Sith Order

From Star Wars: Exodus Visual Encyclopedia

"Treachery is the way of the Sith."

— Darth Tyranus

The Sith Order is a sect of dark side Force-sensitive 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.

Contents 1 Philosophy 1.1 Forged by fire 1.2 Empowered by passion 1.3 Sith tattoos 2 History 3 End Notes

[edit] Philosophy

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

— Palpatine

The dark side of the Force is the element aligned with fear, hatred, aggression, and malice towards all living things. Practitioners of the dark side of the Force seek to increase their own personal power and destroy or rule those who oppose them. Followers of the dark side usually act only for themselves. The negative emotions of the dark side increase the strength and abilities of a user, and as a result use of the dark side of the Force is extremely addictive. Every time followers of the dark side call on its power, they become more and more attached to the corruption it brings.

The Sith Lord Darth Bane considered the Force to be finite, and thus ideally restricted to the use of the Sith Lord. 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 Sith Master and an apprentice. This tradition, or "Rule of Two," was still in practice with the Sith Order, which underwent a small reformation by Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Kren after the deaths of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine at Endor. Hence, the Sith were thought to be extinct for a millennium.

[edit] Forged by fire

"Without strife, your victory has no meaning. Without strife, you do not advance. Without strife, there is only stagnation."

— Uthar Wynn

"It is natural for him to want to destory 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

Sith philosophy emphasizes conflict. The Sith believe that it empowers both individuals and civilizations by forcing them to change, grow, and evolve. Conflict ensures that only the strong would survive, thus leading the Sith down the path to perfection. Sentients only deserve what they are strong enough to take and those too weak to protect themselves are fair game.

The pacifistic teachings of the Jedi are viewed as obstructions to progress; lack of conflict leads only to stagnation and decline. Morality is treated as an obstacle to be overcome. It got in the way of a Sith's ability to recognize and grasp opportunities for advancement.

[edit] 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

The core of a Sith's power comes from emotion. The Jedi teach that fear and anger are negative emotions that must be overcome, but the Sith understand that every living creature is subject to such passions. They believe in harnessing rather than suppressing these natural urges. The Sith do not endeavor to place themselves beyond passions as the Jedi did – on the contrary, they believe that emotion is required in order to attain a holistic understanding of the Force.

However, not all emotions are embraced by the Sith. They, like the Jedi, consider 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

[edit] Sith tattoos

Many Sith Lords adorn themselves with Sith tattoos, as a symbol of their devotion to the order. The tattoos often have an alternating pattern of red and black, with many runic symbols included. Sith tattoos are incredibly painful to have applied, as they often cover the entire body. A prime example of a tattooed Sith Lord is the infamous Darth Maul.

[edit] History

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For the canonical history of the Sith, please refer to this article.

"The galaxy sees anyone who claims the title 'Sith Lord' to be a maniacal beast. They do not understand. And so, those that hate the Sith do not see reason, and that costs them their lives."

— Darth Nefarious

After the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the Sith were thought to be extinct. However, in secret, they were being reborn by Darth Kren on Korriban. He would carry the legacy of the Sith to a new order.

[edit] End Notes

Canonical information courtesy of Wookieepedia.