Lucas retconned the force to not be an intangible energy field, but a disease that can be tangibly and consistently measured for via blood tests.

Not sure I agree with this take, though it is obviously an unfortunate possibility opened by the prequels introducing medichlorians, I don’t think it was his intention to “demystify” the force so much as give a plot justification for Qui Gon taking such an interest in the young Anakin

His notions of the “Living Force” and “Cosmic Force” get into this, but I think he never abandoned his original framing of “The Whills”, and it simply took shape over time as the notion of a/the “Will of the Force”

Im not making the case that the prequels are flawless or even particularly great movies, simply that many criticisms of the jedi order we see people make today, often focused on the prequels, were in fact done on purpose and done to increase the thematic depth of the story - for example, that’s likely why we see the Republic award ceremony is a shot-for-shot remake of Riefenstahl’s scene from Triumph of the Will

Lucas retconned the force to not be an intangible energy field, but a disease that can be tangibly and consistently measured for via blood tests.

Not sure I agree with this take, though it is obviously an unfortunate possibility opened by the prequels introducing medichlorians, I don’t think it was his intention to “demystify” the force so much as give a plot justification for Qui Gon taking such an interest in the young Anakin

His notions of the “Living Force” and “Cosmic Force” get into this, but I think he never abandoned his original framing of “The Whills”, and it simply took shape over time as the notion of a/the “Will of the Force”

Im not making the case that the prequels are flawless or even particularly great movies, simply that many criticisms of the jedi order we see people make today, often focused on the prequels, were in fact done on purpose and done to increase the thematic depth of the story