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I posted this in the EU section but thought i'd repost it here because it would get discussed more and stifle any more threads about palpatine's deformities or Vader's cause of death. It's simplified but it makes sense to me:
here's my theory. There are different intensities of force lightning that have different phsyiological effects and that require different degrees of proficiency to use.
1. low level intensity.
This is done with either one hand or a quick jolt from both hands. The physical effects are minimal and are usually limited to either a kinnetic impact which sends the victim flying or a prolonged force which not only picks up the opponent but also causes pain and minor burns on the skin. Can be absorbed by a lightsaber
examples-Dooku in AOTC, Palpatine's first burst against Yoda in ROTS, Palpatine's first burst against Luke in ROTJ.
2. Mid level intensity
Both hands are used for a continuous flow of lightning. The lightning mostly affects the nervous system, skin, and teeth, causing burns and convulsions, can also wear down enamel. Prolongued exposure leads to slow superheating of the skeleton (creating a glowing skeletal effect), unconsciousness, and eventually death from organ damage. exposure at a close distance is more lethal, leading to the permanent bleaching of skin by burning of melanin, and the melting and deformation of the skin and bones of localized areas and the permanent destruction of tooth enamel. death occurs when the super heated bones begin cooking the organs around them. can be absorbed by a lightsaber.
examples-Bolts reflecting off of Mace's Saber at Palpatine in ROTS, Palpatine's prolonged burst at Luke before being picked up by Vader in ROTJ. Dooku's attack on Assajj in Clone Wars.
3. High level intensity
Lightning is shot with two hands. It immediatley causes the super heating of the skeleton, causing it to glow through skin and armor along with paralysis. Eventually the brain will start to boil inside the skull, the eyeballs burst, and the Victim dies. Prolongued use of this intensity can also cause a permanent yellow eye discoloration in the user (from the dark side energies), scorched fingenails, and a rapid osteoperosis of the fingers, creating the impression of long fingernails. Cannot be absorbed with a lightsaber, but if a Jedi is strong enough to hold onto his/her saber under the barrage, bolts of medium intensity will reflect back at the user.
Examples-Palpatine's attacks on Mace and Yoda in ROTS. Palpatine's attack on Vader in ROTJ.

i don't necesarily think that force lightning is anything other than some mystical energy and not the force directing high energy electrons.

dont forget it also deforms you

Originally posted by Darth Jello
I posted this in the EU section but thought i'd repost it here because it would get discussed more and stifle any more threads about palpatine's deformities or Vader's cause of death. It's simplified but it makes sense to me:
here's my theory. There are different intensities of force lightning that have different phsyiological effects and that require different degrees of proficiency to use.
1. low level intensity.
This is done with either one hand or a quick jolt from both hands. The physical effects are minimal and are usually limited to either a kinnetic impact which sends the victim flying or a prolonged force which not only picks up the opponent but also causes pain and minor burns on the skin. Can be absorbed by a lightsaber
examples-Dooku in AOTC, Palpatine's first burst against Yoda in ROTS, Palpatine's first burst against Luke in ROTJ.
2. Mid level intensity
Both hands are used for a continuous flow of lightning. The lightning mostly affects the nervous system, skin, and teeth, causing burns and convulsions, can also wear down enamel. Prolongued exposure leads to slow superheating of the skeleton (creating a glowing skeletal effect), unconsciousness, and eventually death from organ damage. exposure at a close distance is more lethal, leading to the permanent bleaching of skin by burning of melanin, and the melting and deformation of the skin and bones of localized areas and the permanent destruction of tooth enamel. death occurs when the super heated bones begin cooking the organs around them. can be absorbed by a lightsaber.
examples-Bolts reflecting off of Mace's Saber at Palpatine in ROTS, Palpatine's prolonged burst at Luke before being picked up by Vader in ROTJ. Dooku's attack on Assajj in Clone Wars.
3. High level intensity
Lightning is shot with two hands. It immediatley causes the super heating of the skeleton, causing it to glow through skin and armor along with paralysis. Eventually the brain will start to boil inside the skull, the eyeballs burst, and the Victim dies. Prolongued use of this intensity can also cause a permanent yellow eye discoloration in the user (from the dark side energies), scorched fingenails, and a rapid osteoperosis of the fingers, creating the impression of long fingernails. Cannot be absorbed with a lightsaber, but if a Jedi is strong enough to hold onto his/her saber under the barrage, bolts of medium intensity will reflect back at the user.
Examples-Palpatine's attacks on Mace and Yoda in ROTS. Palpatine's attack on Vader in ROTJ.

i don't necesarily think that force lightning is anything other than some mystical energy and not the force directing high energy electrons.

That's very interesting. I think you summarised it very well.

You forgot to mention that it's as painful as biting down on a piece of tinfoil.

Originally posted by darthvader_fan
dont forget it also deforms you

um, read the thing more closely. Your skin becomes bleached cause your melanin burns away, it can deform cause your bones and flesh melt and flow. and the whole osteoperosis thing says that your fingernails don't actually grow, but your fingers shrink, making it look like your finger nails are longer.

So I guess you have some free time that or you just found it on some website

If he made it up, then I'm pretty impressed. It sure explains a lot.

i've been thinking about it for awhile, and i needed a break from studying for finals. Filling that break with beer or adult swim would be counter productive.

Considering that Luke initially half succeded to deflect Sids lightnening attack, its not bad.

I applaud you, Darth Jello! Quite impressive, explains things pretty well, and makes sense.

I'd take a bow, but again, that final starts at 10:30 AM and i'd waste precious seconds.
If any of you are Postmodern literature buffs, give me a PM.

On topic, peeps...

nice theory in star wars kotar force lighting can be learned in three forms force shock,force lighting and force storm

its the video game where u get to be either dark or light side jedi

The only way to kill Palpatine is with force lightning. If you hold your lightsaber real close to him it will literally kill him. If Vader knew force lightning he'd have killed Palpatine in ROTJ instead of throwing him down the shaft.

Where'd you get that idea?

Well if you saw Episode III you'd understand. When Mace was deflecting the lightning back at Palpatine, Palpatine was getting older. So if Palpatine didn't stop using his force lightning it would've killed him. Basically the only way to defeat Palpatine is by deflecting his own force lightning right back at him.

That's entirely unfounded and wrong.

Palpatine was getting older! His body was being damaged, for reasons that Darth Jello has guessed pretty accurately at. All Palpatine needed was a good stab from Mace Windu's lightsaber.

i think that he was keeping himself from aging by using the darkside, but i think that when he used his force lightning he just let it all go, just like when you go to the bathroom

Where did people get this stupid aging idea?

i dont know

but i like to state my opinon

even if it sucks

Yeeeah...

Palpatine didn't age whatsoever. He...well...melted.

or like he said he was scarred and deformed

i think that preety well says it

ushgarak please close

Why?

because

i dont think that this thread should be up anyomore

its getting no where

The whole aging thing comes from two EU sources. The Dark empire stuff and the recent star wars visionaries thing where palpatine was supposedly masking himself. If he was concealing his true appearance, than why did he have normal trimmed fingernails in ROTJ? Why was his face very swollen and white after the force lightning attack only to go back to a pale grey and gradually puff down as the scene went on to Vader's pledge? It would also explain the wrinkles he developes along his neck and jaw line that are not present in that scene. his skin was stretched by the swelling and remained distended.

1.did you not read the thing Ush put up NO EU
2. I DONT KNOW WHY HIS FINGERNAILS ARE LIKE THAT
3. SOUTH PARK RULES

Vader_Fan stop complaining. It's a good thread, and it explains a lot. If you don't like this thread, then don't post on it. It is in the wrong section, but it still makes a good point. And Queeq saw this thread, don't you think HE would've closed it if he wanted to?

ok i will stop

Maybe Palpatine's lightning was weaker when Luke was zapped with it. You know, only only a half a gigawat instead of a full gigawat. Because of age, you know. Who knows, maybe it was 1.21 gigawats!

i'm guessing that the heat generated when the lightning was burning his neck also permanently altered the shape of his vocal chords, thus changing his voice. the weird breathing in the scene was probably due to some minor burns on the lungs, nothing too serious.
As for why vader can't use it, why he died, and why Dooku's reflecting lightning caused such a massive explosion, how's this for a theory? Force lightning faces less resistance and therefore less heat based on density. When it leaves the fingers it acts as a stream of high energy particles, but once they begin to travel through a medium that's more dense than air, more and more particles are blocked and release their energy in the form of heat. That's why it primarily effects the skeleton, since flesh is less dense than bone. The metals and polimers used in Vader's prosthetics and construction are more dense and therefore would heat the prostethics even more, therefore damaging his arms before the lightning could leave his organic stumps. The explosion that Dooku's reflected lightning caused was as a result of the ceiling being too dense to allow any force lightning particles through, therefore, they released all their energy at once, creating a brief, but powerful fireball.

the ROTS novel explains it clearly when it said that Force lightning melts and destroys from the inside out. starting with bone then muscle then skin. Palpatines facial muscles were getting so fried that it practically turned it into jello, contorting his facial skin, then the frying of his skin after that made it worse and gave him the look he has.

must 'a hurt, lol

okay, first and foremost palpatine let himself be attacked with his own sith lightning because he wanted to prove to anakin that the jedi were betraying the republic and wanted to take over, palpatine knew the jedi didnt trust him because of his relationship with him, and knew with certenty that when anakin went to go spill the beans that palpatine was a sith lord, he knew mace wasnt going to let him come and arrest him with the other jedi, he made it look like the jedi were evil, and if you knew a respected and powerful jedi trying to kill a close personal friend of yours who happend to be the opposite of a jedi, you might interfere to. now as for sith lightning control, it depends on how strong with the force the sith master really is, like dooku was a powerful jedi, and when he killed master sifo-dyass, and possibly other evil acts, he developed his lightning, now when he attacked anakin with it he temporarily ko'ed him, as for yoda he couldnt even budge, yoda is to powerful in the lightside of the force for dooku, now as for palpatineit depends if he wants to inflict major damage or minor, examples..mace windu, when anakin cut mace's forearm off palpatine went for the kill. like he told him power, unlimited power.
now yoda he sent his lightning bolts at him to send him a message, he was indeed very powerful, now when him and yoda fight it's different yoda is more skilled in lightsaber's, palpatine knows this thats why he relies on his power when he wasnt cutting it with throwing the senate box seats he leapt into another box and looked for yoda when yoda leapt on to the side he instantly fired full force lightning at him and knocked his lightsaber from his hands makeing yoda use his force deflecters, and at fist it looks as if palpatine is stronger but yoda proves to be able stop his bolts with some force bomb/push havent really figured that out yet.
as for luke, he was toying with him, but he didnt realize vader would come to his son's rescue...

I too think that Palps did that intentionally.

As for the Old age thing.....meh. Palps Does get old if you compare him from TPM through AOTC and ROTS.

Originally posted by Thorin
okay, first and foremost palpatine let himself be attacked with his own sith lightning because he wanted to prove to anakin that the jedi were betraying the republic and wanted to take over, palpatine knew the jedi didnt trust him because of his relationship with him, and knew with certenty that when anakin went to go spill the beans that palpatine was a sith lord, he knew mace wasnt going to let him come and arrest him with the other jedi, he made it look like the jedi were evil, and if you knew a respected and powerful jedi trying to kill a close personal friend of yours who happend to be the opposite of a jedi, you might interfere to. now as for sith lightning control, it depends on how strong with the force the sith master really is, like dooku was a powerful jedi, and when he killed master sifo-dyass, and possibly other evil acts, he developed his lightning, now when he attacked anakin with it he temporarily ko'ed him, as for yoda he couldnt even budge, yoda is to powerful in the lightside of the force for dooku, now as for palpatineit depends if he wants to inflict major damage or minor, examples..mace windu, when anakin cut mace's forearm off palpatine went for the kill. like he told him power, unlimited power.
now yoda he sent his lightning bolts at him to send him a message, he was indeed very powerful, now when him and yoda fight it's different yoda is more skilled in lightsaber's, palpatine knows this thats why he relies on his power when he wasnt cutting it with throwing the senate box seats he leapt into another box and looked for yoda when yoda leapt on to the side he instantly fired full force lightning at him and knocked his lightsaber from his hands makeing yoda use his force deflecters, and at fist it looks as if palpatine is stronger but yoda proves to be able stop his bolts with some force bomb/push havent really figured that out yet.
as for luke, he was toying with him, but he didnt realize vader would come to his son's rescue...

all true, also the force/ bomb.
i think he compresses the lightning somehow and sends it away, after that the lighting explodes of it's own acord