10 Things You Did Not Know About Sith Mythology
The term “Sith” was first used in Alan Dean Foster’s 1976 novelization of Star Wars, as a title for Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, but was never uttered in the film itself.
It was only in 1999’s The Phantom Menace that "Sith" was first used onscreen in its proper meaning. The film, as well as Terry Brooks’ novelization, also establishes Darth Bane’s Rule of Two (see fact 9 below).
The former Expanded Universe shed quite some light on the (distant) past, but also on the future of the Sith Order after the events of the original trilogy, but current canon hasn’t dealt very much with the sworn enemies of the Jedi.
What follows are ten things, you (probably) didn’t know about the Sith, their order, and their mythology, based on works and events that have either been established after the de-canonization of the EU, or at least don’t contradict them.
1. Rogue Jedi
As in the Expanded Universe, the Sith descend from one Jedi, who, thousands of years before the Clone Wars, get tired of the traditional ways of the Order and start looking into the dark side of the Force. This leads to him being cast out from the Jedi Order. Over time, he gathers followers around him, and during a period called "The Hundred Years of Darkness," the Sith Order is formed and becomes the mortal enemy of the Jedi. While in the EU, this rogue Jedi is identified as Ajunta Pall, he hasn’t got a name yet in current canon.
2. Homeworld
Ultimately, the Jedi beat the Sith who flee into the Outer Rim and settle on a formerly fertile planet called Korriban, which is devasted during the wars. There, they build massive temples and tombs. Darth Bane is the last Sith to be buried there. Later, the planet is renamed to Moraband.
Out-of-universe, this renaming was due to George Lucas, who didn’t like the name Korriban, which had been established in the EU long before. So when Yoda had to travel to the Sith homeworld in season 6 of The Clone Wars, the planet got renamed.
3. Other Sith Worlds
Korriban/Moraband may be the homeworld of the Sith, but it is by far not the only planet where they live and build giant structures: On Malachor, they create a giant weapon that is powered by a Kyber crystal. When the Jedi learn about this, they invade the planet, and during ensuing battle, the weapon is activated, killing both Jedi and Sith.
Exegol is another Sith world from ancient times where giant shipyard forges are created, and Darth Sidious makes his return and meets his (final) death.
4. Eternal life
The Sith do not believe in a life after death, and so they do everything to preserve the physical presence. Even a life in misery and pain is regarded more valuable than the pure nothingness after death. Sith do not disregard the midi-chlorians, but instead of living with them in harmony as the Jedi do, they try to control them and bend them to their will in order to create new life or to preserve their own bodies long after their natural time. In the EU, there are many Sith Force ghosts, but George Lucas never liked the idea, so it never became canon and even led to the removal of the planned appearances of Darth Revan and Darth Bane from the Mortis trilogy in The Clone Wars.
5. Let It Bleed
The Sith way of forcing their will onto others can also be seen in the way they create the crimson crystals for their lightsabers. There are no natural red Kybers, but the Sith forge crystals with their minds until they “bleed” and turn red. This canon version is somehow different from the way red Kybers are created in the EU. This procedure involves a device where the crystal is "baked" using dark Force energies.
6. Unnatural Abilities
Sith are able to use more different Force powers than the Jedi, as they do not fear tapping into the dark side. Apart from Force choke and Force lightning, this includes Convection (turning fists into hot torches), transference (extracting the life force from an enemy and adding it to one’s own essence), or Mind Shard, a telekinetic ability that leada an enemy back to a very dark or weak space and time in their past.
7. Artifacts
As the Sith are unable to preserve their essence after death, they try to place their spirits into artifacts like helmets or statues. Trying to awaken these spirits often leads to insanity or turning into murderous beasts if one’s mind isn’t strong enough to resist the evil power.
8. A Temple On A Temple
Roughly 5,000 years before the events of the Skywalker saga, the Sith arrive on Coruscant and build a there. Later, the Jedi Temple is built on the same spot in order to prevent the dark side energy from pouring out. But still, deep in the underbelly of the Jedi temple, one might face strange and disturbing visions that stem from these dark powers.
9. Only Two There Are
In ancient times, there are thousands of Sith. But these not only fight the Jedi or conquer worlds and enslave its inhabitants, but more often than not kill each other in their greed for power. This leads to the Jedi nearly wiping the Sith out completely, until only one of them survives: Darth Bane. Bound to not make the same mistake again, he creates the Rule of Two, where only two Sith ought to be alive at any given time: a master who holds the power and an apprentice who craves it. Ultimately, the apprentice would either become stronger than the master and overthrow him or be defeated by him, and the master would then take a new apprentice. Over time, this Rule of Two is not always strictly followed. Although characters like Asajj Ventress or the Inquisitors are, strictly speaking, not Sith, they are strong dark side Force users.
10. Perverted Code
Like the Jedi, the Sith have their own code that defines their principles. But instead of selflessness, peace, and knowledge the Sith code is based on emotion, strength, and the rejection of peace:
"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."
Source(s): Screen Rant, Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side