Darth Bane's Rise to Power

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.

Darth Bane, originally known as Dessel, was a human male born on the Outer Rim world of Apatros. He started as a miner but eventually discovered his Force sensitivity. Bane embraced the dark side of the Force and sought to reform the Sith Order.

Two extremely influential Dark Lords from over 3000 years past influenced Bane's ideology and taught him all that was known about the dark side of the Force. With Bane's aptitude for learning and thirst for knowledge, he soaked in everything that they taught him through their Sith Holocrons and pieced together the entirety of the Darkside as it was known back in the days of the Sith.

Darth Revan: Revan was originally a Jedi Knight. Alongside his friend and fellow Jedi, Alek (later known as Darth Malak), Revan fought in the Mandalorian Wars. However, as the conflict progressed, Revan became disillusioned with the Jedi Council's decisions and adopted a more pragmatic approach to end the war. During the Mandalorian Wars, Revan and Malak ventured into the Unknown Regions, where they encountered the Sith Emperor. The Emperor manipulated them to embrace the dark side of the Force, turning against the Jedi Order. Revan became Darth Revan, and Malak became his apprentice.

Freedon Nadd: Freedon Nadd was originally a fallen Jedi who, after embracing the dark side of the Force, became a Sith Lord. He hailed from the planet Onderon, and his descent into darkness began after discovering the teachings of the Sith. Freedon Nadd furthered his training in the dark side under the tutelage of the ancient Sith Lord Naga Sadow. Nadd became a formidable Sith sorcerer, mastering dark side techniques and acquiring knowledge of Sith alchemy. Nadd returned to Onderon, where he used his newfound powers to dominate the planet and establish a Sith dynasty. He became the ruler of Onderon, and his dark influence continued even after his death. After his physical death, Freedon Nadd's spirit lingered, and he continued to influence events on Onderon. He imparted his dark knowledge to subsequent generations, leaving a lasting legacy of Sith teachings. Freedon Nadd's legacy also included powerful Sith artifacts, such as his tomb on Dxun, Onderon's moon. His tomb and the artifacts within it played a role in later Star Wars stories.

 

The Rule of Two is a Sith philosophy and doctrine within the Star Wars universe. It was established to ensure the survival and ultimate dominance of the Sith Order. The Rule of Two states that there should only be two Sith at any given time: a master and an apprentice. This strict limitation on the number of Sith was introduced by Darth Bane, a Sith Lord, to address the internal conflicts and power struggles that had weakened the Sith over time.

The key principles of the Rule of Two are:

1. One to Embrace Power: The master embodies the power of the dark side of the Force. They are the one who holds and wields the power of the Sith. The master is responsible for passing on their knowledge and teachings to the next generation.

2. One to Crave It: The apprentice, on the other hand, is hungry for power and seeks to eventually overthrow the master. This dynamic encourages the apprentice to challenge and surpass their master, ensuring that the Sith always have strong and ambitious individuals striving for power.

3. The Strong Rule, the Weak Are Crushed: This philosophy emphasizes the survival of the fittest within the Sith Order. The apprentice is expected to challenge and defeat the master when they have become strong enough. The victorious apprentice then takes on their own apprentice, perpetuating the cycle.

Darth Bane introduced the Rule of Two to prevent the in-fighting and betrayals that had weakened the Sith over the years. By maintaining only two Sith at a time, the Order could operate more covertly and strategically, avoiding the pitfalls of internal strife. This doctrine was followed by subsequent Sith Lords, leading to the eventual rise of Darth Sidious (Emperor Palpatine) and his apprentice, Darth Vader, during the events of the prequel trilogy in the Star Wars films.

 

Appearances:

Darth Bane is a character in the Star Wars universe, specifically in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, which is now referred to as Legends. He was also incorporated into the official Star Wars canon through the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and the novel "Darth Plagueis," which is part of the new canon.

Darth Bane is perhaps best known for his role in the novel "Darth Bane: Path of Destruction" by Drew Karpyshyn, which explores his backstory, rise to power, and the establishment of the Rule of Two. Bane's legacy continued through subsequent novels and stories within the Expanded Universe, exploring the Sith lineage he established. While much of the Expanded Universe is no longer considered official canon, the character of Darth Bane and the Rule of Two have left a lasting impact on Star Wars lore.