Sith

The Sith are the main antagonists of the original and prequel trilogies of the Star Wars universe. They are depicted as an ancient monastic and academic kraterocratic organization whose origin date back to c. 1,000 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin; the destruction of the first Death Star).

The Sith Order mostly consists of those characterized by their desire to seize power through physical or supernatural force, social maneuvering and political cunning. The Sith are the primary wielders of the dark side of the Force, and are thus usually considered antithetical to the Jedi.

Within the space opera setting of Star Wars, the Sith are an affiliation of warriors who cultivate a legacy of forbidden martial arts in pursuit of individual power, and galactic domination. Their schemes are key to the overarching plot of the Star Wars films and much other fictional material in the franchise. Frequently opposed by their ancient forebears, the Jedi, the Sith have also been stymied at crucial junctures by internal frictions. The notion that the Sith’s cruel philosophy is ultimately self-defeating on both a personal and institutional level is a running theme within Star Wars media.

Individual Sith are characterized by their lust for power and their desire to destroy the Jedi Order, a philosophically and politically opposed organization of altruistic warriors who seek to use their own special abilities to advance the common welfare. The Sith philosophy lionizes greed, lust and the attainment of power regardless of the cost to others. Both Sith and Jedi alike may draw on the Force to achieve a variety of superhuman feats. However, the Sith use these powers for their benefit alone, often to manipulate and destroy others. The Sith are key villains within the Star Wars universe, and are enslaved to their own self-serving desires; amoral, sadistic, vindictive, violent and ultimately self-destructive.

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