Highlights
- In the Star Wars universe, there are many Force users who aren't Jedi or Sith, but still wield the power of the Light or Dark Side of the Force.
- The Dark Side has its own groups, such as the Acolytes of the Beyond and the Nightbrothers & Nightsisters, who draw power from it without being Sith.
- Characters like Savage Opress, Asajj Ventress, and Kylo Ren showcase the complexity and conflict within individuals who align themselves with the Dark Side.
Star Wars is usually presented as a battle between good and evil as the Light and Dark Side of the Force squares off. While the Star Wars franchise often presents Light Side Force users as Jedi and Dark Side Force users as Sith, there is so much more to each side of the Force.
Star Wars: Most Dangerous Fallen Jedi
Some of the most dangerous foes in the Star Wars universe are those who once fought for the Light Side of the Force.
In Star Wars, there are hundreds of Force users who may have control of one side of the Force without ever identifying as Jedi or Sith. This is especially true when it comes to the Dark Side of the Force. Some of the toughest opponents were Dark Side Force users but not Sith.
10 Acolytes of the Beyond
These non-Force sensitive beings were Dark Side Fanatics who believed all living things would bend to the will of the Force. The Acolytes of the Beyond believed the Sith were the only ones who could wield the Dark Side of the Force, so they worshiped the fallen Sith.
The Acolytes tried to return Darth Vader's lightsaber after his death. Ochi of Bestoon was also presented as an Acolyte in The Rise of Skywalker as an assassin whom Sheev Palpatine hired to kill Rey's parents.
9 Nightbrothers & Nightsisters
The Nightbrothers and Nightsisters are a group of Zabraks who live on the planet Dathomir. The brothers had a highly acrobatic fighting style that drew from the Dark Side of the Force. The more powerful brothers would undergo a dangerous ritual to better utilize the Dark Side. This includes Darth Maul and Savage Oppress who would train under Asajj Ventress.
Meanwhile, the Nightsisters are the true rulers of Dathomir. Known as the Witches of Dathomir, they draw magic from the Dark Side of the Force to tap into dark energies. They have no loyalty to the Sith, but they also have no love for the Jedi. Eventually, the Sith would destroy the Nightsisters.
8 Savage Opress
Darth Maul's brother is one of the
7 Mother Talzin
The mother of both Darth Maul and Savage Opress, Mother Talzin is the queen of the Nightsisters of Dathomir. She is absurdly powerful due to her mastery of the Dark Side of the Force and the magic she possesses from the Nightsisters.
Mother Talzin got on the wrong side of Darth Sidious and Count Dooku due to her immense powers. The duo came up with a plan to kill her, but Talzin gave up her own life to save her son, Maul.
6 Asajj Ventress
Asajj Ventress often flirted with being a Sith as Count Dooku often trained her, but she never actually became one, settling for being an assassin instead. During The Clone Wars, she is one of the most deadly opponents the Jedi face who isn't a true Sith. She is more than capable with a lightsaber and is able to take on multiple Jedi in combat.
Ventress could never truly be trained as a Sith, because it would violate the Rule of Two. Eventually, Count Dooku leaves her for dead, causing Ventress to branch out on her own as a bounty hunter who eventually becomes a Gray Jedi.
5 Quinlan Vos
When Ventress becomes a Gray Jedi, she falls in love with Quinlan Vos, a skilled Jedi who starts flirting with the Dark Side of the Force. In the novel Star Wars: Dark Disciple, Vos goes undercover with the Separatists on a mission to kill Count Dooku when he and Ventress fall in love.
Vos only spends a short time on the Dark Side of the Force. He returns to the Light Side when Ventress sacrifices herself to save him. However, his short flirtation with the Dark Side is the perfect example of what happens to strong Force users succumbing to the temptation of power.
4 Supreme Leader Snoke
Supreme Leader Snoke was shown to be a character somewhat similar to Emperor Palpatine in The Force Awakens. It's later revealed Palpatine created Snoke while in exile. Snoke became one of the most powerful force-users during the days of the First Order and the Resistance.
Snoke is shown to have his own lightsaber and control over the entire First Order until he is struck down by Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi. Snoke proves to be a powerful force in Star Wars canon.
3 Inquisitors
Introduced as the Jedi Hunters in Rebels, the Imperial Inquisitors were Force-sensitive beings who trained under Darth Vader as assassins. Their job was to find any Jedi who survived Order 66, or any Force-users who posed a danger to Palpatine and snuff them out.
Star Wars: Characters That Would Make Scary Sith
It's a good thing these characters chose to remain on the Light Side of the Force.
The Inquisitors made their live-action debut in Obi-Wan Kenobi as they were hunting the famed Jedi Master. One of the Inquisitors, Reva, was making her way through the ranks, so she could get close to Darth Vader to finally attack him as she was one of the Force-sensitive younglings he attacked at the Jedi Temple.
2 Knights of Ren
In the sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren leads a group of Force-sensitive warriors known as the Knights of Ren. They all follow the teachings of Dark Side user Ren who based his ideology on his lightsaber and nature. The Knights didn't follow a strict moral code but just followed the path of the Dark Side.
The Knights were seen following Kylo Ren on his missions in The Force Awakens. After doing nothing in The Last Jedi, the Knights were shown to be loyal to Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker, doing his bidding and fighting against Ben Solo after he ceased being Kylo Ren.
1 Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren has one of the more tenuous relationships with the Dark Side of the Force. Born as Ben Solo, Kylo Ren dresses like a Sith and certainly has been trained like a member of the Dark Side of the Force. However, his training came under Snoke, who is not a Sith, and he never takes on a Darth moniker.
Kylo Ren proves to often be conflicted about his allegiance to the Dark Side of the Force. He has a lust for power and commits evil deeds in his quest for more power. He doesn't adhere to any dogmatic doctrine like most of the Sith.