Summary
RecentStar Warsprojects have continued to feature midi-chlorians and “m-count” as plot devices, but how many times have these been mentioned throughout the franchise? The term “midi-chlorians” first appeared in theStar Warsprequel trilogyas a new, biological aspect of the Force, described as microscopic organisms inside all living beings that allowed them to know about the Force and understand its will. Becausea high number of midi-chlorians typically appear in strong Force users, it is therefore implied that a high m-count determines whether a person is Force-sensitive and qualified for Jedi training in theStar Warsuniverse.
Midi-chlorians proved to be a controversial idea for longtimeStar Warsfanswho grew up with the original trilogy, which made the Force seem mystical and stressed the importance of mind over matter in Jedi training.Star Warscreator George Lucas has defended midi-chlorians by claiming they don’t contradict the Force’s mystical side and only reveal a biological side. Even so, the role of midi-chlorians was drastically reduced after their debut, but they have been referenced in key moments in otherStar Warsmovies and shows. From 1999 to the present, midi-chlorians or m-count have been mentioned approximately 6 times.
Star Wars: Midi-Chlorians, Symbionts, & M-Counts Explained
The Star Wars movies and TV shows have often referenced midi-chlorians and “M-counts”, but what are they and how do they connect to the Force?
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Midi-chlorians and their connection to the Living Force were introduced inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menacewhen Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn discovered a young Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine. After recognizing the signs of Anakin’s Force sensitivity, Qui-Gon took a blood sample he claimed to be checking for infections when he was actually sending it to his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, for a more thorough analysis. It was then that Obi-Wan discoveredAnakin had a midi-chlorian count of over 20,000, even more than Jedi Master Yoda, and Qui-Gon knew that this was an unusually high number for any living Jedi.
Introducing the concept of midi-chlorians and making them integral to Anakin’s creation served several purposes. First, it added a completely new component to the Force, further signifying the distinction between the Living Force and the Cosmic Force. It also explained how Anakin could be born without a Father and fulfill the Chosen One prophecy that Lucas integrated into the largerStar Warssaga. Lucas' unused treatment for theStar Warssequel trilogy would have brought these concepts full circle by delving more into the microbiotic world of the Force and creatures known as the Whills who feed off the Force.
5Palpatine Revealed That Darth Plagueis Could Manipulate Midi-Chlorians
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Any references to midi-chlorians were absent inStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, but they were mentioned once more inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. While recounting the legend of Darth Plagueis the Wise, who was secretly his Sith Master, Palpatine told Anakin Skywalker that Plagueis was so powerful that he could use the Force to influence midi-chlorians and create life. An early draft of the film had Palpatine reveal thatthe Sith’s meddling with midi-chlorians led to Anakin’s creation, an idea explored in the now non-canon novelStar Wars: Darth Plagueisby James Luceno.
The primary purpose of the scene was for Palpatine to seduce Anakin to the dark side by tempting him with the power to save his wife from dying. Connecting this ability to the midi-chlorians automatically provided an explanation for how this could be done and tied back into the nature of Anakin’s creation. If Lucas had kept the reveal of the Sith’s role in the final movie, it would have created a parallel toThe Empire Strikes Backby essentially making Palpatine Anakin’s father. While some content may have been cut, the TV shows would continue to explore the midi-chlorians.
4The Role Of Midi-Chlorians In The Living And Cosmic Force
Star Wars: The Clone Warsseason 6
Midi-chlorians were next mentioned in the final arc ofStar Wars: The Clone Warsseason 6, specifically in episode 11"Voices" and episode 12 “Destiny.” After hearing the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn’s spirit, something the Jedi believed to be impossible,Yoda went on a quest to discover how a Jedi could retain their consciousness after death. His odyssey took him to Dagobah, a planet rich in the Force where he would one day train Luke Skywalker as a Jedi. Qui-Gon elaborated on the difference between the Living and Cosmic sides of the Force and how it communicates to Jedi through midi-chlorians.
In the following episode, Yoda traveled to another mysterious Force planet to train with five Force Priestesses who could train him to become a Force ghost. Their leader revealed to Yoda that the planet was the birthplace of the midi-chlorians and once again stressed that they were essential to the connection between the Living Force and the Cosmic Force. While these episodes technically did not reveal a lot about midi-chlorians that had not been addressed in the movies, they did elaborate on their nature in the grand scheme of the Force and reaffirmed their importance to both sides of it.
3The Imperial Remnant Needed Grogu’s High M-Count
The Mandalorianseason 2, episode 4 “Chapter 12: The Siege”
While midi-chlorians have continued to play a role in the DisneyStar WarsTV shows, they are generally referred to as “m-count” only. The first reference was inThe Mandalorianseason 2, episode 4 “Chapter 12: The Siege” when Din Djarin and his allies broke into an Imperial facility on Nevarro. They discovered a recording of Dr. Pershing stating that they would need a subject with a high m-count to continue their experiments, meaning they would have to capture Grogu again. This was the first episode that began to hint at Moff Gideon’s plan to create Force-sensitive clones of himself.
2The Empire Attempted M-Count Replication
Similar to Moff Gideon’s plan inThe Mandalorian, Emperor Palpatine had his scientists at Mount Tantiss attempting m-count replication at Mount Tantiss. Although never directly stated inStar Wars: The Bad Batchseason 3, it was heavily implied thatthis was Palpatine’s earliest attempt at creating a Force-sensitive clone of himself, which he eventually achieved by the time of his apparent death inReturn of the Jedi. Unlike Dr. Pershing, who attempted to transfer midi-chlorians from one host to another, Palpatine’s team was more interested in replicating them in a new host body.
Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
The senator for Naboo, Palpatine rose to power and influence during the dying days of the Republic. In reality, his public persona was just a mask; he was really Darth Sidious, greatest of the Sith Lords, and he used his political skills and Machiavellian cunning to bring down both the Republic and the Jedi. Palpatine ruled his Galactic Empire for decades, until he was betrayed by his apprentice, Darth Vader. Even this wasn’t enough to stop the Emperor, however, as he was resurrected by his followers - only to be defeated once again.
The Acolyteseason 1, episode 7 “Choice”
Finally, the most recent mention of an m-count in anyStar Warsproject was inThe Acolyteseason 1, episode 7 “Choice.” After conducting a standard test for Osha and Mae and taking a sample of their blood, Torbin and the other Jedi were stunned to realize that they had a high m-count and identical symbionts. This created an additional parallel to Anakin Skywalker, confirmed their tremendous power, and revealed that they must have been created with the power of the Force vergence on Brendok. Time will tell when midi-chlorians or m-count play a role in anotherStar Warsproject.
