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This is a two part question, with the two parts being mirror images to each other.

Is the ability to use the Force a requirement, for some reason, to using a lightsaber? And if so, why?

And on the other side, on Hoth, when Luke is hanging in ice in the wampa's cave, he uses the Force to bring his lightsaber into his hand. But, as best I can remember and find, the Jedi always use a lightsaber like a "real" sword and keep it in their hands (although I think there's one case in a movie where a lightsaber is thrown to cut down support for a walkway). Can a lightsaber be wielded with the Force only? For instance, when Anakin's hand was cut off, could he have controlled the movement of his lightsaber the way Vader did with the objects he Force-tossed objects at Luke in the Cloud City?

While that's two questions (that I think are closely related), another way to put it might be to ask, "How closely is the use of the Force related to wielding a lightsaber?"

Addendum: No, this is NOT a duplicate of Do Non-Jedi (and Non-Sith) Use Lightsabers?. Note I am the one who asked both questions. I asked both because they cover different groups.

See the Venn diagram. I allow room for possible members of Sith and Jedi who do not use the Force. (Hey, in the Star Wars universe, almost anything can happen.) If that is not possible, then just imagine the black box not intercepting either or both of the Jedi and Sith boxes.

One can be non-aligned (with Jedi or Sith) and still use the Force and it's possible, at some point, we may find some odd story about a Jedi or Sith who cannot use the Force. (There may be some story about how such a person is not felt by Force users, so is valuable to one side or the other.)

This question overs the black box. The other question covers the green box. Yes, there is overlap, but there are also distinct separate groups covered by each question that are not covered in the other question. enter image description here

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    What are you asking that is not answered here
    – Origami Robot
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 16:32
  • @OrigamiRobot: 1) There are people who uses the Force who are not Jedi or Sith, so that still leaves it open for some to use the Force to help use lightsabers and be neither and 2) I'm asking if the Force alone can be used -- for instance, after Anakin lost his hand, could he have wielded his light saber without a hand, just by using the Force?
    – Tango
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 16:47
  • 1) Are you asking "Is there anyone who is Force-sensitive, but not aligned with the Jedi or Sith, who uses a lightsaber?" or "Is there anyone who is not Force-sensitive who uses a lightsaber?" 2) I could've sworn I had seen this answered in another question, but I can find it now.
    – Origami Robot
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 17:17
  • @OrigamiRobot: I'm asking, "Is the ability to use the Force a requirement, for some reason, to using a lightsaber?" (It's in the question.) And I'm asking, "Can a lightsaber be wielded with the Force only?"
    – Tango
    Commented Jan 29, 2012 at 17:27
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    Eh, I think this is a duplicate of Do Non-Jedi (and Non-Sith) Use Lightsabers? pretty clearly.
    – TylerH
    Commented Feb 14, 2020 at 14:44

8 Answers 8

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Using a lightsaber is possible for anyone.. but, as has been addressed in other questions, it's a somewhat hard weapon to learn due to its properties. (Weightless blade until it encounters things, gyroscopic effect, awareness of the location of the blade, etc.)

But that doesn't mean it's unusable for any non-Jedi... it's just not that great of a weapon, really, (just a very sharp, hot sword) until you add the Jedi skills.. With the phenomenal reflexes/precog/whatever granted by sensitivity to the Force, things like blocking blaster bolts become possible. So, anyone can use it, but it's risky.. and they don't gain the benefits of using it that a Jedi would. Han Solo used Luke's quite well as a knife.. but without Force sensitivity, he couldn't have blocked blaster bolts with it, except by pure luck.

As to using it via the Force? Yep; in the extended universe that's seen a bit. From base level use, like Mace Windu setting a pair of them to whirl around him defensively (called a Saber Barrier), to full blown telekenetic combat such as was used by Darth Traya, Darth Bane and Galen Marek.

It should be noted, though, that this takes a lot of skill; in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke called his lightsaber to his hand and Han used it later as a knife.. Both are demonstrations of a very basic, and low-precision use of a tool (the Force for Luke, the saber for Han) that can be used in a much more effective way.

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  • "But that doesn't mean anyone can't use it" -> Should be can.
    – TylerH
    Commented Feb 16, 2015 at 19:03
  • @TylerH - Nope; I meant "can't"; anyone CAN use it, but it's not much of a useful tool for most people. But no one "can't" use it; it's just a tool.
    – K-H-W
    Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 17:11
  • In that case you should rephrase it to something like "That doesn't mean only Jedi can use it" because it is very unclear as it stands.
    – TylerH
    Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 17:12
  • I think it is worth adding mention of Yoda's light saber throw in Ep. 3 when he and obi-wan are heading towards the Jedi Temple.
    – Hagelt18
    Commented Dec 28, 2017 at 16:54
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You have two questions in there.

  1. "Is the Force a requirement?": recycling my answer from "Do Non-Jedi (and Non-Sith) Use Lightsabers?", no, it's not a requirement. General Grievous is a skilled duelist and a confirmed non-user of the Force.
  2. If you count the games as a valid source, there is a "lightsaber throw" power which allows the player character to throw the lightsaber using the Force.
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Grievous was also able to use a lightsaber, so there's no requirement to use the Force at all.

Grievous fighting with Ashoka

Grievous fighting with Fisto

Grievous with lightsabers

However, to master all the lightsaber battle skills, there's need of the Force. Like, using the Force a lightsaber can be thrown without turning it off.

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In The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film, there's an excerpt from a recording Lucas made, in July/August 1977, to elaborate on backstories for the (sequel) novelisation, comic books, and merchandising:

The Force really doesn't have anything to do with the lightsaber. Anybody can have a lightsaber. It's just a weapon like a pistol, and Leia could use the lightsaber as well as anyone else. But she really hasn't had any training with a lightsaber because she doesn't really like them; she prefers pistols.

So the original concept, at least, was that they were not related at all.

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Definitely Yes

In addition to previous answers,

  • In The Force Awakens, Finn uses it to fight Kylo Ren, and manages to hold a couple of rounds.
  • Mentioned earlier example of Han Solo using it as a knife in The Empire Strikes Back
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Recycling a link to Ask a Jedi ;) in addition, from Wookieepedia (sorry, Pyrodante):

Due to the weightlessness of plasma and the strong gyroscopic effect generated by it, lightsabers required a great deal of strength and dexterity to wield, and it was extremely difficult—and dangerous—for the untrained to attempt using. However, in the hands of an expert of the Force, the lightsaber was a weapon to be greatly respected and feared.

Using a lightsaber, and being at least proficient enough for some combat, is possible for non-Force users.

But the difficulties in wielding such an apparently unwieldy weapon requires sharp reflexes, strength, and dexterity. Force users are able to tap into the Force and enhance all three of these skills, and so are much more proficient than normal people.

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The connection created through Jedi and Sith and their lightsabers is a lot stronger than it would be with other people(more so with the Jedi, i believe, due to the way they have to get their crystals as well. Sith use synthetic red crystals.) Using a lightsaber is just as much science as art, due to light weight, along with other things mentioned in previous comments. Any fool can use a lightsaber if shown how to use it, but the heightened awareness the jedi and sith have because of the Force is a huge advantage.

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I was always under the impression that yes they may be able to wield a lightsaber from the Old Republic (the utility belt w/ flex cable from pwr sorce to hilt) but as far as the "New" style of lightsabes wete concerned it was a combination of being a Force adept in correlation with an extension of the users "Will" that is why the construction of the "Padawans" comes at the end of their training due to the massive amount of energy and concentration that it requires to construct such a weapon and would explain the bond and or mentality that the lightsaber is their "Life" an extention or personification of their training and will. So no I don't believe just anyone could wield a lightsaber considering the force type bond that seem to connect either Jedi or Sith with their lightsaber.

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    Except that we see both Han and Grievous using a new-style lightsaber. Both have shown zero force ability.
    – Valorum
    Commented Feb 16, 2015 at 17:26
  • I get that but Grievous was being trained under the tutelage of Count Duku so itis possible that he may have had some formal training, as far as Han goes well maybe there's a little more than meets the eye. Because as far as the story goes it boils down to the amount of "Metachlorines" you have flowing through you. As Qui Gon put it ALL life forms have Metachlorines but not all are "Force Sensitve"/or Adept. Just saying.
    – Trevor Brown
    Commented Feb 16, 2015 at 17:34
  • So maybe Han had just enough Metachlorines and enough Swagger or maybe it was due to the great need to save Luke that was enough to activate Lukes lightsaber. Because I'm pretty sure that the way Obi-Wan explained it to Luke was that Luke must feel the force flowing through him and that the blade of the lightsaber needed him to focus as to the Jedi's blade is an extension of the Jedi's years of training and will.
    – Trevor Brown
    Commented Feb 16, 2015 at 17:41
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    It's pretty clear that anyone can use a lightsaber (merely by pressing the button on the side) but it takes "Jedi reflexes" and training to use it well.
    – Valorum
    Commented Feb 16, 2015 at 18:10
  • Ok, kinda dumb that just ANYONE can use such a weapon.
    – Trevor Brown
    Commented Feb 16, 2015 at 18:13

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