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InStar Wars, the Force is described as an energy that spans the galaxy, flowing through anything and everything in existence. The Force is an energy that has been around for as long as time itself. And while the Jedi and Sith are able to manipulate the Force, they are in no way in control of it.
In a sense, no one is truly in control of the Force. But inStar Warslore, there is a group of entities who maintain the balance of the Force, and they go by various names: Force-Wielders, the Mortis Gods, or more formally, the Ones. The Ones are an immortal trio of beings who identify as a family, and they embody the aspects of the Force: the light, the dark, and the balance of both. They haven’t made a significant number of appearances in the many stories ofStar Wars, but that in no way diminishes their importance in the galaxy far, far away. In fact, they have existed since long before any of the events that transpired in theStar Warsstory.
Who Are The Ones?
The Ones are also known as Force-Wielders and the Mortis Gods. The trio consists of the Father, the Son, and the Daughter, immortals who reside onthe planet Mortis, located far beyond the Outer Rim in Wild Space. They each embody a specific aspect of the Force: the Son represents the dark side, the Daughter represents the light side, and the Father represents the balance that is necessary for life to exist in the galaxy. Fittingly, the Son and Daughter are rivals to each other, frequently taking the form of a gargoyle and a griffin respectively. They constantly battle until the Father inevitably resolves their conflicts time and again, as the only one who can maintain the balance in the Force.
When Anakin Skywalker is summoned by the Ones in season 3, episode 15 ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars, “Overlords,” the Father explains to him why they must remain on Mortis:
My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world, and live here as anchorites. […] You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children, and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe. It is only here that I can control them. A family in balance, the light and the dark, day with night, destruction replaced by creation.
It is said the Ones have existed for eons, holding together the balance of the Force all along. Legend states that there was once a Mother who was mortal, and in her desire to be immortal like her family, she corrupted herself and became the powerful,evil being Abeloth. It was then that the Ones imprisoned their former Mother and relocated to Mortis, which is said to be the birthplace of the Force. For as long as they’ve existed, the Son and Daughter can only live as long as the Father does.
Ahsoka(as statues)
Season 1, Episode 8
The Ones have limited appearances inStar Wars, only once appearing in physical form. The first time they appeared was in a three-episode stretch ofStar Wars: The Clone Warsin season 3. In this story arc, the Ones summon Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka to Mortis via a distress signal. Their intention is to replace the Father with Anakin, who is said to be the prophesied Chosen One of the Force.
The Ones appear again inStar Wars Rebelsonly as a mural in whichEzra takes his crewto investigate at the Jedi Temple on Lothal.
Lastly, the Ones make a final appearance asgiant statues inAhsoka, when Baylan Skoll reaches the mountainous region in which a statue of both the Son and Father stand on an unknown planet.
What Happens to the Ones?
The story arc in which the Ones first appear inThe Clone Warsis actually the same arc that sees their demise. The Father explains to Anakin that he feels his own life force fading, and the Chosen One is foretold to replace the Father as the entity that will maintain the balance in the Force upon his death. After Anakin proves to the Ones that he is in fact the Chosen One, he still refuses to accept the role as the new Father.
But the Son has a different agenda, wanting to escape Mortis and spread darkness across the galaxy. He does so by trying to sway Anakin to the dark side. While his plan nearly succeeds, the Father attempts to put a stop to it. Enraged and fed up, the Son acquires the Dagger of Mortis — a powerful weapon capable of killing any of the Ones — and goes to kill the Father. However, he ends up killing the Daughter instead, who jumps in front of the incoming blade and sacrifices herself.
Left with no other option, the Father takes the Dagger of Mortis and ends his own life, which kills the Son by extension. With the Ones dead, their physical forms fade. They become one with the Force, leaving no trace of their bodies behind, markingthe official end of their powerand duties within the Force inStar Wars.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
