Is the true phantom menace from 1999 returning?
Oh, Midi-Chlorians. Many say you helped ruin Star Wars when all you wanted to be was a plot point to convey how powerful Anakin was in the Force. Alas, you were never mentioned again and everyone hoped that would be the end of that.
But then The Force Awakens was announced, and many people were scared you would return to ruin the mystery of the Force. Time and time again, those in charge of the film said they were making it more in line with the creative vision of the original films and yet the paranoia persisted.
Wait, what are Midi-Chlorians?
Basically, they’re symbiotic microscopic life forms that allow organisms to tap into the Force. The more of these little guys you have in your body, the stronger you are in the Force. If you’d like to know more, we’ll hand it off to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn:
So, if I want to be a Jedi I just have to inject myself with these things?
We don’t think it works like that.
Why not?
We honestly don’t think it was thought out that far.
So, are these little guys in The Force Awakens?
According to the film’s director, J.J. Abrams, they are not. In a red carpet interview with, of all places, MTV, they popped him the question. He told them no and seemed baffled he got the question in the first place. Check out the video below:
Do we know if they’ll ever be mentioned again?
We think it’s safe to say the people in charge of Star Wars are going to be leaving midi-chlorians behind for a long, long time.
