In Penn State football’s 31-14 win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday, star defensive end Abdul Carter suffered an apparent injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the game.  

On Thursday, Carter posted a cryptic image on social media, leaving a few fans confused about his status. For the non-Star Wars fans out there, we’re here to break down the true message behind Carter’s post. 

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— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) January 2, 2025

The image Carter used is from the movie “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” In the Star Wars universe, the film takes place in 0 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), or 19 years after “Revenge of the Sith” (Episode III), and leads into “A New Hope” (Episode IV) at the end of the film. 

The image shows Sith Lord Darth Vader in a bacta tank – a system used for healing and treating major injuries. Bacta is made up of a mixture of kavam, alazhi bacteria, and ambori fluid. Although it’s 19 years later, Darth Vader is still recovering from the burns he suffered after his battle with his former Jedi master Obi Wan-Kenobi on the fiery planet of Mustafar.

The bacta tank is also featured in “The Empire Strikes Back” (Episode V) in the Echo Base on the ice planet of Hoth after Luke Skywalker was captured and nearly consumed by a wampa, “The Book of Boba Fett” series when the renowned bounty hunter survived the Sarlacc pit from “Return of the Jedi” (Episode VI), the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series, and “The Clone Wars” animated series. 

Carter uses the image to portray himself as Darth Vader recovering from severe injuries. Although Carter didn’t suffer any burns in Arizona, he did have a cast around his left arm. According to our estimation, a bacta tank should heal an injured arm in several minutes to a few hours.

Bacta is capable of healing open wounds, concussions, broken bones, internal organs, and burns. Its highly regenerative properties make healing from minor injuries quick and easy.

It’s also likely Carter is using the image to portray himself as a powerful Sith lord like Darth Vader. We’re not sure if Carter has any midi-chlorians in his cells, but he looks like a force wielder when he comes off the edge for the Nittany Lions.

Midi-chlorians are microscopic forms of intelligent life considered the foundation of life. It is found in the cells of all living organisms, creating a symbiotic relationship between all forms of life. Midi-chlorians are what the Force speaks through, and the more midi-chlorians an individual has, the more Force-sensitive they are.

Carter must have many midi-chlorians the way he effortlessly moves linemen, has quick reflexes, and can sense what play is coming next, and his presence alone is enough to do mind tricks on opposing quarterbacks.

While Carter heals in preparation for the Orange Bowl, only one question remains — which is more powerful? Carter’s Force-wielding abilities or the luck of the Irish?