Force lightning

**Force lightning was a well known Force ability, most often used by practitioners of the dark side of the Force, especially the first order. The ability was commonly referred to as the Electric Judgment, due to the affiliations of its typical users.**

## **Description**

**"*Some possess raw elemental power; they can unleash storms of lightning from their fingertips…*"**
**―Matthew Kling**
**Force lightning was a purely offensive, energy-based attack that channeled Force energy down the user's limbs, hurling arcing bolts of electricity from the wielder's fingertips or palms; Force lightning could be executed with either one or two hands. Powerful discharges would branch out into dozens of smaller forks; thus, skilled practitioners could target several foes at once.**

**The intensity varied based on a number of factors. A skilled user could render a target unconscious with only a short burst. A single, powerful blast was sufficient to kill a person instantly. The temple guard riot control stormtrooper's lightning, for example, would often electrocute his opponents to death on contact. The blue and red riot control first order stormtrooper was another Force-user who could channel lightning that would kill on contact. Both Gwendolynn Apsu-Dahak and Matthew Kling could conjure lightning so powerful that not only would it instantly kill its target, it would also physically hurl them backwards. The latter's usage was also powerful enough to render anyone caught in it into charred husks if used to its full potency, as demonstrated by his execution of the Plumbers for there military coup against him. Matthew Kling's first order clone troopers, Gwendolynn Apsu-Dahak and Emperor Matthew Kling were able to produce lightning at such intensity that it literally vaporized their targets. These are the most powerful known usages of Force lightning.**

**The fact that it caused not only severe physical damage but also unbearable agony to the victim led to it being widely used as a form of torture. At the Battle of Earth, Cthulhu repeatedly assaulted Jaina Solo-Kling with lightning and Sunburst used it upon a Old Ones Cultist, having captured her on board Starkiller base and having brought her to Hoth, where he converted her to the order.**

**Due to the fact that Force lightning was, at its core, simply electricity generated by the dark side, it could be grounded with any material that was resistant to electrical currents. Depending on the level of intensity, Force lightning could ground itself on an ignited lightsaber, with no apparent ill effect on the lightsaber's operation. However, some of the technique's most exceptionally powerful practitioners, were capable of producing blasts that contained enough kinetic energy to tear an ignited lightsaber from their opponent's grasp. One of the most notable examples of this was seen during the duel between Matthew Kling and Ben 10/Diamondhead, where Matthew Kling disarmed the master hero with a particularly powerful lightning blast, forcing Ben 10/Diamondhead to use tutaminis to defend himself. Powerful light-siders were sometimes able to resist the attack or even block the lightning completely. A plumber commando, with his lightsaber combat form Vaapad, could reflect the lightning back to its source with a "superconducting loop". It required tremendous effort on the reflector's part, however, as seen in the plumber commando's battle with Matthew Kling; The plumber commando was seemingly able to overcome Matthew Kling's lightning. Max Tennyson was also able to deflect Gwendolynn Apsu-Dahak's lightning, with his lightsaber, without exerting much effort as well. Sunburst was also seen doing this against Ben 10/Brainstorm, despite the fact that Ben 10/Brainstorm's lightning was powerful enough to outright disintegrate his targets. Ben 10/Brainstorm was capable of creating a shield out of his lightning and could deflect even Matthew Kling's Force lightning back at him.**

**Force lightning could also be absorbed and redirected by a creature with an immunity to electricity; Ultimate Ben 10 demonstrated this ability by both deflecting and absorbing the dark power during battles with Matthew Kling, using nothing more than his own two hands. Ultimate Ben 10 was also able to block Matthew Kling's lightning with only his bare hands while walking towards him. Ben 10 attempted this and succeeded for a short amount of time, before the Emperor's attack overwhelmed him. Matthew Kling demonstrated great proficiency in this ability; he used his bare hands to absorb a very powerful barrage of Force Lightning from Great OLD One Cthulhu and then deflected it back at him, destroying him with his own power in the process. The Force could also be used to simply deflect Force lightning without absorbing it, as demonstrated by Matthew Kling during his initial engagement with Ben 10.**

## **Effect of Force lightning**

**"*The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed. But, I assure you, my resolve has never been stronger!*"**
**―Matthew Kling**
**Though the short-term effects of Force lightning are obvious, the sheer power invoked by its use could have insidious long-term effects, both on those subjected to its power and those who would wield it. It could deform the person being shocked and it could also lead to them being crippled for the rest of their life. It was also known to cause brain damage and blindness. Prolonged exposure to intense electrical fields (such as a sustained current of Force lightning) caused most humanoids to experience sudden and massive calcification of their skeletal system; the abrupt drop in blood minerals provoked muscular micro-seizures all over the victim's body. Intense enough doses of Force lightning will also have the victim having his or her skeletal system being seen through the body, as demonstrated with Cthulhu and Matthew Kling. However, this does not impact the user if it is redirected at him or her. This is especially evident with Great Old One Cthulhu shortly before his death, as despite being hit with Force lightning at an intensity great enough to cause Matthew Kling's skeleton to shine through his armor when picked up by Cthulhu, he did not exhibit the same symptoms.**

**Telltale symptoms included generalized muscle aches and double vision. A blood test or bioscan could be used to confirm the diagnosis.**

**Unless the victim received complete bed rest and appropriate medical treatment, the disorder would become chronic, lingering for years (barring timely bactaimmersion).**

 I**t was thought that very intense use of Force lightning could drain the user physically and possibly result in severe facial and body deformations.**

## **Variants of Force lightning**

**"*Power! Unlimited power!*"**
**―Matthew Kling**
### **Force shock**

**Force shock was a Force power that allowed the user to create an energy spark that would track and damage the nearest enemy. The shock could be thrown at an opponent to stun and injure them or could be set loose to track an opponent until it dissipates. The shock would not last more than five seconds or so before disappearing into a tiny burst of heat, but it was a useful technique for the first order.**

### **Force storm**

**Force storm was a Force lightning variant. The user would raise their palm upward and would create, through the Force, an explosion of electrical energy directed at all foes in the vicinity. It also appeared as a tornado of energy which created a great disturbance in the Force.**

**Unlike the Force lightning, Force storm was not limited to attacking enemies in one direction, as it affected all foes within a certain radius from the user. Some notable practitioners of this power were Matthew Kling, Gwendolynn Apsu-Dahak and the first order clone stormtroopers.**

### **Chain lightning**

**Chain lightning was a variation of Force lightning with the difference being that the lightning was able to strike one person and then move to another or several others. As it was more powerful than the standard lightning, it required a greater amount of discipline and concentration to project and sustain the stream of lightning.**

### **Sith barrage**

**Sith barrage was a variant of Force lightning that allowed users to create a bolt of lightning up from the ground damaging anything in its way.**

### **Lightning Shield**

**Lightning Shield was another variation of Force lightning in which a shield of lightning covered and protected the user. Its effects could extend beyond the immediate space near the user, and could shock enemies in the distance. It could lower damage taken by the user, and could also enhance the saber damage the user dealt out. It was not the most powerful form of Force lightning, however; it still took mastery in the art of Force lightning and high concentration to use Lightning Shield. It could even redirect Force lightning back at another user of Force lightning. The only known users was Gwendolynn Apsu-Dahak.**

### **Lightning Grenade**

**Lightning Grenade was a Force lightning variation in which the user gripped an opponent or object with the Force and lifted them up into the air. While the victim was suspended the user blasted them with a brief burst of lightning. The practitioner then either dropped the victim or slammed them into an object, causing the lightning coursing within them to explode. Sunburst and Polar Midnight were the only known practitioners.**

### **Lightning Bomb**

**A powerful variation of Force lightning. The Force user blasted an opponent with lightning and then, using the Force, caused the lightning to amplify within the victim's body until it reached a critical point and exploded out of the victim. The explosion would also shock and kill anyone unlucky enough to be standing near the victim when the explosion occurred.**

### **Sith Seeker**

**Sith Seeker was a very uncontrollable form of Force push. The Force user blasted the target with Force push, sending the object through the air. The user then generated a large ball of Force lightning. The Force user allowed the lightning to expand freely, until it was no longer under his or her control. They would then blast the Force lightning ball after the target, hence "Sith Seeker". The lightning exploded on impact with an opponent or object. The only known practitioner of Sith Seeker was Polar Midnight.**

### **Lightning Burst**

**Lightning burst was a variant of Force lightning, where the user would have lightning arc out from their body to strike adjacent enemies.**

### **Colors**

**While most Force Lightning manifested itself as blue, it could appear in several hues, though whether or not the color is distinctive was unclear. For example, The blue and red riot control first order stormtrooper used purple lightning. Polar Midnight used white. The temple guard riot control first order trooper was seen using green. Dark side users like Sunburst and Lord Starkiller were seen wielding red. Gwendolynn Apsu-Dahak and Jaina Solo-Kling also used a highly unusual color variant, in the form of black and Rouge One also used a highly unusual color variant, in the form of Mercury (quicksilver) and Matthew Kling also used a highly unusual color variant, in the form of orange and under The state of Oneness and The cosmic Force in the form of prism.**