Sith Rule of Two and Succession

I think that three times onscreen, we see Sith Apprentices possibly plotting to kill their Masters. The first time is Count Dooku making a pitch to Obi-wan, The second is Vader making a pitch to (non force user) Padme, and the third is Vader making a pitch to Luke. (Possibly a fourth is Dooku and Ventress, but that is EU) The second one is kind of a delusions of Grandeur type thing, but in the other two instances, we see some recruiting going on. Would you think that it is a general rule of thumb that the apprentice has an apprentice lined up before going for the kill?

The thing that strikes me as a HUGE difference between Jedi and Sith is that Jedi apprentices are constantly under supervision by their Masters. Anakin doesn't get his own assignment untill AoTC? Luke, although in a different way, is closely accompanied by Obi-Wan and Yoda. It just seems as if the Sith have much more free time on their hands. I'm sure Maul went through some intensive training early on, but Palpatine would have been too busy with politics to spend much time with him. But in other cases Dooku is off fighting the war everywhere but Coruscant for most of his apprenticeship, and Vader is roaming the galaxy far and wide to the point where we don't see him and his master together onscreen untill the end of the OT. I would think a Sith Master would want to keep a tighter reign on his apprentice to prevent an eventual 2 on 1 situation. Also, does this imply that the dark side is easier to learn? It would seem that PT era Jedi spend alot of time learning basic force skills. With Sith is it "Get the kid angry enough and he'll figure it out on his own"?

Carnage

 

good points.

it would seem that the sith master/apprentice relation is much more open to individuals. i still think the sith are fiercely individual.

well, maybe that's nonsense.

at any rate this individualism helps me explain why palps has apprentices as diverse as maul, dooku and anakin.

i'm also thinking that the succession is already solved before the apprentice goes for the kill. it seems that the master accepts that as a necessity. normally it makes sense that apprentices transcend their teachers, but usually they don't kill them.

 

Maybe, because there are only two Sith, the Sith Master gradually teaches the Sith apprentice over a long time rather than a "24/7 intensive Jedi Master/Padawan" approach. It would seem sensible for the Sith apprentice to stay loyal to the Master at least until the point where they've learned all there is to know so the knowledge can be taught to their own future apprentice. A certain level of loyalty would be required to prevent the teachings the Sith being lost. I'm sure the Emperor used this to stay in power as long as he did with an apprentice as powerful as Vader waiting in the wings for his opportunity.

 

The Jedi had enough numbers for the Padawan and Master to be together. For the OT, (when there wasn't that many), they were meant to be together.

The Sith, in their master plan for domination of the galaxy, needed to have the master and the apprentice separate - clearly Dukoo is needed for the leading of the separatists, and Palps is needed to "lead" the Republic. Similiarly, Palps is needed to "address" the Senate while Anakin murders the Separatists. Its more a matter of resources.

Actually, the Jedi only accompany the padawans while the Padawans are in training. After that, they may form Jedi teams, but not necessarily. Like Anakin and ObiWan were more like friends. The Sith never seem to have any "apprentices" who are in need of training, the Sith always have fully-fledged and trained Knights who do not need the master to be there.

 

Sith apprentice training is probably much more intensive than Jedi Padawan training. The Jedi probably learn negotiations, philosophy, languages and aspects of other cultures/species, laws and political bodies of the various systems, ambassador and diplomatic duties, history, using the Force, economics, fighting arts, etc. They have a lot of responsibility, as they are seen as the long arm of the Senate and the Republic. The Sith probably get a crash course from their master about what happened to their Order, some anti-Jedi propaganda, then jump right into using the Force for personal gain and pursuit of power.

The Jedi have responsibilities to the Republic, the Sith only have a responsibility to continue their line. I would imagine a Sith apprentice gets much harsher instruction and must learn faster than a Jedi Padawan, but once he is ready to take care of himself he probably doesn't see his master very much. That would make it too easy for the Jedi to discover them, or for the entire Sith lineage to be killed in one freak accident.