There are more than a few mysterious figures in the Star Wars universe, especially when the Legends canon is taken into consideration. It may surprise some people, but the Star Wars universe is actually filled with a lot more magic and alchemy than initially meets the eye. One of the sources of this mysterious magic is the infamous Nightsisters.
There may not be as much known about this group of people when compared to other aliens in the Star Wars series, but thanks to media like The Clone Wars, fans have gotten a peek into the culture. The Nightsisters come from a society that additionally has a group of Nightbrothers, but their male counterparts have had much less focus compared to the powerful magic users typically found among the Nightsisters.
Who Are The Nightsisters?
The Nightsisters are made up of powerful witches from the planet Dathomir. Due to their dark nature and ability to wield magic, much of the galaxy feared the Nightsisters and what they could become. Luckily, the group was almost solely concerned with the affairs of Dathomir. As long as they were left alone, they usually didn't come into contact with anyone else. Regardless, there have been instances where Nightsisters have traveled away from Dathomir for one reason or another.
The reason that these beings were able to wield magic while other alien species could not, was due to the mysterious nature of the planet. Dathomir radiated a kind of magic energy that the Nightsisters were able to harness. This energy was relatively dark in nature, resulting in the Nightsisters having a powerful connection to the dark side.
Exactly how they began their magical practices is a bit of a debate, but it is likely that a Jedi exile initially taught the people of Dathomir the ways of the Force. This helped hone the powers of the Nightsisters while also instilling a disdain for other Force-users everywhere. They may have harbored negative feelings for the Jedi, but rather than allowing that to lead them to great evil, the Nightsisters were more likely to place the protection and development of their own planet above the conquest of others.
Why Are The Nightsisters Significant?
Things like their ability to use magic, their connection to the Dark Side of the Force, their importance to the Clone Wars era, and their sheer power potential make the Nightsisters devastatingly significant. While the Force isn’t uncommon in the Star Wars universe, pure magic can be a bit rarer, and just about every Nightsister was highly proficient in dark magic. Many of their abilities were used to help the Dathomirian people and planet. One example was when the Nightsisters imbued Savage Opress with their power in The Clone Wars series.
Naturally, the Nightsisters' darker connection with the the Force has led them down some darker paths. One of these paths put them on the side of Darth Sidious for some time, which is how Darth Maul became his apprentice. He wouldn’t be the only Dathomirian who would end up fighting for the side of the Sith over the years, but the deal wouldn't last. Eventually, Darth Sidious would grow tired of the people of Dathomir and would send his forces to wipe out the Nightsisters. After the events of the Clone Wars, only a few Nightsisters would remain.
A major reason for the wiping out of the Nightsisters was because of how powerful they were. They were more than powerful enough to not only rival the Jedi, but the Sith as well. Multiple beings from Dathomir, including at least two Nightsisters, posed a major threat to Darth Sidious’ plans to rule the galaxy. Knowing that the clan was too dangerous to remain in the galaxy, he saw to it that they were snuffed out before beings like Asajj Ventress or Talzin could become too powerful.
Notable Nightsisters
In the current canon, there aren’t too many Nightsisters of note. The three most important members include the leader of the Nightsisters seen in The Clone Wars, Talzin; the Sith assassin Asajj Ventress; and more recently, a character from the Star Wars Jedi games, Merrin. All three women are different in temperament and abilities, but each is incredibly powerful in their own right. Thanks to the powerful magic that each of them can wield, and their connection to the Dark Side of the Force, the Nightsisters are a significant threat to anyone who gets on their bad side.
Asajj Ventress is probably the most widely known member of the Nightsisters, though she was much more than that. She would become a Sith assassin under Count Dooku, but as is the nature of the Sith, that wouldn’t last long. She became a bounty hunter later in life after being deemed such a threat to Darth Sidious that she needed to be killed. Eventually, Asajj would be killed by Count Dooku, though she would be given a proper burial with her people.
Talzin is a powerful and mysterious figure that led and united the Nightsisters during the Clone Wars era. She was so strong that she eventually got on the radar of Darth Sidious, something that ultimately spelled the beginning of her people's downfall. After working with Sidious for some time, he would turn on the Nightsisters entirely, resulting in the downfall of the Nightsisters, save for a few survivors.
Merrin is one of the more recent additions to the Star Wars canon, but a welcome one to many fans. She furthers the Nightsister culture but stands out as an interesting, relatable figure to the Jedi due to being one of the last of the Nightsisters. That relatability led to her forming a close bond with Cal Kestis, and eventually, romantic feelings. Thanks to the success of the Star Wars Jedi games, it’s likely that Merrin's fans will be learning more about her in the near future.
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