Discussion Let's talk about the Light Side

[Corbin Vasher]

The Force is the Force, of course, of course.

 

[Jorah zos Darnus]

How do you depict the Light Side in your RP, what do you like/dislike about writing Jedi, who are some of your favorite heroes and why, etc.

I tend to try and get outside of writing Jedi, or at least Jedi archetypes played straight. Usually, my Jedi characters are quite bad at being Jedi (Zak doesn't really want to be one, Sor-Jan has reached a point where he pretty much rejects them as betraying their oaths for their own convenience, and Shoma is more about space/exploration than being a magic knight -- more Star Trek than Star Wars, one might say).

By contrast, my most non-Jedi characters tend to become the most heroic (which in the context of Star Wars tends to be associated with the Light Side). This could be a result of the fact that I prefer Leia, Ezra, Ahsoka, and Han to Luke or Obi-Wan, where I focus more on the outsider than a strict paladin-esque archetype. It could also be that a strict screen canon interpretation of the Jedi would be that they're more paragons than paladins, who often can't see past their own hubris.

I tend to fall more into the "Force as magic" camp. Kiriko was an artisan who focused heavily on the idea of imbuing items or artwork with the Force, Boo blended Sith sorcery into the Chaos-made lore of the Primeval, Micah was a more straight-stick Sith sorcerer, and this character is my own take on balancing both Legends and Mouse Canon for the Witches of Dathomir, with inspiration from the way magic is depicted in The Dragon Prince. If Jorah is using Allyan magic (Light Side), the cost/consequence/price of casting the spell is born by the Force. If he's drawing on Shadow magic (Dark Side), a sacrifice of some kind is required.

While Jorah dislikes Shadow Magic and prefers Allyan Magic, the overall philosophy of his Clan is that both the Light and the Dark have their place in nature and that the witch should strive to maintain balance/harmony/etc.

tl;dr I tend to write that the Light gives of itself freely, but also blindly (with the Dark being more transactional in nature).

 

[Jand Talo]

I used to get involved in all the philosophy and intricacies of the light and dark side, but nowadays I just subscribe to the simpler notion presented by George himself:

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Light side = good, selfless, caring
Dark side = not those

 

[Pyeth Raffinki]

How do you describe the Light side?
Well it's entirely down to the characters perspective. Pyeth views it as a wind because that's what he is more attuned to. Tiland Kortun probably sees the Light side as tea and the dark side as coffee.

As for philosophy, I subscribe to Kyle Katarn's way of thinking. It's not so much that Light Powers are good and Dark are evil. It's more about how they are used.

Think about it, Force Heal despite being assigned to the Light is an extremely abusable power. I've had villains use it to extend torture, or keep people in a perpetual state of life / death.

On the flip side, Force Lightning has been used by Jedi (Plo Koon) and no matter what colour it is, it is Force Lightning.

It's just that one is usually designed to kill people, and the other is usually meant to help people.

It's the same with Alchemy. Jedi and Sith both practice it to different degrees, Holocrons are a product of this.

 

[Marigold]

Light Side and Dark Side feels a lot like surface level branding to me, maybe it is the fact that the Force is so vast and unending as a concept. So much so, that to truly comprehend it, you need to see the inner workings of the universe itself, but the ancient conflict that goes between Jedi and Sith, in simplified terms is.. How the force should be used, well that's my understanding of it at least.

Light Side, Jedi, focus on letting the force flow through them, and let themselves flow in it, like a river. Choosing peace and serenity over what's practically a fruitless endeavor like attempting to shape future in the way they want it, or chase ghosts of the past.

Dark Side, Sith, reject the notion of 'destiny' or dice that has been already cast, and choose to use the force in their own way, forge a destiny that's their own. Rather than letting go of the woes that befall them simply because 'it is what it is'. Going against the flow of the river and attempting to redirect the flow in their own.

Light Side may be the 'natural' way to 'use' the force, but Dark Side being 'unnatural' doesn't make it any less valid when you consider the implications.

That being said, I do think Grey FS are a bit weird, you can't feel calm, but be passionate at the same time, so part of me thinks that the true key to understanding the force is to know that Light Side and Dark Side is much like a state of mind.

Light Side is way, way more difficult to obtain and preserve, it is the serenity and calm, actual good mood if you might call it.
Dark Side is when everything goes into the deeper end, it's easier to give into stress and despair, rather than to work towards triumph, knowing the strife you have to go through.

There's no golden way to use both sides, as remaining on tipping edge between one or another would probably drive you insane. Simple fact is that you will fall to the Dark Side, like you do in real life, your fear and anger WILL overcome you.

But push foward, and see to the end of it all, and you find peace, and tranquility. The Light Side.

I can also be completely wrong, I just really hate for it to be good vs evil all the time. :<

 

[Corbin Vasher]

I see the Dark Side is a corrupted version of the Living Force that has been twisted to try to force it to do things that only the Cosmic Force (which is nearly impossible for living beings to wield, and they must use the Living Force as a sort of "buffer") should be able to do. It is unnatural, but perhaps not inherently evil. However, the evilness of so many countless Darksiders across the Eons has caused it to manifest into a completely different aspect of the Force, and it carries with it a taint that can influence and corrupt those who try to use it. Now, the Living Force itself can be viewed in many different ways, depending on culture and Force tradition, but it is generally what is referred to when anyone says "Light side."

 

[Dagda]

I combine a few things when it comes to Force. Mainly the things from the movies, but also real world theology and philosophy. Lucas himself seems to draw upon his upbringing in a Christian home, as well as experiences with Buddhism in his youth as many Eastern philosophies and religious foundations became explored during the 1960s and 1970s in American youths.

Bearing this in mind, I tend to portray the light side in many ways, depending on the practitioner. For many Jedi, I play it like a combination of Abrahamic God and the concept of Yang in Chinese philosophy. It's a positive, benevolent energy that has a will that is mysterious yet adherents surrender to it peacefully. For Witch like characters, I mold it more to the concept of "white magic". It's an energy of nature meant to purify, heal, and brings life.

I play the dark side, I do the opposite. Biblical Satanic mixed with Yin. Darkness, malevolent energy where adherents seek not betterment of others, but selfish glory for themselves. Aggression and passion. While these things aren't inherently "evil", I feel the Dark amplifies them to an extreme that is unhealthy. As for Dark Witches, I portray it like "Dark Magic". Still a natural energy, but it's instead used to subvert the natural order. To inflict unnatural pain, to prolong life beyond its natural end, to enslave nature your will. In other words, I view the Dark as trying to rebel against everything rather than living in step with it.

I hope my this makes sense!

 

[Ulic Indominus Kun]

I like what Qui-Gon said about the Light,
“It matters which side we choose. Even if there will never be more light than darkness. Even if there can be no more joy in the galaxy than there is pain. For every action we undertake, for every word we speak, for every life we touch—it matters. I don't turn toward the light because it means someday I'll 'win' some sort of cosmic game. I turn toward it because it is the light.” (Maser and Apprentice, Claudia Gray)

You don’t choose the Light to win, you choose it because its The Light.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

Whether it is the Jedi that I have written or Sith, the Force for my writing is based on their outlook

Caltin is very neutral ability wise, but once told a Padawan "In the end, I have to be able to look myself in the mirror."

I used to write a Sith Lord on another site by the name of Darth Aricsias. For him, everything was measured by his twisted sense of honor. So, kind of the same thing

 

[Ashka Tamas]

I find the Jedi and Sith too structured. The Legions of Lettow, the Dark Jedi, who simply wanted to explore the Dark Side but were subjected to genocide by the intolerant Jedi showed the true nature of the Light Side; murder. Ever since The Jedi have been on a crusads to kill Dark Side, “it was said you would destroy the Sith not join them!,” (Kenobi), “destroy the Sith we must!,” (Yoda), and “he is too dangerious to be left alive!” (Windu). The Light Siders cannot abide Dark Siders, be The Daughter is cruel, choose the light or die.

 

[Amea Virou]

The force is exactly what Disney needs it to be in any given moment in order to get the most cash out of something.