6

@Richard commented here that

@SS-3.1415926535897932384626433 - Although there's some evidence that the Sith can control minds, that doesn't seem to stretch to creating meatpuppet soldiers in sufficient quantities to prevent being immediately slaughtered by their comrades.

It got me wondering about Sith Mind Tricks (similar to Jedi Mind Tricks). Logically, a Sith should be able to do such things as the Force has a strong influence on weak minds, but I am unable to recall any example. Has canon mentioned Sith Mind Tricks (with any other name) anywhere? Any example?

user931
  • 115,946
  • 150
  • 581
  • 1,075
  • it is the same thing. Before the Disney era Mind trick was taught of as a light side power. ( im reffering to the Jedi Academy game here ). Now it seems that it is possible for Sith to use this power also. – Cherubel Dec 01 '15 at 07:09
  • And even if there was a Sith version you kind of cant use it in the way you are sugesting! A sith cant mind control 10 different people at Thea same time and get them to kill 10 of their friends. Mind control confuses the weak minded, if you actually ordered a killling by using the mind control you would prob get a lot of resistance from the subject. Now if you multiply that with a number of people it would get extremly difficult pretty fast. There is something else that influence the minds, in a positive way mind you. The "Battle Meditation". – Cherubel Dec 01 '15 at 07:20
  • 1
    Bastila was able to use this technique to influence the minds of thousands of troops and inspired them to fight better so they could win over the Sith every time. The equvalent to this is the Dread masters ability to cause terror in opposing forces making them mortaly afraid. So far this ability exists in the SWTOR game and is only known to Darths: Draxus, Raptus, Bestia, Calphayus, Tyrans – Cherubel Dec 01 '15 at 07:21
  • 1
    @Cherubel Actually, Obi-Wan hacked the minds of several stormtroopers in Mos Eisley spaceport at the same time. – user931 Dec 01 '15 at 07:37
  • ObiWan is a master Jedi and he suceeded. That is NOT to say that he could have used the Mind trick to get the Stormtroopers to kill each other. Please, PLEASE do note that every time that the mind trick is used it is to do something benign and non threathening. That way the minds can accept it. most ppl are hardwired against randomly gunning friends, colleagues and family. So if Obi or anibody for that matter ever tried to use it in a violent way the rate of sucess wouldnt be that high. It is a suggestion, open a door, let us go, you didnt see me. it isnt kill this child or murder your friend – Cherubel Dec 01 '15 at 13:37
  • @Cherubel Do you have any citation to prove what you just said? – user931 Dec 01 '15 at 13:55
  • during their capture by pirates....dooku and the two super jedi (anakin and ben) all three tried mind control one time or another as far as I'm aware – Thomas Dec 01 '15 at 20:45
  • @Thomas That can be answer... – user931 Dec 01 '15 at 21:59
  • @Thomas I just re-watched that episode... Only Obi-Wan tried mind control. – user931 Dec 08 '15 at 03:23
  • @SS-3.1415926535897932384626433 ok then I had it wrongly in memory. although I just found a canon reference anyway. – Thomas Dec 08 '15 at 07:02
  • [Minor spoiler of The Force Awakens that appears in the trailer] We can see Kylo Ren doing something which looks like mind control. – Fatalize Dec 08 '15 at 07:47
  • @fatalize which trailer do you mean? – Thomas Dec 08 '15 at 09:30
  • @Thomas The first official trailer released in october. This the scene right after the one where we see Vader's mask, with Kylo Ren saying "... what you started" – Fatalize Dec 08 '15 at 15:43
  • @fatalize I never saw this as a mind trick more akin to what the inquisitor did to the captive jedi in the rebels season 1....... torturing them with the force, not a mind trick. – Thomas Dec 09 '15 at 21:55

3 Answers3

9

In the canon comic Star Wars: Darth Vader #1, Vader is on Tatooine talking with someone highly resistant to Jedi mind tricks. When this person asks him if he is trying to use Jedi mind tricks on him, Vader answers:

Mind tricks are not of the dark side

We prefer force.

and force chokes him.

From how it sounds there, Sith can do mind tricks but prefer the brutal method of choking/intimidating one into doing what they want (as mind tricks are too "nice").

Thomas
  • 10,115
  • 6
  • 41
  • 67
1

I don't think that the Sith can use a mind trick that way. A mind trick is as far as I know a one time influence (Obi-Wan on Tatooine etc.). But the Sith were adept in Battle Meditation. For example in the Thrawn novels it is explained that the Imperials lost the Battle of Endor because after the death of the Emperor his Battle Meditation ended. So we could call this power a sort of mass mind trick. After all he influences the weak minded to do what he wants.

Rand al'Thor
  • 134,408
  • 65
  • 607
  • 854
kzevo1800
  • 762
  • 5
  • 14
  • 1
    Why do you think it's a one-time influence? Can you provide an example of a mind trick succeeding the first time, but failing subsequent times? – phantom42 Dec 14 '15 at 13:42
  • I didn't mean that a mind trick can only be used once on a individual but that it influences one certain decision. – kzevo1800 Dec 15 '15 at 09:50
1

Yes, the Emperor demonstrates the ability to control the mind of a Twi'lek girl in the canon novel Lords of the Sith:

“Come here, girl,” the Emperor said, putting the power of the Force into his command.

Unable to resist, the girl walked out of the tree line until she stood, small and vulnerable, before him.

With preternatural speed the Emperor drew, ignited, and slashed at the girl with his lightsaber, but Vader had sensed his Master’s intent and moved with greater speed, igniting his own blade and intercepting his Master’s blow before it could land.

The girl, under the sway of the Emperor’s power, seemed scarcely to notice the danger. She simply stood there, staring vacantly, her face aglow in the red light of the crossed blades.

Lords of the Sith, p. 243

Null
  • 69,853
  • 22
  • 297
  • 381