Image Credit: Lucasfilm
The Sith are a group of dark side Force users that use brutal and manipulative means to quench their, endless, thirst for absolute power. Their eyes are often blotted yellow with a sadistic underlie. With their powerful, yet subtle, black robes, the Sith wield lightsabers with a blade that glows blood red. They hold a deep contempt and disdain for the Jedi Order that is second to none.
Although the Sith rule with an iron fist, they follow a specific code. Call it a set of rules, or guidelines, but to the Sith, these mandates are life:
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.
#25. Savage Opress
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
Savage Opress, a Sith Lord of the Dathomirian Zabrak species, the older brother of Darth Maul. Savage Opress was a part of the Nightbrothers village on his homeworld of Dathomir. This village was on the far side of the planet, and everyone who lived there [Nightbrothers village] were Force-sensitive.
After Mother Talzin put him under some dark magic, after he was put through the Selection, and after being betrayed a few different times, Savage Opress only desired one thing: find his younger brother, Darth Maul. And Opress was willing to steal anything, use anyone, or kill anyone in order to find him. With guidance from Mother Talzin, Opress found himself on Lotho Minor, where he found his long lost brother.
After he found his brother, Opress became Maul’s apprentice. But Maul made it clear that by accepting him as his apprentice, Opress was no longer to address him as brother, but as Master. Since Opress was raised in a warrior culture, he was excellent at hand-to-hand combat. In a duel, if his lightsaber was separated from him, he could still hold his own with just his fists.
Savage Opress would eventually perish at the hands of Darth Sidious.
Image Credit: Del Rey
#24. Darth Zannah
Darth Zannah was a human, female Sith Lord from the world of Somov Rit. At a young age, the Jedi recruited Zannah (known as Rain at the time) to fight for the Army of the Light. This happened during the New Sith Wars, specifically during the Ruusan campaign. During one battle, the Jedi thought she was dead after their group came under a Sith attack. She was befriended by someone called Laa, but after a short time, Laa was killed by some Jedi scouts. Filled with rage and anger, Zannah murdered the Jedi scouts.
This event got the attention of Darth Bane, who was the only remaining Sith at war’s end. Darth Bane was so pleased with her [murderous] display that he took her on as his apprentice, thus becoming Darth Zannah. The beginning of Zannah’s training was on the planet of Ambria, where Darth Bane also taught her ancient Sith magic.
Darth Zannah had exceptional lightsaber skills. With her custom-made, double-bladed lightsaber, Zannah mastered the form of [lightsaber] combat known as Soresu, which would give her the ability to create superb defensive barriers. Since she was young, Darth Zannah had such amazing control over the Force, this mixed with her Sith sorcery would cause problems for anyone. Zannah spoke of this:
“I can use my powers to conjure up your worst nightmares and bring them to life before your eyes. I can drive you mad with fear, shred your sanity, and leave you a raving lunatic for the rest of your life.”
Image Credit: Bioware and LucasArts
#23. Darth Jadus
Darth Jadus was a part of the Sith Empire in the Old Republic days. This human, male Dark Lord of the Sith was also a member of the Emperor’s Dark Council. It was said that Darth Jadus occupied the second in command spot, only behind the Emperor himself.
It seems that Jadus was destined to be a Sith from birth. He was born on the world of Dromund Kaas inside the Sith capital. It, seemingly, didn’t take Jadus long to climb the Sith ranks. During the Cold War, he gained control of the Imperial Intelligence. Not only that, but Darth Jadus also held a spot on the Sith’s Dark Council.
Darth Jadus was a rare type of Sith Lord. Although he was near the top of the Sith empire, Jadus had a lot more self-control, and patience, unlike his Sith counterparts. He seldom gave in to the passions and emotions that fueled the dark side of the Force. But that doesn’t mean he lacked any dark side abilities.
Being a true student of the dark side, Darth Jadus was a master at force choke, force lightning, force stealth, and [dark side] healing.
Image Credit: LucasArts
#22. Darth Traya
Darth Traya was a human, female Sith Lord from an unknown world. As a Sith Lord, Traya trained the likes of Darth Sion and Darth Nihilus, who were some of the most powerful Sith Lords to ever ignite a red lightsaber. But before her time as a Sith Lord, Darth Traya was known by another name: Kreia.
Kreia was a Jedi Master who trained many students in the ways of the Force. Kreia was also known for being a Jedi Historian. Her fellow Jedi viewed her teachings as strange and unusual, but no one could accuse her of never challenging her students. Kreia would ask questions, to her students, that couldn’t be answered right away, such as:
“Is a lightsaber still a lightsaber if it loses its power?”
“If a Jedi lost his (or her) Force powers, is that person still a Jedi?”
After a while, the Jedi Council rebuked Kreia and her teachings. Thus, ending her time with the Jedi Order. After going off to find herself, Kreia had an encounter with a few Sith sorcerers, and fell under one of their seductive spells, and transformed into Darth Traya, the Lord of Betrayal.
Image Credit: Del Rey
#21. Darth Lumiya
Lumiya, formerly known as Shira Elan Colla Brie, was a [human] Dark Lady of the Sith. The location and time period in which she was born, seems like she had no other choice than to become a Sith. For two reasons: she was born during the heyday of the Galactic Empire, and she was born at an Imperial Center.
Brie’s transition to the dark side of the Force started with Darth Vader. Vader began training Brie as his Shadow Hand, which was all done in total secrecy, away from the Emperor’s eyes. Despite the Emperor’s ignorance to this, he still knew who she was. He used her often as an assassin who had as trained in the ways of the Force. After her conversation to the dark side, she became Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith.
Lumiya was very strong in the Force, wielding many skills and abilities. She was also a stellar pilot. She could fly anything from X-wings, Tie fighters and even the Force-fueled, Sith Meditation Sphere. A vehicle that only took orders from the dark side of the Force. Cool, right?
Image Credit: The Tenebrous Way – Titan Magazines – Star Wars Insider
#20. Darth Tenebrous
Darth Tenebrous was a Dark Lord of the Sith. He was a male of the Bith species, and came from the lineage of Darth Bane. Tenebrous had many special skills, one of them being a well-known starship designer. Tenebrous only designed the most flashy and luxurious starships, the kind that only the most wealthy could afford.
Tenebrous was so strong in the Force, that he was able to foresee his own death, and, sometimes, the deaths of others. Including his well-known apprentice: Darth Plagueis. After he [Darth Plagueis] used the Force to call boulders of rock onto his Master, and just as his body was dying, Tenebrous entered Plagueis’ body, into his cells. By doing this, Tenebrous hacked into Plagueis’ ability of foresight. He witnessed and experienced the death of his, former, apprentice: Darth Plagueis.
This Sith Lord was superb with a lightsaber, something that he wanted his apprentice, Darth Venamis, to take very seriously. Unlike many Sith Lords before him, Tenebrous didn’t find it necessary to use Sith sorcery. Instead, he totally engrossed himself in Bith science (see maxi-chlorians).
Image Credit: Lucsafilm
#19. Darth Maul
Full disclosure: I didn’t want to put Darth Maul this low on the list, he’s, one of, my all-time favorites. But I couldn’t justify putting him any higher. Darth Maul was a male of the Dathomirian Zabrak species. He was the son of Mother Talzin, a Force-sensitive witch. Darth Maul was, essentially, kidnapped by Darth Sidious. After he [Sidious] no longer wanted Mother Talzin has his apprentice.
Shortly after he killed Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul was cut in half by Jinn’s apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Everyone thought that would be the last of Maul, but it wasn’t. Somehow he survived, and ended up living underground on the junkyard planet, Lotho Minor. Maul was found by his younger brother, Opress, and finally seek revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Make sure to check out the book Star Wars: The Wrath of Darth Maul. It tells the full story of Maul very beautifully.
Image Credit: Bioware and LucasArts
#18. Naga Sadow
Naga Sadow was a Dark Lord of the Sith during the Old Republic era. He was a half-breed species of Human and Sith. In his time, Sadow was a force to be reckoned with. He nearly got the Sith Empire to a point of total domination of the galaxy.
Sadow was a master at Sith alchemy. He was able to turn the living into brutal beasts, agents of death. He was also able his gift of alchemy to cause supernovas. Along with his ability of alchemy, Sadow was excellent at creating illusions, he would create these illusions in his Sith meditation sphere.
This Dark Lord of the Sith was known for being a great strategist. In true Sith like fashion, Sadow would wait until his enemy was at his weakest, and then strike. He wasn’t so much known for his skills with a lightsaber, but he was still able to be extremely effective with it.
IMage Credit: Del Rey
#17. Darth Caedus
Before being known as Darth Caedus, he was known as Jacen Solo, the son of Han and Leia Solo. Caedus was, at one point, training to become a Jedi. Jacen Solo questioned many things in his life, like his proper place in the Force. He was always seeking out the “greater good,” and wanted peace throughout the galaxy.
Solo and another Jedi encountered the Dark Lady of the Sith, Lumiya, in a cave. Shortly after their initial encounter, Solo killed the Jedi. Though he had done this reluctantly. Darth Lumiya would become his master, and he would become Darth Caedus.
Caedus was a powerful Sith Lord with many abilities, including: superb lightsaber skills, Theran Force-listening, weather prediction, and memory rub. But with all these abilities, Caedus would meet his end while he was in a lightsaber duel with his twin sister, Jaina Solo.
Image Credit: Chronicle Books
#16. Sorzus Syn
Sorzus Syn was a female Sith Lord during the Old Republic era. But after the Jedi Council didn’t allow her, and others, to study the dark side of the Force, they left. Thus, becoming Dark Jedi. A war started shortly after, it was called the Hundred-Year Darkness. In this newly formed empire, Syn became one of the top commanders.
Sorzus Syn was hell bent on exploring everything about the dark side. The Dark Jedi mapped out every Sith world, and landing. They made their home on the world of Ziost, and formed a Sith Council. Syn became obsessed with Sith alchemy. So much in fact, that she found a way to crossbreed Sith, and her own humanoid species, both species had very similar blood. All of this was possible through alchemy.
Syn, and the other Dark Jedi, were eventually defeated. They were forced onto a ship, and disappeared into exile.
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
#15. Count Dooku
Count Dooku was a Sith Lord during the Clone Wars. He was a former Jedi Master, and left the Jedi Order. Dooku’s departure was caused by disillusioned government corruption, and some say, caused by the death of his former apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn.
After leaving the Jedi Order, Dooku became an apprentice to Darth Sidious. Thus, taking on the name Darth Tyranus. Along with General Grievous, Count Dooku was the driving force behind the Separate Alliance, turning world after world against the Republic. Dooku also had a hand in the creation of the clone troopers.
Among with many other many skills, and Force abilities, Dooku was a superb lightsaber duelist. When he was with the Jedi Order, Dooku was one of the finest lightsaber duelists. He was also a master at telekinesis and Force grip. Since he was so strong in the Force, Dooku also mastered the art of Force lightning, and he was able to use it two different ways: as a means of torture, and execution.
Image Credit: Del Rey
#14. Darth Sion
There were many on this list that I learned about for the first time. Many of them have been added to my list of favorite Sith Lords, Darth Sion is one of those Sith.
Darth Sion, also known as the Lord of Pain, was a Sith Lord who lived during the Old Republic era. During this time, Darth Sion fought alongside Exar Kun in the Great Sith War. Sion had a deep desire to see the Sith be the most dominant force in the galaxy. He would put his effort into the newest rise of the Sith, the next Sith Empire. This, next, Sith Empire was pioneered by Darth Malak, and Darth Revan. After Malak and Revan fell by the wayside, Sion would join up with Darth Traya and Darth Nihilus. All three formed the new Sith empire, Sith Triumvirate.
By summoning his anger, rage and hate, Sion defied death many times. For proof of that, look no further than his decomposing body, which was held together by Sion’s deep connection with the dark side of the Force. Sion fed upon his pain to live, and everyone knew this. That’s why he had the alias the Lord of Pain. Darth Sion had many other Force abilities, including: Force drain, Force immunity, Force rage, Force slow, Force won and Force whirlwind. On top of that, any fear-based Force attacks bounced right off him.
Image Credit: LucasArts
#13. Darth Malak
Darth Malak was a Dark Lord of the Sith during the Old Republic era. Before he was a Sith Lord, Malak went to the Jedi Order to be taught the ways of the Force. But during that time, he wasn’t known as Malak, he was known as Squint. After he became a Jedi Knight, Malak and other Jedi, fled the Jedi Order. Eventually, Malak and Revan became Sith Lords.
Since his jaw was sliced off by his Sith Master, Darth Revan, Malak wore a metal shield that covered the lower half of his face. He was able to speak, but not very clearly. His speech sounded muffled, and robotic. But none of this hindered Malak’s abilities. Malak was extremely skilled with a lightsaber, fighting with a single-bladed lightsaber, Malak’s style of fighting was that of a great beast. Tough, quick and unrelenting. Like many Sith Lords, Darth Malak would channel his anger, rage and hatred into speed, strength and ferocity.
Image Credit: Dark Horse Comics
#12. Darth Andeddu
Darth Andeddu was a Dark Lord of the Sith during the Old Republic era, Rise of the Empire era and the Legacy era. He also known as Immortal God-King of Prakith. Many claim that this God-King was the forebear of the “Darth” title. Darth Andeddu didn’t have many friends, he was always paranoid and fearful that other Sith wanted to steal his vast collection of Sith lore.
He was eventually overthrown by his followers, and forced from the planet of Korriban, where he ruled for centuries. Before his physical body died, Darth Andeddu put all of his wisdom into a Holocron. All of his wisdom including a rare secret: the ability to cheat death by transferring one’s spirit into another living host.
Lord Andeddu also had other abilities at his disposal: telekinesis, Force lightning and illusions.
Image Credit: Bioware and LucasArts
#11. Darth Acharon
Darth Acharon was a Sith Lord of the resurgent Sith Empire. Like many Sith Lords, Acharon was a brute force who had little time for incompetence. Acharon served on the Dark Council during the Cold War with the Galactic Republic. Acharon was in charge of the Sphere of Biotic Science, which was one of the twelve Spheres of Influence within the Empire. This division studied medical science and physical enhancement.
Like all Sith Lords, Acharon wasn’t a very nice guy. He had a zero-tolerance policy for all who worked under him. It’s been reported that he, personally, executed over two-hundred employees. Any form of incompetence was met with death.
Being suited with cybernetic implants, Darth Acharon was stellar in lightsaber combat and Force ability.
Image Credit: Bioware and LucasArts
#10. Darth Malgus
Darth Malgus was a Sith Lord during the Great Galactic War. As a boy, Malgus was sent to the Sith Academy to learn the ways of the dark side. He would eventually become a fierce, frontline warrior. Although fierce, Malgus had a personality different from other Sith. He would build relationships with different alien species, having them do his bidding.
This fierce Sith Lord even had an alien wife. Their relationship was private and never to be spoken of in public. He feared that his enemies would use this as a way to exploit him.
Although Darth Malgus was married, that didn’t stop him from having a reputation of terror. This was always proved in his lightsaber combat. In which, he was ranked among the best. Malgus also mastered the abilities of Force lightning, Force speed and Force maelstrom.
Image Credit: Chronical Books
#9. Freedon Nadd
Freedon Nadd was a Sith Lord during the Old Republic era. Nadd was once a Jedi prodigy, but he eventually fell to the dark side of the Force. Nadd learned everything there is to know about the dark side from his Master, Naga Sadow.
This Sith Lord met his end quicker than most. While he and his forces were on the world of Onderon, they were met by a team of Knights and defeated. Although Nadd’s physical body died, his spirit stuck around for a long time. As a spirit, he was able to seduce a Jedi apprentice to the dark side of the force, this Jedi was Exar Kun.
Freedon Nadd would take the lives of countless Jedi with his single-bladed bronze lightsaber. His abilities in the dark side were deep and wide. Even after his physical body died, the world of Onderon would feel the presence of the dark side for centuries.
Image Credit: LucasArts
#8. Marka Ragnos
Marka Ragnos was one of the Sith Lord “OGs.” He was born way before 5100 BBY, and lived during the time of the first Sith Empire. His descendants paved the Sith Lord path for him, as they were Dark Jedi who left the Republic after the Hundred-Year Darkness.
Marka Ragnos was a formidable Sith warrior, and considered a great Dark Lord of the Sith for his age. He protected what was his like a female Lion protects her cubs, with unrelenting force. Ragnos was very respected and wise. Even after his death, his spirit lived on. Overseeing many battles between other Sith Lords that wanted to take his throne.
Ragnos was considered to be among the most powerful Sith Lords in Sith history. Not only was he a master in lightsaber duels, he was also a master in duels with his Sith sword. It only had a single metal blade, but it was made nearly unstoppable when Ragnos paired with some Sith sorcery.
Image Credit: LucasArts
#7. Darth Nihilus
Darth Nihilus, this Sith Lord is one of my favorites. After almost dying, Nihilus started to crave Force energy. That’s when he met his, future, Sith Master, Darth Traya. He would accept Traya’s offer of apprenticeship and become one of the most powerful Sith Lords of all-time.
Nihilus once had a human face, and black hair, but that grew to disappear as he went further and further into the dark side. This Sith Lord was very committed to lightsaber combat. His fighting style would take so much out of him that he would have to rely on Force energy for strength during a duel.
Darth Nihilus eventually became a threat to all life, everywhere. He was attracted to planets that had Force-sensitives. His reach in the Force was so strong that he could reach out to Force-sensitive planets and kill everyone on that planet. Draining life from every living thing. This hunger for power controlled him, not the other way around.
Image Credit: LucasArts
#6. Darth Revan
Darth Revan was once a well-respected Jedi, until him and Darth Malak were seduced to the dark side of the Force by the Emperor. New Sith Lords, Darth Revan and Darth Malak left Dormund Kaas, servants to the Emperor. Revan dove deeper and deeper into the dark side when he found the tomb of Sith Lord Tulak Hord. He also recovered a Star Map from the tomb of Sith Lord Naga Sadow.
After he became a Sith Lord, Revan became a user of Force lightning. During a duel, his power in the dark side could become so strong that it would cause a Force storm. Revan was also able to use the Force to slow the bodies and minds of his enemies, feasting on their energies to replenish his own.
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
#5. Darth Vader
We all know this story. But if you don’t know it, I’ll break it down for you. Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, was a Sith Lord during the Galactic Empire era. But before that, he was born with a higher midi-chlorian count than Yoda. It was said that he would come to bring balance to the Force. Well, he did.
After nearly becoming a Jedi Master, Anakin turned on the Jedi Order and committed himself to the dark side of the Force. Thus, becoming Darth Vader. Although he was frustrated with the Order, that’s not what made him turn to the dark side. Chancellor Palpatine promised that he [Anakin] could save people from certain death, but this power couldn’t be taught to him by any Jedi. Anakin could only learn this power from the dark side of the Force. In a moment of fear, worry and weakness, Anakin cut off the hand of Mace Windu as he [Mace Windu] attempted to kill Palpatine.
As a Jedi, Darth Vader didn’t take lightsaber training too seriously, but that changed over time. Vader would become a master at lightsaber combat Form V and Form IV. Although he was still excellent at lightsaber combat, Vader was more known for his Force abilities, which included: Force choke, telekinesis, and Force-enhanced jumps. When Vader was on the world of Cymoon 1, he used the Force to stop an AT-AT from crushing him.
Image Credit: Del Rey
#4. Darth Bane
Darth Bane was one of the most powerful Sith Lords of all-time. He was the only Sith to survive the Sith-Jedi War. But this wasn’t Bane’s biggest accomplishment. Darth Bane laid the groundwork for the Sith that would last for over a thousand-years.
Darth Bane was the author of the Rule of Two. Bane felt the need to establish this Rule because his fellow Sith Lords kept killing each over their lust for power. He became convinced that the Sith actions would lead to their own undoing. The Rule of Two states: only two Sith Lords could exist at any given time. A master to hold the power, and an apprentice to crave it.
But the Rule of Two didn’t last as long as Bane hoped. The redeem Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker ended the Rule by defeating Darth Sidious, which also ended the life of Skywalker himself. The Rule of Two had many benefits and many flaws, and this was one of them.
Image Credit: LucasArts
#3. Darth Vitiate (The Sith Emperor)
Vitiate was a Dark Lord of the Sith who rebuilt the Sith Empire, which was destroyed in the Great Hyperspace War. When you look at him, Vitiate doesn’t look like one of the most powerful Sith Lords of all-time, but he was. The Emperor was the embodiment of everything the Sith was.
As a child, Vitiate felt no affection towards any of his family. He ended up killing his mother, stepfather and birth father without hesitation, without mercy. His powers went into hyperdrive from this point on. He realized how much his hate, anger, rage and pain fueled him, he took this and ran with it. Not only did he feed of his own internal feelings of hate, but he also fed off of others pain and suffering.
The Sith Emperor had immense power in the Force. He mastered the ability of transfer presence, in which, even after his physical body died, he could continue living on in another being’s body. His goal was to live and rule forever.
Image Credit: Del Rey
#2. Darth Plagueis
Darth Plagueis is my favorite Sith Lord of all-time. This Sith Lord of the Munn species, became so obsessed with the study of midi-chlorian manipulation that he wouldn’t eat or sleep for weeks. This dedication to his work would eventually pay off in a big way.
Plagueis only had one apprentice: Darth Sidious. Plagueis and his apprentice worked tirelessly at trying to crack the secret to immortality. They also came up with a plan to destroy the Galactic Republic with their new Sith Empire. Plagueis taught Sidious everything he knew, including the ability to blend in, to be “hidden in plain sight.” Before he met Sidious, Darth Plagueis was a businessman and somewhat of a politician.
Sidious took on his first apprentice in Maul, and he eventually realized that he no longer had any use for his Master. Obeying the Rule of Two, Sidious killed Darth Plagueis in his sleep.
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
#1. Darth Sidious
Before he was known as Darth Sidious, he was known as Sheev Palpatine, born to a wealthy family on the mid-rim world of Naboo. He realized his curiosity in the dark side at a very early age. He eventually met his, future, Master Darth Plagueis at some point in his teenage years. Under the tutelage of his Master, Sidious learned how to blend in with “normal” people, to be “hidden in plain sight.” This plan of attack started with Plagueis. Plagueis wasn’t interested in the old ways of the Sith, which would try to dominate with just sheer, brute force, without having any sort of real plan behind it. Darth Sidious took this very seriously.
I was never much of a Sidious fan until I dove deeper and realized how much of a genius he was. From Episode I to Episode III, Darth Sidious executed everything perfectly. Including the manipulation and plan to convert Anakin to the dark side. I don’t have any proof to back this up, but I believe that all of the nightmares Anakin had were initiated by Sidious. I also believe that Sidious set up the death of Anakin’s mother. All a part of his plan to lure Anakin to the dark side.
Aside from being a great manipulator, he was extremely powerful in the Force. Sidious was a master at Force lightning, telekinesis and Force persuade. He was also an expert in Sith tongue, an ancient language used among the Sith.
We want to hear from you: Where would you rank your favorite Sith Lord? Did we leave someone off the list? Let’s discuss in the comments below and on social media.
H/T – StarWarsWiki, StarWars.com