Star Wars: Differences Between Dark Jedi & Sith Explained

When it comes to the world of Star Wars, semantics can be very important, especially when talking about the different Force wielders. These Force wielders are often divided between the Jedi and the Sith, as they both use different sides of the Force. However, there are also those that used to be Jedi or aren’t Sith but can use the dark side of the Force, and they are often called dark Jedi. So, what are the differences between Dark Jedi and the Sith?

The Dark Jedi are simply fallen Jedi or Force wielders that rely on the power of the dark side of the Force. On the other hand, the Sith are wielders of the dark side, are part of the Sith Order, and are mandated to live by the code of the Sith. As such, all Sith are users of the dark side of the Force, whereas not all Dark Jedi are Sith.

People often mistake Dark Jedi as Sith because they both rely on the power of the dark side of the Force. However, it is important to note that someone must be indoctrinated into the Sith Order to become a Sith. That’s why fans need to know the differences between Dark Jedi and Sith.

What is a Dark Jedi?

In the world of Star Wars, we often look at two extreme sides of the Force when looking at the Jedi and the Sith. We know that the Jedi are known to rely on the light side of the Force, whereas the Sith obtain their power through the dark side. But while that may be true, there are still other Force wielders that aren’t necessarily Jedi or Sith. And that’s because the Jedi and the Sith are members of religious orders.

Of course, there are Force wielders that were able to learn how to rely on the dark side of the Force. Some of these Force wielders were once Jedi that ended up falling to the dark side and learned how to channel their powers through the dark side of the Force. And while some of these dark-side users were never Jedi, the fact that they rely on the dark side of the Force is the reason why they are often called Dark Jedi.

Speaking, the Dark Jedi are Force wielders that have fallen to the dark side of the Force and now use the power of the dark side instead of the light side. Some of these Dark Jedi used to be Jedi that fell into despair or became so full of negative emotions that they started channeling the power of the dark side. And some of them were never Jedi but were Force wielders that were simply trained to use the power of the dark side.

In that regard, the Dark Jedi are known as Force wielders who use their negative emotions and feed off this negativity to become stronger. On the other hand, the Jedi were always taught to keep their negative emotions in check due to how these could lead them down the dark side. And we’ve seen quite a few of these Dark Jedi throughout the storyline of Star Wars.

Some of the most notable Dark Jedi include the likes of Asajj Ventress, who was never officially part of the Jedi Order but was eventually discovered by Count Dooku and was trained to be his assassin. Her romantic interest, Quinlan Vos, once fell to the dark side and became a Dark Jedi before he returned to the light side.

And most of the Inquisitors used to be Jedi but were forced down the path of darkness by Darth Vader and became Dark Jedi that used their Jedi training to good use but were still known to draw power from the dark side.

What is a Sith?

As mentioned, most people see the two sides of the Force in extremes, as these two sides are represented by the Jedi and the Sith. While the Jedi represent the light side of the Force, the Sith represent the power of the dark side of the Force. And the truth is that the Sith were once part of the Jedi Order but branched off to seek their path in the Force, and that was what led them to rely on the dark side, which allowed them to become more powerful through their negative emotions.

For the Sith, the true path to ultimate power lies in the dark side of the Force, and that’s why they look at everything else as secondary to the power of the dark side. They seek power above everything else, and it is only by diving deeper and deeper into the dark side that they can become stronger. That’s why the Sith believe peace is an illusion, as a peaceful galaxy would only weaken them. Instead, they seek absolute power and control over everything else instead of peace and harmony among people.

In that regard, the Sith are like the Jedi in the sense that they also belong to a religious order. But the fact that the Sith have ideals that clashed with the ideals of the Jedi was why they were often locked in endless wars. And while the Sith were incredibly powerful, their inability to work together was what made it difficult for them to overcome the wisdom and discipline of the Jedi.

The Rule of Two was established by Darth Bane, who was the only surviving Sith Lord of a great war between the Sith and the Jedi due to the infighting of the Sith. The goal of the Rule of Two is to minimize the number of Sith Lords to two so that they can operate in secret while gradually strengthening the power of the Sith. 

According to the Rule of Two, there should be only one master and one apprentice. The master represents the power of the Sith, whereas the apprentice represents the desire to seek the power that the master has. In that regard, the apprentice has to take this power from the master and become the new master. After that, the new master should now seek a new apprentice to seek the master’s power.

Through the Rule of Two, the Sith became stronger as constant betrayals between the master and the apprentice allowed generations of Sith to grow in power, all while the Jedi remained stagnant. This ultimately led to Darth Sidious’ era, where he became Emperor Palpatine after wiping out the Jedi Order through his machinations and schemes. Palpatine took in Anakin Skywalker as his apprentice and rechristened him as Darth Vader.

How are Dark Jedi different from the Sith?

As you can see, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a Dark Jedi and a Sith because they both rely on the dark side’s power. But while that may be true, it is important to note that a Dark Jedi is not a Sith because the Sith have to abide by the Rule of Two.

Of course, the Sith need to be indoctrinated into the order, and that’s why someone who uses the dark side of the Force isn’t necessarily a Sith. This is similar to how those who use the light side of the Force aren’t Jedi because they need to be trained as Jedi before they can even become part of the Jedi Order. In the same way, a Sith needs to take in a user of the dark side of the Force for that wielder to become a Sith apprentice.

In short, the Dark Jedi are Force wielders that merely embrace the power of the dark side. On the other hand, the Sith are users of the dark side that believe in the doctrines of the Sith and are aligned with the Sith Order.

The Sith are stronger than Dark Jedi

It can be difficult to tell which between a Sith Lord and a Dark Jedi is stronger. However, in most cases, the Sith are stronger than Dark Jedi due to the very nature of the Rule of Two, which seeks to ensure that the apprentice is strong enough to eventually overthrow the master.

On the other hand, some Dark Jedi can be very powerful, as we know that the likes of Asajj Ventress and even Kylo Ren could give any Jedi Master a run for their money. But Sith Lords are usually stronger because they are specifically chosen to be part of the Sith Order due to their power. After all, no Sith master would ever take in an apprentice that doesn’t have the potential to overthrow them in the future.

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