Star Wars Creator George Lucas Goes Deep on the Science Behind the Force
In 1897, J.J. Thomson discovered there are smaller particles than the atom, namely electrons. Now, in 2018 we finally know what is smaller than the Force. According to George Lucas, the answer is Whills. The microscopic creatures were once intended to be the stars of Star Wars Episodes 7-9 and we would have never known the names Rey, Finn or Poe. Lucas relinquished creative control in 2012 after selling Lucasfilm to Disney, but the director finally touched upon his intended storyline.
Illustrator Livio Ramondelli recently shared quotes on Twitter from an interview between James Cameron and George Lucas in Insight Editions’ James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction edition. The two directors got onto the topics of the midi-chlorians from The Phantom Menace. The topic can be divisive, but something truly intriguing was born from the conversation.
As far as I’ve seen, these are the first specifics George Lucas has shared about what his vision of Episodes 7-9 would have been. This comes from @insighteditions awesome companion book to “James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction series” on AMC: pic.twitter.com/Wtlw8zlrqv
— Livio Ramondelli (@LivioRamondelli) June 12, 2018
The Force is all about having a living relationship with the galaxy around us. The concept was explained to a young Anakin through the microscopic life form inside every living thing. Apparently, the science goes even deeper to something called Whills. Here’s what Lucas had to say about them:
[The next three Star Wars films] were going to get into a microbiotic world. But there’s this world of creatures that operate differently than we do. I call them the Whills. And the Whills are the ones who actually control the universe. They feed off the Force.
J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson’s sequels could, in a very loose sense, be classified as fan fiction. Extremely talented and creative fan fiction that is, of course, = now official canon. However, the directors are both professed fans of Lucas’ pioneering vision. Although we don’t see the Whills up close, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi have gone all in on the fate of the Force. We can definitely see where Lucas’ vision has influenced the Star Wars legacy.
Things in the galaxy are bleak after The Last Jedi, but understanding the physics of the Force could actually help balance things. Episodes 1-6 made it seem like Jedi potential was only passed through the bloodline. They even tested Anakin’s blood for midi-chlorian and thus, Force potential.
Now with The Last Jedi, it seems that the Force could extend beyond heredity. That gives us greater hope for more Rebels, albeit an equal opportunity to expand the Empire.
To zero in on the Whills would have taken Star Wars to a completely different arena. Their hosts would have been bit players at best and the fight against the Dark Side would have been much more theoretical.
Although we are now totally intrigued about how the Whills actually operate, it might be too nerdy even for Star Wars. We’d love to have more details from Lucas, but transferring the idea to the screen might be a difficult feat. Now that this information is out, however, we should keep our eyes peeled for a Whill Easter Egg in Episode 9.
Featured Image: Rey (Daisy Ridley) in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Courtesy Lucasfilm.
