Netherworld of the Force/Legends
- "An old friend has learned the path to immortality. One who has returned from the Netherworld of the Force."
- ―Yoda
The Netherworld of the Force was the place the souls of every being apparently went after their physical bodies died. Qui-Gon Jinn went to this realm after dying, but managed to return from it back to the physical universe as a Force ghost. Anakin Skywalker learned this from Obi-Wan Kenobi after he died upon the Second Death Star. Obi-Wan's spirit departed to this realm after having one final talk with Luke Skywalker in 9 ABY. Yoda was also seen in this realm, where he reunited the recently deceased Vila with her brother Denin and promised he would train both of them.
The Sith Lord Darth Plagueis didn't believe in the Netherworld of the Force as a supernatural phenomenon. He thought this so-called realm was in fact the reaction of a mind "dissipating into the hum of background energy" and accepting its fate. This feeling of peace would only be a normal consequence of the death. Plagueis also thought only the weak would tolerate the loss of their identity.[2]
Chaos was considered to be a region of the netherworld where dark side spirits, such as those of former Dark Lords of the Sith were thought to inhabit upon death.
Behind the scenes
- "In the rough draft Luke is asleep and struggling with thoughts of Vader and the dark side. Yoda and Ben are also present in the dream, and Luke berates Ben for not telling him that Vader is his father. Yoda explains that he'll soon be joining Ben in the Netherworld, and therefore he'll become stronger and will be better able to help Luke. Vader's voice reappears, and Luke awakens"
- ―First mention of the Netherworld in Episode VI's rough draft
The Netherworld of the Force was first mentioned in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the final installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.[1] However, the Netherworld had been first conceived by George Lucas as early as the revised rough draft of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.[3]
Appearances
- The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith (Mentioned only)
- Splinter of the Mind's Eye (Indirect mention only)
- Razor's Edge (Mentioned only) (as Afterlife)
- Razor's Edge audiobook (Mentioned only) (as Afterlife)
- "One Last Night in the Mos Eisley Cantina: The Tale of the Wolfman and the Lamproid"—Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
- Star Wars 92 (First appearance)
- The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader
- Heir to the Empire
Sources
- Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties
- The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force
- Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side
- Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays