Dopplegänger
Dopplegänger, also known as Similfuturus in High Galactic, was an advanced Force power that allowed a user to create a short-lived duplicate of him- or herself or an external object that was visually indistinguishable from the real item through the Force.[1]
Those who perfected this ability could create Force phantoms of any person of their choosing or trick an enemy into seeing more objects, such as droids, than were actually present.[1]
Characteristics
The Force user could perceive all of the dopplegänger's senses, and to those interacting with it, the dopplegänger seemed real. The user could even interact with the world using telekinesis to move objects, furthering the believability of the illusion.
The dopplegänger could also be detected by all droid audio and video sensors and would fade away if the Force user was injured and ceased using the power.
Force phantom was similar to a dopplegänger, in that it was an astral projection of a being created through the Force, but it was a projection of something other than the user's own image. Force phantoms were most likely used only by the dark side, and usually exhibited corporeal properties and inflicted damage on living beings.
Notable practitioners
Luke Skywalker,[2][3] Darth Tyranus,[4] and Xesh[5] all used this ability.
A distinct version of dopplegänger was also used by the Fallanassi, which allowed the creation of a perfect illusion of himself, or another object, that was visually indistinguishable from what was real. This illusion was not limited in size and could be both seen and heard, but, unlike other versions, lacked the ability to physically move objects via telekinesis.[6]
The Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano wondered if this ability would work well on a whole army of clones in The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force.[1]
Behind the scenes
The German spelling is "Doppelgänger," but the use of the term in popular fiction varies. The Dungeons & Dragons games often use the Americanized spelling of "doppelganger."
This Force power was reintroduced into Star Wars Canon in the film The Last Jedi, when Jedi Master Luke Skywalker used it to distract the First Order and thus give his allies time to flee.[7]
Appearances
- Dawn of the Jedi: Force Storm 2
- Dawn of the Jedi: The Prisoner of Bogan 4
- Dawn of the Jedi: Force War 2
- Dawn of the Jedi: Force War 3
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
- Star Wars: The Old Republic
- Darth Plagueis
- Darth Plagueis audiobook
- Maul: Lockdown (Appears in a dream)
- Maul: Lockdown audiobook (Appears in a dream)
- The Wrath of Darth Maul
- Path of the Jedi
- Star Wars: The New Droid Army (Retcon)
- Yoda: Dark Rendezvous (Mentioned only)
- The Last Jedi
- Echoes of the Jedi (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Dark Empire (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
- Legacy of the Force: Betrayal
- Legacy of the Force: Exile
- Legacy of the Force: Inferno
- Legacy of the Force: Fury
- Fate of the Jedi: Omen (Mentioned only)
- Fate of the Jedi: Omen audiobook (Mentioned only)
- Fate of the Jedi: Allies (Mentioned only)
- Fate of the Jedi: Allies audiobook (Mentioned only)
- Fate of the Jedi: Ascension (Mentioned only)
- Fate of the Jedi: Ascension audiobook (Mentioned only)
Sources
- Dark Empire Sourcebook (First identified as Doppleganger)
- The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook
- Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition
- Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, Second Edition
- The Jedi Academy Sourcebook
- Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
- Tales of the Jedi Companion
- Star Wars Gamemaster Screen, Revised
- Lords of the Expanse
- Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 116
- Hero's Guide
- The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force
