By George & Josh Bate
George Lucas forever rewrote the rules of the Force in 1999 when he introduced the concept of midi-chlorians in The Phantom Menace. Since then, other creatives have taken liberties with the rules of the Force, whether that be Leia using the Force to fly through space in The Last Jedi or Sabine showing that people without prior Force sensitivity can tap into and manipulate the Force through sheer openness and patience in Ahsoka.
But now, a new Star Wars book puts an unexpected twist on the Force, breaking new ground for the nearly 50-year-old franchise.
Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo is a new manga written and illustrated by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi and published by Viz Media. The story takes place after the events of Order 66 and follows a surviving Jedi Knight named Nagi Tsukumo, who, while poisoned and on the run, tries to help two droid outcasts search for coordinates to a fabled Droid Paradise.
In the manga, Tsukumo crosses paths with JK-00P, a droid knowledgeable of the history of the Jedi so that they can be better equipped to hunt Jedi down on behalf of the Empire. However, JK-00P begins to question the morality of the Empire’s actions, which leads to a conversation with Tsukumo about the rules of the Force, namely that droids are unable to wield it.
JK-00P initially pushes back against the notion that droids can use the Force, but Tsukumo seems to believe the droid is capable, perhaps because he detects the droid’s sentience and emotion. Later on in the story, Tsukumo is proven right as JK-00P uses the Force to draw Tsukumo’s lightsaber to them and subsequently use it against Stormtroopers.
Interestingly, Nagi Tsukumo’s name derives from the Japanese concept of tsukumogami, which refers to everyday objects or tools acquiring a soul and becoming sentient. In the manga, JK-00P does exactly that and, in turn, is able to wield the Force.
Although Star Wars Visions stories are not strictly canon, the new manga poses some interesting questions that push back against established notions of the Force. As Ben Kenobi once stated, the Force flows through all living things. So, if a droid is living in the sense that they have thoughts, emotions, and self-awareness, theoretically, does the Force flow through droids?
While we wait for potential answers to this question, Star Wars Visions returns next month for Star Wars Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi, a new series that expands upon the beloved “The Ninth Jedi” short from Visions Volume 1 and its follow-up from Visions Volume 3. The new series premieres August 5 on Disney+.
