"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together."

--Obi Wan Kenobi

The Force is the mysterious energy field permeating the galaxy, created and sustained by life, it has all the wonderful powers of life: creation, knowledge, harmony, aggression, hatred, anger, and destruction. Which of these characteristics are dominant divides the Force into two poorly defined sides, Light and Dark. The Jedi of the Republic have learned to harness this power and attempt to use it for good, while others have used it for personal gain and deception and destruction. These Dark Siders have always been the enemy of the Jedi since before the Republic was founded.

In addition to the Jedi, there are other Force-using groups, from shamans to civilizations with a greater ability to tune into the Force than most. Each has a different name for the source of their powers, but the Force is what is used by the Jedi and what is commonly referred to in the mainstream of the galaxy. Sith, Nightseers of Dathomir and others embrace the Dark, while eco-priests of the Ithorians and Ewok Shamans use elements of the light in their rituals.