ST What does the Dark Side offer?

From Legends, Jorus C'baoth comes to mind. Specifically, I'm referring to his characterization in Outbound Flight (the novel). You can see his superiority complex tipping him closer and closer to the dark side throughout the book. (Interesting book, by the way- it ties together characters from the PT and Legends EU.)

 

Easy Oscars and you don't even have to play retarded. Never go full villain though. If you wear a mask all the time it's really hard to subtly express conflicted emotions. If they also use a separate voice actor it's virtually impossible. No category for "best evil gait" or "remote choking by just standing there with an outstretched arm".

 

Was just gonna say that!

 

Is the strong side stronger?

No, faster... more seductive

 

Better costumes.

 

I'd join for the costumes as well.

 

I so want to by that voice changing Kylo Ren helmet to mess with my kids

 

Lol at all the responses....I suppose if you agree with capitalism, you'll like the Dark Side too. Which is ironic, since the whole Star Wars 'franchise' is so big because of capitalism.

 

The dark side offers power quicker and easier. Its more seductive. Beware the dark side.

 

I can't believe it took 5 post to get there.

Alice B Toklas cookies, to be exact...

 

Philosophically I think the dark side is meant to represent the baser side of human nature.
It's often referred to as the 'quick and easy' path and you can see this sort of dilema crop up daily.

Someone cuts you off in a line
Quick and easy - Cuss them out/shove them/ cause a scene/punch them? (Dark side)
Hard - politely ignore them or if appropriate tell them to move to the back of the line (Light side)

 

Many have mentioned the lightning, the power, the access to much cooler forms of transportation, etc.

But even more than that, dark side is about betrayal. It is about always placing what you want now over what you said back then. You pledged your loyalty to the Republic, Jedi code, a master, the rules? But now you have different ideas, different wants? Just change your mind and take what you like in the present! With the dark side, your desires always outrank your word. Taking an oath of office, making a promise, or accepting a responsibility is simply a tool to manipulate other people into wrongly giving you trust or respect so that you can more readily get what you want.

 

What doesn't the dark side offer, is the question.

Jedi live in an occultist illusion. They are narrow-minded and dogmatic with the light side of the force. The Sith allow expression of oneself and an appreciation of our idiosyncratic nature, the Sith strive for the very core of what we all essentially yearn, one way or another. Even the Jedi yearn for it.... it's power.

Point of view is central to understanding the dark side. Take a look at the Jedi: they abduct children from a very young age, brainwash them to unquestionably follow an occultist lifestyle, they must never question this odd and dogmatic existence, questioning anything will lead to disciplinary action, the Jedi also follow the words of a select few individuals, the Jedi will kill an individual for following the Sith order (this individual may be completely innocent, yet they're prejudiced and blinded), the Jedi are terrified about losing their galaxy-wide authority and power.

It's all about point of view...

 

401k

 

I believe the dark side rewards its adherents with feelings of pleasure when you give into it; that it's addictive. I think it accentuates the negative within the minds of those who use it, so that they become unable to differentiate between cruelty and kindness. More importantly, because the dark side becomes more powerful when negative feelings are widespread, it all but demands that you spread cruelty, fear, and pain as far and wide as you can in order to increase your potency. Once you've been immersed in it for so long, it wipes away your identity, it changes your physical appearance, and it transforms you into a being who feeds off the suffering of others. The person you were before is dead, and the creature that takes your place is something alien and awful.

There really should be a word to describe this sort of creature. They're really not human anymore past a certain point, just look at Palpatine. The purpose of avoiding the dark side is entirely to avoid the creation of such a being, because these things are ruinous.

 

I think of it as a bit of a metaphor for greed and the coveting of power. Usually the best leaders don't really *want* to be the leader, but they take the mantle when they realize that it's almost their duty to *serve* as the leader. ...horrible leaders just want to be the leader because of the power associated with it. Everyone probably knows people like that in their own lives/jobs. There might be some boss at your job who everyone feels like achieved that position by backstabbing and lying and cheating (it's quicker). That person didn't want to be the leader, they wanted the power and benefits. Another person might just work really hard, and help others, and contribute to the team, but unfortunately, in many cases it takes longer for that person to gain the recognition that the guy does who takes the 'easy' path. Ultimately, the one who takes the easy path ends up being exposed (hopefully) but the one who truly works hard and does a good job will thrive.

In some ways this was even directly exemplified in Anakin really wanting to be on the Jedi Council or be a 'master'. He didn't ever express that he had something he wanted to contribute to the council, he just wanted the accolade. I can't imagine Obi-Wan being mad because his 'title' wasn't sufficiently impressive.

 

Lucas on the AOTC commentary, "the darkside is stronger."

 

Thanks for the replies. This weekend, I'll go again to watch TFA. I am so fascinated by Kylo Ren and need to watch his actions. Not sure if I can post a spoiler here, but his experience on the catwalk with Han Solo showed me either an expert manipulator or a person between the forces of darkness and light. He still has a choice it seems and lets the dark side roll over him. I almost think he lost control and a force outside his capacity to understand allowed actions to take place. How could he do such a thing! What reward is there in his action? I guess as Vader says, you don't know the powers. It must be somehow pleasant, or satisfying. But he is alone. Or, is hoping to recruit Rey to become a partner. She has powers over him just by being who she is. This is a great conflict in the making. Attraction I thought was on both sides.

Anyway I am drifting off topic. This helps explain why Luke becomes so closed as a person by the end of ROJ. He has almost no one he can relate to. So true of Darth or Kylo. Unless they see the Emperor as a mentor or partner in crime. It would be fascinating to see Kylo away from others. Not having one of his rages but simply by himself in his quarters. I'd like to see him relaxed and not at the mercy of strong emotions to get a sense of him out of conflict. Unfortunately, I assume he will recover from his duel and come back scarred inside and out. I wonder if he will someday have to face his Mother.

The Dark Side eats souls. So what is left at the end of that life span. I call that bad karma.

Buona Notte

 

The coolest clothes and all of the fans adulation.

 

It'd be interesting to see the movies perhaps present a certain amount of grey area. It's hard ti imagine a darksider that's a good person. Just like it's hard to imagine a murderer as a good person. But "dark side" is just a term. They're just words. Why couldn't a person use "dark side" force powers on a journey that is just and honourable. The all or nothing of light vs dark makes it a little bit 2D. But why couldn't someone like Kylo tap into "dark" side powers and do good with his abilities.

 

Dark side makes easier to save on the electric bills.

 

Can you tell us where to find the quote? That contradicts what Yoda said in the ESB... Does that mean that the Dark Side not only allows you to reach your power ceiling faster, it also gives you a higher power ceiling?

 

I feel like I remember Lucas making that statement in some 'behind the scenes' thing during the PT era. Like most of his concepts post-1981, he spent less time thinking about that than we have in this thread.

 

YODA >>>>>>>>>>>>>> LUCAS

 

I feel like it'd almost have to be him talking to a droid or something, with no other people around. Anyone else around him is either a subordinate, an enemy, a rival, or Snoke, so he'd be "on" the whole time, but with a droid he could probably just have a regular conversation. ...it'd be really interesting to see what he's like when he's calm and 'off work' in a manner of speaking.