ST What does the Dark Side offer?

I am curious to hear what Star Wars fans think is meant when Vader and Kylo Ren say we don't know the power of the Dark Side. The Force can be understood as the ability to be enlightened to the possibility within space, time and our thoughts. That we can break the confines of space and time and be a part of it all. I get that sense of oneness with something greater. But, what did Vader mean about the power? What makes it what it is? What does it offer to make a person take that step into the Dark Side rather than the Light?

I haven't read many of the books or comic series, is this addressed anywhere in the literature? What makes Vader go Dark and Luke go Light. We can see the battle of the spirit in Luke. I thought I saw it in Kylo. What's the big reward? What does it feel like? A good writer would be able to help us see it.

And, pardon my ignorance, but when we see the Emperor, who are they? That is the supreme leader? Where do these wizened old bodies come from? It's curious we only see Vader or Kylo as representing the Dark Side. Are there other members? Where are they and why do we see only one guy?

 

Faster and easier. More offensive tools i.e. Force Lighting, Force Choke (though Luke used too), and Force Mind Probing. Less rules.


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Dark side is more fun.

 

Better Masks that make your voice sound awesome, better capes and cooler looking lightsabers. Also you can wear cool black outfits instead of old bathrobes

 

I think dark siders are allowed to sleep around. That's probably enough on it's own.

 

Cookies.

 

Faster and easier. When you use the Dark Side, you get angry and power comes to you with little effort. When you use the Light Side you have to struggle to keep you emotions under control and you have to concentrate greatly to use the Force.

Also, the Dark Side, give its users a power rise. I think when you use the Dark Side you get the same power now that you would get through years of training using the Light Side. I don't know if their power ceiling is higher, or they just reach it faster.

 

The same things the "easy road" usually has to offer in any discipline.

 

None of that 'discipline' nonsense here, no sir. You want to go nuts, go nuts. Do what you like. That's the Dark Side.

 

I've always assumed there are addictive properties to using the force and that tapping into the dark side while easier, is probably difficult to let go of. Let's face it; if you had the powers of a Jedi you could easily develop something of a god complex. The power to control weak-willed or weak-minded individuals alone seems incredibly dangerous. being able to read minds, use the force to cause others to submit to your will probably would lead some people down a dark, murderous path. To a non Jedi you're basically a god. There's a good chance you would literally lose respect to those you could bend to your will. Couple that with any potential addictive properties and you can see why some force users might fall prey to the lures of the dark side.

As a Jedi Knight you're supposed to use your powers to achieve a positive end; as a Sith Lord you use those same powers for your own selfish purposes. The latter sounds a lot more fun and a lot more dangerous. Giving up the selfish use of your powers is probably exceedingly difficult.

 

Luke wore cool black outfits, so that's not true.

There are people who know a lot more about this from the EU than I do, but based on current canon it comes down to this: The Jedi follow rules and traditions to keep themselves from being corrupted by the force and to keep from corrupting (clouding) the force itself. Those who use the Dark Side, such as the Sith and Kylo/Snoke, do not follow the same rules and it somehow allows them to become far more powerful. They invoke the power of raw emotion and so on. So when they say "you do not know the power of the dark side" they mean that you do not understand that which you have not experienced. As far as we know, no one has ever truly come back from the Dark Side other than maybe Vader at the end of his life (edit: and he died in the process). Once the Dark Side has you in its grip, there is no escaping.

 

No restrictions... you want something, you have the freedom to make things happen.

Anakin: "I'm more powerful than the Chancellor, I can over throw him...and together you and I can rule the Galaxy, make things the way we want them to be!"

 

I came in here to say this lol


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Yeah, couple of people before me, but ..... duh!

 

I actually don't even really get why palpatine wanted to kill all the Jedi.... I mean he was already rich and powerful. I guess I could buy that he's a megalomaniac

 

Unlimited power!

 

In addition to what others have said, I would add this: FREEDOM. Freedom from denying your own desires or serving others or unselfishness. I mean ultimately, isn't that what Anakin was really after? The freedom to live in the open with Padme and the freedom to make his own decisions and ultimately, the freedom to re-shape the Republic/Empire as he saw fit?

I am feeling a speech from The Devil's Advocate coming on here.

 

Dark Side means using the Force without concern for the consequences of your actions for others, and ignoring the will of the Force. You act out of fear, anger and greed. It's short-sighted use while ignoring the bigger picture.

 

Power...the POW-WAH!!!!!!!!!

 

Beat you to it a few posts up.

 

Darth_Lobot, I think it came from a generational hatred of the Jedi for perceived persecution of the Sith. That, and they were the greatest threat to his power, so with them out of the way, no one could challenge him.

 

The Emperor wanted to oppress the will of the people, the Jedi fight oppression...they could not fundamentally stand by and do nothing...add in the long history of Jedi vs Sith, they could never coexist, so destruction is the only option in getting what he wanted.

 

Agreed...the Sith don't share well.

 

Got - Megalomania it is... .works for me

 

To quote Sidious, "Unlimited poweeeeeeeer"!!!!