# Question about midichlorians and Vader
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 30, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527 "2005-06-30T15:17:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/21 "2005-06-30T17:56:24Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#):
>
> I doubt a powerfull jedi would want wingmen when piloting, yet Darth Vader had wingmen, a jedi with their ultra-reactions and prescience would I think be hindered by wingmen as they tried to keep up with the Jedi.
Particulary since one of my favorite, unintentionally humerous scenes in ANH(other then the famous Stormtrooper head blow) is when Han kills one of Vader’s Wingman. The other panics and flies RIGHT INTO VADER’S SHIP. Everytime I see it, it just seems hilarious.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/22 "2005-06-30T18:03:41Z")
> [@HPL](#):
>
> I feel much the same way. It seems that most Sith eventually try to overthrow their master and become the new one(and get an appretice so that the cycle can continue). Vader, until the very end, never seems to try to lift a hand againest palpatine. In fact, he seems almost content to be Palpatines attack dog(in ANH, Leia sees tarkin and says “I figured you’d be the one holding Vader’s Leash”).
>
> But after rewatching the original(non-lucasized) trilogy after seeing episode 3, it did seem like Vader, at least in ANH, was still rather immature and petulant. He likes to kill people who disapoints him(or just doesn’t have any way of controlling his temper), but both Paplatine and Grand Moff Tarkin seem more Intelligent and more Evil then Vader.
Some people have advanced the theory that limiting Anakin’s power in this way was actually planned by the Emperor. This guy’s plan is obviously to hold ultimate control of everything he can reach, and somehow I doubt he wants an upstart apprentice trying to kill him while he’s luxuriating in ruling the galaxy. So he warps Anakin’s mind until the boy is completely and blindly loyal to him, then as an added reassurance cuts his power down. He can still threaten and kill mundanes (when you’re the only one in the Empire who can Force Choke and use a lightsaber, even if you’re not using them to their fullest effectiveness you’re still pretty damn scary), but he wouldn’t be able to successfully overthrow the Emperor.
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### Author:  [@The\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hook)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/23 "2005-06-30T18:38:02Z")
If it helps in any way, when interviewed, Lucas said Vader definitely lost power after his magmatic fall. He doesn’t explain why: that’s just because.
> [@HPL](#):
>
> Particulary since one of my favorite, unintentionally humerous scenes in ANH(other then the famous Stormtrooper head blow) is when Han kills one of Vader’s Wingman. The other panics and flies RIGHT INTO VADER’S SHIP. Everytime I see it, it just seems hilarious.
I always thought he was trying to take the blow for Vader. Kinda like what a bodyguard would do.
---
### Author:  [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/24 "2005-06-30T19:08:33Z")
When I first heard about it, I had a flashback to my childhood of the book, \*WHAT THE FUCK [/I] “A Wind In The Door” by Madeleine L’Engle.
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### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/25 "2005-06-30T19:20:46Z")
> [@The Hook](#):
>
> I always thought he was trying to take the blow for Vader. Kinda like what a bodyguard would do.
I would appreciate that, but not if my bodyguard accidently killed himself and almost killed me in the process.
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### Author:  [@EleventyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EleventyOne)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/26 "2005-06-30T19:37:00Z")
This is something of a tangent, but did anyone else, after the lava fight, have a strong desire to start quoting Monty Python? Specifically, “OH, running away, eh? Come back here and take what’s coming to you! I’ll bite your legs off”?
I had to bite my tongue; there were other people in the theater.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/27 "2005-06-30T19:41:04Z")
> [@EleventyOne](#):
>
> This is something of a tangent, but did anyone else, after the lava fight, have a strong desire to start quoting Monty Python? Specifically, “OH, running away, eh? Come back here and take what’s coming to you! I’ll bite your legs off”?
>
> I had to bite my tongue; there were other people in the theater.
I didn’t think of it at the time, but right now I’m trying very hard not to crack up loudly enough for the entire office to hear. 😃
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### Author:  [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/28 "2005-06-30T19:49:35Z")
> [@ouryL](#):
>
> When I first heard about it, I had a flashback to my childhood of the book, \*WHAT THE FUCK [/I] “A Wind In The Door” by Madeleine L’Engle.
I don’t understand. I really just can’t make any sense of that. And to what does ‘it’ refer?
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/29 "2005-06-30T20:34:08Z")
> [@Strinka](#):
>
> I don’t understand. I really just can’t make any sense of that. And to what does ‘it’ refer?
I don’t fully understand the post either, but in my hazy memory of the L’Engle series, there’s a point where one of the characters shrinks down to the size of mitochondria to fix some problem or other. I only remember that because it was the very first time I’d heard of mitochondria myself. The idea of midichlorians seems to be, at least in part, based off of mitochondria.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/30 "2005-06-30T20:40:41Z")
> [@Strinka](#):
>
> I don’t understand. I really just can’t make any sense of that. And to what does ‘it’ refer?
My guess would be that it refers to the earlier reference to mitocondria. I really can’t think of a way to explain it that makes sense without spoiling the book. Sorry.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/31 "2005-06-30T20:44:47Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#):
>
> My guess would be that it refers to the earlier reference to mitocondria. I really can’t think of a way to explain it that makes sense without spoiling the book. Sorry.
…Oops. Well, my description was vague enough that maybe it’s not too big a spoiler. :o I barely remember anything about the books other than that, anyway.
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### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/32 "2005-06-30T21:52:04Z")
> [@EleventyOne](#):
>
> This is something of a tangent, but did anyone else, after the lava fight, have a strong desire to start quoting Monty Python? Specifically, “OH, running away, eh? Come back here and take what’s coming to you! I’ll bite your legs off”?
> .
I had exactly that thought.
“Look, you stupid bastard, you’ve got no arms left!” “Yes, I have! It’s just a flesh wound!”
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### Author:  [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/33 "2005-06-30T22:05:47Z")
> [@Raguleader](#):
>
> I always took the Midichlorians to be a case of corelation rather than causation. You are strong in the Force. You have lots of Midichlorians. But the Midichlorians don’t CAUSE you to be strong in the force. Kinda like how Han Solo is a smuggler. Han Solo flies an asymetrical flying saucer-esque space ship. But flying asymetrical flying saucer-esque space ships don’t MAKE you a smuggler.
That has always been my take on it too; midichlorians, for whatever reason, simply are more common in beings with a high sensitivity to the Force. And, being something physical that can be easily tested for, its what they look for when seeing if someone tests positive for Jedi…
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/34 "2005-06-30T22:43:58Z")
“He’s more machine than man now…[sub]thanks to me[/sub]”
“What was that last part?”
“Nothing, nothing…”
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### Author:  [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/35 "2005-07-01T04:10:44Z")
Well, if the Force power he lost as in proportionto his body mass lost, he gave up very little. He still had his arms down to the elbow and his legs down the knee, so his body was mostly intact if damaged.
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### Author:  [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/36 "2005-07-01T04:29:46Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#):
>
> Well, if the Force power he lost as in proportionto his body mass lost, he gave up very little. He still had his arms down to the elbow and his legs down the knee, so his body was mostly intact if damaged.
You’ll also recall that he had severe burns over most of his body. It wasn’t just the bits that got cut off that he lost, all that burned flesh would be a write-off too. Heck, he needed the suit just so he could breath regularly. Probably had substantial internal injuries.
And now I suddenly find myself wondering how the hell the guy EATS.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/37 "2005-07-01T05:46:41Z")
One thing it took away from him was the power to create Sith lightening. He can’t conduct it because his arms are prosthesis, and thus they’d fry him if he tried it. He’s also very vulnerable to it, as a result.
But then, maybe midichlorians are like your blood-when you lose some, they regenerate?
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### Author:  [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/38 "2005-07-01T05:58:33Z")
> [@Raguleader](#):
>
> And now I suddenly find myself wondering how the hell the guy EATS.
Through a straw.
Don’t ask how he poops.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/39 "2005-07-01T06:24:16Z")
> [@Tentacle Monster](#):
>
> Don’t ask how he poops.
But he has such a [cool bathroom](http://www.starwars.stopklatka.pl/images/chamber.jpg)!
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2005, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-midichlorians-and-vader/310527/40 "2005-07-01T09:43:51Z")
Even if midichlorians somehow cause someone to be sensitive to the force, perhaps it’s the concentration of them rather than the quantity. Pound for pound, Vader may still have more midichlorians than a typical jedi.
Come to think of it, Yoda is downright tiny (he must weigh less than thirty pounds) but that’s never hindered his telepathic mojo or other jedi abilities.
I guess that among the jedi, size doesn’t matter. Kinda unexpected, considering how their known for their lightsabers.
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