The Most Impressive Things A Non-Force User Has Done In ‘Star Wars’
Force users such as the Jedi and the Sith have frequently been the focal point of Star Wars content, showcasing the astonishing feats one could do with the power of the Force from influencing others' thoughts via mind tricks to lifting enormous objects with their minds. Non-Force users, on the other hand, also have a long track record and their fair share of impressive feats throughout lore. While the list is certainly non-exhaustive, a few are highlighted below to show the diverse nature of power and influence a non-Force user has in the galaxy far, far away.
Arvel Crynyd Destroying The Executor
We all remember the iconic moment in Return of the Jedi: one A-wing starfighter crashing into the bridge of the Executor that led to the Imperial dreadnought crashing down into the second Death Star in a somewhat comical and incredible fashion. The A-wing was piloted by none other than Arvel Crynyd, leader of the Green Squadron for the Rebel Alliance during the Battle of Endor.
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While one would credit Luke Skywalker's destruction of the First Death Star to him being a Force user and Jedi-to-be in A New Hope, Crynyd was an ordinary person in terms of Force sensitivity, making his (sadly suicidal) feat even more impressive. During the raging space battle, the Executor's engines already suffered heavy secondary damage after the bombardment from the Rebels' Mon Calamari cruisers, along with their bridge deflector shields being destroyed by a duo of A-wings. Taking advantage of the capital ship's vulnerability, Crynyd's kamikaze attack was no accident as he specifically aimed the collision at the bridge. While the defeat of the Executor was no one-man effort, it was still impressive for the consequences that followed, leading to it crashing into the second Death Star and leaving the Imperial chain of command in scrambles during the final moments of the Battle of Endor.
Cad Bane's Holocron Heist
Quoting from Count Dooku, Cad Bane needed no introduction. The legendary bounty hunter's infamous reputation was well-known across the galaxy. He even earned the respect of Darth Sidious himself who went out of his way to hire him in one of Bane's most ambitious jobs ever: a Holocron heist from the Jedi Temple in the heart of Coruscant.
With only the aid of fellow bounty hunter Cato Parasitti, Bane set out on a highly detailed plan to infiltrate the extremely secure Jedi Temple in Season 2 of 2008 The Clone Wars animated series. The bounty hunter succeeded in stealing a Holocron that contained a list of Force-sensitive children across the galaxy, one of the Jedi Order's most highly guarded secrets, and killing two Jedi in the process. Despite being a non-Force user, the Duros made sure to equip himself with enough gadgets and weapons to level the playing field, ranging from rocket boots for nimble maneuvers to breathing tubes to prevent Force chokes. His mind was also extremely resilient, only succumbing to the effects of a Jedi mind trick that required the combined efforts of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mace Windu. Most importantly, he lived to tell the tale upon escaping the Jedi's captivity, continuing his reign among the best bounty hunters during the Clone Wars.
General Grievous' Onslaught Of Republic Forces And Jedi
While frequently depicted as one that always fled impending defeat, General Grievous was actually an extremely capable tactician and fierce combatant. While having no Force powers himself, the fearsome cyborg was trained in the arts of lightsaber combat by Count Dooku. This combined with his previous life as a Kaleesh warlord made him a skilled warrior and fearsome Jedi killer. Notorious for his prized collection of lightsabers from his fallen victims, the mere name of Grievous struck fear across the galaxy.
His fearsome combat skills were particularly depicted in the 2003 Clone Wars animated series in which he fought six Jedi at the same time all by himself, killing Jedi masters Tarr Seirr and Sha'a Gi while wounding K'Kruhk, Aayla Secura, and Shaak Ti. As commander of the Separatist droid army that defeated Republic forces in multiple systems and battles, Grievous inflicted massive casualties to the Republic worlds and the Grand Army of the Republic, making him a menace to Coruscant up to his final defeat on Utapau in Revenge of the Sith.
Grand Moff Tarkin Ordering The Destruction Of Alderaan
While being more of a politically authoritative figure, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin undoubtedly ranks among the top non-Force users in terms of his power and influence. As a loyal and favored official of the Empire, Tarkin held a political rank higher than Darth Vader himself. His influence in the Imperial High Command hierarchy was also most notable, having the power to take over Project Stardust from Director Krennic outright, and ordering the destruction of an entire planet with a 2 billion population with one swift Death Star laser blow in a frighteningly casual fashion.
Championing the theory of “Rule by Fear,” Tarkin's vision of the Empire was best encapsulated in the Tarkin Doctrine, in which he outlined his political beliefs for a galaxy run under strong military rule in the name of peacekeeping. Having influence over both Imperial politics and the Empire's military, Tarkin's eventual order to destroy Alderaan was only the tip of the iceberg, making him an extremely feared person, perhaps second only to Emperor Palpatine himself during the Imperial Era.
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