Star Wars' Other Force Lightning Colors And What They Do, Explained
Everyone knows the typical Force lightning. Depending on which "Star Wars" movie it is, the color lands somewhere between purple and deep blue — a cool, villainous hue marking one of the Sith's most powerful and deadly abilities. Darth Sidious may be the most famous user of the technique, but other characters like Count Dooku, Supreme Leader Snoke, and Rey Skywalker have utilized the classic purple-blue lighting as well.
There are, however, rarer variants of Force lightning, each of which sports its own distinct color. These different shades have existed in both the old Expanded Universe, aka Star Wars Legends, and the modern canon, though their meaning and context change a bit between the continuities. Green, red, and yellow Force lighting have all appeared in various primary "Star Wars" texts, and there are even references to white and black varieties in more ancillary sources, such as canon RPG sourcebooks.
We're only going to be focusing on the main three alternate Force lighting colors in this article, as they're the ones that "Star Wars" has explained more fully. Here's what each one means and where they can be seen.
Green Force lightning comes from Nightsister magic
Nightsister magic remains something of an enigma in the "Star Wars" universe. It's clearly connected to the dark side of the Force, but it's also distinctly different from the power channeled by the Sith. In most cases, Nightsister magic releases a green hue, be it during incantations or more active spells. It can even be used to revive the dead in a zombified form, as seen in shows like "Ahsoka" and "Star Wars Rebels."
As one might expect, Nightsister Force lightning is also green, giving it a unique look, though its effect is largely the same as the base variety. Mother Talzin, one-time leader of the Nightsisters on Dathomir, uses this technique in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," though she also claims not to be a "natural Force wielder" in that same show.
For years, it was thought that Dathomir itself had something to do with the unique dark Force powers of the Nightsisters. However, that theory got more complicated after "Ahsoka" Season 1, which shows powerful Nightsisters channeling dark forces on Peridea — a planet far away from both Dathomir and the main "Star Wars" galaxy as a whole. With "Ahsoka" Season 2 on the horizon and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) returning to Dathomir with the Nightsisters in tow, we may finally get some concrete answers about how their magic and Force lightning actually works. Regardless, the green tint is pretty cool.
Yellow Force lightning has been used by both the Jedi and the Sith
In the current "Star Wars" canon, yellow Force lightning is most commonly associated with Darth Momin, a Sith Lord from the end of the Old Republic era. It's a point in the "Star Wars" timeline that hasn't been explored much since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, and Darth Momin has only become more developed because he returns as a reincarnated spirit in the latter-day "Darth Vader" comics, set during the Imperial era.
For reasons that have never fully been explained, Momin's Force powers are often associated with the color yellow, including his own specific version of Force lightning. It's a cool effect that sets him apart from other dark side users, even if there isn't any real justification for the change.
In the old Star Wars Expanded Universe, yellow or golden electricity was also associated with certain Jedi who could use Force lightning. These included characters like Plo Koon and, in the stories set after "Return of the Jedi," Luke Skywalker. The Legends timeline outlines that these Jedi could use the technique without falling to the dark side, though many masters forbade its use. This golden light side variety was often referred to as "electric judgment."
Red Force lightning indicates pure dark side power
The last prominent Force lightning color is bright red — a shade associated with absolute dark side power. This variety is most closely associated with the Son, one of the so-called Force-wielders of Mortis — ancient godlike beings directly connected to the Force. The Son made his debut in Season 3 of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," facing off against Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka after they're brought to his magical world. In the end, the Son kills both his father and sister, each representing the balance and light side of the Force, respectively, before dying himself.
During his crusade against his family, the Son uses a bright red form of Force lightning. This color isn't explained explicitly in the show, but it mirrors the hue of a bled kyber crystal. Given that the Son is essentially a conduit for the pure dark side, it's reasonable to assume that the red lightning represents unbridled dark Force power.