Jedi Code vs. Sith Code: Differences Explained

Throughout the greater storyline of Star Wars, two different groups that have been going at it for thousands of years are the Jedi Order and the Sith Order. These two groups have entirely different things that they hold dear and have different values that they uphold, and that is where they often clash with one another. Of course, because the things their codes teach them are so different from one another, they know they cannot coexist. So, what are the main differences between the Jedi and the Sith Code?

The Jedi Code explained

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.

When it comes to the Jedi Order, the one thing that people know about is that the Jedi were always meant to keep the peace. They are not soldiers, leaders, kings, warlords, or politicians. Instead, they work as a religious group with members who promote and keep the peace of the galaxy. And it is through the power of the Force that the Jedi can maintain peace and order.

According to the Jedi Code, the Jedi should keep their emotions in check because it is through uncontrollable emotions that people lose discipline and become more selfish in their desires and pursuits. Emotions tend to be the enemy of peace because one overwhelmed with passion would never be peaceful inside and toward other people.

As keepers of the peace, the Jedi are taught to try to find harmony in everything and ensure that everyone in the galaxy can find harmony. Only through proper discipline and training can a Jedi seek harmony in oneself.

The most important part about the Jedi Code, however, is the idea that only the will of the Force exists. Everyone in the universe is subject to the will of the Force, and it is through death that everyone returns to the Force itself. That is why the Jedi are taught to trust in the will of the Force and to become instruments of the Force instead of the ones actually using the Force for self-gain.

The Sith Code explained

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.

According to the Sith Code, pursuing passion is the most important part of being a Sith. The Sith are taught to be passionate about everything and to use their emotions to gain strength. And because peace prevents one from pursuing their passion, there is no such thing as peace to the Sith Order because it will only limit the Sith’s pursuit of strength.

One of the goals of the Sith Order is to obtain power, which can only be obtained through the strength that the Sith gain whenever they rely on their passions. That’s why the Sith use their anger, selfish desires, and hatred to become stronger. And they ultimately gain power by pursuing strength, which will guarantee victory.

But above all, freedom is the ultimate goal that the Sith Order tries to obtain. The Sith want to become free to do anything and everything, and they can only do so by achieving true victory and control over their enemies. This explains why Emperor Palpatine wanted to keep the galaxy under his control for as long as possible as it is by doing so that he could be free to pursue what he wanted to achieve, which is to become immortal.

As such, the Sith use the power of the Force for their gain and selfish desires. They see the Force as something that should bend to their will so that they can control it and become even more powerful. As such, the Sith hope to seek dominance over everything, including the Force itself.

What are the differences?

As to the differences between the Jedi Code and the Sith Code, the first thing that pops out is that the Jedi are taught to be selfless, whereas the Sith are taught to pursue their passions and selfish desires. The Jedi Order was established so that the galaxy would have holistically selfless peacekeepers. On the other hand, the Sith Order was created for those who want to be free to give in to their emotions, feelings, and passions.

The Jedi also rely on knowledge, serenity, and harmony to become stronger. Through hard work and discipline, they become close to the Force to serve as instruments of peace. On the other hand, the Sith use their feelings and passions to become stronger to pursue power or their selfish desires.

Above all, the Jedi see themselves as mere instruments of the will of the Force such that they try to listen to whatever the Force tells them to do in the pursuit of peace and harmony in the galaxy. However, the Sith seek to control and dominate everything, including the Force. They see the Force as a power they can control instead of how the Jedi see themselves as the instruments of the will of the Force. As such, the Jedi seek to act according to the will of the Force, whereas the Sith want to exact their will on the Force itself.

Which one is better?

From a subjective standpoint, it is tough to say which of the Jedi and Sith codes is better. That’s because different people, whether good or evil, tend to have different pursuits in life. And we can’t fault people for wanting to be peaceful or seeking their own goals.

Nevertheless, as far as morality is concerned, the Jedi Code is better when it comes to being a better person in the grander scheme of things. There’s a reason why the Sith Order failed: there was infighting between the different members of the Sith due to their selfish pursuit of power. On the other hand, the Jedi Order always thrived no matter how many times the Jedi fell, and that’s because the Jedi Order also teaches the importance of making the universe a better place for everyone.

As such, while pursuing one’s goals isn’t necessarily bad, the unhinged aspect of the Sith Code makes it worse compared to the Jedi Order. The Sith Code tends to make things chaotic and unbalanced, whereas the Jedi Code teaches the importance of harmony and serenity.

Of course, both of these codes have their strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Jedi Code preaches that passion should be avoided, leading to the Jedi Order’s difficulty in understanding what it means to love someone. On the other hand, while the Sith Code teaches the importance of passion, it teaches unhinged and uncontrolled passion that can be harmful.

But at the end of the day, the Jedi Code teaches valuable lessons that seek to improve the galaxy for everyone and everything. On the other hand, the Sith Order teaches that the center is the person and that everyone and everything is the person, which are secondary aspects of pursuing power and strength. This is why the Jedi Code is better regarding its sense of altruism and community.

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