this mistake by having Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon use their Force speed ability to run from droidekas. Not only does the ability look goofy, it's also an incredibly useful power, that presumably never appears again because it's too convenient.
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Nevertheless, even if Jedi can't fly about, they can come pretty close to it. Outside of levitation, Jedi have been known to leap huge distances by pushing themselves off the ground. And during Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Jedi would usually fall hundreds of feet down, only to give themselves a soft landing with the Force. Masters and Padawans would also fling each other across large gaps combined with their leaps, so they already come pretty close to flying.
Overall, Force flight is something too difficult to achieve. And even if a Jedi did manage it, there's likely no stress-free situation in which they could use it. Although, with the introduction of Force healing during the sequel era, it shows that Jedi powers are ever-evolving -- and so in the far future, flight may one day be achieved.
FAQs
From a storytelling perspective, it also makes sense that Jedi can't fly. They're already powerful enough, and it would make numerous situations feel way too easy for them. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace already made this mistake by having Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon use their Force speed ability to run from droidekas.
Why don't Jedi use the Force to fly? ›
Others have pointed out that it would take a big amount of power and concentration for a Jedi to fly, and in order to do so, they would need to focus their energy and attention on different points – from where they are going to their surroundings.
Why do Jedi use the Force so little? ›
Instead, they used the Force as a defensive power. Instead of inflicting pain to their opponent, they gracefully waited for the Sith to aggressively attack them. Now of course there are outliers to this idea, but the general idea is that the Jedi used their power for good — which they did in fact do.
Why were the Jedi unable to use the Force? ›
Jedi were taught that although using the Force to discreetly uncover the secrets of others may have been occasionally necessary, it should never become a matter of course, as it would cause great distrust of the Jedi in general.
Why can't Jedi levitate themselves? ›
What's stopping them from levitating themselves or flying like superman? They can force jump and run, but it would take way to much effort to focus the force to fly properly. This is the answer.
Why can Rey fly? ›
Rey was a gifted pilot, who developed her flying skills with nothing but a flight simulator program. Ten days later, the duo trailed Rey and discovered what she was working on, and offered to help her repair it in exchange for passage off of Jakku with her once it was finished.
What is the jedis weakness? ›
A Jedi's weakness is fear and denial of the Dark Side of the Force. It's the direct opposite of everything they believe in. What most responders missed was that once a Jedi meddles with the Dark Side, their behavior and thought process becomes abstract and direct.
Why don't Jedi use Force Run? ›
However, there was a drawback to using this power; using Force speed had a draining effect on a Force-user's energy and metabolism, and required a longer recovery period. A core Force ability, Force speed fell under the control area of the Force, which was the first aspect of the Force taught to Jedi Initiates.
Why didn t Luke use the Force to carry Vader? ›
Why didn't Luke use the Force to carry Darth Vader's body out of the Death Star instead of dragging him across the floor? - Quora. In case you didn't notice, Luke was exhausted by the Force lightning used against him by the Emperor.
Who was the weakest Jedi? ›
Sha'a Gi lacked Force awareness, physical ability, and an enduring spirit, making him the weakest Jedi in the Star Wars franchise.
- Pong Krell. Anakin Skywalker trusted bellicose general Pong Krell with his 501st Clone Trooper division when he had to return to Coruscant. ...
- Ki-Adi Mundi. ...
- Luminara Unduli. ...
- Sifo-Dyas. ...
- Mace Windu. ...
- Bastila Shan. ...
- Coleman Trebor. ...
- Agen Kolar.
Force lightning ability was not restricted to dark-siders. Jedi and other light-siders who were strong of will and character could learn this power without falling to the dark side—but its use was viewed as inherently corrupting, and most Jedi Councils forbade its use.
Why do Jedi not use the Force on Grievous? ›
Grievous was trained and designed to engage with Jedi in a way that would disadvantage them by exploiting their ways. “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack.” The Jedi Generals in the Clone Wars were trained and raised to never use the force for attack.
Why do non-Jedi say may the Force be with you? ›
After the Great Jedi Purge it was adopted, even among non-Jedi, as a means of conveying good luck and hope before a battle, as a show of the ongoing struggle against the Galactic Empire and admiration for the Jedi Order after their failed attempt to survive the corrupt Emperor's power struggle.
Could Darth Vader levitate? ›
Like I said, a lot of Force Users will levitate when they are meditating on the Force, especially if they are deep in meditation. When it comes to using it in combat, however, that's a lot less common. As far as I know, only Dooku, Vader, and Palpatine have ever used it in combat (which you saw above).
