Dark side of the Force/Legends

"You don't know the power of the dark side!"

- Darth Vader

The dark side of the Force, called Bogan by the ancient forerunners of the Jedi, was the primary tool of the Sith Lords, and the surreal enemy of the Jedi Order. Unlike the light side of the Force, its power came from raw negative or strong emotions. It was associated with death and destruction.

History
"How can a Jedi, trained in the ways of the light, fall victim to the dark side?"

- Ulic Qel-Droma



Throughout galactic history, the most infamous users of the dark side were the assorted iterations of the Sith, who were also the most powerful, with a bevy of talents impossible for Jedi to duplicate. The Jedi rejected the dark side and all it had to offer, as following it lead to destruction and chaos, often for many innocents, where the Sith embraced the dark side selfishly, prioritizing themselves over the rest of the Galaxy. Whereas Jedi used the force to protect and help others, the Sith were evil and manipulative, using their powers to rule the Galaxy.

Discovery of the Dark Side
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 who was the first known Dark Jedi. His followers used Jar'kai in battle and used emotion rather than meditation as the source of their rather impressive power. This conflict began the First Great Schism, which separated the Jedi from the Dark Jedi and banished the dark-siders who would one day become the Sith.

Sith Empire
The Sith took their name from the species that they conquered and founded the Sith Empire. The Sith were numerous in their empire, and many Dark Lords ruled over their empire. They were cut off from the rest of the galaxy until the Great Hyperspace War broke out. Their empire lasted through that war and the Old Sith Wars, but the Sith were all but destroyed. The Jedi believed that they were extinct, but they had only been debilitated.

The effects of the Sith Empire can be seen from Korriban, a major planet in the empire. The planet is filled with animals strong in the dark side like the terentateks. The Valley of the Dark Lords is a graveyard that reverberates with dark side energy, full of caverns and tombs which once possessed powerful Sith artifacts. There the Sith even appear as apparitions on occasion; Ajunta Pall inhabited his tomb as a ghost until he was set to peace by the relocation of a sword imbued with the dark side.

Rule of Two
"Always two there should be, no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it"

- Darth Bane

Darth Bane discovered a Sith holocron of Revan, a long dead Dark Lord and founder of a Sith Empire. From its contents he believed that the Force was finite, so he established the rule of two, making two simultaneous Dark Lord of the Sith. He eliminated the practice of having vast numbers of Sith at the same time and concentrated the dark side of the Force into two individuals: a master and an apprentice. A millennium before the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the Sith disappeared from the knowledge of the galaxy until the battle of Naboo, where Darth Maul killed Qui-Gon Jinn. It was because of this secrecy that they were able to overthrow the Republic. This tradition was still practiced by the Sith under Dark Lady Lumiya after the deaths of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine at Endor.

Nature of the Dark Side
"Beware of anger, fear, aggression. The Dark Side are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny."

- Yoda



The dark side of the Force was the element aligned with powerful negative emotions such as fear, hatred, greed, desire, and anger; practitioners fuelled their power through these passionate emotions, while light side users laboured to achieve an objective state, unaffected by emotion. This sometimes led to the light side appearing passive, as it favoured contemplation and careful action, while the dark side acted quicker, was less dogmatic, and more adaptable. While the light side appealed to the higher mind and demanded self-sacrifice and a strict moral code, the dark side was more instinctual and passionate.

Unlike the Light Side of the Force, the dark side was used mainly for selfish purposes (although many darksiders saw the need to justify their actions, at least to themselves). This is what led most darksiders to their eventual fate, one of the most notable of which was Anakin Skywalker, who joined the dark side to save his wife at the expense of the Jedi Order.

It has been theorized by some that there is no such thing as a dark side, only malevolent intent in the user. Most dark side users already had negative intentions in their being or fell victim to the temptations of absolute power and domination.

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

The meaning behind the words of the code of the Sith are for the most part obvious. They mean that through harnessing strong emotions, the Sith gain power with the Force. This power grants them more tangible power, like dominance and secular wealth. With freedom from controlling their emotions, power with the Force and secular power combined, they can finally aspire to fulfill the last two lines: "Through victory my chains are broken" and "The Force shall free me". This refers to the goal to be pefect, inspired by 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.

Fear of the Dark Side
"Don't lecture me Obi-Wan. I do not fear the dark side as you do."

- Anakin Skywalker

The Jedi Order feared the dark side of the Force. Because it was the power of the Sith who they also feared, anything that could be related to it was abolished. After the Ruusan Reformation many new limitations were placed on the Order. Jedi were forbidden to have romantic attachments, know their families, or to have anger. These limits were not without reason; it was breaking these codes that caused Anakin Skywalker to fall to the dark side. But the lengths they went to in order to eliminate these feelings could be considered extreme by some who viewed it from outside the Temple. 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. This signified, in a way, 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.

Corruption of the Dark Side
"The dark side clouds everything.."

- Yoda



The path of the dark side is mentally and sometimes physically corruptive. As use of the dark side of the Force leads to deeper immersion in it, this malevolent power takes its toll on the body of a dark side practitioner. A well known characteristic of a dark side user is that his or her eye pigments become a sulphurous, hideous yellow color. In extreme cases, the taint will mottle and disfigure the flesh into a corpse-gray color, as seen with Darth Sidious. In time, the corruption can go beyond mere cosmetic details and directly impair physical abilities. Excessive use of Dark Side powers can even result in death. Sidious and King Ommin of Onderon are a good examples of this; initiates in the ways of the dark side for most of their lives, Ommin was subjected to its decaying influence until he eventually became incapable of movement and needed support from a cyborg exoskeleton in order to survive, while Sidious was forced to create clone bodies in order to survive.

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 was rightfully theirs, that anything they wanted to do was right just because they wanted to do it. Most Sith, such as Uthar Wynn and his apprentice Yuthura Ban, believed that they could control the dark side, but the Dark Side always ended up controlling them. Luke Skywalker joined Palpatine's clone in 10 ABY to better understand the nature of the Dark Side, but unlike the Jedi before him who had attempted the same task, he made a full recovery.

The Allure of the Dark Side
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. While some thought that the power it granted was solely responsible for the corruption, this alone could not have been enough. The dark side's corruptive influences could take control in moments. Along with physical corruption, the minds of many dark side users now cared only for galactic domination through power, and the doing of evil deeds for power's own sake. This abrupt change could not have been the result of the power granted by the dark side alone, and the pride that would inevitably follow in its tracks. The dark side itself controlled the transformation, taking over the minds of the converts, and changing them into passionate and ardent warriors with intense focus and power. However, some dark side practitioners did in fact not show all of these symptoms. Darth Revan and Darth Traya for example, did not seem controlled by the Dark Side of the Force. Whatever change these two had undergone, were clear results of the lives they had lead, and the experiences they had survived.

Often times it would be Jedi who fell to the corruption of the dark side of the Force. Exar Kun, Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Anakin Skywalker, Jacen Solo, and Atris all were corrupted by the dark side of the Force despite, or perhaps because of, their training as Jedi Knights. The catalyst for some of these changes was the discovery of a Sith holocron, an item that held all of the secrets of a Sith. So was the way Exar Kun and Atris fell.

Sith Alchemy
Other examples of the corruption of the Dark Side are the Terentatek which evolved on Korriban and due to the planet's Dark Side presence the creatures developed an immunity to Force powers and fed off the blood of Force-sensitives. Dark Side users also forced a similar evolution on the Massassi using Sith Alchemy. Sith Alchemy is also used to explain the mutations of Gorc and Pic, the rebirth of Darth Maul by a group of Dark Jedi, 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.

Similarity to the Jedi
"The Jedi and the Sith are similar, in almost every way"

- Darth Sidious

The Sith were in some ways a reflection of the Jedi. The Master-Padawan relationship of the Jedi, for instance, was altered under the Sith, as both the apprentice and the Master would often plot against each other, and many of these apprenticeships ended with one killing the other. The 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 their organizations would consume themselves through internal struggles for power. This was especially true during periods when the dark side was predominant; however, Sith and other darksiders could also display great patience and cunning in carrying their plans toward fruition.

Sith also used lightsabers to mock 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 had their own Sith code which started with the phrase "peace is a lie, there is only passion", a clear manipulation of the Jedi code's "There is no emotion, there is peace".

Sith holocrons were another mirror of the Jedi, which was twisted from a tool of teaching to an item of corruption. The Sith holocrons taught many things opposite of the Jedi, teaching students to use emotion and to quest for power, which was 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. In the same way as some Sith had redeeming qualities, such as loyalty to a cause or a master, the Jedi were very seldom perfect. Many were viewed as arrogant or manipulative, and the practice of "stealing" children from their parents sometimes led to resentment. To large quarters of the galactic population, there appeared to be little difference between "dark" and "light", and they grew distrustful of the Force as a whole.

Sith Holocrons


Main Article: Sith holocron

"The dark side offers power for power's sake. You must crave it. Covet it. You must seek power above all else, with no reservation or hesitation."

- Darth Revan's Sith holocron

A Sith holocron was a pyramidal tetrahedron which held all of the knowledge of the Sith. It could contain star maps, information about artifacts, history, but most importantly, the teachings of the dark side. The holocron could only be opened by a force adept who stumbled upon it and wished to use it. The mere opening of the devices sent tremors through the Force. Unlike Jedi holocrons, the Sith counterparts of it did not limit accessible information, and even the most ill-prepared acolyte could find the darkest knowledge in it. Exar Kun and Darth Bane both were able to threaten the galaxy with the information gained from the holocrons, and other Jedi such as Atris were turned by them. The holocrons whispered Sith chanting, and were imbued with so much darkness they corrupted individuals just by their proximity.

The Potentium
According to the Potentium viewpoint, there are no dark or light sides of the Force. Instead, the Force is a single entity, and the light or darkness comes from the intentions of the person calling upon it. From this viewpoint, Force powers or actions that would normally be considered dark can be justified or rationalized. Fearing that this would lead Jedi down the path of the Dark Side, Yoda expelled the Potentium from the Jedi Order. Similarly, many Grey Jedi do not believe in the Dark Side, which has been known to lead them to become Dark Jedi or even Sith themselves. Luke Skywalker, Grand Master of the New Jedi Order adopted this philosophy after his nephew Jacen Solo informed him of his teachings of Vergere during the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion; however, after being concerned of his and other Jedi actions, Skywalker abandoned this as the official viewpoint of the Jedi order during the Swarm War.

Strength of the Dark Side
"Is the dark side stronger?"

- Luke Skywalker to Yoda

Dark Jedi and Sith were capable of furthering their abilities more quickly than Jedi, and there came a belief that the dark side was more powerful than the light. It is only easier to use though, but the lure of power convinced many, like Anakin Skywalker, to succumb to it. Jedi who were able to properly use the light side of the Force were just as powerful as their Sith counterparts, but the Sith believed that they were more powerful than the Jedi were, and sometimes the Jedi believed it too.

Dark Side powers
"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some consider to be unnatural."

- Darth Sidious

Those who wielded the dark side found many abilities of the Force were now easier to use, and other powers were now available to the Dark Jedi. Not all of these powers were solely available to those immersed in darkness; Force Choke was used by Luke Skywalker at Jabba's Palace. However, all dark side abilities were aggressive, destructive or unnatural by nature. Truth be told, the dark side is only an easier path, not a stronger one, as Yoda told Luke on Dagobah.


 * Drain Life
 * Death Field
 * Deadly Sight
 * Destruction Orb
 * Force Pyro
 * Electromagnetic torpedo
 * Force Lightning
 * Force Spark
 * Force Storm
 * Force Wound
 * Force Choke
 * Force Grip
 * Force Crush (a.k.a. Force Kill)
 * Force Slow
 * Force Wave
 * Force Affliction
 * Force Plague
 * Force Fear
 * Force Horror
 * Force Insanity
 * Force Scream
 * Force Rage
 * Mechu-deru
 * Quey'tek
 * Thought Bomb
 * Torture by chagrin
 * Spear of midnight black
 * Midichlorian Manipulation (Darth Plagueis only known being capable of it)

Dark side practitioners
"A Sith believes he commands the Force, but it is the dark side that commands him."

- Jolee Bindo

Dark Side organizations and notable members of those organizations. (See History of the Sith)

The Sith (Chronological)

 * Red-armored Dark Lord
 * Ajunta Pall
 * Dathka Graush
 * Tulak Hord
 * Marka Ragnos
 * Naga Sadow
 * Freedon Nadd
 * Exar Kun
 * Darth Revan
 * Darth Malak
 * Darth Bandon
 * Darth Nihilus
 * Darth Sion
 * Darth Traya
 * Darth Ruin
 * Dark Underlord
 * Darth Rivan
 * Belia Darzu
 * Kaan
 * Darth Bane
 * Darth Zannah
 * Darth Cognus
 * Darth Millennial
 * Darth Vectivus
 * Darth Plagueis
 * Darth Sidious
 * Darth Maul
 * Darth Tyranus
 * Darth Vader
 * Lumiya
 * Flint
 * Carnor Jax
 * Jacen Solo
 * Darth Krayt
 * Darth Stryfe
 * Darth Wyyrlok
 * Darth Ruyn
 * Darth Nihl
 * Darth Maladi
 * Darth Talon

Prophets of the Dark Side

 * Supreme Prophet Kadann
 * High Prophet Jedgar
 * Prophet Gornash
 * Sariss
 * Cronal

Inquisitorius

 * Grand Inquisitor Torbin
 * High Inquisitor Tremayne
 * Adalric Cessius Brandl
 * Jerec

Bando Gora

 * Komari Vosa

Blackguard

 * San’sii the Kursk
 * Vansk

Krath

 * Aleema Keto
 * Satal Keto
 * Ulic Qel-Droma

Nightsisters

 * Gethzerion
 * Lomi Plo
 * Mighella
 * Tamith Kai

Mecrosa Order

 * Mireya
 * Nevil Tritum

Reborn

 * Desann
 * Tavion
 * Hethrir

Disciples of Ragnos

 * Alora
 * Vil Kothos
 * Dasariah Kothos
 * Tavion

Sorcerers of Tund

 * Rokur Gepta

Various Dark Jedi

 * Asajj Ventress
 * Boc
 * Brakiss
 * Gorc
 * Joruus C'baoth
 * Kueller
 * Maw''
 * Pic
 * Xendor, believed to be the first darksider
 * Yun

Behind the scenes

 * In many ways, the dark side is the main villain of Star Wars.


 * Bogan was the name given to the dark side of the Force in early drafts of Star Wars and was established as canon in the Expanded Universe by the The New Essential Chronology.


 * The Potentium view of the Force explains it as a single entity: The traditional "light side" is simply the Force, and the "dark side" is only a perversion of the Force.


 * The Sith philosophy has much in common with the real-life Existentialism.