| Sith Philosophy |
Every Star Wars fans knows the difference between the Jedi and the Sith. Jedi represent all that is
good, righteous, and just. While the Sith represent all that is corrupt, vile, and malevolent. They are
two sides of the same coin. Light and Dark. Good and Evil. Right and Wrong. Yin and Yang.
That's a convenient and overly simplistic explanation. Yes, the Sith were the "villains" in Star Wars, but
why were they villains? What made them so bad? When it comes right down to it, the Sith were villains
merely by virtue of opposing the heroes - the Jedi. So, in order to determine who the Sith were, we
must first identify what it meant to be a Jedi.
According to Wikpedia, the Jedi code reads as follows:
Conversely, the Sith code, again according to Wikpedia, reads as follows:
Take a moment to read these two opposing codes and let sink in what they are truly saying. The Jedi
exist in a world devoid of not only emotion, but humanity. Compassion, caring, love...these are all
emotions. Jedi deny their very existence. How can that be a force for good?
Sure, it could be argued that hate is a terrible emotion. A great many terrible things have occurred in
the world due to hatred. No one can deny that. However, an equally great number of terrible things
have been thwarted precisely because of the negative emotions they aroused in us. Communism, the
idea that others should reap the benefits of my hard work (a true travesty of sensibility) was
vanquished because we were afraid. And as you probably have heard, "fear is the path to the dark
side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
Fortunately, the Jedi fail to uphold their own lofty and misguided ideals. They passionately believe the
"will of the force." The remain ignorant of events occurring right in front of them. They wrongfully
define chaos as the absence of harmony. The Jedi refuse to adapt to the changing, dynamic, and
chaotic universe in which they exist. They suffer from emotional attachment to many things (the
republic, the senate, the Jedi order itself) and that attachment blinds them to their own inadequacy. In
that regard they are like many of the institutions that plague our current world.
The Sith, by comparison, embrace their humanity. They revel in emotion. Sure they see it as a means to
an end, but at least they have feelings. Sith are goal orientated, motivated, and ambitious self-starters.
Pull out your last cover letter and read it. You spend a few paragraphs trying to convince your
prospective employer that you were, in fact, perfectly qualified to be the next Dark Lord of the Sith.
You see, the world is not as dualistic as the Jedi would have us believe. Emotions are not the problem
with the world. Ignorance, while annoying, is not always dangerous. Passion is not always a crime.
Chaos is not always undesirable. And death should not always be accepted. It's obvious that the Jedi
were not only ignorant of current events, but also about human nature. Is it really any wonder why they
misunderstood their own prophesy?
Anakin was the chosen one who was supposed to bring balance to the force. Well, he did just that. Not
only did he vanquish the high and mighty Jedi order, but he ultimately was responsible for the downfall
of the Sith Lord Sidious as well. Yet despite all their much lauded power and wisdom, the council of
masters failed to comprehend that balancing the force would necessitate the removal of the stagnant
Jedi hierarchy.
People have said that Star Wars is an epic tale of good verses evil. I disagree. Star Wars is an epic
tale, but the battle is much more sublime than most people imagine. The reason Star Wars has become
a cultural icon is because we identify with the characters...or at least we did until Greedo shot first.
Whose dumb ass idea was that? The characters in this movie seem real because they have real
emotions, real troubles, and real reactions to those troubles.
We cheer for Han because we've been there since the end of his mercenary days on Tatooine to
becoming a hero of the rebellion. Han wasn't a two dimensional cookie cutter good guy (until Greedo
shot first). He was a greedy, heartless, prick who was only looking out for himself and his pet carpet.
He didn't want to be a hero, but he became one anyway. It wasn't by birth or design. Instead Han was a
victim of circumstance.
Likewise Anakin (and therefore Darth Vader) is a character we can all relate to. He was born a slave.
He was won by Qui-Gon and set "free" to become a Jedi. That in itself is a tragedy. This young child
ends up trading one master for another. (At least Watto had the capacity to care about the boy.) As
young Anakin grows he is transformed from an obnoxious little kid who says "woo hoo" entirely too
much to a free spirited and rebellious youth.
Like most people coming into their own, Anakin tested his boundaries. His hormones naturally caused
changes in his physical and emotional states. And, unlike you or I who may have had adults around who
understood, Anakin was surrounded by people who truly believed a Jedi should be above such things.
To add fuel to an already dangerous fire, Anakin knew he was supposed to be some kind of Jedi
Messiah. He was the best pilot in the galaxy, a brilliant swordsmen, an ace mechanic, and stronger in
the force than many of the masters. Sure, you could argue that point if you wanted to, but Darth Vader
did kill the Jedi and ultimately the Emperor.
Ironically, it was love, arguably one of the more noble emotions, that marked Anakin's descent into
darkness. Most people think the slaughter of the Tuskin Raiders marked the beginning of Anakin's fall.
Anakin began on the path to the dark side almost as soon as he came on the screen. From the moment
we first met the young boy in Watto's junkyard he was a creature of passion. He raced with a lot of
heart. He truly enjoyed building & repairing things. He clearly possessed an indomitable spirit. Anakin
was not a cool & stoically detached Jedi - Anakin was a human being.
Matters became complicated in Episode II when Padme returned to Coruscant. It's obvious that Anakin
has deep feelings for Padme. For some reason Obi-Wan has no idea these emotions exist. Yoda, who
can "feel" the deaths of the Tuskin Raiders fails to see his love for Padme an emotion so strong that
the entire republic falls in order for Anakin to have a chance to protect the object of his affection.
Don't believe me? Watch Episode III another time or two.
Anakin's path to the dark side did not begin with fear, anger hatred, or suffering. It began with love.
Yes, he was afraid of Padmé dying, but that fear was born of love. For all his wisdom, Yoda seems to
have missed the first step on the path to the dark side. Fear may lead from anger to hatred, from
hatred to to anger, and ultimately to the Dark Side. But it was love that led Anakin Skywalker to fear. It
was love that led him to anger, to hate, and to suffering.
Whether or not Palpatine "tricked" Anakin is a matter for debate. I'm sure the "Jedi" among us would
sleep better believing that Palpatine ultimately had no plans to help young Skywalker save his wife and
unborn child. However, we have no reason to doubt the stories of Darth Plagus and his powers. And
even if we did, we could not deny the fact that all of this could have been avoided if even one of the
Jedi would have used their much lauded insight to sense the emotions that played across Anakin's face
like a movie.
Certainly, no one will argue that the slaughter of "innocents" is a good and just cause, but can anyone
really argue that emotion is wrong or evil? If not, can the Sith really be considered evil? Sure, they
have committed evil acts, but are they more evil than removing a child from a loving home? Are they
more evil than denying love? Is it more evil than leading an army to crush a force of people who merely
wants independence from an oppressive government?
That's something the Jedi lack - perspective. They fail to acknowledge that individuals are "evil" as
opposed to actions or emotions. After all, it was one of their number who ordered the creation of the
Grand Army. It was the Jedi who served as generals of that Grand Army of the Republic. By their
actions the rebellion was originally crushed.
The Jedi were instrumental in the formation of the Empire. Probably more so that even the above
information would indicate. I think Mace Windu summed up the failures of the Jedi quit succinctly when
he was discussing what would happen if Palpatine refused to give up his emergency powers. "The Jedi
Council would have to take control of the Senate in order to secure a peaceful transition."
The republic was doomed. Freedom was dead. The question was not would there be an Empire, but
rather who would rule it - the inhuman Jedi who strive to suppress things like love or the ambitious
Sith.
good, righteous, and just. While the Sith represent all that is corrupt, vile, and malevolent. They are
two sides of the same coin. Light and Dark. Good and Evil. Right and Wrong. Yin and Yang.
That's a convenient and overly simplistic explanation. Yes, the Sith were the "villains" in Star Wars, but
why were they villains? What made them so bad? When it comes right down to it, the Sith were villains
merely by virtue of opposing the heroes - the Jedi. So, in order to determine who the Sith were, we
must first identify what it meant to be a Jedi.
According to Wikpedia, the Jedi code reads as follows:
There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no chaos; there is harmony.
There is no death; there is the Force.
Conversely, the Sith code, again according to Wikpedia, reads as follows:
- 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.
Take a moment to read these two opposing codes and let sink in what they are truly saying. The Jedi
exist in a world devoid of not only emotion, but humanity. Compassion, caring, love...these are all
emotions. Jedi deny their very existence. How can that be a force for good?
Sure, it could be argued that hate is a terrible emotion. A great many terrible things have occurred in
the world due to hatred. No one can deny that. However, an equally great number of terrible things
have been thwarted precisely because of the negative emotions they aroused in us. Communism, the
idea that others should reap the benefits of my hard work (a true travesty of sensibility) was
vanquished because we were afraid. And as you probably have heard, "fear is the path to the dark
side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
Fortunately, the Jedi fail to uphold their own lofty and misguided ideals. They passionately believe the
"will of the force." The remain ignorant of events occurring right in front of them. They wrongfully
define chaos as the absence of harmony. The Jedi refuse to adapt to the changing, dynamic, and
chaotic universe in which they exist. They suffer from emotional attachment to many things (the
republic, the senate, the Jedi order itself) and that attachment blinds them to their own inadequacy. In
that regard they are like many of the institutions that plague our current world.
The Sith, by comparison, embrace their humanity. They revel in emotion. Sure they see it as a means to
an end, but at least they have feelings. Sith are goal orientated, motivated, and ambitious self-starters.
Pull out your last cover letter and read it. You spend a few paragraphs trying to convince your
prospective employer that you were, in fact, perfectly qualified to be the next Dark Lord of the Sith.
You see, the world is not as dualistic as the Jedi would have us believe. Emotions are not the problem
with the world. Ignorance, while annoying, is not always dangerous. Passion is not always a crime.
Chaos is not always undesirable. And death should not always be accepted. It's obvious that the Jedi
were not only ignorant of current events, but also about human nature. Is it really any wonder why they
misunderstood their own prophesy?
Anakin was the chosen one who was supposed to bring balance to the force. Well, he did just that. Not
only did he vanquish the high and mighty Jedi order, but he ultimately was responsible for the downfall
of the Sith Lord Sidious as well. Yet despite all their much lauded power and wisdom, the council of
masters failed to comprehend that balancing the force would necessitate the removal of the stagnant
Jedi hierarchy.
People have said that Star Wars is an epic tale of good verses evil. I disagree. Star Wars is an epic
tale, but the battle is much more sublime than most people imagine. The reason Star Wars has become
a cultural icon is because we identify with the characters...or at least we did until Greedo shot first.
Whose dumb ass idea was that? The characters in this movie seem real because they have real
emotions, real troubles, and real reactions to those troubles.
We cheer for Han because we've been there since the end of his mercenary days on Tatooine to
becoming a hero of the rebellion. Han wasn't a two dimensional cookie cutter good guy (until Greedo
shot first). He was a greedy, heartless, prick who was only looking out for himself and his pet carpet.
He didn't want to be a hero, but he became one anyway. It wasn't by birth or design. Instead Han was a
victim of circumstance.
Likewise Anakin (and therefore Darth Vader) is a character we can all relate to. He was born a slave.
He was won by Qui-Gon and set "free" to become a Jedi. That in itself is a tragedy. This young child
ends up trading one master for another. (At least Watto had the capacity to care about the boy.) As
young Anakin grows he is transformed from an obnoxious little kid who says "woo hoo" entirely too
much to a free spirited and rebellious youth.
Like most people coming into their own, Anakin tested his boundaries. His hormones naturally caused
changes in his physical and emotional states. And, unlike you or I who may have had adults around who
understood, Anakin was surrounded by people who truly believed a Jedi should be above such things.
To add fuel to an already dangerous fire, Anakin knew he was supposed to be some kind of Jedi
Messiah. He was the best pilot in the galaxy, a brilliant swordsmen, an ace mechanic, and stronger in
the force than many of the masters. Sure, you could argue that point if you wanted to, but Darth Vader
did kill the Jedi and ultimately the Emperor.
Ironically, it was love, arguably one of the more noble emotions, that marked Anakin's descent into
darkness. Most people think the slaughter of the Tuskin Raiders marked the beginning of Anakin's fall.
Anakin began on the path to the dark side almost as soon as he came on the screen. From the moment
we first met the young boy in Watto's junkyard he was a creature of passion. He raced with a lot of
heart. He truly enjoyed building & repairing things. He clearly possessed an indomitable spirit. Anakin
was not a cool & stoically detached Jedi - Anakin was a human being.
Matters became complicated in Episode II when Padme returned to Coruscant. It's obvious that Anakin
has deep feelings for Padme. For some reason Obi-Wan has no idea these emotions exist. Yoda, who
can "feel" the deaths of the Tuskin Raiders fails to see his love for Padme an emotion so strong that
the entire republic falls in order for Anakin to have a chance to protect the object of his affection.
Don't believe me? Watch Episode III another time or two.
Anakin's path to the dark side did not begin with fear, anger hatred, or suffering. It began with love.
Yes, he was afraid of Padmé dying, but that fear was born of love. For all his wisdom, Yoda seems to
have missed the first step on the path to the dark side. Fear may lead from anger to hatred, from
hatred to to anger, and ultimately to the Dark Side. But it was love that led Anakin Skywalker to fear. It
was love that led him to anger, to hate, and to suffering.
Whether or not Palpatine "tricked" Anakin is a matter for debate. I'm sure the "Jedi" among us would
sleep better believing that Palpatine ultimately had no plans to help young Skywalker save his wife and
unborn child. However, we have no reason to doubt the stories of Darth Plagus and his powers. And
even if we did, we could not deny the fact that all of this could have been avoided if even one of the
Jedi would have used their much lauded insight to sense the emotions that played across Anakin's face
like a movie.
Certainly, no one will argue that the slaughter of "innocents" is a good and just cause, but can anyone
really argue that emotion is wrong or evil? If not, can the Sith really be considered evil? Sure, they
have committed evil acts, but are they more evil than removing a child from a loving home? Are they
more evil than denying love? Is it more evil than leading an army to crush a force of people who merely
wants independence from an oppressive government?
That's something the Jedi lack - perspective. They fail to acknowledge that individuals are "evil" as
opposed to actions or emotions. After all, it was one of their number who ordered the creation of the
Grand Army. It was the Jedi who served as generals of that Grand Army of the Republic. By their
actions the rebellion was originally crushed.
The Jedi were instrumental in the formation of the Empire. Probably more so that even the above
information would indicate. I think Mace Windu summed up the failures of the Jedi quit succinctly when
he was discussing what would happen if Palpatine refused to give up his emergency powers. "The Jedi
Council would have to take control of the Senate in order to secure a peaceful transition."
The republic was doomed. Freedom was dead. The question was not would there be an Empire, but
rather who would rule it - the inhuman Jedi who strive to suppress things like love or the ambitious
Sith.
