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===Origin===
===Origin===


The Sith ruled over an ancient interstellar empire which flourished some 7000 years before the events in ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]].'' .<ref>The ''[[Tales of the Jedi]]'' series.</ref> The ancient Sith Lords had warred for centuries, and their common order--the New Sith Order--reflected this factionalism prior to [[Lord Kaan]]'s unification of the warring Lords into the Brotherhood of Darkness.
The Sith were an ancient species that evolved around 130,000 BBY on Korriban, there people were force sencative and were eventually united by Kind Adas, a powerful sith who fought off the Rakata, a vicious people Who wished to add the sith and Korriban to the Infinat Empie, King Adas was victorious for his people but he himself died in the war causing the sith to fracture and fight in brutal civil wars witch devastated the plant. Most, if not all the sith then moved to the nearby plant of Ziost. Many millenia later A Jedi who was discontent with with the order, Broke from the order with many other jedi, but were soon defeted, this jedi was the first dark jedi but not a sith. His action aganst the jedi came to be known as the first great Skism. Many years later, the second skism began when more jedi fell to the dark side, this led to the hundered years darkness. The jedi maneged to beat the dark siders, however, and banished them from the republic, they found there way to Korriban and Ziost, were they amased, and eventually enslaved, the sith there with there dark powers. Through a practice called sith alcemy, the Dark jedi and sith interbread and becaome 1 new species of sith, the original species was now all but etinct. By 5000 BBY the Sith had created an empire steching the outer Rim to Just outsied the republic witch then was far smaller. The Sith leader Naga Shadow, led his fellow sith into the republic to concure it but failed and the repbublic stuck the sith empire and destroed it naga shadow was in suspended animation on Yavin4 and the sith, halfbreed and purebreed sith that still ecsisted (thought in few numbers) fled to the unknown regions were they came to be known by the few that still knew they were alive as the the "True Sith" they are called "True" sith because many came after them who used the title sith and went by there practices, but had no sith blood in them. Such as Freedom Nadd, the first sith not of the species who woke Naga Shadow and learned from him befor killing him himself, as well as more jedi who turned to the dark side and started the Great sith war, although all these sith died here, the dark side religion would be reborn as jedi darth reaven and his friend malak fell to the dark side and created there own sith empire, revan was in fact going to use this empire to fight the true sith in the unknown regions but he came back to the light and desroyed malak and his empire, he then went on to fight the true sith and was never heard from again. His empie, however, was restarted by Darth Traya, former jedi who recenty fell to the dark side, she now started the order known as the sith triumirate, all of her sith, as well as herself, however, died in a war with the jedi. In 2000 BBY a new sith order had began the Brotherhood of darkness, this order was eventuall destroyed by it's leader lord kann in 1000BBY, in a desperate attempt to beat the jedi in the new sith wars. Darth bane was the only sith lord who survived and instituted the rule of two, only 2 sith at a time, no more no less, a master and an apperantice, one to embodie power, the other to crave it. This order came to be known as the order of the sith lords witch lasted for a tousand and 4 years, one master twordes the orders end Darth Sideous, used stelthy sneaking and planning to become emporor of the republic after transforming it into an empire, he found a differant sith other that his own and the true sith and made them his minnions, however, in a civil war between the empire and those who wanted to restore the republic, Darth Vader, Sideous's apprentec, turned to the light and became the jedi he wance was and killed his master, this however led to his own death. the order sideous recuted died some time befor after himself but definaly at the end of the civil war, two more sith orders would arise, the first of them would fail and die but the second once again concoured the galacy but in 140 ABY were defeated and the republic was restored

After the collapse of the Sith Empire, the Sith order again degenerated into factional conflict, culminating in the cataclysmic Battle of Ruusan (which occurred 6000 years after the empire, or 1000 years before the events of ''A New Hope''). As a result of this battle, the Brotherhood of Darkness was utterly destroyed--not by the Jedi, but by Kaan himself, via a suicidal [[List of Star Wars heavy weapons#Thought bomb|thought bomb]]. <ref>"Bane of the Sith", [[Kevin J. Anderson]], [[Star Wars Gamer]] #3 (2001)</ref>

In the battle's aftermath came the reforms of [[Darth Bane]]. From a Sith holocron left behind by [[Darth Revan]] on the [[Onderon]]ian moon of [[Dxun]], in the tomb of ancient Sith Lord [[Freedon Nadd]], Bane came to realize that the greater the Sith's numbers, the more self-destructive they tended to become (in distinct contradistinction to the Jedi, who had no problems with civil war). On the other hand, the historical pairings of [[Exar Kun]]/[[Ulic Qel-Droma]] and [[Darth Revan]]/[[Darth Malak]] proved quite effective.

Bane thus instituted the "Rule of Two" which stipulates that only two Sith Lords may exist at a time: a Master and an apprentice. The Sith apprentice only becomes the Master once his own Master dies, either by accident, natural causes, or the apprentice's own hand.<ref>''The Dark Side sourcebook'', [[Wizards of the Coast]], 1st printing, 2001. Bill Slavicsek, J. D. Wiker, ISBN 0-7869-1849-7</ref> At this point, the new Sith Master will eventually seek out his own apprentice, and the cycle begins again. (Bane's own apprentice was [[List of minor Sith characters#Zannah, Darth|Darth Zannah]].)

The Jedi Order did not know of the continued existence of the Sith until the appearance of [[Darth Maul]] in ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''. Nonetheless, Master [[Yoda]] was already aware of the Rule of Two at that time, something of which the Jedi had been informed by the Dark Jedi Kibh Jeen 156 years earlier.<ref>''The New Essential Chronology'', 2005. Daniel Wallace, ISBN 0-345-49053-3</ref>

Darth Maul was the apprentice of [[Palpatine|Darth Sidious]], who had himself been the apprentice of [[Darth Plagueis]]. After Maul's death, Sidious took the former Jedi [[Count Dooku]] as his new apprentice, giving him the name "Darth Tyranus". Sidious' plan was to use Dooku as the victim of Anakin's fall to the dark side (in the words of the ''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' novelization by [[Matthew Stover]]) and convince Anakin to join the Sith as his apprentice and heir apparent.

===Prequel trilogy===
The predations of Darth Sidious (Palpatine's Sith [[alter ego]]) and [[Darth Maul]] indicate the presence of the Sith in ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''. Meanwhile, Jedi Master [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] inadvertently meets [[Anakin Skywalker]], a nine-year-old [[slave]]; Qui-Gon soon becomes convinced that the boy is the "Chosen One" of Jedi [[prophecy]] who is [[destiny|destined]] to "restore balance to the Force".

After killing Qui-Gon, Darth Maul dies at the hands of the Jedi's apprentice [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]]. But the Sith ultimately emerge victorious; [[Palpatine]] is elected to the office of Supreme Chancellor of the [[Galactic Republic]], and sets his sights on making Anakin his new apprentice.

In ''[[Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'' former Jedi Master [[Count Dooku]] is Palpatine's new Sith apprentice and re-named as Darth Tyranus. Dooku starts the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS or the Separatists), which threatens the unstable Republic. A [[motion (law)|motion]] made in the Senate by Representative [[Jar Jar Binks]], who was sent by Senator Padme Amidala, grants the Chancellor vast [[emergency powers]] -- an idea planted in Jar Jar's head by the Chancellor himself. When the Jedi discover the threat, the [[Clone Wars (Star Wars)|Clone Wars]] begin with a battle to rescue captured Jedi on [[Geonosis]].

As depicted in the animated series ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars]]'' and a myriad of Expanded Universe novels, many Jedi lose their lives at the hands of the Separatists and their military leader, [[General Grievous]]. Throughout, the Jedi suspect that the war is part of a Sith plot to destroy the Jedi.

In ''[[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]'', they learn too late that their fears are correct; Palpatine reveals himself as Darth Sidious and manages to corrupt Anakin into becoming his apprentice. Being promised the safety of his wife, Anakin sucuumbs to the temptation and becomes Darth Vader. Leading the Republic's [[clone trooper]]s to exterminate the Jedi, under the directive of "Order 66". Sidious then turns the Republic into the tyrannical [[Galactic_Empire_(Star_Wars)|Galactic Empire]] and appoints himself Emperor for life, effectively placing the galaxy under Sith control.

===Original trilogy===
Beginning in ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'', the [[Rebel Alliance]] arises to threaten the Empire's unchallenged [[sovereignty]], and surviving Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and [[Yoda]] make plans to thwart the Sith utilizing their greatest hope, [[Luke Skywalker]], the son of Anakin, who begins his Jedi training under Kenobi. In the film's climactic battle scene, the Rebels destroy the Empire's [[Death Star]] [[superweapon]], and both Palpatine and Vader become aware of the young man's identity. Both Sith Lords hope to corrupt Luke to the dark side.

In ''[[Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi]]'', Luke, by now having nearly completed his training under Yoda, nearly succumbs to the dark side when Palpatine and Vader threaten to kill his friends in the Rebellion. He pulls away from the brink at the last minute, however, and proudly<!-- Is "proudly" a proper term to describe a [proper] Jedi's actions? --> declares his allegiance to the Jedi. The Emperor then [[torture]]s Luke with [[Force lightning]]. His son's suffering and pleas for help free Anakin Skywalker from the dark side's grip. Anakin throws his former master down the newly constructed second Death Star's reactor shaft, thus fulfilling the Jedi prophecy. While disposing of the emperor, however, Anakin subjects himself to the full force of the Emperor's lightning. Mortally wounded by the Emperor's assault, the redeemed Anakin Skywalker dies a few minutes later.

===Expanded Universe===
The ''Star Wars'' series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games flesh out the Sith as characters, providing them with an extensive [[backstory]].

====Pre-''Phantom Menace''====
The video game ''[[Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords]]'' explains that the Sith originated as an alien [[species]] on the planet [[Korriban]] several thousand years before the films' timeline. By the time depicted in the game, a handful of Jedi have defected from the Order of the Jedi to form their own group dedicated to the dark side. The Sith use the same powers as the Jedi with the exception that they also use certain powers banned by the Jedi Council.

In the comic book ''[[Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith]]'', set five thousand years before ''The Clone Wars'', the Sith rule the galaxy, calling themselves the "Sith Empire". The empire is unstable, however; its two most powerful Sith Lords, Ludo Kressh and Naga Sadow, throw the galaxy into chaos as they fight each other for supremacy. By the end of the sequel, ''[[Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire|The Fall of the Sith Empire]]'', their power struggle effectively destroys the empire from within.

In ''The Phantom Menace'', Yoda explains that the Sith exist only two at a time &mdash; one master and one apprentice, an idea which is explored in the Expanded Universe novels ''[[Darth Bane: Path of Destruction]]'' and ''[[Darth Bane: Rule of Two]]''.

These novels explain that, one thousand years before the ''Phantom Menace'', the Sith are equal to the Jedi in number, but are too focused on fighting each other for power to unite against the Jedi. [[Darth Bane|The title character]] solves that problem by exterminating the entire Order, save himself and apprentice Darth Zannah, and instituting the "Rule of Two": "Only two shall there be, a master and an apprentice: one to embody power and the other to crave it."{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Central to this rule is that the apprentice desires to one day overthrow the master, thus taking on his/her own apprentice and perpetuating the Order.

====Post-''Return of the Jedi''====
The Sith also appear in various "Expanded Universe" material set after the Empire's destruction in ''Return of the Jedi''. Palpatine reappears in the comic books ''[[Dark Empire]]'', and ''[[Empire's End]]'', and Vader's former minion [[Lumiya]] is a main antagonist in the [[Marvel Comics]] ''Star Wars'' stories and the ''[[Legacy of the Force]]'' series. In the latter, she convinces [[Jacen Solo]] to learn the ways of the Sith. Solo (who, ironically, is Anakin Skywalker's grandson) becomes the Sith Lord Darth Caedus, partly to restore the galaxy to order in light of a new [[civil war]].

In the comic book series ''[[Star Wars: Legacy]]'', set 130 years after ''Return of the Jedi'', the Sith (led by former Jedi A'Sharad Hett, now Darth Krayt) once again decimate the Jedi and take control of the galaxy. Their one opponent is Anakin and Luke Skywalker's descendant, [[Cade Skywalker|Cade]], who had previously renounced his connection to the Force.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 19:09, 11 October 2008

The Sith are a group of fictional characters in the Star Wars universe.[1] They are the central antagonists of the franchise. Characterized by their single-minded lust for power and disdain for sentient life, they are an alliance of warrior priests who use the dark side of the Force and serve as counterparts to the Jedi Knights.[2]

The Sith are portrayed in various Star Wars media as individuals who use the dark side to attain power at any cost. The Star Wars prequel films establish that they draw upon strong emotions, both negative and positive, as the source of their power, and care only about themselves. This is in contrast to the Jedi, who are portrayed as forsaking emotional attachment in order to serve others and the galaxy as a whole.

In their latter history, members of the Order receive the ceremonial title of "Darth" to signify their membership into the Order.


Film use

The first use of the word "Sith" in the Star Wars universe was in the script and novelization for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, as a title for Darth Vader, the "Dark Lord of the Sith." The word is not used in any of the original Star Wars films. The Sith are introduced on-screen with the prequel film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace), where the order is represented by Darth Sidious and Darth Maul.

Depiction

Origin

The Sith ruled over an ancient interstellar empire which flourished some 7000 years before the events in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. .[3] The ancient Sith Lords had warred for centuries, and their common order--the New Sith Order--reflected this factionalism prior to Lord Kaan's unification of the warring Lords into the Brotherhood of Darkness.

After the collapse of the Sith Empire, the Sith order again degenerated into factional conflict, culminating in the cataclysmic Battle of Ruusan (which occurred 6000 years after the empire, or 1000 years before the events of A New Hope). As a result of this battle, the Brotherhood of Darkness was utterly destroyed--not by the Jedi, but by Kaan himself, via a suicidal thought bomb. [4]

In the battle's aftermath came the reforms of Darth Bane. From a Sith holocron left behind by Darth Revan on the Onderonian moon of Dxun, in the tomb of ancient Sith Lord Freedon Nadd, Bane came to realize that the greater the Sith's numbers, the more self-destructive they tended to become (in distinct contradistinction to the Jedi, who had no problems with civil war). On the other hand, the historical pairings of Exar Kun/Ulic Qel-Droma and Darth Revan/Darth Malak proved quite effective.

Bane thus instituted the "Rule of Two" which stipulates that only two Sith Lords may exist at a time: a Master and an apprentice. The Sith apprentice only becomes the Master once his own Master dies, either by accident, natural causes, or the apprentice's own hand.[5] At this point, the new Sith Master will eventually seek out his own apprentice, and the cycle begins again. (Bane's own apprentice was Darth Zannah.)

The Jedi Order did not know of the continued existence of the Sith until the appearance of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Nonetheless, Master Yoda was already aware of the Rule of Two at that time, something of which the Jedi had been informed by the Dark Jedi Kibh Jeen 156 years earlier.[6]

Darth Maul was the apprentice of Darth Sidious, who had himself been the apprentice of Darth Plagueis. After Maul's death, Sidious took the former Jedi Count Dooku as his new apprentice, giving him the name "Darth Tyranus". Sidious' plan was to use Dooku as the victim of Anakin's fall to the dark side (in the words of the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover) and convince Anakin to join the Sith as his apprentice and heir apparent.

Prequel trilogy

The predations of Darth Sidious (Palpatine's Sith alter ego) and Darth Maul indicate the presence of the Sith in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Meanwhile, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn inadvertently meets Anakin Skywalker, a nine-year-old slave; Qui-Gon soon becomes convinced that the boy is the "Chosen One" of Jedi prophecy who is destined to "restore balance to the Force".

After killing Qui-Gon, Darth Maul dies at the hands of the Jedi's apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi. But the Sith ultimately emerge victorious; Palpatine is elected to the office of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, and sets his sights on making Anakin his new apprentice.

In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones former Jedi Master Count Dooku is Palpatine's new Sith apprentice and re-named as Darth Tyranus. Dooku starts the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS or the Separatists), which threatens the unstable Republic. A motion made in the Senate by Representative Jar Jar Binks, who was sent by Senator Padme Amidala, grants the Chancellor vast emergency powers -- an idea planted in Jar Jar's head by the Chancellor himself. When the Jedi discover the threat, the Clone Wars begin with a battle to rescue captured Jedi on Geonosis.

As depicted in the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars and a myriad of Expanded Universe novels, many Jedi lose their lives at the hands of the Separatists and their military leader, General Grievous. Throughout, the Jedi suspect that the war is part of a Sith plot to destroy the Jedi.

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, they learn too late that their fears are correct; Palpatine reveals himself as Darth Sidious and manages to corrupt Anakin into becoming his apprentice. Being promised the safety of his wife, Anakin sucuumbs to the temptation and becomes Darth Vader. Leading the Republic's clone troopers to exterminate the Jedi, under the directive of "Order 66". Sidious then turns the Republic into the tyrannical Galactic Empire and appoints himself Emperor for life, effectively placing the galaxy under Sith control.

Original trilogy

Beginning in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the Rebel Alliance arises to threaten the Empire's unchallenged sovereignty, and surviving Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda make plans to thwart the Sith utilizing their greatest hope, Luke Skywalker, the son of Anakin, who begins his Jedi training under Kenobi. In the film's climactic battle scene, the Rebels destroy the Empire's Death Star superweapon, and both Palpatine and Vader become aware of the young man's identity. Both Sith Lords hope to corrupt Luke to the dark side.

In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Luke, by now having nearly completed his training under Yoda, nearly succumbs to the dark side when Palpatine and Vader threaten to kill his friends in the Rebellion. He pulls away from the brink at the last minute, however, and proudly declares his allegiance to the Jedi. The Emperor then tortures Luke with Force lightning. His son's suffering and pleas for help free Anakin Skywalker from the dark side's grip. Anakin throws his former master down the newly constructed second Death Star's reactor shaft, thus fulfilling the Jedi prophecy. While disposing of the emperor, however, Anakin subjects himself to the full force of the Emperor's lightning. Mortally wounded by the Emperor's assault, the redeemed Anakin Skywalker dies a few minutes later.

Expanded Universe

The Star Wars series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games flesh out the Sith as characters, providing them with an extensive backstory.

Pre-Phantom Menace

The video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords explains that the Sith originated as an alien species on the planet Korriban several thousand years before the films' timeline. By the time depicted in the game, a handful of Jedi have defected from the Order of the Jedi to form their own group dedicated to the dark side. The Sith use the same powers as the Jedi with the exception that they also use certain powers banned by the Jedi Council.

In the comic book Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith, set five thousand years before The Clone Wars, the Sith rule the galaxy, calling themselves the "Sith Empire". The empire is unstable, however; its two most powerful Sith Lords, Ludo Kressh and Naga Sadow, throw the galaxy into chaos as they fight each other for supremacy. By the end of the sequel, The Fall of the Sith Empire, their power struggle effectively destroys the empire from within.

In The Phantom Menace, Yoda explains that the Sith exist only two at a time — one master and one apprentice, an idea which is explored in the Expanded Universe novels Darth Bane: Path of Destruction and Darth Bane: Rule of Two.

These novels explain that, one thousand years before the Phantom Menace, the Sith are equal to the Jedi in number, but are too focused on fighting each other for power to unite against the Jedi. The title character solves that problem by exterminating the entire Order, save himself and apprentice Darth Zannah, and instituting the "Rule of Two": "Only two shall there be, a master and an apprentice: one to embody power and the other to crave it."[citation needed] Central to this rule is that the apprentice desires to one day overthrow the master, thus taking on his/her own apprentice and perpetuating the Order.

Post-Return of the Jedi

The Sith also appear in various "Expanded Universe" material set after the Empire's destruction in Return of the Jedi. Palpatine reappears in the comic books Dark Empire, and Empire's End, and Vader's former minion Lumiya is a main antagonist in the Marvel Comics Star Wars stories and the Legacy of the Force series. In the latter, she convinces Jacen Solo to learn the ways of the Sith. Solo (who, ironically, is Anakin Skywalker's grandson) becomes the Sith Lord Darth Caedus, partly to restore the galaxy to order in light of a new civil war.

In the comic book series Star Wars: Legacy, set 130 years after Return of the Jedi, the Sith (led by former Jedi A'Sharad Hett, now Darth Krayt) once again decimate the Jedi and take control of the galaxy. Their one opponent is Anakin and Luke Skywalker's descendant, Cade, who had previously renounced his connection to the Force.

References

  1. ^ The Sith, Expanded Universe. Starwars.com, Lucasfilm. Last accessed 2007-11-25.
  2. ^ The Sith. Starwars.com, Lucasfilm. Last accessed 2007-11-25.
  3. ^ The Tales of the Jedi series.
  4. ^ "Bane of the Sith", Kevin J. Anderson, Star Wars Gamer #3 (2001)
  5. ^ The Dark Side sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st printing, 2001. Bill Slavicsek, J. D. Wiker, ISBN 0-7869-1849-7
  6. ^ The New Essential Chronology, 2005. Daniel Wallace, ISBN 0-345-49053-3

External links