Force phantom Force phantoms , also called Sith phantasms , were the product of an elaborate Sith ritual that allowed a darksider to create lifelike apparitions from the siphoned Force energy of another life form , irrespective of sentience , and project them across the expanse of the cosmos . An ability that required considerable mental reserve and strength of will , Force phantoms manifested in the physical realm and served whatever inclinations that their creator desired . Their insidious nature was only revealed when they were destroyed , at which time the being or creature to which the phantom was anchored also perished . The power was developed and perfected by the Dark Lord Darth Vectivus , and much later — by 40 ABY — the technique had been thought lost among modern Sith . On the contrary , the rituals for conjuring Force phantoms had been discovered and mastered by the Sith Lady Lumiya , and later the Twi ' lek Dark Jedi Alema Rar , both of whom brought them to bear heavily during the Second Galactic Civil War . The secret of their creation was coveted by several beings during that same time , but none so highly as the members of the mysterious One Sith Order , which , rather than allow access to such power to fall into the hands of the Jedi Knights , destroyed the former asteroid home of Darth Vectivus , which was also the source from where the last known practitioners harnessed the dark side for the creation of Force phantoms . A Force phantom was similar to the advanced Jedi technique known as Dopplegänger , being that it was an astral projection of a being created through use of the Force . Description . Creation . Force phantoms were the result of a complex Sith ritual that was dependent on the availability of a subject , sentient or otherwise , with sufficient mental facility and vitality to sustain the influence of the initiator . Through the Force , the darksider searched for the mentality of an unsuspecting target to serve as an anchor in reality ; foreknowledge of the prey ' s whereabouts served to expedite the process , but was not required . The target aura was perceived in color and distinct from that of the originator ' s , whose own influence surrounded the victim in bright sparks of Force energy . Once securely affixed to the initial subject , the creator withdrew his or her influence and sought out another pliant mentality capable of also withstanding their prolonged assertion . The range of possibilities manifested in a variety of hues , and only through close scrutiny of each was an optimal host discovered . Species , gender , physical health , and current cognitive state were all ascertainable through the inspection , and each lent weight toward the eventual selection . The creator ultimately attached himself or herself to this mind and began to drain life energy in a manner akin to that of a spectral parasite . The extracted essence was then given corporeal form and shaped into whatever likeness the creator desired , to travel wherever in the galaxy the conjurer chose . Force - sensitives who concentrated saw a phantom ' s arrival fill their vision , while beings who had not expected one ' s presence were startled by the sudden appearance . Those not attuned to the Force witnessed a shimmering form develop right before their eyes . Drawbacks . While an effective and convenient ability , the mere ritualistic preparation of Force phantoms was an extremely exhausting process . The harvested life essence could do nothing to replenish the reserves of the darksider , and , without sufficient rest , the conjurer was beset with fatigue . Greater distance made the procedure additionally taxing , and prolonged long - range projection riddled the body with tremors as the creator struggled to maintain concentration . Because of the depleting nature of the technique , copious reserves of Force energy were required , usually those found in reservoirs of dark side power . The inexperienced were compelled to sleep for days at a time as they built up the necessary tolerance to its effects . If interrupted , the projection wavered as would a piece of fabric in a breeze ; if focus was totally broken , or the creator was overextended , the illusion disappeared . Phantoms were restricted to the gravitational standards of the world where the host was located and were unable to fight with ranged weapons , instead forced to make do with the limits of their physical extensions . Various sensor applications were able to expose a Force phantom ' s duplicity ; through preliminary examination , the apparitions radiated with considerably more haziness than actual flesh and blood . Infrared scrutiny revealed a monotonously consistent hue , much different from the spectrum of color emanated by living beings . Both radar and sonar pings revealed their nonexistence , as Force phantoms had no real mass to reflect the signals . Force - trained individuals saw not only what was projected , but also the life to which the phantom was attached . Applications . From espionage to harassment of the enemy and even simple communication , Force phantoms were a practical means to a variety of ends . Conjurers frequently appeared as themselves , with full access to their breadth of Force abilities and lightsaber skill and fully capable of inflicting harm . They usually materialized in their true form , at times physically - enhanced or not in their particular likeness at all . Darksiders commonly attacked their foes by projecting multiple simultaneous phantoms , such as swarms of creatures like mynocks , forcing the quarry to divide their attention while also defending themselves . Those followers of the Jedi way who were unfamiliar with the phenomena mistook phantoms for Force ghost s . When their true nature was revealed , Jedi were especially confounded , given the potential innocence of the beings to whom each apparition was attached ; damage suffered by the phantom was in turn transferred to the life it was anchored to . Manifestations of loved ones also worked to bewilder the creator ' s adversaries and challenged the sanity of non - Force - sensitives , who rationalized the occurrences as ghost sightings or close encounters with " phantoms of the mind . " Users . The Force phantom technique was invented by Darth Vectivus , a Sith Master whose lair was a palatial asteroid abode situated over a nexus of dark side energy . Vectivus perfected the technique and even retained the ability after his death , but widespread knowledge of the ritual was believed by succeeding Sith to have been lost over the centuries . By 40 ABY , current Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya , who had since taken up residence in Vectivus ' former habitat , encountered the spirit of the deceased Sith Lord and learned his ancient power . With it , she relentlessly tormented Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet Admiral Matric Klauskin by appearing as his late wife Edela . Lacking Force sensitivity or the technological means to discern the truth , Klauskin was driven insane . As the galaxy descended into instability , Lumiya utilized her ability to distress her long - time enemies , Jedi Masters Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker , with simultaneous apparitions of their nephew and son , who also fought phantoms of their uncle and mother , respectively . Shortly afterward , young Skywalker and Jedi Knight Nelani Dinn were beleaguered by a multitude of mynock phantoms in the bowels of the asteroid , all conjured by Lumiya . A separate phantom of Darth Vectivus himself then appeared only to Dinn with ominous warnings . Lumiya , meanwhile , created a Force phantom of Darth Caedus , the Sith Lord whom Jacen Solo would become , as she attempted to seduce him to the dark side . The Dark Lady later appeared to Solo on the planet Coruscant , after she had suffered crippling wounds in combat with Grand Master Skywalker . Her injuries caused visible strain , but Lumiya ' s tremendous strength of will allowed her to perform the ritual successfully . Solo recognized and marveled at the practicality of the ability and desired to learn it for himself . As the Second Galactic Civil War progressed , Lumiya continued her phantasmal manipulation of Admiral Klauskin , who eventually retired from active military service . Following Lumiya ' s death on the Hapan world of Terephon , her asteroid home was appropriated by the Dark Jedi Alema Rar , who , with much practice and study of notes left behind by the Dark Lady , became a consummate wielder of the Force phantom ability . Rar likened herself to a goddess as she occupied the uppermost chamber of the habitat and infused herself with enough of the asteroid ' s pooled darkness to create an infinite number and variety of Force phantoms . The insane Twi ' lek preferred to display a revitalized body , one she considered beautiful and eternal , that was conspicuously without the farrago of deformities that had since become her most recognized appearance . Her projections also included flocks of giant mynocks , which she used to endlessly badger various members of the Solo family . Members of the One Sith Order secluded on the planet Korriban , who had been under the impression that Vectivus ' technique was lost to history , became remarkably interested in its resurfacing . When they learned that Rar was the current master of the ability , one of their number , the Sith Lord Dician was ordered to annex the asteroid habitat and take the Twi ' lek into custody so that the Korriban Sith might extract the secrets of Force phantom creation from her . Dician , however , made her superiors aware of the Jedi ' s interest in Rar as well as their imminent convergence upon the asteroid , and the mission changed from one of capture to one of destruction . From her flagship , the " Poison Moon " , Dician obliterated the asteroid with fission bomb s , just after the departure of a Jedi strike team that had infiltrated the asteroid and assassinated Rar . With the Dark Jedi ' s death and the asteroid ' s destruction , the secrets of Force phantom creation were effectively eradicated . Behind the scenes . Force phantoms first appeared in " " , the introductory novel in the nine - part " Legacy of the Force " series . It went on to feature as the primary means of Force harassment employed by the series ' main dark side – wielding antagonists in " " and " " . The ability was ambiguously mentioned in " The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia " entry for Darth Vectivus and received a specific reference in " " , the second book in the " Legacy of the Force " – succeeding , nine - part " " series .