The Ultimate Guide to Nightsister Powers & Spells in Star Wars: From Canon to Legendary Abilities

Summary

Nightsisters, a group within the Star Wars universe who tap into the power of the Force, wield an assortment of abilities such as telekinesis, precognition, Force lightning, mind control, possession, and the ability to heal.

Nightsisters originated in Dave Wolverton's

The Courtship of Princess Leia

The Nightsisters were reinvented within the canon storyline, closely tied to the dark side of the Force, and possess distinct powers as a result of originating from the intergalactic realm of Peridea.

These exceptional individuals possess extraordinary skills, harnessing magick ichor for diverse purposes. These include causing harm or even death, conjuring weapons, as well as creating potions and prosthetic limbs.

The Nightsisters in the Star Wars franchise possess a range of Force powers that are utilized in both the canon and Legends storylines. Apart from the Jedi and Sith, the Nightsisters belong to a distinct Force tradition, and although they may not match the power and prominence of their counterparts, they exhibit exceptional skill with the Force. These dark side practitioners are an integral part of the Witches of Dathomir, with their abilities and customs revolving exclusively around the dark side of the Force.

Originating from Dave Wolverton's novel, "The Courtship of Princess Leia," the Nightsisters, much like the other Witch clans of Dathomir, are introduced as followers corrupted by the dark side, in contrast to those who adhere to the principle of resisting evil. Adapted for the canon continuity, the Nightsisters made their first appearance in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," where they played significant roles in "Star Wars Rebels" and "Ahsoka," the latter of which delves into their new origins. In canon, it is revealed that the Nightsisters did not originate on Dathomir but instead hail from the intergalactic world of Peridea, offering an explanation for the divergence in their corrupted magical abilities when compared to those of a Sith Lord.

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15 Telekinesis

Both in the canon and Legends, Nightsisters possess rudimentary Force abilities. Apart from their heightened senses and physical prowess, they utilize their dark powers to manipulate objects with telekinesis. One astonishing and deadly instance of this was seen in the Courtship of Princess Leia. Gethzerion, the founder and leader of the Nightsisters, effortlessly eliminated the Imperial General Melvar and a hundred Stormtroopers by unleashing a lethal telekinetic attack.

14 Transformation

13 Weather Control

The introduction of Dathomir and its Witch clans took place in the novel Courtship of Princess Leia in 1994. However, the first live-action appearance of a Nightsister occurred in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor in 1985, thanks to a retcon. Charal, the Nightsister, possesses a unique power of transforming into a raven. This ability, however, requires the use of a Talisman of Transformation imbued with the dark side. Unfortunately for Charal, her reliance on the Talisman leads to her downfall. By the end of the film, the Talisman is destroyed while she is still in the form of a raven, leaving her unable to revert back to her human form.

Controlling the weather is a captivating form of telekinesis, especially when wielded by skilled individuals. While the defensive applications of this power are commonly seen among Jedi, the Nightsisters have harnessed a more lethal variation driven by the dark side. Charal and Gethzerion are notable practitioners of this ability, with Gethzerion unleashing a furious storm in a moment of rage during the events of Courtship of Princess Leia.

12 Animal Control

Dathomir, with its renowned Witch clans and their terrifying rancors, serves as the home planet for both. These dreaded creatures are not only tamed but also utilized as mounts and pets by the Witches of Dathomir. It comes as no surprise that the deadly Nightsisters make use of these formidable beasts to eliminate their foes. In the 2006 video game Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption, the Nightsisters fearlessly ride into battle on rancors. Additionally, the Nightsister Silri possesses the ability to unleash her rancor companion, known as Cuddles, onto the battlefield.

11 Illusions

Aside from her transformation into a raven using her talisman, Charal possesses the ability to alter her appearance through the use of an illusion. This power was demonstrated in Battle for Endor when Charal took on the guise of a young woman in one particular scene, and even projected an illusion onto her black stallion. A similar ability was employed by the Nightsister Ros Lai in the Star Wars: Republic comics, enabling her to disguise herself as an elderly woman.

10 Reanimate Corpses

A particularly dreadful aspect of the Nightsister power is their ability to revive the dead, a concept present in both the canon and Legends storylines. In the Legends tale Star Wars: Ewoks—Shadows of Endor by Zack Giallongo, Charal utilizes this horrifying power. Similarly, in the canon series The Clone Wars, Old Daka employs it to raise an army of undead Nightsisters. The same capability is once again demonstrated in the canon storyline of Jedi: Fallen Order, wherein Merrin creates an army of zombie Nightsisters.

9 Precognition

Another elementary Force skill is known as precognition, which is utilized not only by the Nightsisters but also by Jedi and Sith practitioners. In the Legends universe, the Nightsister Mighella, aligned with the Black Sun syndicate, accurately foresaw the demise of all the Vigos within the organization. In current canon, Mother Talzin employed a crystal ball to perform precognition, revealing to Savage Opress a powerful vision featuring his brother, Darth Maul.

8 Force Lightning

One of the most notorious and deadly abilities found within the dark side of the Force is Force lightning. This power, famously used by Sith Lords such as Dark Sidious, holds a prominent place in their repertoire. In the expansive Legends continuity, the Nightsister Mighella also attained mastery in this formidable power and employed it against Darth Maul, Sidious's apprentice. Additionally, in the canon continuity, Mother Talzin showcases her proficiency in utilizing Force lightning, albeit with a unique green hue, which is believed to be a manifestation of the power enhanced by mystical ichor.

7 Force Drain

The Jedi utilize the natural energy of the Force to heal themselves and others, while the Sith resort to absorbing the life force of others and transferring it to either themselves or their allies for healing purposes. This malevolent ability is also wielded by the corrupted Nightsisters from the dark side. In the game Forces of Corruption, the Nightsister Silri prominently possesses the power of Force drain.

6 Mind Trick

5 Possession

Although the Jedi are renowned for their utilization of Mind Tricks in necessary situations, the Sith and Nightsisters possess their own sinister versions of this hypnotic power. An example of this can be found in the failed attempt by Silri to employ a Mind Trick on Tyber Zann in Forces of Corruption. Similarly, Talzin employed a variant of this power, which later resurfaced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With a simple touch to the head, Talzin had the ability to render others unconscious, regardless of their mental strength to resist conventional Mind Tricks.

Although possession was once a power solely wielded by the Sith in the Legends timeline, in the canon timeline, it is shown to be utilized by the Nightsisters. During her confrontation with the Sith and the Separatist Alliance, Mother Talzin briefly took control of Count Dooku's body and engaged in a battle against Palpatine. However, lacking Dooku's expertise, she was swiftly defeated. In a later event, the spirits of two Nightsisters would go on to possess both Sabine Wren and Kanan Jarrus in the Rebels series.

4 Teleportation

3 Healing

In Legends, the potent ability of teleportation is exclusively utilized by the Sith, while in the canon continuity, it is reserved for the Nightsisters and the enigmatic being known as Bendu. Throughout her appearances in The Clone Wars, Mother Talzin employs this power to evade conflicts when necessary. Furthermore, the ability resurfaces in Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, where it is showcased as one of Merrin's powers.

In the Legends continuity, Force drain was commonly used by Nightsisters as a healing method. However, in the canon storyline, they possess a more Jedi-like ability. Through a mystical ritual and utilizing their distinctive ichor, Mother Talzin successfully healed a heavily wounded Asajj Ventress upon her return to Dathomir during The Clone Wars. Talzin later demonstrated her healing powers once again when she restored the mind and body of the bisected Darth Maul, who was brought back to Dathomir by his brother, Savage Opress.

2 Force Protection

Similar to her ichor-imbued variation of Force lightning, Mother Talzin also demonstrates the ability to create green Force protection barriers in The Clone Wars. These barriers serve to shield her from blasterfire; however, in Star Wars: Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir, it becomes evident that they offer no defense against physical attacks. While not as formidable as the Jedi's version of Force barrier, Talzin's shield does grant her the ability to utilize Force lightning.

1 Ichor

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The Nightsisters possess a truly unparalleled and versatile power known as magick ichor. This remarkable substance holds a prominent place in the Star Wars canon continuity and is also briefly referenced in a Legends-era comic. Taking the form of a green, mist-like liquid, magick ichor enables the Nightsisters to carry out a wide range of extraordinary feats. From inflicting catastrophic harm or even death from afar, conjuring a sword capable of withstanding the mighty strike of a lightsaber, to even concocting potions and crafting prosthetic limbs. It is worth noting that while this liquid originates from the planet Dathomir, it is not the primary source of the Nightsisters' abilities, but rather significantly enhances their unique powers.