Via Whatculture.com:

Great epics have compelling internal and external conflicts, and in Star Wars the Force is an expository tool for both. Externally, the Force indiscriminately supports each side in the titular wars and is used to outsmart enemies and predict outcomes in battles, combat, and coercion. However, the most fundamental use of the Force involves an inner ability to sense disturbances which span the galaxy and affect every living thing.
As an internal process, the ability to sense disturbances illustrates Yoda’s teachings about energy over matter and how luminous beings exist within the Force and are aligned with it. Throughout the stories in Star Wars, disturbances are important for informing characters and affecting outcomes. Even though disturbances may not be as visually exciting as the practical powers applied in action sequences, they define and illustrate the Force’s connective properties.
There are two types of disturbances, those caused by catastrophes and those caused by the presence of a Force sensitive character, usually a powerful Jedi or Sith. The following examination ranks the ten most important disturbances in Star Wars.

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