Sith Holocrons:
A Sith holocron was a device used by Sith to store information. Typically, they required use of the dark side to activate.
Characteristics"Strange…the Sith holocron is glowing brighter…"
"It is not strange, old one…it is simply being called to its rightful owner!"
―Odan-Urr and Exar Kun[src]
The temptation of Sith knowledge corrupted many unwary Jedi.Sith holocrons were immediately identifiable with respect to Jedi holocrons, as they were usually pyramidal in shape, and etched with strange symbols and ancient hieroglyphs. Inscriptions usually lined the bottom of the device, and various dark incantations were found all over the smooth surface. At the holocron's apex rested a black crystal, used to power the holocron's store of information.
The design of the holocron was not the only way to discern its affiliation: Sith holocrons emitted a dark presence, creating tremors in the Force upon activation. It took a great deal of willpower for a Jedi to access the dark devices, and some of the more inexperienced Jedi often felt sick and ill from merely laying their gaze upon one.
Internally, however, Sith holocrons worked in much the same way as a Jedi holocron. The black crystal of the Sith holocron was made up of intricate lattices and vertices, capable of storing massive amounts of information, as well as the holocron's Sith gatekeeper. The holocron was able to capture the appearance and cognitive networks of the holocron's owner, and transform this into a three-dimensional hologram. This gatekeeper acted as a guide through the holocron's store of information, as a search and recovery engine with a more personal touch. These gatekeepers could relate stories from the holocron's archives to events in the life of the one who activated the holocron.
Unlike their Jedi counterparts, the Sith holocron gatekeepers did not restrict information that might be too advanced and dangerous for a user, usually allowing them unlimited access to its entire dark side repository.
[edit] Construction"The process of creating a holocron cannot be rushed."
―Belia Darzu[src]
The process by which holocrons were created was a very difficult one. In the days of the old Sith Empire, holocrons were prevalent among the Dark Lords just as Jedi holocrons were among Jedi Masters. Many rare materials had to be gathered, and much meditating on the will of the dark side was necessary to focus the Sith Lord's power. By the time of the Great Jedi Purge, nearly all records containing information regarding the creation of holocrons was thought to be lost. But in the centuries before, the knowledge was apparently still available, should one happen to find it. Darth Bane was one such individual. Bane had tried unsuccessfully for years to store his own essense within a holocron, but when his apprentice presented him with the possibility of finding the secrets on Tython, he set out immediately for that world. On the planet Tython he acquired the holocron of an ancient Dark Lord of the Sith, the Shi'ido changeling named Belia Darzu. Darzu was very knowledgeable in the construction of holocrons, and recorded within the lattices of her own holocron, Darzu explained in depth the required steps one must take to successfully construct the pyramidal Sith holocron.
[edit] Crystal matrix
A Sith holocron, bearing the inscription "IN UMBRIS POTESTAS EST".As the Shi'ido form of Belia Darzu explained, the process can take months to finally perfect, though sometimes a holocron could be created within the short span of a few weeks. Each was unique to it's creator; one who sought to fashion their own Sith holocron could not use another as the blueprint by which they followed to make their own personal holocron. The inner components were composed of intertwined filaments and strands, forming a crystal matrix that must be fine tuned to prevent device failure. Rare crystal was used in the workings and tunings of the intricate network that would store potentially infinite data. Each holocron matrix had to meet perilous specifications, usually requiring thousands of precise alterations and adjustments on a subatomic level. Only through the power of the Force could one ensure that each crystalline strand was properly aligned.
[edit] Rituals of InvocationOnce the crystal matrix inside the holocron was successfully constructed, the creator could then focus on the outer designs of their holocron. Ancient Sith symbols were etched onto the devise, and then imbued with dark side power in what were known as the Rituals of Invocation. This ceremony was paramount in maintaining the matrix's stability after it was infused with dark side energy. Again, the symbols must be unique to the individual, and simply copying the glyphs from another holocron will only result in failure. The device will fall in on itself into a pile of crystal-dust. These spells were incredibly painstaking, both mentally and physically. But should this be performed before the Rite of Commencement, the power trapped within the symbols will fade, and the network will degrade to the point of being unable to sustain the crystal matrix.
[edit] Rite of Commencement
Three of Atris's Sith holocrons."You must invoke the Rite of Commencement."
―Belia Darzu[src]
To trap one's essence within the capstone, they must invoke the Rite of Commencement. Due to it's complexity, only the most powerful Sith Masters were capable of performing the elaborate ritual. When the Sith Lord's cognizance was successfully trapped within, a wealth of dark side knowledge and lore could be stored within the almost limitless lattices and networks of the holocron. The cognitive network then served as the teaching element, and also stabilized the interweavings of the holocron. Without the network in place, the device would disintegrate within days.
[edit] Capstone"The capstone is the key to the process."
―Belia Darzu[src]
All Sith holocrons had capstones, wherein the creator must capture their own cognitive essense before the fine-tuning stages. This prevented the cognitive network from degrading, and only then could one truly begin to create their own holocron. The capstone was a black crystal, housed within the center of the device. It was a vital part of a Sith holocron's construction. It served the dual purpose of both an energy source for the device as well as a "home" of sorts for the gatekeeper, or the cognitive essence of the holocron's creator.
[edit] History"Locked within its recesses, accessible only to a Dark Lord of the Sith, are the forgotten histories and lore, dating back a hundred thousand years or more."
―Odan-Urr to Nomi Sunrider[src]
Sith holocrons appeared to contain sentient spirits.Sith holocrons originated from secrets shared with the Sith King Adas by Rakatan soldiers trying to gain the trust of the Sith ruler. Adas made a holocron based on Rakatan design and presumably the art of holocron making originated among the ancient Sith from this.
The pull and allure of the Sith holocron was strong, which the Jedi Historian Atris discovered as she collected holocrons that slowly turned her to the dark side. As of 3,996 BBY, only one known Sith holocron existed, having been captured by Odan-Urr during the Great Hyperspace War; half a century later, Atris kept scores of them in the Telosian Jedi Academy. The holocron captured by Odan-Urr was said to contain information dating back to around 100,000 BBY.
Most of the Sith holocrons were created long before the Clone Wars, and as of the Battle of Geonosis, the Jedi Archives on Coruscant contained most of the only surviving Sith holocrons in the galaxy. These devices were locked away to all but the most senior Jedi—in fact, most of the Jedi in the Temple did not even know Sith holocrons resided in the building. The holocrons were kept in case the Jedi would ever face the threat of the Sith again, whereupon Jedi Masters could consult the holocrons for ideas on how to defeat the Dark Lords. However, the Sith holocrons were not as safe as the Archives Director believed: Jedi student Lorian Nod was able to steal a Sith holocron from the Archives, though the theft ended in the recovery of the holocron and Nod's expulsion from the Jedi Order. Count Dooku stole at least one Sith holocron from the Jedi Temple during the Coruscant Insurrection. The remaining Sith holocrons in the Temple at the end of the Clone Wars were forgeries according to Darth Sidious, but Sidious had his apprentice Darth Vader recover them nonetheless.
The Sith holocron image of Darth Andeddu appears before Darth Tyr!@#$.Several ancient Sith holocrons were kept by Darth Plagueis and were presumably inherited by Darth Sidious. Another Sith holocron was created by Darth Andeddu, an ancient Sith Lord. This holocron was recovered during a competition between Quinlan Vos and Tol Skorr for Count Dooku during the Clone Wars, while Quinlan was allied with Dooku. It contained much dark side knowledge as well as a red lightsaber crystal embedded in its core, used to power Darth Andeddu's own Sith lightsaber. The holocron itself was kept by Tyr!@#$ while the red crystal was used in Quinlan Vos's lightsaber for a brief time.
The crime lord Tyber Zann, head of the Zann Consortium, got his hands on one particular holocron, which led to an army of Sith troopers frozen in Carbonite, which was discovered by the Nightsister Silri using the holocron.
A Toydarian named Zippa tried to sell Lorn Pavan a cubical holocron in 32.5 BBY that Pavan suspected was a Sith holocron, but as the deal fell through, this was never confirmed as a Sith holocron.
While on a training mission on Ragoon-6 with Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi found a Sith holocron dropped by Granta Omega. It was first mentioned by a bounty hunter who immediately killed himself afterwards. When Kenobi found the holocron, he activated it, and after seeing several seconds of extreme suffering and destruction, he shut it off. When he mentioned it to his Padawan, Skywalker immediately became nauseous and started sweating from the potency of the dark side. Kenobi later handed the holocron over to Yoda at the Jedi Temple.
In 18 BBY Anakin Skywalker, now Darth Vader, gazed at a Sith holocron in the same hospital in which he had surgery after his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was overseen by ex-Jedi Ferus Olin, who felt waves of nausea after glimpsing the holocron.
In 1 ABY a spacer discovered a Sith holocron among ancient ruins on the volcanic world of Mustafar, which was once the home of many Jedi and the site of a large battle between Jedi and Sith.[1]
Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith managed to obtain Adas's Sith holocron.
In 130 ABY, Sith Lord Darth Krayt possessed not only the holocrons of previous Sith Lords Bane, Nihilus, and Andeddu, but was also known to have recorded his own. In this holocron he recorded entries relating how he caused the fall of the Galactic Alliance and restored the Empire as the dominant galactic power. Prior to the formation of the New Sith Order, Krayt, in his previous persona of A'Sharad Hett, discovered the holocron of XoXaan, one of the first Sith Lords.
Known Sith holocronsSD41263.I
Adas's holocron
Belia Darzu's holocron
Bo Vanda's holocron
Carbonite Sith Army holocron
Darth Andeddu's holocron
Darth Bane's holocron
Darth Krayt's holocron
Darth Nihilus's holocron
Freedon Nadd's Holocron
Darth Phobos's holocron
Darth Revan's holocron
Darth Rivan's holocron
Darth Vectivus's holocron
Dathka Graush's holocron
Mustafar Sith holocron[1]
Kruskan Sith holocron
Telos Holocron
Tulak Hord's holocron
Unidentified Sith holocron
XoXaan's holocron
Jan 26, 2009 11:11 PM | Report Abuse reply
The Mustafar Sith Holocron was an old holocron found on the volcano world of Mustafar app. 1.5 years after the Battle of Yavin.
The holocron had been lost on Mustafar an unknown period of time before the Galactic Civil War. Some time after the Battle of Yavin, a mining droid came across the relic in the wilderness of Mustafar, but as these droids lack interest in such things, the unit transferred the coordinates to the mainframe and moved on to continue with its work. Shortly thereafter the mining droid malfunctioned and was not able to return for repairs.
Sometime after this event, the protocol droid Q4P3 learned of the discovery when communicating with other droids of the Mensix Mining Facility. Q4P3 was in search of another relic, called the "Codex," for his master Pann and was convinced that he had finally found the desired item. The protocol droid was not equipped to travel over the volcanic landscape, so he had to wait at the Mensix Mining Facility to find a helpful being. In 1.5 ABY he met a well-armed spacer that agreed to travel to the droid wreck and recover the coordinates from the droid's memory banks. The obtained data led the spacer to the site of ancient ruins, where he dug out the relic from a pile of rubble. As soon as he held the holocron in his hands, he was attacked by several force-sensitive Trinity Assassins that seemed to have guarded the relic.
When the spacer returned to Q4P3, the droid studied the relic and confirmed that it was not the "Codex" he was searching for. While most of the stored data seemed to be corrupt, he was able to discern a fragment of the data: "...was going according to plans until yesterday. The weakling Jedi has some sort of secret weapon and I can feel the effects of it already now. I can sense that our master knows what it is, but he has revealed nothing, only forced us to press on even harder..."
Q4P3 paid the spacer a handsome reward and let him keep the holocron.
Jan 26, 2009 11:13 PM | Report Abuse reply
"Treachery is the way of the Sith."
―Darth Tyr!@#$[src]
The Sith Order was a sect of dark side Force users bent on destroying the Jedi. They were characterized by their single-minded lust for power and the brutal methods they were willing to use in order to acquire it. The sect existed in many diverse forms throughout galactic history. Originally, the Sith were a humanoid species that interbred with a group of exiled Dark Jedi, but after the rise and fall of that people, the meaning of the word 'Sith' changed. In time, the Sith would not be identified by their race, but by their dedication to the ancient Sith philosophy. There were many factions of the Sith, the most notable being the Sith Empire and the Order of the Sith Lords.
"The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The only difference between the two is that the Sith are not afraid of the dark side of the Force. That is why they are more powerful."
"The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inwards only about themselves."
"And the Jedi don't?"
―Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker[src]
Forged by fire"Without strife, your victory has no meaning. Without strife, you do not advance. Without strife, there is only stagnation."
―Yuthura Ban[src]
"It is natural for him to want to destroy me. It is not crude mundane ambition, as it would be in an ordinary man; it is part of his growth. And of course it does not offend me—it is why I chose him. But he needs to grow still further."
―Emperor Palpatine, on his apprentice, Darth Vader[src]
Sith philosophy emphasized conflict. The Sith believed that it empowered both individuals and civilizations by forcing them to change, grow, and evolve. Conflict ensured that only the strong would survive, thus leading the Sith down the path to perfection. Sentients only deserved what they were strong enough to take and those too weak to protect themselves were fair game.
The pacifistic teachings of the Jedi were viewed as obstructions to progress; lack of conflict led only to stagnation and decline. Likewise, morality was treated as an obstacle to be overcome as it got in the way of a Sith's ability to recognize and seize opportunities for advancement and self-empowerment.
Empowered by passion"What fuels your power with the Force but your passion? The stronger, darker emotions. Anger, hatred, fear… these passions empower us."
―Yuthura Ban[src]
The core of a Sith's power came from emotion. The Jedi taught that fear and anger were negative emotions that must be overcome, but the Sith understood that every living creature was subject to such passions. They believed in harnessing rather than suppressing these natural urges. The Sith did not endeavor to place themselves beyond passions as the Jedi did—on the contrary, they believed that emotion was required in order to attain a holistic understanding of the Force.
However, not all emotions were embraced by the Sith. They, like the Jedi, considered 'love' a dangerous emotion, but for different reasons. The Jedi discouraged love because it led to attachment, but the Sith taught that love led to mercy, which was anathema to them.
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."
―The Code of the Sith[src]
"May the Force serve you well."
―Sith Phrase
Sith tattoosMany Sith Lords adorn themselves with unique tattoos, as a symbol of their devotion to the order. The tattoos often have an alternating pattern of red and black based mostly off of Ancient Sith Holocrons. Sith tattoos are incredibly painful to have applied, as they often cover the entire body. Examples of tattooed Sith Lords include the infamous Darth Maul, as well as Darth Talon, Darth Wyyrlok, Darth Ruyn, and many other members of Darth Krayt's new Sith Order.
Lightsabers"The Sith grew past the use of lightsabers, but we continue to use them, if only to humiliate the Jedi."
―Darth Sidious, to Darth Vader[src]
Many Sith and Dark Jedi used synthetic, reengineered lightsaber crystals, also known as synth crystals, to focus the blades of their lightsabers. These crystals were red, giving the blade a red hue. Synth crystals were more powerful but were unstable, causing lightsabers to short out or die after a much shorter time than normal lightsaber crystals.
Jan 27, 2009 12:44 PM | Report Abuse reply
"But in their hearts they never forgot the Jedi. The hatred for the Jedi Order burns in their veins like fire, and it echoes in their teachings."
―Darth Traya[src]
Timeline of major events in Sith history130,000 BBY[source?] – The Sith society begins (that is, the species, and not the Sith cult). 100,000 BBY – The Sith species begin to develop their culture and civilization, their religion begins. [source?]
30,000 BBY – Somehow, a Killik Sith Lord lived on Alsakan, but was driven off when Humans arrived on the world. He fled to Sarafur, where he was buried in a treasure-filled crypt. [source?]
28,000 BBY – Adas rules as King of the Sith. He later led the Sith race to victory over the invading Rakata, but at the cost of his own life, plunging the Sith into civil war. [source?]
25,000 BBY The Unification Wars are fought on Tython in between darkness and light. The dark side Force's users are defeated, the Jedi establish their main temple on Ossus, the Old Republic is formed, based on Coruscant. The dark side is forbidden to the Jedi and will not rebel until 500 years later. [source?]
24,500 BBY – Xendor and his students leave the Jedi Order in the First Great Schism.
24,400 BBY – The First Great Schism ends and the Dark Jedi defeated. [source?]
7,000 BBY – A group of Jedi break off from the Order, and pioneer the science of dark-side mutations, starting the Second Great Schism—the war known as the Hundred-Year Darkness. [source?]
6,900 BBY – Exiled after their defeat during the Hundred-Year Darkness, the Dark Jedi arrive on Korriban, where they interbreed with the Sith natives, and form the Sith Empire. Over the millennia, the empire expands to surrounding systems, including Ziost. [source?]
5,000 BBY – Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow is defeated in the Great Hyperspace War, and the Sith Empire collapses ten years later. Sadow flees with his Massassi warriors to Yavin 4. [source?]
4,990 BBY – Final collapse of the Sith Empire, following the defeat of Naga Sadow. [source?] One Dark Lord escapes in the Unknown Regions to rebuild the Empire.
4,400 BBY – Jedi Knight Freedon Nadd falls to the dark side, and is trained by the awakened Naga Sadow. Sadow dies at the hand of Nadd, who soon establishes himself as the King of Onderon. [source?]
4,250 BBY – The Third Great Schism occurs on Coruscant, resulting in the Dark Jedi fleeing to Vultar, where they activate the Cosmic Turbine, causing the Vultar Cataclysm. [source?]
(4,000 – 3,998 BBY) — Freedon Nadd's descendants Queen Amanoa and King Ommin lead the Naddist Sith cult in a skirmish with the Jedi during the Beast Wars, and the Freedon Nadd Uprising. The Great Sith War begins. Satal and Aleema Keto are taught Sith teachings by Nadd's spirit. After the defeat of the Naddists, they flee to the Empress Teta system, and form the Krath sect. [source?]
3,997 BBY – Exar Kun falls to the dark side. The spirit of Freedon Nadd leads him from Dxun to Korriban, and thence to Yavin IV, where Kun destroys Nadd utterly. There he founds a new Sith order, which he names the Brotherhood of the Sith. [source?] 3,996 BBY – Kun takes the fallen Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma, leader of the Krath, as his apprentice. The Brotherhood of the Sith and the Krath fall during the Battle of Yavin IV. [source?]
3,961 BBY – Jedi Knight Revan falls under the influence of the dark side after discovering the Trayus Academy on Malachor V, a relic of the mysterious True Sith. [source?]
(3,960 - 3,959 BBY) – Revan, hero of the Mandalorian Wars, betrays the Galactic Republic, declares himself Dark Lord of the Sith, and forms a new Sith Empire. [source?]
(3,959 - 3,956 BBY) – Darth Revan supplements his forces with a fleet constructed by the Star Forge, and invades the Republic during the Second Sith War. Revan is supposedly killed when his apprentice Darth Malak betrays him, but later reappears as a Jedi, having returned to the light side. Revan leads Republic forces to victory by defeating Malak and destroying the Star Forge. After the Second Sith War, it became common practice for the Sith to prepend the title "Darth" to their name. [source?] (3,956 – 3,950 BBY) – In the wake of the Battle of Rakata Prime, the Sith Civil War erupts on Korriban, and virtually wipes out the Sith followers of Revan and Malak.
(3,954) – Darth Nihilus and Darth Sion unite many of the remaining Sith warlords. They begin to wage a shadow war upon the devastated Republic and start the First Jedi Purge.
3,951 BBY - The Sith Triumvirate is defeated by the Jedi Exile and the First Jedi Purge ends. The Sith Civil War continues as the remaining Sith fight over the remnants of their empire. At the end of the war one Sith Lord bearing the title of "Darth", being one of the few survivors declares himself a Sith Lord. Another presumed extinction of the Sith. [source?]
c.3,756 BBY - The Sith Empire invades the Republic, and the Great War begins
3,656 BBY - The Great War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant. The Republic and the Sith Empire exist as two separate governments in a state of Cold War.
3,500 BBY - Darth Desolous is expelled from the Jedi Order, and forms a Sith army of Pau'ans, training them in the use of cortosis armor and shields, and leads them against the Jedi. Some two thousand Jedi Knights are killed before the carnage ceases.
2,000 BBY – Darth Ruin, another fallen Jedi, forms a new Sith order and begins the New Sith Wars during the period of the Fourth Great Schism. Lasting a millennium, by 1,466 BBY the New Sith Empire conquers all of known space outside the Colonies.
(2,000 – 1,000 BBY) – The Sith prove to be their own undoing, as internal power struggles destroy their organization. Lord Kaan unites the survivors under the Brotherhood of Darkness, and grants the title of "Dark Lord" to many Sith.
1,000 BBY – Both Jedi and Sith armies are destroyed in the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, leaving Darth Bane the only survivor. To ensure the continued survival of the Sith, Bane institutes the Rule of Two. [source?]
(1,000 – 33 BBY) – The Rule of Two continues. Darth Millennial abandons his master, Darth Cognus, and establishes the Prophets of the Dark Side. Darth Vectivus becomes the administrator of a mine on an asteroid near Bimmiel, and builds a mansion there at the heart of a dark-side energy nexus. He lives out the rest of his days there, surrounded by friends and family, and presumably trains his own apprentice. The Muun Sith Lord, Darth Plagueis is found and trained by an unknown Master. Palpatine is trained under the tutelage of Darth Plagueis, and is given the title of Darth Sidious. Palpatine kills his Master in his sleep. He then trains Darth Maul as his own apprentice. [source?]
32 BBY – The Sith, who had been in hiding for nearly one thousand years, resurface again when Darth Sidious orchestrates the Battle of Naboo in which Darth Maul is killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi. [source?]
(22 – 19 BBY) – Darth Sidious and Darth Tyr!@#$ provoke the Clone Wars, and many Jedi die, or turn to the dark side. [source?]
19 BBY – Darth Vader becomes Sidious's new apprentice. The Republic falls and the Galactic Empire is established by Darth Sidious, now known as Emperor Palpatine. The Sith rule the galaxy once more, from the Core Worlds to Wild Space. [source?]
(19 – 1 BBY) – Darth Sidious eradicates most of the Jedi in the Great Jedi Purge. [source?]
4 ABY – Vader is turned back to the light side of the Force by Luke Skywalker, resulting in the deaths of both Sidious and Vader, presumed extinction of the Sith Order, thus fulfilling the Ancient Jedi Prophesy of the Chosen One. [source?]
11 ABY – The resurrection of Palpatine, who nearly overthrows the New Republic before dying one last time. Another presumed extinction of the Sith order. Exar Kun's spirit is revived on Yavin IV and turns Kyp Durron into a Sith Lord. Exar Kun is later defeated by the New Jedi Order and Kyp turns back to the Light Side of the Force. [source?]
(11 ABY+) – Rumors abound of a last Sith, an Emperor's Hand, named Lumiya. Three decades later, these whispers would prove true. [source?]
14 ABY – A Sith cult, the Disciples of Ragnos, attempt to resurrect Marka Ragnos, but are thwarted through the efforts of the New Jedi Order. [source?]
30 ABY – Darth Krayt begins to rebuild the Sith Order on Korriban. [source?]
40 ABY – Lumiya appears in the galaxy again, and seduces Jacen Solo to join her. Jacen slowly attempts to lead his cousin Ben Skywalker toward the Sith ways, in order to make him his apprentice but instead later takes Tahiri Veila as his apprentice. Jacen eventually becomes a Sith Lord, taking on the title of "Darth Caedus" and becomes a co- Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance. However with his death Lumiya's Sith, the last surviving remmant of the Order of the Sith Lords had perished. Another presumed extinction of the Sith Order.
130 ABY – The Sith, led by Darth Krayt, return to prominence in the galaxy by sabotaging the Ossus Project, causing mass secessions from the Galactic Alliance to the second Galactic Empire, and nearly eliminating the Jedi Order once again.
Jan 27, 2009 12:47 PM | Report Abuse reply
"There is a faction of meatbags called the Sith. They want what any rational meatbag would want—the power to assassinate anyone they choose at any time."
―HK-47[src]
The term Sith referred to numerous disparate dark side organizations that rose and fell over thousands of years of galactic history. No single entity long survived the vigilance of the Jedi Knights, but even in defeat the ancient Sith teachings proved difficult to suppress. Each time the Jedi Order grew complacent, a Sith cult, brotherhood, order, or empire would arise from the ashes to threaten the galaxy once more. New iterations of the Sith would be linked only tenuously to past traditions through a shared ideology.
Sith (species)
The Sith were a species of red-skinned humanoids native to Ziost and Korriban that were enslaved by exiled Dark Jedi. Prior to their discovery, the Sith were divided into a meek and lowly slave class, a skilled and intelligent engineer class, and the warlike Massassi class. Over time, the Sith interbred with the Human Dark Jedi through the practice of Sith Alchemy, and the two peoples became one.
Massassi
The Massassi were related to the Sith species. Under the rule of the exiled Dark Jedi, many Massassi captives were subject to Sith Alchemy, which resulted in them being more deadly and easier for their Sith masters to control. They were distinguished by bone spurs which erupted from their skin and by their abnormally giant size. They would serve as soldiers for the Sith Empire.
Sith Empire
Naga Sadow's invasion fleet.The Sith Empire was a rich and powerful empire that was established by Dark Jedi banished from the Galactic Republic after their defeat at the Battle of Corbos during the Hundred-Year Darkness. After developing in complete isolation for thousands of years, the Sith eventually rediscovered the Republic. The Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow led the Empire in an invasion during the Great Hyperspace War, but he was defeated. The Sith Empire was believed to have been utterly destroyed by Republic forces in the aftermath of the Second Battle of Korriban. However, one Dark Lord to escaped in the Unknown Regions with a group of dark-siders known as the True Sith and rebuilt the Empire. Using the dark secrets he managed to survive for many centuries and eventually attacked the Republic. After a Great War that lasted for many decades, the Sith and the Republic signed a treaty and from that moment existed as two separate governments.
True Sith
The "True Sith" was an obscure and largely unknown order of adherents to the dark side of the Force, who survived the Great Hyperspace War and the eventual collapse of the Sith Empire. Darth Traya told the Jedi Exile that the order had been in existence for tens of thousands of years and were silently waiting in the Unknown Regions during the time of the Jedi Civil War.
According to Darth Traya, the "True Sith" had existed for millennia prior to the rise of the ancient Sith Empire. She and Revan believed that it was they who had goaded the Mandalorians into attacking the Galactic Republic, starting the Mandalorian Wars. Kreia stated that both Malachor V and the graveyard planet, Korriban, had once been planets at the edges of that mysterious Empire, and that while these "True Sith" had forgotten those ancient worlds of the dark side, they would remember. And they did remember. Under the leadership of their Sith Emperor, they restored the Sith Empire and invaded the Republic.
Brotherhood of the Sith
The Brotherhood of the Sith was a group of Dark Jedi founded by Exar Kun who broke away from the Jedi Order to study Sith techniques. During the Great Sith War, the Brotherhood attempted to conquer the Republic with the aid of the Krath and the Mandalorian Crusaders. The Brotherhood was defeated and virtually exterminated during the Battle of Yavin IV.
Krath
The Krath was a Sith secret society founded by Aleema and Satal Keto, the bored heirs to the Empress Teta system. Following a Krath attack on a Jedi conclave, Ulic Qel-Droma attempted to infiltrate the group, but he failed. He was seduced to the dark side and eventually became the leader of the sect. During the Great Sith War, the Krath became the military arm of Exar Kun's Sith Order and fell with it on Yavin 4.
Revan's Sith Empire
The Sith Empire was temporarily resurrected by the fallen Jedi Revan and Malak. Built upon a hardened core of veterans from the Mandalorian Wars and a host of Jedi converts, the fledgling new galactic power very nearly succeeded in conquering the Republic during the Second Sith War. After the redemption of Darth Revan and the death of Darth Malak, their Empire splintered into factions and eventually collapsed.
Sith Triumvirate
The Sith Triumvirate was a brief but deadly Sith Order founded by the former Jedi Kreia, now known as Darth Traya, she took two apprentices of unknown origins and trained many new Sith at the Trayus Academy on Malachor V. After her exile from the Triumvirate the two remaining Sith Lords; Darth Nihilus, and Darth Sion executed the First Jedi Purge. The Sith Triumvirate was a loose alliance of what remained of Darth Revan's Sith Empire. It was solidified sometime after the Battle of Rakata Prime. This organization comprised several, if not hundreds of Sith apprentices, Sith Masters and most importantly, Sith Assassins. The members were eventually defeated by the Jedi Exile.
New Sith Empire
The New Sith Empire was founded by Darth Ruin, and was the vast area of galactic territory formed out of the Fourth Great Schism, which the Sith ruled over with an iron fist. Its capital was the planet Roon. At its height during the New Sith Wars, it was almost as good as the old Sith Empires of Naga Sadow and Darth Revan; following the Battle of Mizra and during the Republic Dark Age, it encompassed a great percentage of the known Galaxy.
Sometime between 1,010 and 1,006 BBY the New Sith Empire collapsed in a civil war. From the ashes, Kaan established the Brotherhood of Darkness.
Brotherhood of Darkness
Founded by Lord Kaan, the Brotherhood of Darkness (sometimes referred to as the Dark Army) was the last mass gathering of the Sith for nearly 1200 years. An army of over twenty thousand Sith Lords and their followers, its destruction on Ruusan heralded the beginning of a new order.
Order of the Sith Lords
Under the last surviving Sith Lord of that army, Darth Bane, a new Sith Order was created as a result of the devastating Seventh Battle of Ruusan, which saw the annihilation of the previous Sith Order. Bane's Sith Order, known formally as the Order of the Sith Lords, was founded upon the principles of Darth Revan's Holocron, where from he formed the Rule of Two, utilizing stealth tactics and treachery to achieve their means. The Rule of Two would allow his eventual successor, Darth Sidious, to finally triumph over the Jedi and the Galactic Republic nearly 1,000 years later.
Disciples of Ragnos
The Disciples of Ragnos was a Sith Cult under the leadership of Tavion Axmis, who sought to resurrect the spirit of Marka Ragnos through ancient Sith sorcery and take control of the galaxy. The cult was closely related to the Empire Reborn movement of which Tavion had herself been part with the Dark Jedi Desann. The cult was ultimately defeated by Jaden Korr and the New Jedi Order.
Lumiya's Sith
Lumiya's Sith were a loosely collected group of individuals associated with Lumiya, self-proclaimed Dark Lady of the Sith after the final death of Darth Sidious. Even with Palpatine's final death, the Sith continued to survive. Their next Sith Lord was an Emperor's Hand named Lumiya. Darth Vader had passed on to Lumiya some Sith teaching secretly from his master, and the woman adopted the title "Dark Lady of the Sith" upon her masters' death at Endor. She trained two apprentices: Flint, who was redeemed by Vader's son Luke Skywalker, and Carnor Jax, who was killed by Palpatine loyalist Kir Kanos.
Soon afterwards she succeeded in convincing Vader's grandson Jacen Solo to join the ranks of the Sith, thus calling himself Darth Caedus. Darth Caedus later corrupted the Jedi Tahiri Veila and took her as his apprentice. However, following the death of Caedus and the redemption of his apprentice, the war Lumiya had started was over; and Lumiya's Sith had perished.
One Sith
By the year 130 ABY, a new Sith Order had risen to take the place of Darth Bane's order. It is known that a Sith known as Darth Krayt began the order on Korriban, the ancient Sith burial world, around 30 ABY. In this new Sith cult, many of the followers sported a red-and-black tattooed appearance and used lightsabers with an yorik coral-styled hilt design. This Sith Order was considered heretical by the Sith of the past. Krayt spent over a century growing and strengthening the new order, planning to unify the galaxy once more under Sith rule. He and his new order made their presence known around 127-130 ABY by initiating the Sith-Imperial War, and then launching an attack on the Jedi on Ossus.
Jan 27, 2009 12:49 PM | Report Abuse reply
The Sith had a clearly defined hierarchy which divided the strong from the weak, but because the Sith order existed in numerous disparate incarnations, the Sith hierarchy did not maintain a single continuous ranking system throughout its history. The Sith hierarchy remained much the same for almost 6,000 years - through the ancient Sith Empire, Exar Kun's Brotherhood of the Sith, and Darth Revan's Sith Empire - until Lord Kaan declared that all of his highest ranking followers in the Brotherhood of Darkness were Dark Lords of the Sith. Like the Jedi and the Old Republic, the Sith underwent a great reformation after the apocalyptic final Battle of Ruusan. The Sith order's destruction inspired Darth Bane to reform the order and decree that there would be only two Sith at a time from that point forward: a Master and an apprentice. Both would bear the title "Dark Lord of the Sith," which would become synonymous with the term "Sith Lord."
Sith EmpireThese were the ranks of the Sith Order before Darth Bane instituted the Rule of Two.
Dark Lord of the Sith
Darth Sidious, a Dark Lord of the Sith.Dark Lords of the Sith were the greatest and most powerful of the Sith Lords. Up until the reign of Kaan, it was a title that was only given to those that were acknowledged as the leaders of their order, but by the end of the New Sith Wars the title was held by many Sith Lords simultaneously.
Sith Lord
Sith Lords were the leaders of the Sith. They commanded armies of Sith Minions, Acolytes and Warriors during wartime and ruled through a governing body known as the Sith council. Sith Lords used the dark side of the Force to inflict misery, suffering, and corruption. They were also tasked with preserving the lore of the Sith by passing all their knowledge on to their acolytes. While they did not enter combat as often as lesser Sith (preferring to use pawns, servants, or proxies), they were the most fearsome of the Sith as they were the keepers of the Sith's greatest secrets and wielders of its most potent sorceries.
Sith Marauder
Sith Marauders, a variant of the Sith Warriors, were often responsible for the most brutal acts carried out by the Sith. Their training emphasized the aggressive use of a lightsaber rather than the Force. A Sith Marauder's berserk physical prowess was a dark side technique fueled by hatred, rage, and cruelty. Thus, most Marauders could duel an average Jedi toe-to-toe and win easily. Caring little for the subtleties of manipulating others and lacking a deep understanding of the Force, Marauders were often burdened with carrying out the wishes of the Sith Lords.
Sith Warrior
Sith Warrior was a rank of the Sith order before Darth Bane's reform of the Sith Order. They were mid-ranking Sith who generally focused their energies and skills towards battle, spending little time on actual dark side philosophy or other concerns of the "purer" Sith.
Sith Acolyte
Sith Acolyte were Force-sensitive apprentices who had only just started down the dark path under the tutelage of a more experienced Sith.
Sith adept
Sith Adept was a Sith rank during the New Sith Wars, similar to Sith acolyte. The Brotherhood of Darkness trained them in the Dathomir Academy and Iridonia Academy.
Sith Assassin
A Sith Assassin.Specialized Sith minions included Sith Assassins, who preferred to ambush targets from the shadows rather than engaging them in standard combat. Almost always working solo or in small groups, they utilized stealth field generators and the rare art of Force camouflage to launch surprise attacks on their Jedi victims. While some used a lightsaber, most fought with more conventional melee weapons such as force pikes. Darth Traya, Darth Sion, and Darth Nihilus commanded legions of Sith Assassins during the aftermath of the Jedi Civil War, causing the near-extermination of the Jedi Order. The Sith Assassins drew their powers from the Force power of their enemies.
Sith Minion
Sith Minions were the lowliest members of the Sith. Some were not even Force-sensitive, and often worshiped the Sith Lords as gods. Sith Cultists, Sith Assassins and Sith Marauders can be considered examples of Sith Minions. However, the Sith also used soldiers, mercenaries, and conscripts to work for them.
Post-Bane
The post-Bane Sith Lords Darth Sidious and Darth Vader."Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it."
―Darth Bane[src]
To ensure the continued survival of the Sith, Bane was forced to put them on the brink of extinction. He instituted the Rule of Two. In Bane's order, both Sith held the title Dark Lord of the Sith. The rule of the two instituted that a master train an apprentice. Once the apprentice was fully trained, he would kill the master and take on the mantle himself and repeat the process. The death of the master is either a ceremonial killing or an assassination.
Sith Master
Sith Masters were Sith Lords that had an apprentice serving beneath them. Other than Bane, notable Sith Masters include Darth Plagueis and his successor; Darth Sidious.
Sith apprentice
Sith apprentices were Sith neophytes that were studying under the tutelage of a Sith Master. Notable Sith apprentices include Darth Zannah, Darth Maul, Darth Tyr!@#$ and Darth Vader.
Dark Side Adepts
Dark Side Adepts were not technically Sith. These Force-sensitives were chosen and honed by the Sith apprentice. Essentially, adepts were candidates to replace the Apprentice when he or she was killed or ascended to mastery. Notables included Darth Tyr!@#$'s Dark Acolytes, whose numbers included Sora Bulq and the infamous Asajj Ventress, or Darth Vader's secret apprentices Galen Marek and Tao.
Palpatine Era
The Sith Lords Darth Sidious and Darth Vader."Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy…and we shall have peace."
―Darth Sidious, to Darth Vader[src]
When Palpatine declared himself Galactic Emperor, the Sith controlled the known galaxy, in a political sense, for the first time. With this new, far-reaching authority came a need for functionaries throughout the Empire who were, to one extent or another, supporters if not adherents of the dark side. Though not Sith in any strict sense, these quasi-Sith minions were known generally as Dark Side Adepts. As Force-sensitive individuals serving the Emperor, they supported his Sith rule by working in the roles of servants, agents, intelligence operatives, military officials, etc. Dark Side Adepts were particularly important when Palpatine was reborn into his clone bodies, six years after his death.
Inquisitorius
The Inquisitorius was a secret division of Imperial Intelligence consisting of dark side Force-sensitive agents known as Inquisitors (sometimes also as Inquisitioners), or "truth officers".
Under the control of Darth Vader, these Inquisitors were considered the highest ranking of the Dark Side Adepts, outranking the Emperor's Hands, Prophets of the Dark Side, and lesser Dark Jedi. They reported directly to Emperor Palpatine.
Prophets of the Dark Side
Darth Vader in his armor.The Dark Side Prophets were an ancient Outer Rim renegade Sith order founded by Darth Millennial. Though not Banist Sith, the Prophets were arguably a kind of true Sith. Darth Sidious rediscovered the group and brought them once again under his control, renaming them the Emperor's Mages.
Emperor's Hands
Emperor's Hands were top-secret special operatives trained in the Force by the Emperor himself. They were so secret they usually had no knowledge of each other. Mara Jade was one of the best-known Emperor's Hands.
Together with the Emperor's Mages, the Emperor's Hands were called the Dark Side Elite.
Imperial Royal Guard
These were hand-picked elite stormtroopers assigned to protect and serve the Emperor directly. Force sensitivity was by no means a requirement. Those with advanced talents, however, were assigned as Sovereign Protectors, and those with even more advanced talents underwent Force training under Dark Jedi tutors.
Dark Jedi
Although the name might imply otherwise, Dark Jedi were not synonymous with Sith, although Darth Vader among others used techniques drawn from the traditions of both the Dark Jedi and the Sith. Dark Jedi were distinguished from the Sith in the fact that Dark Jedi just used the dark side, whereas the Sith abided by the religion and codes passed down through the holocrons. It was much more likely for Dark Jedi to return to the Light (e.g. Kam Solusar). Other notable Dark Jedi included Joruus C'baoth and Jerec.
Legacy Era
Some of the most prominent Legacy era Sith with their leader, Darth Krayt (left).By the year 130 ABY a new Sith Order had risen to take the place of that of Darth Bane's order. Krayt abolished Darth Bane's Rule of Two. Instead, there would be the Rule of One—that One being the Sith Order itself, under which there would be many Sith Minions.
Ruled by Krayt, the new Sith Order flourished and a chance for Galactic domination presented itself. The reverse Vong-forming of worlds was sabotaged and when the galaxy at large blamed and persecuted the Yuuzhan Vong, the GA and Jedi Order were split down the middle. In the midst of the New Galactic Civil War the Imperial Remnant joined forces with the Legacy Sith and brought the galaxy to its knees. The new Sith, however, betrayed the Empire and deposed the Emperor. Darth Krayt assumed the throne of the Empire. But the deposed Emperor, Roan Fel, set up a rival faction of the Empire that remained loyal to him. Each side tried to dominate the Galaxy in the years to come.
It is known that a Sith known as Darth Krayt began the order on Korriban, the ancient Sith burial world, around 30 ABY. In this new Sith cult, many of the followers sported a red and black tattooed appearance.
Fist
The Fist was a Sith Lord who served as the supreme military commander for the new Sith Order. The Fist was appointed to the position by Darth Krayt. As of 137 ABY Darth Stryfe served as Krayt's Fist. At the Massacre of Ossus, Darth Nihl was the Fist, but was made a Hand when his predecessor was killed during the battle.
Hands
The Hands were Darth Krayt's most able servants, trained and existing to carry out his will. They took only his orders, and reported only to him.
By 137 ABY, Krayt's only Hand was Darth Nihl, having been given the post when his predecessor died unexpectedly. That year, he made Darth Talon into his second Hand, a fact that displeased Nihl.
Sith Intelligence and Assassination
Sith Intelligence and Assassination was an agency of the new Sith Order of Darth Krayt. It was in charge of spying, political murder, and torture. Around 130 ABY, it was headed by Darth Maladi. Jor Torlin was one of its ranking agents.
Darth Maladi's laboratory, in the Temple of the Sith, was a location of Sith Intelligence and Assassination.
Jan 27, 2009 12:51 PM | Report Abuse reply
Sith Acolyte
The Sith Acolyte is a force-using adherent of the Sith tradition. Descended from a rogue Jedi faction, the Sith tradition dominated a corner of the galaxy for a millennia before being disoverd and ultimately decimted by the Old Republic forces and th Jedi Knights. Their survivors eventually succumbed to internal conflict, leaving only one Sith: Darth Bane, who established the by which the Sith tradition manuged to survive another thousand years. Although Sith Acolytes came and went in fits and spurts during this time, they were far more common when the Sith were strong, before Bane.
Every Sith Acolyte delves deep into the mysteries of the Sith, learning how to wield the force in ways that draw upon the dark side. They are dark sorcerers and fell priests, practifioners of living sacrifices and base deception. They come to the Sith tradition from the ranks of the force adepts, dark side devotees, and in ancient time, from the Sith species itself. During the past thousnd years, others sensitive to the force discovered the Sith tradition and were seduced by it, resulting in warriors, merchants, smugglers, explorers, ambassadors, rogues, and even famous political figares becoming Sith Acolytes. But Darth Bane's "rule of two" ensured that their existence-or at least, their true loyalties-remained a secret. Those who become Sith Acolytes accept that there can never be more then two of them, and that another to begin following the tradition, one of the existing Acolytes must die.
People who become Sith Acolytes often do some simly out of naked ambition. The Sith path teaches the power of the dark side of the force, and such a weapon is often irresistible to those without power of their own. Victims and subordinates make excellent Sith Acolytes. Those with more authority and control make even better Sith Acolytes.
The Sith Acolytes proceeds from a position of weakness, even within the ranks of the Sith. Sith warriors, are far more physically capable, and Sith Lords combine the best aspects of both the cultist and the warrior. Therefore the Sith Acolyte comes to rely on cunning and subterfuse, advancing more though assassination and betrayal then conquest and domination. For those who perform poorly, the darkside is a yawning abyss of madness. The path of the Sith Acolyte should never be traveled lightly.
Jan 29, 2009 7:52 AM | Report Abuse reply
The title of Dark Lord of the Sith, or Jen'ari in the Sith language, originally referred to the ruler of the Sith Empire, and later was taken by the recognized leader of the Order of the Sith Lords. Before Kaan, there was only one Dark Lord of the Sith at a time, who was the head of the Order—in more recent periods, it was a title shared by multiple individuals simultaneously. The term referred to individuals of both sexes, though Lumiya claimed the title of Dark Lady of the Sith.
The title Dark Lord of the Sith is often thought to be synonymous with the title Darth. Contrary to this, however, is the fact that Sith apprentices have been known to carry the title as well. Two examples would be Darth Malak as Darth Revan's apprentice, and Darth Bandon as Malak's. Many Sith Lords have used the Darth title, but there is no evidence as to the synonymic relationship of these two appellations.
The title of Dark Lord was possibly comparable to that of a Jedi Grand Master.
The first Dark Lord of the Sith was the leader of the exiled Dark Jedi who, after their defeat in the Hundred Year Darkness conquered the Sith species and ruled over them as gods.
Xendor, believed to be the first Dark Jedi, is possibly the predecessor of the Dark Lords of the Sith, though he himself was never a Sith Lord (although he may have returned from the dead to take the position as the Dark Underlord many millennia later).
After the fall of the Sith Empire, Naga Sadow gave the title to his apprentice, Freedon Nadd. The spirit of the dead Dark Lord Marka Ragnos then declared Nadd's apprentice, Exar Kun, Dark Lord of the Sith. 3,000 years later, Lord Kaan began the practice of giving the title to all members of the Order, thus making it a title shared by many Sith for the first time in their long history. After the institution of the Rule of Two, the title was naturally held by only two members at a time, one being the Sith Master and the other being the Sith apprentice.
Feb 2, 2009 9:00 AM | Report Abuse reply
Sith Master
Sith Master was a title taken by a Sith if they had an apprentice.
In the time of the Jedi Civil War, Darth Malak was sometimes referred to as a Sith Master, being the Dark Lord of the Sith and having an apprentice, Darth Bandon. Headmasters of the Sith Academy on Korriban, Jorak Uln and Uthar Wynn, held this title but it is unknown if they held the title of Sith Lord or not.
In Darth Bane's Sith Order, the Sith Master and the Sith apprentice both held the title Dark Lord of the Sith simultaneously, unlike the earlier tradition of a sole Dark Lord.
In Darth Krayt's Sith Order, the Rule of Two is abolished, but the tradition of master and apprentice is still in use.
Feb 2, 2009 9:01 AM | Report Abuse reply
Sith apprentice
Sith apprentice was an individual, on occasion a child, that began serious training under a Sith Master, usually chosen by the Master themselves after the potential apprentice displayed an impressive act of loyalty or cruelty. In some cases, the individual pledged themselves to the teachings of the Sith Master, thereby becoming the apprentice. In other situations, the Master sought out the student, being guided by the will of the dark side of the Force. Sith apprentices were analogous to Jedi Padawans, and the relationship between Sith Master and apprentice was the analogue to Jedi Knight and Padawan. A Sith apprentice's time as the student ended either with their death, or when the apprentice kills his master, then they took an apprentice of their own, thereby ascending themselves to the rank of Sith Master.
The role of a Sith apprentice was different than that of a Jedi apprentice. Padawans traditionally were not allowed to travel without their Masters; however Sith Masters and apprentices rarely traveled together. While a Padawan often accompanied their Master on whatever missions they partook, Sith Masters often sent their apprentices on missions alone. The Sith apprentice acted as an agent of the Master, doing their bidding and carrying out their will without question. It was not uncommon for the apprentice to face death, and even succumb to it while carrying out their Master's orders. In addition, a Jedi Padawan was taught by the master, whereas one studying under a Sith Master was to learn all they could from them; teaching was not necessarily the Master's responsibility.
While Sith apprentices were always under the direction of their Masters, often times they were allowed to pursue or birth their own schemes and machinations, further preparing them to successfully assume the rank of Sith Master themselves.
[edit] TrainingSith apprentice training was both similar and very different to Jedi training. Sith apprentices learned from their Masters lightsaber technique, and the ways of the Force: specifically the dark side and how to harness it. Sith apprentices were taught to staunchly adhere to the Sith code.
In Darth Bane's New Sith Order and the Rule of Two, the Sith apprentice and the Sith Master both held the title Dark Lord of the Sith simultaneously, unlike the earlier tradition of a sole Dark Lord (though it appears that the apprentice didn't assume the role of Dark Lord until their training was complete).
Feb 2, 2009 9:02 AM | Report Abuse reply
Rule of Two
The Rule of Two was the guiding principle of the Order of the Sith Lords after the internecine New Sith Wars, and was later retained by Lumiya's Sith.
To avoid the seemingly inevitable clash between power hungry Sith, Darth Bane hid from the Jedi and invoked the rule, which stated that there may only be two Sith at a time in the galaxy—a Sith Master, and an apprentice. Bane formulated the concept of the Rule of Two after discovering a holocron in the Temple of the Ancients on Lehon. The holocron belonged to the ancient Sith Lord Darth Revan, who, just like Exar Kun before him, had used an early incarnation of the Rule of Two when training his apprentice, Darth Malak.
With the knowledge gained from Darth Revan's Holocron, Bane was able to avoid further intra-Sith conflict and continue the Sith Order.
Some similarity can be seen between the Sith Rule of Two and the Jedi custom of a Master having only one Padawan at a time. Bane may even have based his Rule on this custom, seeing how "correct" and effective it had been throughout history.
For nearly 1,000 years they watched and waited, doing their best to destabilize the Galactic Republic without revealing themselves. Around 188 BBY, during the Dark Jedi Conflict, Kibh Jeen told the Jedi that the Sith had survived and were operating under the Rule of Two, though his warnings were ignored or passed off as the rantings of a madman. Finally, one Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, under the guise of Senator Palpatine, was elected Supreme Chancellor and masterminded a devastating galactic war involving the Republic, and, as Emperor of the newly formed Galactic Empire, brought the Galaxy under the control of the Sith, bringing about their foretold revenge.
"Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it."
―Darth Bane
It is worth noting that Sidious broke the Rule of Two at least twice: once by training Darth Maul while still under the tutelage of Darth Plagueis; and secondly, by taking on two apprentices at once, and in the form of two Jedi: Count Dooku, and the Fosh Jedi Vergere. However, Vergere was said to be merely a candidate and not a "true" apprentice. It should also be noted that this information derives from Lumiya's account to Jacen Solo, and is the only known source. In the latter case, Vergere left Palpatine's instruction, while in the former, Sidious corrected his violation true to Sith form: by murdering his Master. It also appears that Sidious approached Dooku prior to Maul's death, although details on the timing are vague. However, these could be considered careful precautions to ensure the continuation of the Sith, even if they did, technically, violate the Rule in its strictest form.
Sidious, Tyr!@#$, and Vader trained and employed a number of Dark Jedi and other Force-sensitive agents such as the Dark Acolytes, the Inquisitorius and the Dark Side Elite. As these agents were not taught the secrets of the Sith and were considered merely acolytes, not apprentices, they did not consider this a violation of the Rule of Two. However, the fact that Tyr!@#$ sought to replace the Jedi Order with a Sith army, the so-called Fist of the Empire, indicated that he had envisioned the abolition of the Rule of Two once the Sith took over the galaxy.[source?] Much like Sidious had done by with Darth Maul, Vader also took on a secret apprentice of his own.
Darth Bane, however, overlooked one possibility: that one of the Sith Lords may be redeemed. When Darth Vader killed Palpatine, it appeared that there were no others to carry on the order's traditions and teachings. Once again, the Sith had destroyed themselves—or so it seemed. Another secret apprentice of Darth Vader, Lumiya declared herself Dark Lady of the Sith and took a succession of apprentices—at least Flint, Carnor Jax and Jacen Solo (later known as Darth Caedus)—apparently following the Rule of Two, although she may also have been connected to Darth Krayt, who became a Sith during this time and abandoned the Rule of Two. She did demand that the last of her known apprentices, Jacen Solo, would take one apprentice himself, which he did, he took the Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila as his sole apprentice weeks after Lumiya was killed by Luke Skywalker.
However, after the Galactic Civil War, the New Republic and New Jedi Order were opposed by the Disciples of Ragnos, which nearly resurrected the spirit of Marka Ragnos on Korriban in the Valley of the Dark Lords. This institution broke the Rule of Two, as it had been broken by the Prophets of the Dark Side.
By the year 130 ABY a new Sith Order had risen to take the place of that of Darth Bane's order. However, this order has abolished the Rule of Two and replaced it with the Rule of One, with one Dark Lord of the Sith representing the Order itself, and many Lords, acolytes and minions at his service.
Feb 2, 2009 9:03 AM | Report Abuse reply
* Walks into the hall were the Mustafar Sith holocron is held, He walks over to it lifts it out of it's place then heads over to a desk and sits down to explore it and it's mysteries.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
After sometime he stands up from his desk and walks over to the holding plate for the holocron and replaces it there, Then he walks out of the Hall filled with new knowledge of the dark side which he had never known before*
Feb 3, 2009 12:52 PM | Report Abuse reply
Dark Side of the Force
The dark side of the Force, called Bogan by the ancient forerunners of the Jedi, was the primary tool of the Sith Lords, and was the more destructive side of the Force. Unlike the light side of the Force, dark Force-users drew power from raw emotions, both negative and positive; the power coming from strength or severity. Where the light side was associated with creation and life, the dark side was associated with death and destruction.
The dark side was part of the Force, and, like the light side, existed since the birth of species. When sentient beings first discovered it, it was shrouded in mystery, but the first known users were that of the Rakatan Empire around 49,000 BBY. They discovered and used its powers to dominate and enslave the entire galaxy, changing environments as they saw fit. Eventually, around 25,200 BBY, this empire collapsed. It has been claimed that this collapse was a direct result of their use of the dark side. At any rate, they lost their abilities to use the Force as well as their Force-powered machines, such as the Star Forge. The Star Forge was a superweapon and manufacturing facility capable of creating nearly anything by drawing on both the power of a star and the dark side of the Force. During the Jedi Civil War, Revan and Malak recovered the Star Forge and used it to create a massive fleet for their Sith Empire. Later reverse-engineering of Infinite Empire technology imbued with the dark side created the basis of other technologies such as the hyperdrive.
[edit] Jedi discovery of the dark side"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
―Yoda to Anakin Skywalker[src]
In 24,500 BBY, a group of Jedi split from the Jedi Order, calling themselves the Legions of Lettow. They were led by Xendor, a Kashi Mer Jedi Knight and the first known Dark Jedi. The Legions of Lettow famously adopted the Niman/Jar'Kai style, focusing on their emotions in battle rather than meditation as the source of their immense power. The Jedi Order considered the Legions' new philosophy a destructive and dangerous subversion of the peaceful mission of the Jedi. This first conflict of Jedi philosophies led to the First Great Schism, which separated the Jedi from the Dark Jedi. In 7,003 BBY, the legacy of these Dark Jedi would manifest in the Second Great Schism. Following the Hundred-Year Darkness, the descendants of the Dark Jedi who were exiled from the Jedi Order would one day become known as the Sith.
Xendor, the first Dark Jedi.Throughout galactic history, the most infamous users of the dark side were the assorted and most powerful iterations of the Sith, with a bevy of talents impossible for the Jedi to duplicate. The Jedi rejected the dark side and all it had to offer, as they believed it led to destruction and chaos. The Sith, on the other hand, embraced the dark side, generally prioritizing themselves over the rest of the galaxy and using their powers to manipulate, control and destroy. The manifestation of the dark side seemed to wax and wane, being the most common Force philosophy in the galaxy at one time but virtually without followers at another, apparently disappearing for nearly a millennium.
[edit] Sith Empire
"The Sith Empire will burn brightly, like a supernova, dwarfing the complacent Republic. We shall hold the entire galaxy in our grasp."
―Naga Sadow[src]
The Sith species was subdued and their conquerors took their name, founding the Sith Empire. This new empire was large but was cut off from the rest of the galaxy until the Great Hyperspace War. It lasted for many centuries only to fall during the Old Sith Wars, when they were all but destroyed. Several subsequent Sith Empires were founded in the next few thousand years, but they all succumbed to infighting, leaving the Jedi to believe the Sith were extinct, but later it was learned that the Sith had only been debilitated and had adopted a more secretive way of life.
The effects of the Sith Empires could be seen upon and within the planets Korriban and Ziost, which were filled with energies from the dark side of the Force. Animals such as the terentateks, distorted from the powerful presence of the dark side, roamed the caverns and caves feeding on the Force-sensitives that came across them. There was also the Valley of the Dark Lords, a graveyard that reverberated with dark side energy and was full of caverns and tombs, which once possessed powerful Sith artifacts. There the Sith even appeared as apparitions on occasion; Ajunta Pall inhabited his tomb as a ghost until he was set to rest by the relocation of a sword imbued with the dark side of the Force.
[edit] Rule of Two
"Remember: power alone is not enough. Patience. Cunning. Secrecy. These are the tools we will use to bring down the Jedi. The Sith are only two now—one Master and one apprentice. There will be no others."
―Darth Bane to Zannah[src]
In 990 BBY, Sith Lord Darth Bane discovered a Sith holocron made by Darth Revan, a long dead Dark Lord and founder of the second Sith Empire. From its contents he believed that the Sith could not exist as allies with each other and so established the Rule of Two, making two simultaneous Dark Lords of the Sith. He eliminated the practice of having vast numbers of Sith Lords at the same time and concentrated the dark side of the Force within two individuals: a master and an apprentice.
[edit] Revenge of the Sith"The Sith have been extinct for a millennium."
―Ki-Adi-Mundi[src]
A millennium before the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the Sith disappeared from the knowledge of the galaxy until the Battle of Naboo, when the Sith apprentice Darth Maul killed Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. It was due, in part, to this long absence that Darth Maul's master, Darth Sidious, was able to secure a position of great influence and power, thereby ultimately overthrowing the Republic to create the Galactic Empire. To the advantage of the Sith, the Jedi had grown complacent and vulnerable to the sort of warfare the Sith were capable of making, and in the timeframe of just thirteen years, the Sith were able to once more gain rule of the galaxy.
[edit] Return of the Jedi"The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi."
―Emperor Palpatine, to Darth Vader[src]
For twenty-three years, the Sith again ruled the galaxy with an iron fist, ensuring the dark side's apparent dominance. However, Jedi survivors were able to train one Jedi to destroy the Sith-controlled Galactic Empire. Within the span of six to ten years, Sith dominance was @#$%tered and the order was apparently destroyed. However, several lesser apprentices and Sith splinter groups escaped, ensuring the order's survival.
[edit] Rule of One
"Instead of two there is now only one—the Sith Order itself. I have recreated the Sith, Lord Bane, as you once did. I have given it a purpose. For what use is power without one?"
―Darth Krayt, to Darth Bane's holocron[src]
Around 30 ABY, self-proclaimed Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Krayt began sowing the seeds of a new Sith Order on Korriban. Many years later, following the conclusion of the Sith-Imperial War in 130 ABY, Krayt's Order had risen to full prominence, taking the place of Darth Bane's Order and those who followed as his successors. Unlike Bane's Order, these new Sith operated under the Rule of One, the "One" being the whole Sith Order. Krayt betrayed his ally, the Emperor Roan Fel, whom he had helped to destroy the Galactic Alliance, and made himself the new Emperor. Once more a Dark Lord of the Sith ruled the galaxy, just as had Darth Sidious one hundred fifty years before. The rise of this new Sith Emperor paralleled that of the last as the One Sith nearly destroyed the entire New Jedi Order, with the survivors scattered throughout the galaxy. Though the Jedi offered resistance, Emperor Krayt was still in power as of 137 ABY.
Overview"Evil is a word used by the ignorant and the weak. The dark side is about survival. It's about unleashing your inner power. It glorifies the strength of the individual."
―Darth Zannah[src]
The dark side of the Force was aligned with passionate emotions such as fear, hatred, greed, desire, and anger. This sometimes led to the belief that the light side was passive, as it favored contemplation and careful action, for the followers of the dark side were often known to act quickly and sometimes recklessly upon emotions and impulses.
The dark side was also sometimes used for selfish purposes, although many dark-siders who acted in such a way saw the need to justify themselves, which at times led to folly. One of the most notable examples was Anakin Skywalker, who embraced the dark side with the intentions of saving his wife, at the expense of the Jedi Order. Many found the dark side to be addictive, being unable to resist its pull the more they subjected themselves to it. Dark side users became more powerful as their physical bodies slowly decayed. However, users like Mara Jade noted that the use of the dark side was a practical matter, as the power it granted was more efficient for destructive Force powers like telekinesis. Like the light side, the dark side was often treated as though a semi-sentient entity with purposeful designs.
It has been theorized by some that there is no such thing as the dark side but only malevolent intent in the user, since most dark side users already had negative intentions in their being or fell victim to the temptations of absolute power and domination. This Potentium theory was fervently opposed by the Jedi Master Yoda, while by contrast Luke Skywalker came to understand its merits in the years following the Yuuzhan Vong War.
The Code of the Sith
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me."
―The Sith Code[src]
The meaning behind the words to the code of the Sith are, for the most part, obvious. They state that through harnessing strong emotions, the Sith can gain power with the Force. This power grants them even more tangible power, like dominance and secular wealth. With the freedom of controlling their emotions, power with the Force and secular power combined, they can finally aspire to fulfill their ultimate goal: "Through victory my chains are broken. The Force shall free me" referring to the image of the Sith'ari, which is free of all restriction—a being who has achieved perfect strength, perfect power, and a perfect destiny.
[edit] Fear of the dark side"Don't threaten me. Children are frightened by spirits—Jedi are not."
"Mmmm. But Jedi are frightened by the dark side…or at least they should be. Your fascination with the dark side will get you into grave trouble."
―Exar Kun and Freedon Nadd[src]
The Jedi Order disagreed so strongly with the purpose of the dark side of the Force that they abolished anything possibly related to the dark side. After the Ruusan Reformation, the order placed many limitations on Jedi to protect order members from temptation by dark side influences. The Jedi Order forbade members romantic attachments, relationships with their families, and any type of action based on anger. These limits came from a logical reasoning; Jedi who had deep personal attachments with loved ones also had motivation to use the power of the Force selfishly for protection, personal enrichment, and/or the pursuit of more power. Anakin Skywalker, for a large part, fell to the dark side because Chancellor Palpatine's knowledge of his secret marriage to Padmé Amidala provided the Chancellor a vulnerable opening to encourage Anakin to pursue those selfish motivations.
More liberal members of the Order considered the lengths the Order went to eliminate personal attachments extreme. When Luke Skywalker established the New Jedi Order, he disbanded many of the limitations of the code, including the rules against marriage and age limits. More importantly he allowed the new Jedi, especially the young Padawans, to still know and interact with their families. Skywalker's decision signified a return to the older Jedi teachings from before the Reformation, when Jedi were allowed to draw upon their positive emotions in fighting the dark side.
[edit] Corruption of the dark side"The Force will change you. It will transform you. Some fear this change. The teachings of the Jedi are focused on fighting and controlling this transformation. That is why those who serve the light are limited in what they accomplish."
―Darth Revan[src]
The path of the dark side was mentally and sometimes physically corruptive. As use of the dark side of the Force led to deeper immersion in it, this malevolent power could take its toll on the body of a dark side practitioner. A well known characteristic was that eye pigments became a luminous sulfur color, like that of Anakin Skywalker or Palpatine.
Darth Sion might seem to have been damaged by the dark side in a similar fashion, but was in fact nearly destroyed during the Great Sith War. The power of the dark side was actually what made him rise again, using hatred and malice to fuel his decaying shell of a body.
In time, the corruption could go beyond mere cosmetic details and directly impair physical abilities. King Ommin of Onderon was a good example of this; he was a proficient Sith sorcerer for most of his life, and the dark side held him under its decaying influence until he eventually became incapable of movement and needed support from a cyborg exoskeleton in order to survive. The worst case of this transformation would be Darth Nihilus who not only was completely consumed by the dark side mentally but also physically for he had become a living (or undead) entity of the Force. This Sith Lord had become uncaring of all life including the Sith and merely desired to consume all of it to sustain his vast hunger from the perversion of the Force.
Sith philosophy saw no need to rationalize or apologize for the destruction and conflict to which it led; they believed that using the dark side gave them enough power to take that which they believed was rightfully theirs. Most Sith, such as Uthar Wynn and his apprentice Yuthura Ban, believed that they could even control the dark side, but in the end the dark side ended up controlling them. Luke Skywalker joined Palpatine in 10 ABY to better understand the nature of the dark side, but unlike many of the Jedi before him who had attempted the same task, he made a full recovery.
[edit] The allure of the dark side"One cannot avoid the darkness unless one knows where it lies and the routes that lead to it."
―Tolaris Shim[src]
The Sith would call it enlightenment, but no records show exactly how a conversion to the dark side transpired. The dark side was extremely addictive, and almost impossible to renounce. Every time a person in tune with the Force called on the dark side, they became more and more addicted to the power it brought them. The dark side's corruptive influences could take control in moments. Along with physical corruption, the minds of many dark-siders cared only for galactic domination through power, and the doing of evil deeds for power's own sake.
Most dark side practitioners did not show all of these symptoms. Darth Caedus, Darth Revan, and Darth Traya for example, did not seem controlled by the dark side of the Force. Whatever changes they had undergone were clear results of the lives they had led and the experiences they had survived.
Often times it would be Jedi who fell to the corruption of the dark side of the Force. Githany, Kopecz, Atris, and Lord Kaan were all corrupted by the dark side of the Force and allied with the Sith despite, or perhaps because of, their training as Jedi Knights. The catalyst for some of these changes was their dissilusionment with the Jedi order, or even, the exposure to a Sith holocron, a repository of Sith lore.
[edit] The Four Stages of the dark side"Trust that even the most learned Jedi Master must always be mindful of the dark path."
―Tolaris Shim[src]
The Four Stages of the Dark Side was a thesis presented by the Jedi Master Tolaris Shim that outlined her beliefs on what constitutes a complete fall to the dark side. Based on the events surrounding the fall of Ulic Qel-Droma, Master Shim studied deep into the histories of those Jedi whose personal motivations drove them to the dark side for one reason or another. Sometime shortly after the end of the Great Sith War, Master Shim presented her findings to the Jedi assembly. These findings would be the standard by which Masters identified the signs of one's potential corruption by the dark side.
Stage 1: Temptation"Help yourself! Use the power you've been given!"
"Never!"
―Dark Lord Freedon Nadd, tempting Exar Kun[src]
Tolaris Shim believed that because a Jedi was in tune with the Force and could use it to whatever ends they saw fit, situations would arise that tempted the Jedi towards selfish applications of the Force. Rushing to help friends, facing obvious perils, and ending disputes quickly were all acts of haste that according to Master Shim would result in steps onto the dark path should the individual act first and ponder later.
Knights like the charismatic Exar Kun were less "honor-bound". Intrigued with tales of the dark side told by Master Vodo-Siosk Baas, Kun was easily seduced by what he perceived as unrestrained power—power that was his for the taking. This power was that of the dark side, and it did not hesitate in coercing other young Jedi to follow.
[edit] Stage 2: Imperilment"Like you, he believed the dark side could be conquered from within. Such was not to be. The dark side seduced him utterly…and anger became his path!"
―Odan-Urr, warning Ulic Qel-Droma[src]
According to Master Shim, a hasty, indecisive Jedi can be quite a catastrophe to himself. Also, any Jedi who believes that a "shortcut" through the path of the dark side will be lined with signs redirecting him back towards the light is only deluding himself. Shim felt that a Jedi cannot be blinded by the idea of doing what they perceive to be right, by any means necessary. She also believed that if one accepts the darkness by which he is surrounded as a means to power, then the next stage has no bearing on their concerns. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was conflicted in this manner. To save his wife from impending death, Skywalker believed that he could do so through the power of the dark side, while remaining uncorrupted by it. Because he accepted the dark side as the power necessary to bring about good, he was completely given over to it. He too, like Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma before him, succumbed fully to the wiles of the dark side.
[edit] Stage 3: Submission
"I pledge myself to your teachings, to the ways of the Sith."
"Good…Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Anakin Skywalker, you are one with the Order of the Sith Lords. Henceforth, you shall be known as…Darth…Vader."
―Darth Sidious anoints Anakin Skywalker as Darth Vader[src]
Master Shim believed that once a Jedi accepts the dark path, having to justify the end by the means is of no more concern. Situations like attempting to destroy the Sith through infiltration, or trying to save loved ones from death have caused several famous Jedi to explain away their actions based on the desired outcomes. At this point, their fall to the dark side is nearly complete.
On occasion, Jedi who wander away from the light suddenly become aware of their poor decisions. According to Master Shim, these Jedi are not so far beyond redemption. Jedi Master Atris, having succumbed to the dark side influence of Sith Holocrons in her possession, was restored to the light following a fierce confrontation with the Jedi Exile. Some Jedi, such as Exar Kun, found the power of the dark side intoxicating and so fully surrendered themselves to it. To Master Shim, these individuals are no longer orthodox Jedi but twisted perversions of their former selves. It is then the responsibility of the Jedi to either bring the dissenter back into the fold, or utterly eliminate them.
[edit] Stage 4: Atonement/Redemption"The Dark Lord Revan is dead. I am a servant of the light now."
―Revan[src]
Tolaris believed that a Jedi who is only slightly tainted by the dark side can atone for their actions through meditation, reflection, and absolution. She also believed that a Dark Jedi was way beyond atonement, and therefore only eligible for redemption. According to Master Shim, a redeemed Jedi is one who has performed a selfless act of heroism without using the dark side to obtain results. Such acts include saving the life of another through completely selfless action (such as Darth Vader saving his son from death at the hands of Emperor Palpatine), or helping to right a wrong one has helped to create (such as Ulic Qel-Droma assisting in the defeat of Exar Kun). This happens from time to time, but on many occasions Dark Jedi were beyond enlightenment, some outright refusing to be restored. To this effect Master Shim noted,
"A Dark Jedi who has no desire to relinquish the power of the dark side and return to the light cannot be redeemed."
[edit] AddendumWhile pondering the ideas behind Master Shim's dissertation, Tionne Solusar was interested in how Tolaris would view certain Jedi of more recent times, Jedi who were corrupted, restored, and held redeemed by their colleagues. Tionne provided a relatively accurate and non-biased account of the dark side journeys of Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, and Kyp Durron, but Tolaris' interactive holorecording passed the same judgments on all three:
"Any Jedi who kills innocents while under sway of the dark side cannot be redeemed. She can only atone, or attempt to atone."
Master Solusar went on further to say that while many agree that some actions are inexcusable, the stipulations for redemption remain purely a matter of one's perspective.
[edit] Sith Alchemy
Other examples of the corruption of the dark side are the Massassi who were mutated using Sith Alchemy. This also explains the mutations of Gorc and Pic, and the rebirth of Darth Maul by a group of Dark Jedi. Perhaps the most prime example of Sith Alchemy being incorporated into daily practice was during the rise of Lord Sidious, in which he used an ancient technique known to completely alter his features and appear normal to the general public. However, these are extreme and rare examples of the use of the dark side to alter objects. Most common was the use of the dark side to alter and imbue weapons with the Force, making them stronger or easier to wield. Weapons imbued with power from Sith Alchemy could even withstand lightsaber blows.
[edit] Similarity to the Jedi"In their hearts, they never forgot the Jedi. The hatred for the Jedi Order burns in their veins like fire, and echoes in their teachings."
―Kreia[src]
The Sith were, in some ways, a reflection of the Jedi. The Master-Padawan relationship of the Jedi, for instance, was twisted and perverted under the Sith, so both the apprentice and the Master would plot against each other with many of these apprenticeships ending with one killing the other. The Galactic Empire was no exception: If there were no enemies (mainly Jedi) for Sith Lords or Dark Jedi to face, the practitioners of the dark side frequently destroyed one another, and many organizations founded by the Sith would consume themselves through internal struggles for power. This was especially true during periods when the dark side was predominant; however, Sith and other dark-siders could also display great patience and cunning in carrying their plans toward fruition. The rationale behind the constant internecine strife was that combat and conflict demonstrated who was strongest, and only the strongest had the right to rule.
Some Sith did not even use lightsabers, mocking the Jedi, as they believed that they had grown past the need for such weapons by using the full power of the dark side. Emperor Palpatine found his Sith lightning was all he needed to overwhelm opponents as powerful as Yoda. The Sith's own code which started with the phrase "peace is a lie, there is only passion" was a clear manipulation of the Jedi code's "There is no emotion, there is peace."
Sith holocrons were another mirror of the Jedi, which were twisted from a tool of teaching to an item of corruption. The Sith holocrons taught many things opposite of the Jedi, such as using emotion and questing for power, which were immensely different from the Jedi teachings.
These differences did not stop many ordinary citizens of the Republic from viewing the Jedi and the Sith in much the same way because of the similarities. Many Jedi were viewed as arrogant due to their standoffish demeanor or even manipulative in their use of Force powers, and the Jedi practice of "stealing" children from their parents sometimes led to resentment. At the same time, many Sith were viewed as dedicated to a cause and appeared loyal to their masters. To large quarters of the galactic population, then, there appeared to be little difference between dark and light, and they grew distrustful of the Force as a whole.
Strength of the dark side"Fear attracts the fearful…the strong…the weak…the innocent…the corrupt. Fear. Fear is my ally."
―Darth Maul[src]
Dark Jedi and especially the Sith were capable of furthering their abilities more quickly than Jedi. According to the Jedi, the dark side was only easier to learn and use, and therefore more deceptive, while true power lay with the light. However, certain Sith Lords have appeared to be stronger than their Jedi opponents. Exar Kun was unstoppable until faced with an entire Jedi armada; the superior power of Darth Malak was acknowledged even by the Jedi (i.e. Bastila Shan, who explicitly stated that she, and a fellow Jedi were no match for the Dark Lord, although Bastila later admits to underestimating the fellow Jedi's powers. It should also be noted that said Jedi single-handedly defeated Malak and an army of his followers shortly afterward); later on he could be seen quite effortlessly holding two Jedi in a death grip before killing them; Darth Nihilus destroyed an entire Jedi Council (along with every other sentient on Katarr) while only uttering the 'words' of his voice; Kreia (Darth Traya) almost effortlessly killed all members of another Jedi Council on Dantooine. During the fall of the Republic, Darth Sidious managed to slay three out of four Jedi Masters before eventually succumbing to the martial prowess of Mace Windu. Moreover, his climactic battle with Yoda—the primus inter pares of Jedi Masters of that time—seemed evenly balanced, until at last Yoda was forced to flee. However, it must be noted that the vast majority of dark-siders, Sith and Dark Jedi alike, have eventually been defeated by light side Force-users. Furthermore, at least three of these individuals (Exar Kun, Darth Malak, Kreia) listed above were already extremely powerful before falling to the dark side. In addition, it should be noted that Exar Kun was only able to beat Master Vodo-Siosk Baas (who wasn't even using a lightsaber) after unveiling the previously unseen double-bladed lightsaber, and never encountered in battle some of the more powerful Jedi of the day like Nomi Sunrider, who cut down Sith almost effortlessly; and Kreia was defeated by the Jedi Exile in a one-on-one confrontation.
There were also many instances of a Jedi defeating a powerful dark-siders. The most notable are: the duel of Luke Skywalker against Darth Vader on the second Death Star; the duel of Obi-Wan Kenobi against Darth Maul; Revan defeating Malak and dozens of his Sith cohorts (Malak actually explicitly states that Revan is more powerful as a Jedi than he was as a Sith); The Jedi Exile defeating Kreia; Kyle Katarn defeating Jerec despite the latter drawing upon the vast power of the Valley of the Jedi; the duel of Anakin Skywalker against Count Dooku; and the duel of Luke Skywalker against Darth Caedus aboard his own Star Destroyer. In some of these cases, external factors may have affected the result. Kyle Katarn also used parts of the Dark Side of the Force. Count Dooku was defeated by the mightiest Jedi of the time, who already was tapping into the dark side. Darth Maul's doom was wrought by his hubris, and Darth Vader can be seen as undone by his paternal feelings towards Luke:
"I feel the conflict within you let go of your hate!"
One weakness that apparently lay in the dark side, which could be seen as giving the Jedi the upper hand, was the strife inescapably associated with it. The Sith Lords, despite their individual superiority over the Jedi, could never ultimately destroy their foes, because they were bound to, sooner or later, turn upon each other, with each one constantly striving for more power at the expense of others, and seeking to dominate everything around him. The Rule of Two, introduced by Darth Bane, while drastically limiting the number of true Sith, was an attempt to turn this weakness into benefit, with the apprentice through strife eventually replacing the master. This too however caused a problem with the Sith as the Rule of Two never made note of the possibility that one of the two could turn back to the light as Vader while killing his Master turned to the light just before death. But the Sith changed this when they adopted the rule of one.
Another fatal weakness that has been repeatedly illustrated in the dark side is a lack of focus that seems to stem from a reliance on emotions such a pride, anger, and fear, which heighten powers but also lead to clouded judgment. Thus dark-siders are often defeated by less powerful or skilled opponents: Obi-Wan Kenobi defeated both Darth Maul and Darth Vader, despite being the less skilled combatant in both duels.[source?] Darth Malak was similarly defeated by Revan despite drawing on the massive dark power of the Star Forge. Darth Tyr!@#$ felt threatened by Anakin Skywalker and allowed his pride to blind him to Skywalker's true power. Thus it would seem that the dark side offers a more tangible sort of power: one that is direct and physical, while the light side provides a more subtle kind of power, that of focus and understanding, one which dark-siders often fail to understand and tend to underestimate, usually fatally.
It should also be noted that due to the long-standing Rule of Two the Sith could afford to be far more selective than the Jedi, taking only the most gifted of pupils, while the Jedi trained many sentients with a far smaller degree of force-sensitivity. Had their positions been switched and Yoda and Mace Windu had been the only Jedi, the Jedi would have had a disproportionate success rate compared to the Sith. Furthermore, even before the Rule of Two the Sith's training methods were brutal, meaning that the weaker dark-siders often died before ever getting the chance to fight the Jedi, which helps explain the high success rate against Jedi - more weak Jedi survived their training to fight the Sith.
[edit] Death of dark side users
Certain dark side users, upon being killed, explode in a blast of blue energy. Emperor Palpatine exploded in this way in 4 ABY after being thrown down a reactor core shaft in the second Death Star. In 9 ABY, Joruus C'baoth also exploded in a blast of blue energy after being stabbed by Mara Jade's lightsaber. Other Dark Jedi, such as Darth Nihilus and Jerec did not explode, but rather dissolved into dark side energy upon their death, leaving no remains of their bodies. It has not been canonically explained why these individuals died in this manner while other dark side users, such as Count Dooku, did not.
However, Shaak Ti was struck down by Galen Marek and thrown into the mouth of a giant sarlacc. Upon entering the creature's mouth, she died in a way similar to the explosions mentioned above, but was in no way a dark side user. The reason her death occurred in the manner it did has yet to be clarified.
[edit] Dark side powers Main article: Force powers
"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be…unnatural."
―Palpatine, to Anakin Skywalker[src]
Those who wielded the dark side found many abilities of the Force easier to use, with some Force powers available only to Dark Jedi. Light side Jedi could use some dark side abilities, but most preferred not to since dark side abilities had aggressive, destructive, or perversely manipulative tendencies. Luke Skywalker, for example, used Force Choke at Jabba's Palace, which was almost unheard of for a Jedi to use, unless unarmed. The powers commonly associated with the dark side of the Force as listed below are:
Drain Life
Death Field
Deadly Sight
Force corrupt
Force Lightning
Force Shock
Force Storm
Force Wound
Force Choke
Force Grip
Force Crush
Force Slow
Force Destruction
Force Affliction
Force Plague
Force Fear
Force Horror
Force Insanity
Force Scream
Force Rage
Mechu-deru
Qey'tek
Thought Bomb
Torture by chagrin
Spear of midnight black
Midi-chlorian manipulation (Darth Plagueis was the only known Sith capable of this power, though its been said it may be the same power as Force resurrection)
Not all powers of the dark side seem evil; Darth Plagueis had the ability to create and preserve life, while Darth Sion, Darth Bane, and Darth Vader used their rage on occasion to heal wounds.
[edit] Sith Magic
Main article: Sith magic
"Tell me Satal, what warrior can stand who believes his sword has ceased to be a sword?"
―Aleema Keto to cousin Satal on her use of Illusion.
Also known as Sith sorcery, Sith magic was a power used by the early Sith, that complimented the use of conventional dark side-aligned Force powers. Some common Sith spells are listed below:
False light side aura
Force blast
Illusion/Mindform
Invoke spirits
Mind control
Spell of concealment
Summon darkness
Summon fear
Supernova
Feb 3, 2009 8:47 PM | Report Abuse reply
*walks into the hall and finds the Mustafar sith holocron, And he sits down and begins to look over all the mysteries it holds with in its small pyramidal shape.............
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After some time he stands takes the holocron back to the shelf places it on to the shelf and turns to leave the hall filled with more information on the darkside of the* force
Feb 4, 2009 11:57 AM | Report Abuse reply
Drain Life
"It is a technique that is almost as old as the Sith themselves... it is a means of severing connections between life, the Force, and feeding upon the death it causes. It cannot be taught... it can only be gained through instinct, through experiencing its effects, first-hand."
―Kreia[src]
Force Drain refers to a spectrum of offensive and defensive Force powers, tied to the same concept, which used the dark side of the Force to tap into the strengths of an organic target. Mastery of each technique could scale the area of effect, sometimes dramatically, or exhaust the victims almost instantaneously.
"As much as one may use the Force to bolster the wills and strengths of others, the reverse is possible, though not often used. Instead of sending one's will through connections in the Force, instead such connections are drawn upon, fed upon, and drained completely."
―Kreia[src]
Force abilities such as Drain life and Death field, also referred to as Dark healing,[1] siphoned vitality to offer an equivalent effect of Force Healing, the difference being that the regenerative processes in the user was fueled draining the targets. Other techniques like Drain Force rekindled Force energy in the user, offensively draining the force energy from those whom the power was turned upon, or defensively draining the force from certain force powers. Some wielders of the Force were known to be able to drain life energy and force energy simultaneously, like the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Malak did in the last battle of the Jedi Civil War as he dueled his former Sith Master Revan. He used Force Drain to draw upon the power of captive Jedi who had fallen in the attack on Dantooine.
As detrimental as the teachings of the dark side were said to be to the very flesh of their practitioners, Force Drain could be more dangerous still, if one relied on the technique or did not contain its full measure of power. During the First Jedi Purge, in his hunger for power, the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus honed a pernicious means of feeding upon the Force, which eventually enslaved him. The arcane practice, known to the ancient Sith, came into use at some point after the Hundred-Year Darkness[2] and was lost over time, as the Lords of the Sith abandoned Republic space and their strongholds were deserted. The technique itself could not be taught, it could only be gained through instinct, through experiencing its effects first-hand,[3] which was possibly an irreversible process as the absence left in the victim turned into hunger, eventually compelling them to feed themselves.
Kreia described this ability as a means of destroying connections between life around oneself, drawing upon them until they were drained completely and the exhausted life died. Nihilus supposedly took this practice to unmatched levels; wiping out entire planets, he became something of a hole in the Force, his mere presence killing all around him, slowly, feeding him. Wounds in the Force located in places such as the dark side world of Malachor V were said to bear a similar behavior. Near the end of the Mandalorian Wars, Revan learned within the Trayus Academy how to take advantage of such places, and how to make them, in order to break the will of Jedi and turn them to the dark side.
A sizable part of the Sith Triumvirate, under Darth Traya, Darth Sion and Nihilus himself, was made to have some measure of proficiency in Force Drain. Specifically, a sect of Sith Assassins, once of Revan's elite Jedi hunter squads, were subject to what Kreia referred to as "special teachings." They came to use the technique to track Jedi more efficiently, and to grow stronger the closer they came to Force-sensitives, so that the stronger one was in the Force the more assassins would feel their presence, and the deadlier they would be in combat. On Dxun, during the Second Battle of Onderon, the Sith tried to bolster their forces on Onderon by feeding on a Force nexus located in Freedon Nadd's tomb. On Dantooine, Kreia consumed the Jedi High Council in the persons of Jedi Masters Vrook Lamar, Kavar, and Zez-Kai Ell, who were assembled in the ruins of the Jedi Enclave by the Jedi Exile to answer the Sith threat.
The most grandiose display of Force Drain was given by Nihilus when he consumed Katarr, a Miraluka world in the Mid Rim. However, unchecked use of his talent took the form of addiction, and would have ultimately cost his life had he not been slain by the Exile. The hunger that possessed him would have kept growing, along with his power and his reach in the Force, posing a threat to all life. Other examples are Exar Kun, the Dark Lord in the time of the Great Sith War, who harnessed Dark side artifacts on Yavin 4 to enhance his power and drain the entire Massassi species, so that his spirit could endure for more than four thousands of years in the Great Temple; and Galactic Emperor Palpatine, who fed off the inhabitants of his retreat world of Byss collectively with his Dark Side Adepts, although those unfortunates were drained slowly, over a long period of time, rather than consuming the whole world at once.
Feb 5, 2009 7:33 AM | Report Abuse reply
Deadly Sight
Deadly Sight was a power of the dark side, focusing the user's hatred into deadly energy. With it, Dark Jedi could inflict pain and injury upon their foes merely by looking at them, causing victim's body to burn and smoke as they died. With this power, the user could damage entire groups of foes within their field of vision.
Tiring to sustain, it was inefficient in terms of the strain caused on the user's Force reserves, but was nevertheless effective in the right situation, namely: in situations when the number of enemies within its user's line of sight was at a maximum, such as when he or she might have been facing a hangar filled with over a dozen stormtroopers.
It should be noted that Deadly Sight injured everyone that the user looked at, including allies and civilians; it is unknown whether or not it could be refined, especially because of its dark nature.
The only known practitioner of Deadly Sight was the Dark Jedi Sariss, who may have used it in her duel with Kyle Katarn in 5 ABY.
Feb 5, 2009 7:35 AM | Report Abuse reply
Heart of the Guardian
The Heart of the Guardian was an ancient crystal that was rediscovered on the surface of Yavin 4 by the Rodian inventor Suvam Tan some time prior to the Jedi Civil War. Possibly utilized as a lightsaber crystal by the redeemed Revan, it gave the blade of any such weapon into which it was installed a distinct red-orange appearance. The Heart was one of two legendary crystals that Revan possibly obtained from Tan near the end of his quest to find and destroy the Star Forge, the other being the Mantle of the Force.
When placed within a lightsaber, it altered the properties of other crystals that the lightsaber carried in a positive way; this crystal created a fast yet devastating blade that was perfect for lightsaber combat.
According to prophecies of the Jedi Order, the Heart would appear at the time of greatest turmoil and help in bringing the galaxy into to salvation. However, the Sith also believed it to be an object of their heritage, which in turn would have brought about their domination of known space.
Feb 6, 2009 1:01 PM | Report Abuse reply
Rubat
Rubat was a type of crystal used in the construction of lightsabers, also known as lightsaber crystals. The planet Phemis was the only known source of rubat.
When placed in a lightsaber's crystal chamber, rubat sharpened the appearance and definition of the blade, allowing its wielder to easily track the blade and strike opponents properly. The crystal would also help its wielder attack faster.
Feb 6, 2009 1:01 PM | Report Abuse reply
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