A Brief History Of The Sith

What follows is the known history of the Sith until Darth Bane's Rule of Two. The Sith history that we are most familiar with are the events surrounding Anakin Skywalker and his descendants as portrayed in the main Star Wars movies from Episode I: The Phantom Menace to Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Much of the Sith lore set chronologically prior to the start of the prequel trilogy is considered Legends, and not yet officially recognized as canon. This author will make such distinctions as appropriate.

As the Force is made up of the dark side as well as the light side like two sides of a coin, a lot of Sith history is intertwined with Jedi history. We will discuss some of Jedi history as it pertains to the Sith, but this article will mainly focus on the Sith.

Before Arrival of Dark Jedi on Korriban

Legends

Reference: Wizards of the Coast’s Star Wars Roleplaying Game sourcebooks, Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comic book series

The original Sith were a humanoid species native to the planet Korriban in the Outer Rim territories. They were distinguished by their red skin, bone spurs, and facial tentacles. More importantly, the species as a whole had a predisposition toward the dark side of the Force. As a result, their culture and religious rites embraced the dark side. They were violent beings who believed that conflict and war were basic parts of existence. Their study of alchemy allowed them to imbue objects and living things with the dark side, creating artifacts that enhanced their Force abilities.

Meanwhile, the Old Republic and the Jedi Order formed in a different part of the galaxy. Around 7000- 6899 BBY, a group of Jedi began experimenting with the Force and how it might lead to immortality. Other Jedi feared that this power would lead to abuse. Rogue Jedi, led by Ajunta Pall, XoXaan, and Karness Muur, passionately defended their new radical use of the Force. A war broke out. The Jedi Order won, and the Dark Jedi were rounded up and exiled from Republic space.

Arrival of Dark Jedi on Korriban (or Moraband) and the Hundred-Year Darkness

Existence of Hundred-Year Darkness canonized by Marvel's Star Wars (2015) comic book series. However, specific details of the event are Legends

Reference: Dark Horse Comics’s Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comic book series

This event is canonically considered as the start of the Sith as we know it today. The Dark Jedi arrived on the planet, which was not on any known map of the galaxy. Here, they encountered the native Sith. The natives were intrigued with their mysterious Force powers and advanced technology. This allowed the Dark Jedi to achieve god-like status and become their rulers. As the first Dark Lord of the Sith, Ajunta Pall established the Sith Empire and expanded its territories into the Outer Rim. Centuries of interbreeding and mixing of cultures resulted in the Sith becoming more of a philosophy and a religious order than a race. The period of isolation away from the Republic allowed the Sith Empire to thrive and flourish.

The Great Hyperspace War- The Sith’s First Attack on the Republic

Legends

Reference: Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comic book series

In 5000 BBY, the Sith led by Naga Sadow invaded the known Galactic worlds through a series of quick surprise attacks launched simultaneously in numerous locations. Even though the Sith appeared to have the upper hand at first, infighting among the Sith allowed the Republic to push them back. The remnants of the Sith fled to the Unknown Regions to rebuild their force, These refugees settled on Dromund Kaas and established a new Sith Empire with Darth Vitiate as their emperor.

The Great Sith War- Rise of Exar Kun

Existence canonized by The High Republic: Light of the Jedi. However, specific details are Legends

Reference: Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comic book series

Around 3996 BBY, fallen Jedi Exar Kun came across the spirit of Freedon Nadd (a fallen Jedi who became Naga Sadow’s apprentice many centuries prior) on Onderon during his search for Sith knowledge. Influenced by Nadd’s spirit, he would join forces with another fallen Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma to lead the Sith Empire against the Republic.

Jedi Civil War- Rise of Revan

Legends

Reference: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game and Dark Horse Comics’ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic book series

In 3976 BBY, the Mandalorians attacked the Outer Rim Territories. The Republic were initially reluctant in their military response as the conflict occurred far from the Core Worlds. When the Mandalorian forces drew closer, the Republic fleets were overwhelmed, and they asked the Jedi for aid. The Jedi Council refused. A group of Jedi led by Revan and Malak went against the Council and joined the Republic forces against the Mandalorians.

After the Mandalorians’ defeat, Revan and Malak traveled to the Unknown Regions to investigate the cause of the Mandalorians’ aggression. There, they discovered Darth Vitiate’s Sith Empire and fell to the dark side. The Sith emperor sent the two back as vanguard for the Sith Empire invasion, but they would form their own Sith Empire instead. Many Republic soldiers and Jedi joined the charismatic Revan against the Republic. After Malak’s defeat by the repented Revan, the remaining Dark Jedi fought among each other to fill the power vacuum. Eventually, they wiped themselves out, and the existence of the Sith Empire in the Unknown Regions remained hidden.

Great Galactic War

Legends

Reference: Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG

After centuries of preparation, the Sith Empire decided to move against the Republic in 3681 BBY. The war lasted almost 30 years, and even though the Sith Empire was close to total victory over the Republic, they proposed a peace offering. In the resulting Treaty of Coruscant, the Republic ceded many outlying systems to the Sith Empire, who ended up controlling half of the known galaxy. A state of Cold War lasted for a while before conflicts eventually broke out again.

Jedi-Sith War

Canon

Reference: Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi (2019)

The Old Republic and the Jedi Order resumed their conflicts against the Sith Empire. After many years of wars, the Old Republic had all but collapsed. But because of the Sith’s infighting among themselves, the Jedi was able to wipe out Sith completely. In the ensuing peace, the Old Republic reorganized itself into the modern Galactic Republic with which we are familiar. The military was disbanded, and the Jedi Order transitioned into the role of peacekeepers. This marked the start of the Great Peace.

Darth Bane and the Rule of Two

Canon

Reference: Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV Series, Star Wars: The Dark Side

Unbeknownst to the Jedi, one Sith survived the Jedi-Sith Wars. Darth Bane identified the weakness that almost caused the near destruction of the Sith. To prevent the inevitable infighting as each Sith vied for power, he established the Rule of Two. There will be only two Sith Lords at any given time: a master and an apprentice. The apprentice would need to slay their master in order to become master and take on their own apprentice. Darth Bane also came up with the Great Plan, which aimed at corrupting the Galactic Republic from within, discrediting the Jedi Order, and ultimately ruling the galaxy. As the Jedi flourish in the open, the Sith continue to survive in the shadows.

Written By Apinya Wong

Source(s): Wookieepedia

Syndicated From Culture Slate

Join The Team