Star Wars: 10 Massive Plot Holes The Sequels Stupidly Created
3. Why Didn't The Force Ghosts Do Anything?
In A New Hope, Obi-Wan taunted his old apprentice Vader to strike him down, claiming that "I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." Without batting an eyelid, Anakin killed his old master, watching his body instantaneously become one with the Force.
Turns out, Obi-Wan's new "power" was nothing more than his his ability to interact with the living, as the old master proceeded to train Luke Skywalker from beyond the grave as though he simply were a YouTube fitness tutorial.
During The Last Jedi, it became apparent that as well as being able to communicate with the living, Force Ghosts were actually able to interact with the corporeal realm, demonstrated by Yoda summoning Force Lightning from the sky to destroy the old Jedi Temple on Ach-To.
So, why didn't Obi-Wan or Yoda demonstrate some actual power and help defeat Vader and the Emperor in Return Of The Jedi or earlier, presumably saving thousands of lives? In Return Of The Jedi, they tell Luke he must face Vader alone as they cannot help him -- but they never tell Luke why.
For that matter, why did Palpatine even bother cloning himself as a contingency plan, when he could have just learnt the Jedi powers of immortality and continue ruling the galaxy as a Force Ghost, his ghostly omnipresence presumably making him more powerful than he ever could have been in his half-melted body.