71

This question arose when some of my coworkers threatened to freeze me in carbonite and use me as a coffee table. (I did nothing to deserve this threat. Nothing!) I posited that I would just knock anything they tried to put on coffee-table-me onto the ground with my mind.

Is this something a Jedi would be able to do if frozen in carbonite? Is the frozen person conscious inside the carbonite, or is their mind frozen too? Would a frozen Jedi be able to use the Force to manipulate objects outside of the carbonite block (and therefore potentially be able to escape)?

Improve this question
2
  • 3
    Also there is A Clone Wars episode where Jedi are put in carbonite, so they are not able to be sensed by sensors. I forget which one though. I think it is in season 4.
    – jacen.garriss
    Oct 3, 2013 at 20:17
  • Is this restricted to just Jedis, or Sith as well?
    – Mark Mayo
    Dec 17, 2014 at 13:15

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
59

In the Legacy of the Force novels in the EU several Jedi are frozen in carbonite as they appear to be acting irrationally and violating GA Laws. These Jedi are unable to influence the world. As @Keen notes even Jedi go into hibernation when frozen in carbonite.

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    Accepted for referencing source material
    – hairboat
    Nov 5, 2011 at 15:24
42

Unfortunately, no, you would not be able to manifest your force powers while frozen in carbonite:

C-3PO: Oh. They've encased him in Carbonite. He should be quite well protected. If he survived the freezing process, that is.

Darth Vader: Well, Calrissian, did he survive?

Lando: Yes, he's alive, and in perfect hibernation.

Darth Vader: He's all yours, bounty hunter.

Hibernation means that the individual is unconscious.

Here is a related conversation.

Improve this answer
4
  • 19
    I would almost say it's fortunate, not unfortunate. Can you imagine what it would have been like for Han (or anyone else) to be frozen in a space like that, unable to move, and your mind still be active? That way lies madness.
    – Tango
    Nov 4, 2011 at 16:09
  • 6
    Well, it is unfortunate for the coffee table who wants to keep her surface clear of her coworkers' belongings....
    – Beofett
    Nov 4, 2011 at 16:10
  • 1
    So if someone were conscious in carbonite, you could make a Jedi coffee table that automatically cleans itself of stains and spills and tidies itself up whenever items on it are disorganized.
    – Tango
    Nov 4, 2011 at 16:21
  • This is correct and was even covered in the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series
    – Alexander Kahoun
    Nov 17, 2011 at 19:07
25

No, as when you're frozen in carbonite, you go into hibernation. As such, you're unconscious while in the carbonite, and that means no force powers. Although you might have some visions of the future, as Jedi are known to have.

Improve this answer
16

In doing a little unrelated carbonite freezing research, I came across mention of Roni von Wasaki, and was surprised to see mention of his use of the Jedi Mind Trick while encased in carbonite (emphasis mine):

Confiscating Wasaki's lightsaber and shoto, Drobo froze him in carbonite and stored him in the hold of his ship, the Starkiller.

Still attempting to resist capture in hibernation, Wasaki mentally reached out to Drobo, convincing the captain to free him and return his weapons. However, XT-8 learned of that and killed Drobo, as he had become a liability. In the process, XT-8 damaged the Starkiller's hyperdrive. The droid, unable to repair the ship, continued the trip on sublight drive, turning a thirty day jump into 20,000 years.

Wasaki persisted in his frozen state, continually trying to reach anyone passing within close proximity of the ship. Though the carbonite preserved him, the elongated journey slowly drove him insane, leaving him with twenty millennia of lonely thoughts and dreams. His situation also left him permanently blind, leaving him with only the Force to rely on.

Note that this is from an adventure for the Star Wars roleplaying game, making it potentially C-canon that yes, a Jedi could remain conscious while encased in carbonite, and influence the world (albeit perhaps not physical manipulation) from within the carbonite. However, the carbonite freezing process used on Wasaki was that of almost 20,000 years prior to the experimental technique used by Darth Vader on Han Solo, so it could be conceivable that some difference in the process resulted in later applications of carbon freezing inducing a true hibernation state.

Improve this answer
1

If a Jedi could use his powers in carbonite, would Darth Vader have wanted Luke to travel in that method? (remember, freezing Han was only a test; the bounty hunters strongly prefered to just take him alive, rather than risk killing him and losing their reward.)

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    Before Luke finally encounters Vader on Bespin, Vader refers to Luke as, "just a boy" and has no idea about Luke's training with Yoda. It can be interpreted as though he does not think much of Luke's abilities at this point.
    – phantom42
    Aug 12, 2013 at 12:48

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.