Star Warshas always upheld its motif of good vs. evil, but when fans think of good and evil, the Jedi and Sith are the first things that come to mind. The Sith perfectly embody evil in this franchise because of their burning hatred and desire, which ignites their lust for knowledge and power. Because of this unrighteous ambition, they are rivals to the Jedi, the only thing standing in their way of absolute power. The power of the Sith always seems to remain no matter the Jedi’s efforts to eradicate them, as proven byThe Acolyte, which sees the return of the Sith during the era of the high republic.
Represented by their uniquely red lightsabers, the Sith let their anger and hate flow, giving them power far greater than any Jedi.Their only goal of the strongest Sith is to gain more power, whether that be strength or influence over the galaxy. Thousands of strong Sith exist in both Canon and Legends, like Darth Maul and Darth Nihilus. With all of these Sith seeking strength in different eras, they have developed unparalleled power in strength, influence, and political control.
15Savage Opress
First Canon Appearance: ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ (2008)
When mentioning a Force-sensitive Dathomirian Nightbrother, most fans will think of Darth Maul and his iconic double-lightsaber. However, there is another. Asajj Ventress hand-picked Savage Opress as her servant in a quest for revenge against Count Dooku. Imbued by the power of Dark Magic, Savage Opress would join his brother, Darth Maul, and help his recovery as the two would aim to take over Mandalore.
His intimidating frame is enough to frighten even the most veteran Jedi, buthis most powerful aspect is his raw connection to the Force. Savage Opress could hold his own against imposing figures like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Count Dooku, proving himself to be one of the strongest Sith. However, he never fully utilized his raw power and potential, which is why Savage Opress finds himself at the bottom of this list.
14Asajj Ventress
The Clone Wars introduced many new Jedi and Sith for fans to love in love with, but one of the most underrated characters is Asajj Ventress. Initially serving as Count Dooku’s apprentice and assassin/commander for the droid army, Palpatine would order her execution. Hurt by Dooku’s betrayal, Ventress became a Bounty Hunter, eventually returning to the light side and helping Omega inStar Wars: The Bad Batch.
While fans don’t know much of her story because of cut content, they can’t deny her strength, which fans saw firsthand multiple times as she was a recurring villain. Ventress is a skilled combatant, expertly able to fight with or without weapons, proving to be just as deadly either way. Shefought on equal terms with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, even besting them a few times, proving whyVentress deserves a spin-off show.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
13The Stranger
First Canon Appearance: ‘The Acolyte’ (2024)
RecentStar Warsprojects don’t have the best track record, butThe Acolyteis perhaps the most polarizing work from the franchise yet. Qimir/The Stranger was the main villain of the TV show and one of its bright spots. Originally a Padawan to Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh, the Jedi Order cast him out where he would learn the Dark Side from Darth Plagueis and look to take his own apprentice with Mae.
No fan can deny that the best part ofThe Acolytewas The Stranger and all of his fights, showing creativity, ingenuity, and badassery as he quickly dispatched countless Jedi.His untraditional fighting style is both a strength and a weakness, allowing him to catch opponents off guard and break their composure but also leaving himself open. His reckless and creative style is awesome nonetheless, with fans wanting tosee The Stranger inStar Warsagain.
The Acolyte
12Kylo Ren
First Canon Appearance: ‘Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens’ (2015)
Kylo Ren, played by Oscar-nominated actorAdam Driver, is a primary antagonist in the sequel trilogy. Son of the famous characters Princess Leia and Han Solo, Kylo Ren, was destined to impact the story significantly - though not technically a Sith, many consider him to still be one. He goes through an incredible character arc throughout the trilogy that starts with Luke Skywalker betraying him after sensing the dark side within him. After this, Kylo turns to the dark side, hoping to rule the galaxy and finish what Darth Vader started. Despite being clouded in hatred, he begins to turn good with the help ofone of the best Jedi, Rey Skywalker.
While many fans may attempt to invalidate his strength after losing to an untrained Rey, Kylo has shown many impressive feats throughout the sequel trilogy and the expanded comics. One of his most remarkable battles is fromStar Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, where he not onlykills his master Snoke but fights and defeats the elite Praetorian guardshailed for their combat and strength. When gaining hold of the dark side, it can be challenging to let go, so one of the most powerful things a Sith can do is let go of their hatred and return to the light side. This is something that Kylo Ren eventually did and helped finally defeat Emperor Palpatine inStar Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
11Count Dooku
First Canon Appearance: ‘Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones’ (2002)
While a couple of Sith had the power to let go of the dark side, Count Dooku did the opposite and embraced it after casting off the flawed ideals of the Jedi. The Jedi took in Dooku after his family abandoned him, and he later became the Padawan of Yoda. He would train in the Jedi arts and become a powerful Jedi. However, being a political idealist, Dooku became disillusioned by the Jedi’s ways and thought them evil. This, along with the building corruption within the Galactic Senate, made Dooku leave the order, where he would later turn to the dark side under Darth Sidious.
Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyrannous, has shown to be a more than capable fighter. InStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Dooku faces off against Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker, where he successfully fends off some of the strongest Jedi ever and even cuts off the hand of Anakin, whoCharlie Hunnamnearly played. For years, fans wondered whatever happened to the Jedi master Yaddle after she never reappeared afterStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.TheTales of the Jedireveals her grim fate when Count Dooku kills her. While Dooku is mighty, the only thing holding him back from being one of the most powerful Sith is hishatred, which is lacking compared to his fellow dark side users.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
10Exar Kun
First Canon Mention: ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ (2018)
Exar Kun isn’t a household name and mainly lived in Legends for years until his mention inSolo: A Star Wars Story. While his canon feats of strength may not be comparable to those of Legends, there is nothing else to go by. Exar Kun is another former Jedi who became a Sith Lord and waged war against the Jedi thousands of years before characters like Emperor Palpatine were born.
Passion and desire are necessary to become a powerful Sith, and Exar Kun was said to have a burning desire greater than any Jedi during his time, which partially led him to become a Sith. Thisanger and passion multiplied a hundredfold after he retrieved the Sith amuleton Yavin 4, making him even more in tune with the dark side. Exar Kun mastered many Sith techniques, like Force Wound, which can damage internal organs, or Force Rage, which significantly increases force abilities when angry.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
9Darth Maul
First Canon Appearance: ‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace’ (1999)
Darth Maul is often compared to Count Dooku, as they are both Darth Sidious’s apprentice. Darth Maul is the son of Mother Talzin, one of the strongest night sisters. Maul was trained as a Sith by his master, Darth Sidious. Maul would make his first appearance by trying to capture a young Anakin Skywalker, revealing to the Jedi that the Sith were not extinct. Darth Maul established himself as a fan favorite simply by his excellent design and incredible power. However, fans would learn to appreciate him more as his arc continued inStar Wars: The Clone Wars.
No one will forget one of the greatestStar Warsfights between Maul, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon. This fight was a spectacle and showcased Maul’s elite lightsaber combat, as he fought evenly against two Jedi and even defeated Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn. Maul proved his power by surviving a fatal blow and then began scheming a rise to power, leading him to form Death Watch, a Mandalorian militia that takes control of the planet and takes the famed dark saber for himself. What makes Maul so powerful is hishate and revenge for Obi-Wan, which directly leads him to conquer Mandaloreand kill his love, Duchess Satine. Darth Maul’s power didn’t just lie in pure strength; his anger and desire make him a ruthless and powerful Sith, whichrivals his strength to Darth Vader.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
8Darth Bane
George Lucasinitially created Darth Bane in the Legends continuity of the Phantom Menace and only canonized him in theClone Wars. Bane was born on the Sith planet of Moraband during the era of the Old Republic, where thousands of Sith rivaled the number of Jedi. Darth Bane is considered alegendary Sith who created the rule of two, which states that there should only be two Sith at any given time.
Sometimes, strength isn’t all that one needs to be powerful; sometimes, it’s a vision of the future. This is what Darth Bane had. He foresaw the fall of the Sith due to their greed and knew they couldn’t live with each other, so he created the rule of two. This creation not only led to the survival of the Sith but also the catalyst that led to Palpatine ruling over the galaxy as he was a follower of the rule of two. This rule single-handedlychanged the events of theStar Warsfranchise and balanced the Force. Besides this, Darth Bane also possessed incredible skills in lightsaber combat and the force, which overshadowed many other Sith. Additionally, he was a fast learner who surpassed many elder Sith at a young age and continued to develop where he would become one of the strongest Sith of the Sith Empire.
7Darth Nihilus
First Canon Mention: ‘Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)
Darth Nihilus is a popular character from the Star Wars video games and Legends content. Still, it wasn’t untilThe Rise of Skywalkerthat Disney officially recognized him as a canon character by adding his statue. While fans don’t know which aspects of the character are canon, he is a wound on the Force, with Darth Traya training him to tame his hunger for The Force, becoming a Sith Lord.
Darth Nihilus is a mysterious character, but fans best know him because of his cool design and the fact thathe can devour entire planetswith The Force. Darth Nihilus had an unparalleled connection to The Force, able to sense wielders across the galaxy. While he wasn’t as capable in a fight, his Force Drain ability could render even the most powerful Jedi or Sith useless, making him one of the strongest characters inStar Wars.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
6Darth Revan
Darth Revan was initially a well-respected Jedi who criticized the Jedi order for not intervening in the Mandalorian Wars between the Jedi and the Mandalorian. When he finally got support, he defeated the leader of the Mandalorians and wore a Mandalorian helmet. Shortly after, Revan and Malak follow the Sith influence in the Mandalorian Wars, leading them to the Sith Empire, where Vitiate converts them to the dark side. Revan would create a new Sith Empire and rage a civil war with the Jedi before being betrayed by Malak and subsequently captured. After his capture, Bastilla wiped his mind clean, and he went back to the light side of the Jedi. Revan made his first appearance in the video gameKnights of the Old Republicbut was made canon inStar Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, where Palpatine named a legion of Sith troopers after him. Revan was supposed to make his first canon appearance inThe Clone Warsbut was unused in the final cut.
Darth Revan proved to be both a powerful Sith and Jedi. In the video game expansion Shadows of Revan, some of his most impressive feats include defeating multiple champions of the galaxy, defeating The Outsider, who beat the powerful Sith Vitiate, and being able to force-pull 60 teratons worth of meteors down to the ground to rain upon enemies. After returning to the light side, Darth Revan destroys the Sith empire he helped create, including Sith like Darth Bane, Darth Nihilus and Darth Traya. Revan also showed his power through his philosophy, which inspired Darth Bane to make the rule of two.
