All 13 Force Powers Anakin Skywalker Possesses (In Canon & Legends)

Anakin Skywalker is one of the Star Wars galaxy’s most powerful characters, using a variety of Force powers throughout both the modern canon and the original Legends continuity. Before his tragic turn to the dark side, Anakin was an exceptional – albeit volatile – member of the Jedi Order whose mysterious origin and astounding aptitude for using the Force led many to believe he was the prophesized Chosen One. Although the prophecy turned out to be true, Skywalker doomed himself and the Jedi Order by becoming the Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Both the Legends and modern canon continuities establish that Anakin Skywalker lacks a father, having been created by midi-chlorians and born to the human Shmi Skywalker. The Legends timeline elaborates further in James Luceno’s novel Darth Plagueis, revealing that the titular Sith Lord and his apprentice, Darth Sidious (Palpatine), unsuccessfully attempted to exert control over the Force itself, corrupting its very essence with the dark side. The Force, via midi-chlorians, responded to their attempted tampering by creating Anakin, who would become a powerful Jedi and key contributor to the fall of Darth Bane’s Sith Order.

13 Telekinesis

Great effect throughout the Clone War

One of the most basic and well-known applications of the Force is telekinesis. Typically, telekinesis is one of the first powers a Jedi learns, and the ability has a wide variety of applications. Jedi can throw their lightsabers, guide the weapon’s trajectory, and call it back to them when well-trained in telekinesis. The ability is also used to push opponents to the ground, incapacitating or even killing them, depending on the Force push’s intensity and environment.

Anakin Skywalker is, unsurprisingly, a master of telekinesis, using the power to great effect throughout the Clone Wars. Many of Anakin’s most impressive feats can be found in the original Legends-era Clone Wars multimedia project, with Skywalker effortlessly repelling numerous super battle droids with a single application of telekinesis in the first chapter of the Star Wars: Clone Wars microseries. In the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie, Anakin uses telekinesis to blast Count Dooku with a gust of Tatooine sand.

12 Force Speed

Used the power to escape droidekas

Jedi also typically use the Force to enhance their physical abilities. Force speed is a particularly useful Force application, allowing a Jedi to flee a dangerous situation, defend themselves from fast-moving attacks, and reduce travel time when rushing to confront an opponent. Obi-Wan Kenobi and his mentor Qui-Gon Jinn famously used the power to escape droidekas in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, with the duo appearing as blurs when fleeing the droids.

Like Kenobi, Anakin became a master of Force speed as well, particularly in the Legends continuity. Anakin cuts down a large contingent of battle droids in a matter of scant seconds in the 2004 novel Jedi Trial, by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. Justin Lambros and Rick Lacy’s short comic The Brink sees Anakin escaping the pull of the vacuum of space with a powerful application of Force speed.

11 Force Jump

Using it in both films

Another rudimentary Jedi ability is using the Force to enhance one’s jumps. Anakin is particularly adept at this power, using it in both the movies and materials exclusive to Legends and the modern canon. In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Anakin uses Force enhanced jumps several times on Geonosis, and he uses the power to escape an elevator car aboard the Invisible Hand in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

In an incredible display, Anakin uses multiple Force-enhanced jumps on Teth, leaping from STAP to STAP and cutting down their B1 battle droid pilots, as shown in the modern canon’s The Clone Wars movie. Another spectacular example of Anakin chaining Force jumps can be found in the Legends continuity’s Clone Wars microseries. In his duel with Asajj Ventress on Yavin IV, Anakin pursues the murderous Sith acolyte in the jungle, using the Force and his environment to keep up with the Rattataki.

10 Jedi Reflexes

Precognition and functionally

As noted by Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace, Jedi use the Force for precognition, functionally giving them astoundingly fast reflexes. This application of the Force is so basic that even an untrained Force-sensitive – if strong enough – can use this ability unconsciously. Anakin Skywalker has been using this Force power since early childhood, and it famously helped him win his freedom.

Anakin has a limited degree of podracing experience by the time he encounters Qui-Gon Jinn. Podracing, notably, is so treacherous and demanding on one’s cognitive speed that no human can successfully compete in podraces – save for Anakin, that is. Piloting his customized podracer, Anakin famously won first place in the Boonta Eve Classic in The Phantom Menace, defeating highly experienced racers, securing his freedom, and allowing him to begin the path toward Jedi Knighthood.

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9 Force-Enhanced Strength

Exceed the natural limitations of their respective species

Throughout the Clone Wars, in both Star Wars continuities, Anakin demonstrates incredible skill at using the Force to enhance his physical strength. This relatively rarely seen ability allows beings to far exceed the natural limitations of their respective species’ strength, an invaluable power for a Jedi. In both the Legends and modern canon continuities, Anakin tends to use Force-enhanced strength during lightsaber duels.

Anakin is already physically strong to begin with, but with the Force augmenting his strength, he overpowers opponents like MagnaGuards in the modern canon’s The Clone Wars with ease. In the Legends timeline’s Clone Wars microseries, Anakin’s Force-enhanced lightsaber strikes break the stone beneath Asajj Ventress, sending her hurtling down a deep pit. The Legends-era novelization of Revenge of the Sith describes Anakin as using Force-enhanced strength multiple times in his duel with Count Dooku, battering the Sith Lord’s defenses and swatting away a piece of heavy durasteel.

8 Force Sense

Detect the environment around them

As Jedi develop their connection to the Force, they gain (and gradually improve) their ability to detect the environment around them. By reaching out with the Force, Jedi can detect the feelings and intentions of others, know when a friend or ally is in danger, and protect themselves from potential ambushes. Anakin’s first use of the Force sense is in Attack of the Clones when he senses an assassination attempt on Padmé, allowing him to quickly cut down a pair of deadly kouhuns.

Perhaps more passively, Anakin’s Force-enhanced senses allowed him to instantly find the correct tent in a Tusken Raider camp where his mother was held. Anakin similarly sensed the presence of both Padmé and Palpatine upon revealing the latter’s true identity to Mace Windu, causing him anguish and leading him to come to Palpatine’s aid for the sake of Padmé. Anakin’s uses of Force sense were rare, but typically centered on those he cared about.

7 Force Vision

Allow one to see the past

Similar to Force sense, Force-induced visions allow one to see the past, present, and potential futures. Sadly, Anakin’s most prominent Force visions are rife with tragedy. In Attack of the Clones, Anakin has visions of his mother dying, which leads him to travel back to Tatooine to save her, only to arrive tragically too late, with Shmi dying in his arms.

Anakin experiences a haunting Force vision in the Clone Wars microseries, seeing a metaphor for his grim future in a village of Nelvaanians. One exceptional warrior – known as the Ghost Hand – becomes consumed by a dark and addictive power that conquers his enemies but takes away his loved ones in the process. Palpatine exploits Anakin’s Force visions in Revenge of the Sith, with Anakin fearing the death of Padmé, leading him to fall to the dark side to save her, only to seemingly cause her death himself.

6 Jedi Mind Trick

Anakin rarely uses Jedi Mind Tricks

Jedi Mind Tricks are an iconic Force ability, despite their questionable nature. Using the Force to make a being more suggestible, a Jedi can avoid violence or keep a low profile, though the Jedi Order stresses the importance of considering the potential ramifications of the power and using it responsibly. Anakin rarely uses Jedi Mind Tricks, but he is demonstrably skilled at using them.

In the modern Star Wars canon, Anakin uses mind tricks on several occasions in The Clone Wars. Working in tandem with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu, Anakin nearly breaks the mind of the bounty hunter Cad Bane, and he also uses the ability on his own to influence Shahan Alama, an associate of Bane. The Legends continuity’s novelization of Attack of the Clones by R. A. Salvatore reveals that Anakin uses mind tricks during his brief interrogation of Zam Wesell and to make the patrons of a night club return to their drinks when he and Obi-Wan disarmed Wesell.

5 Beast Control

Force-user to flora and fauna

Since the Force is itself a component of the natural galaxy in Star Wars, it is unsurprising that there are Force powers that directly connect a Force-user to flora and fauna. Beast control, also known as animal empathy, allows a Jedi to connect to an animal on a deeper-than-possible level, allowing them to prevent an otherwise hostile animal from attacking them or bond with an animal. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a master of this ability, though for Anakin, it is one of the few powers he struggles with.

Anakin uses a partially successful application of beast control in Attack of the Clones against an enraged reek, calming the beast for a moment and allowing him to leap onto its back. In issue 2 of the modern Star Wars canon’s Obi-Wan and Anakin comic by Charles Soule and Marco Checchetto, Anakin struggles with beast control, though he nevertheless continues to practice it. In the Legends continuity’s video game Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Anakin rides a maru on Alaris Prime, possibly bonding with it via the Force.

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4 Force Barrier

Larger barriers can protect against larger-scale attacks

A powerful defensive ability typically associated with Jedi and other Force users (though occasionally used by Sith and other dark side users), Force barriers are shields created by the Force. Jedi and Sith use small barriers to block blasterfire and even lightsaber strikes while larger barriers can protect against even larger-scale attacks. There is only one instance of Anakin Skywalker using a Force barrier in either Star Wars continuity.

During the final episode of the Zillo Beast story arc in The Clone Wars, the titular monster is rampaging through Coruscant. Although the Republic is armed with a poison gas that can kill the Zillo, the creature puts Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in immediate danger, prompting a team of Jedi and several Senate commandos to close ranks around him. While clone pilots kill the Zillo with poison gas missiles, Anakin, Yoda, and Aayla Secura combine their might to create a protective Force barrier around themselves and Palpatine, protecting them from the deadly gas.

3 Force Choke

Requires a Force user to tap into the dark side

What would become the most infamous dark side power of the Sith Lord Darth Vader – Force choke – was also used by Anakin Skywalker several times before his turn to the dark side. Force choke is a simple yet extremely dangerous ability that requires a Force user to tap into the dark side and telekinetically strangle someone. Anakin’s uses of Force choke serve as grim reminders of his eventual corruption.

Anakin’s first use of Force choke was during the Battle of Jabiim in the Legends continuity. While pulling his clone troopers out of the disastrous battle, Skywalker briefly strangled Orliss Gillmunn – the leader of Jabiim’s local Republic-aligned military – when the latter challenged his decision. In the modern canon’s The Clone Wars, Anakin uses Force choke on multiple occasions, strangling Poggle the Lesser, Miraj Scintel, an Ithorian bartender on Nal Hutta, Asajj Ventress, and Rush Clovis.

2 Force Scream

Can cause environmental destruction

A Force scream is a dark power that is rarely used voluntarily. In moments of extreme rage or stress, a dark side user shouts, unleashing the dark side in the process. Powerful Force screams can even cause environmental destruction. During his darker moments as a Jedi, Anakin has unknowingly used the dark power of Force scream on several occasions, all in the Legends continuity.

Enraged by Asajj Ventress’s murder of a unit of clone troopers and his R4 astromech droid, Anakin tapped into the dark side in his first duel with Ventress, as shown in the Clone Wars microseries. Upon defeating her, Anakin unleashed a monstrous Force scream. Anakin would use the power again in James Luceno’s Labyrinth of Evil, in a moment of extreme frustration when attempting – unsuccessfully – to reach Count Dooku. Anakin bellowed Dooku’s name with such dark side-fueled power, he caused a roof to collapse.

1 Force Ghost

The ability is impossible for dark side users

In the Star Wars galaxy, there is an afterlife, and some Jedi can even return to the realm of the living as apparitions known as Force ghosts. This ability is, for the most part, quite rare, even among powerful Jedi. For one to return as a Force ghost, they must intensely study the ability or fully embrace compassion and love, making the ability impossible for dark side users – who can return from the dead through other – unnatural – means.

In his final moments, Darth Vader became Anakin Skywalker once more, sacrificing his life to kill Emperor Palpatine and save Luke Skywalker’s life. This selfless act is seemingly how he became a Force ghost in the modern Star Wars canon, but the Legends continuity offers an additional explanation. As revealed in The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi, by Ryder Windham, Anakin’s old master taught him the ability shortly after he died.

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