In the Star Wars universe, there are two types of people: regular people and those who have a higher sensitivity to the Force. These individuals are known as being force-sensitive.
What sets the Force-sensitives apart from the regular folks is their midi-chlorian count. Although everyone is born with midi-chlorians, the Force-sensitives have a much higher count than other people.
This is what allows them to be more in tune with the Force. Now, whenever speaking about Midi-Chlorians, the focus is usually put on the light side of the Force.
This raises the question of whether or not the Sith have midi-chlorians. What are midi-chlorians? These questions and more will be answered as we progress through this article.
Table of Contents
What are Midi-Chlorians?
As mentioned above, midi-chlorians determine an individual’s Force-sensitivity. These are microscopic organisms that reside in the cells of all living beings.
When midi-chlorians are in a significant enough proportion, they give their host the ability to manipulate the Force as they deem fit.
For a normal human, the average midi-chlorian count was 2,500 per cell, whereas, for the Jedi, the average ranged from 7,000 to 10,000 per cell.
But how are midi-chlorians detected?
Well, just as with the detection of many diseases, a person’s midi-chlorian count is found by doing a simple blood test. From there, the amount of midi-chlorian per cell is measured.
Because midi-chlorians and Force-sensitivity are not inherently apparent without a test, many individuals have no clue that they could use the Force.
Take, for instance, Darth Vectivus. He worked for years as a director of the mines before discovering his Force-sensitivity. Then, and only then, was he able to learn and grow in the Force.
Do the Sith have Midi-Chlorians?
Right off the bat, the answer to this one is a simple, yes. As force-sensitive beings, the Siths definitely have midi-chlorians.
In general, the Sith have around the same midi-chlorian count per cell as the Jedi. However, there are some Sith who have shown a higher midi-chlorian count than their light-side counterparts.
What sets the Sith apart is how they choose to use their midi-chlorians and Force-sensitivity. While the Jedi were focused on peace, the Sith longed for power. This power drove them to be far more intense and creative than the Jedi would ever be.
A prime example of this can be seen when the Sith Lord, Darth Plagueis, did extensive research and figured out a way to use midi-chlorians to create new life.
This idea was not only absurd to the Jedi, but it would grant Darth Plagueis, and thus the Sith, God-like power.
Unfortunately, this concept was not able to come to fruition because its inventor, Plagueis, was murdered by his apprentice, Darth Sidious.
What was Palpatine’s Midi-Chlorian count?
Palpatine was an incredibly talented and persuasive Force-user who would stop at nothing to get his way. His unmistakable strength led to many fans wondering what his midi-chlorian count was.
With an unsurprising midi-chlorian count of approximately 20,000 per cell, Palpatine is on the higher end of the spectrum, this allowed him to surpass countless Jedi and Sith alike.
His heightened sensitivity to the Force allowed him to use it in ways others may not have been able to, making him one of the strongest Sith the galaxy had to offer.
Can Palpatine Manipulate Midi-Chlorians?
As we know, Darth Sidious (Palpatine) was so ruthless that he killed his mentor in cold blood. Still, Palpatine was intelligent enough to milk Darth Plagueis of all the knowledge he could before taking his life.
Through his experiments with immortality, we know that Plagueis figured out a way to use midi-chlorians in the creation of new life. He did this through a technique known as “Midi-Chlorian Manipulation.”
Firstly, to use Midi-Chlorian Manipulation, a Force-user has to be deeply in tune with the dark side. From there, they can influence midi-chlorians to create, maintain, extend, or even save a life.
Of course, Plagueis tested the technique continuously. He used it to breed creatures without the need for a partner, and he saved the lives of his loved ones.
Additionally, Plagueis repeatedly killed and resurrected Darth Venamis while he was comatose.
Naturally, as the student of a great scientist, Palpatine had the knowledge to use Midi-Chlorian Manipulation. However, he could only use it to a certain degree and was nowhere near the skillset his master achieved.
Moreover, Palpatine killed Plagueis before he had the chance to learn the technique in full, which was a horrible move on his part.
FAQs
Nothing piques the curiosity of the Star Wars community more than the inner workings of the Force. While some questions have been answered and are relatively straightforward, some are more frequently asked than others.
So without further ado, let’s dive into one of the aforementioned frequently asked questions.
Who has the highest Midi-Chlorian count in Star Wars?
We have already established that midi-chlorians live within every living being in the galaxy.
Yet, simply having midi-chlorians does not make someone force-sensitive. Rather, the number of midi-chlorians in each cell of an individual would determine their acclimation to the Force.
Therefore, force-sensitives would naturally have a higher count than normal people.
There are those among this select group who have an unusually high midi-chlorian count. Such as Obi-wan Kenobi with 13,000 per cell, Jedi Grand Master Yoda with 17,700 per cell, and Palpatine with 20,000 per cell.
Then there is Anakin Skywalker, who had the highest midi-chlorian count in galactic history. Coming in at a whopping 28,000 midi-chlorians per cell, it’s no wonder why he was dubbed the “Chosen One” of the Force.
Conclusion
Somewhat similar to mitochondria in our reality, midi-chlorians were the Force’s powerhouse within the cells of living creatures in Star Wars.
Even so, the mere presence of midi-chlorians does not make someone force-sensitive. Instead, an individual would have to have a higher than normal count of cells to tap into the full potential of the Force.
Nevertheless, some force-sensitives took their astoundingly high midi-chlorian count and learned to use it to their advantage.
One such individual is Darth Plagueis, who carried out extensive research on how to bend midi-chlorians to his will. Of course, having been side by side with Plagueis through all the experiments, Palpatine picked up on this technique as well.