Four Stages of the Dark Side

"Trust that even the most learned Jedi Master must always be mindful of the dark path."

- Tolaris Shim

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.

The Stages

 * Temptation
 * Imperilment
 * Submission
 * Atonement/Redemption

Analysis of the Stages
"One cannot avoid the darkness unless one knows where it lies and the routes that lead to it."

- Tolaris Shim

Throughout the course of Galactic history, Jedi Knights have been repeatedly seduced to the dark side of the Force. Whether to achieve a seemingly impossible goal or for the selfish pursuit of personal power, the dark side has offered individuals a means to bring their plans to fruition no matter the cost. To combat this, the Jedi Order has implemented many tactics to halt or eliminate the inevitable possibility of one of their own making a detrimental decision. Despite their best efforts however, Jedi continue to fall for whatever reason. Often times the call of greater power is heard by the most promising and ambitious Jedi Knights, who in turn coerce others to walk the dark path with them. These temptations are not limited to padawans and knights only; like Knights and apprentices, many a revered Jedi Master has for whatever reason renounced their commission to follow the tenets of the Sith. Some even go so far as to assume the mantle of Dark Lord. Two such Knights were the saavy Exar Kun, and the overly-confident Ulic Qel-Droma. While Exar craved power for power's sake, Ulic was stricken with grief over the death of his former master. Because of this he sought to infiltrate the Sith cult known as the Krath, and destroy them from the inside out. Ulic naively believed that his Jedi training was enough for him to resist the lures of the dark side. He was terribly wrong. He subsequently became a Lord of the Sith, commiting many atrocities throughout the Galaxy. He and his contempory Exar Kun were ultimately defeated, and the cosmos were at peace.

Now with the Galaxy safe, the Jedi began to focus on rebuilding their ranks, and taking care of their own business. They were stunned that two of their most prodigious students would be so easily corrupted to darkness. Many Masters believed that in order for one to resist the dark side one must understand why its power is such a tempting offer. Based on the events surrounding the fall of Ulic Qel-Droma, Jedi Master Tolaris Shimm studied long and deeply 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
"Focus your anger through the amulet--It is not mere decoration. It is A DARK SIDE WEAPON!"

- Dark Lord Freedon Nadd tempting Exar Kun

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. Ulic Qel-Droma was tempted twice this way. The death of Master Arca Jeth caused Ulic to believe he could "pretend" to ally with the Krath, and them topple them from within. This was his first step in the direction of darkness.

Stage 2: Imperilment
"Like you, he believed the dark side could be conqured from within. Such was not to be. The dark side seduced him utterly...and anger became his path!"

- Odan-Urr warning Ulic Qel-Droma

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 them back towards the light is only deluding themself. One cannot be blinded by the idea of doing what they perceive to be right, by any means necessary. Furthermore, 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, Anakin believed that he could do 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 and Ulic before him, succumbed fully to the wiles of the dark side.

Stage 3: Submission
Master Shim believed that once a Jedi accepts the dark path, having to justify the end by the means is of no more concern. Ulic Qel-Droma believed that by "pretending" to be in league with the Krath, he hadn't fallen to the dark side and still could thwart their schemes from the inside out. When his plans brought him into direct rivalry with dark side-defector Exar Kun, ancient spirits were stirred. These spirits christened both men Lords of the Sith, and they acquiesced. Their fall to the dark side was complete.

Sometimes, 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, like Exar Kun, found the power of the dark side intoxicating and so fully gave himself 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. Because Exar Kun wasn't the least bit interested in rejoining the Jedi Order, his former allies were forced to trap his disembodied spirit within the confines of his moon-based stronghold.

Stage 4: Atonement/Redemption
"The Dark Lord Revan is dead. I am a servant of the light now."

- Revan

Tolaris believed that a Jedi who is only slightly tainted by the dark side can atone for their actions through meditation, reflection, and absolution. A perfect example of this is the ancient Jedi Master Chamma, who after falling to the dark side, realized his wrong and went into a self-imposed exile. Chamma spent the next century alone on the desert-world H'ratth, until a Jedi arrived who was able to eventually turn Chamma back to the light.

Tolaris further believed that a Dark Jedi was was beyond atonement, and therefore only eligible for redemption. A redeemed Jedi is one who has performed a selfless act of heroism without using the dark side to obtain results. Ulic Qel-Droma's own redemption began when he aided the Jedi in defeating his Sith master. Through the selfless act of sparing her life, the amnesiac Jedi Revan was able to redeem Juhani after her fall to the dark side. Darth Vader was also redeemed when he saved his son's life at the cost of his own.