More Than The Skywalker Saga: Origins Of The Sith
Image Source: IGN
Here is your latest installment of More Than the Skywalker Saga, where we look at some unexplored corners of the Star Wars universe that could easily be adapted into a movie or series. So far, we have looked at the reasons for wanting to write this series in light of Disney’s vision when it comes to producing content set in the Star Wars Universe. We’ve also examined the discovery of the Force as well as the origins of the Jedi, so it only makes sense that we now turn to the origins of the Sith.
So far, the current canon under Disney has left the origins of the Sith relatively unexplored. However, the Legends universe has a much clearer picture. There are two components when it comes to what the Sith are. Firstly, they were an alien species that existed 100000 years before the battle of Yavin. They were a red-skinned species that lived on the planet of Korriban for tens of thousands of years, building up a small empire which eventually invaded by the Rakata of the Infinite Empire.
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However, the Sith were able to reclaim their planet and reach new ones thanks to the newly hijacked ships. Unfortunately, in the wake of this war, the Sith species was thrown into two consecutive civil wars, which destroyed most of their major cities and resulted in them departing for Ziost while Korriban was left as a tomb world for their fallen leaders. It also likely lead to a regression of the Sith to a more primitive culture.
The second component in the creation of the Sith comes from the Jedi Order. Around 7000 BBY, a group of Jedi began looking at alternative uses for the Force. They discovered that they could alter or create life with the Force and thus were the first users of Sith alchemy. The rest of the Jedi order didn’t approve of their practices and expelled them from the Jedi Order, becoming known as the Dark Jedi. This led to the conflict known as the Hundred-Year Darkness, which saw the creation of many alchemically-altered soldiers and beasts.
Image Source: Screen Rant
Despite these new creations, the Dark Jedi were ultimately defeated, and they were sent out on a transport ship to think about the error of their ways. The transport ship ended up over Korriban, where they met the primitive Sith. With their knowledge and abilities of the Dark Side, they quickly worked their way into positions of authority. As time passed, the Dark Jedi and Sith interbred, becoming one species with knowledge of the Force. The Sith multiplied and advanced without a second thought from the Republic or the Jedi Order since the Dark Jedi had faded from memory until one of the leading Sith who held an expansionist view enacted a plan which overcame the protectionist faction of the Sith, eventually leading to an invasion which began the Great Hyperspace War.
This origin is more drawn out, and there are a few options for adapting this to live-action media. One of the most obvious to me would be the Sith race coming out of their civil war into the arrival date of the Dark Jedi. They could begin by presenting the Sith people from the point of view of the common person who didn’t want to be involved in the civil war. It would be a great chance to draw a parallel to the real world and show how devastating the effects can be and how damaging it is to a nation as a whole. There would be flashbacks that showed the culture and a pre-war culture, as well as the people struggling to reclaim their identity. Our protagonist can be a community organizer type that is trying to make things better.
Image Source: Star Wars Latin America
Once established, the Dark Jedi would arrive and appear to have pure intentions. Our protagonists would get taken in as they were rising in political power. Between the Dark Jedi’s advice and the reality of politics, we would see the protagonist slowly compromise their morals, eventually being the one that helps the Dark Jedi take control. It would serve as commentary on how foreign powers and corporations take advantage of struggling nations trying to get back on their feet and show how easily corruption can be bred in these environments. The other idea would be a political thriller in a Game of Thrones way that essentially goes over the plot, giving the expansionists control and essentially beginning the Hyperspace War. This could also lead to a sequel about the Hyperspace War, which will be explored in more detail in the next installment.
Once again, we see a compelling story that would explore more of the Star Wars universe and change the genre while providing a strong social narrative. Stay tuned for the next installment!
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