Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties

Here's the thing about the dark side. The dark side is whatever you're inherently drawn to, but which you feel to be immoral. Which is to say, this thing (eating, alcohol, S&M, picking your nose, etc.; it'll vary from person to person) may not be immoral, from a certain point of view, but insofar as that point of view is not yours or does not gel with your system of belief, or (assuming you can philosophize your way into a perfectly legitimate justification) insofar as you cannot/do not remain viscerally convinced the thing isn't immoral, that thing is your dark side. It can be anger, it can be hate and aggression, but if those things aren't your "buttons," those aren't the true barometers of the dark side for you. It's that thing.

Therefore, no, I don't think it's possible to justify the use of the dark side in any way. Not when it's truly the dark side. How will you know if it truly is? Yoda said it best, "You WILL know. When you are calm, at peace." The dark side is that thing which each of us often fears to even think about, and it must be endlessly combated (which isn't the same thing as to say it must be endlessly defeated).

That's too difficult, someone might say.

It certainly seems that way, doesn't it.

 

Abel: On What is the Dark Side,

Perhaps an easier way to explain it would be the same as one of our Senators said of pornography:

"You see, I cant really explain it, but I sure as hell know it when I see it"

 

For those of you who do not have the "Hero's Guide".........


I believe this is what Senator_Cilghal was referring to as a possible technobeast:


[image=http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6032/tb10ip.jpg]


Can anyone confirm/deny whether or not this is a technobeast?? (with the NEGD)

 

This was definitely included in the Darth Rivan info that was cut.

Yes.

Yes.

You're welcome.

I'd say it's self-actualization at any cost. Alternately, complimentary, or analogously, it is to impose their superior will on the world (galaxy) around them...superior not only in effect but in moral quality.

Good memory, Sauron_18.

Take care,
Abel

 

Well . . . has a nascent resemblance to the Rastion Robot. Guardian of Rassilon's main tomb entrance, first and greatest of the Time Lords, and who looks like a raunchy Mongolian with dropping mustachios.

 

It also looks kinda like Cyborg Ninja (aka Grey Fox) from Metal Gear Solid:

[image=http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/569/images/ninja.jpg]

But I think its just meant to be someone in an infiltraitor suit, not some Darkside monster.

 

Not unlike the Jensaarai.

As an aside, when I first wrote Evil Never Dies, there was much more emphasis on the Jensaarai as the "future of the Sith," for better or worse. However, the Polyhedron article, "I, Jensaarai" came out soon after, so I cut back on much of the info. At this point, Lumiya's latest apprentice was a Jensaarai.

Thank you, Blithe.

No, it's a different one. Adas' was found by the Jedi around the time of the Freedon Nadd Uprising 1000 years later.

I don't think there's any question, though I think it'd be rare. This is a very intellectual position, and while I think it makes for an interesting Sith character or even Sith sect, I don't think Sith would ever come under this umbrella as a whole. Per the "evil can never die" quote in the article, I think most Sith have the "eternal struggle" motif as their ready fall back position (i.e. a ready justification for themselves and others whenever cornered about the havoc they cause), but I think the position would have honestly motivated only the barest of fractions of Sith. And that's optimistic.

Yup, definitely plausible, though again, I have doubts about any kind of long-term or widespread dedication to the concept that would actually remain "pure." But that's the good fight.

Thanks Oro.

Not from me, but I do know the group you're talking about.

Take care,
Abel

 

The obvious answer seems to be that's it's the dark Jedi's fault. But, I think that's a premature conclusion. The question is essentially impossible to answer, save to say that the meeting of these two groups, the mixture of their ideas, and resulting philosophy was destined.

Interesting thoughts, Sauron_18!

Any forseeable "visit" to Chaos on my part would be a highly subjective interpretation, not objective: what Chaos is and if it even "truly" objectively exists is another unanswerable question.

If you've read Traitor, think the meeting between Jacen and the "ghost" of Anakin Solo.

They're not the same thing?

I honestly don't know. It's possible approvals thought that part of Murk Lundi's section was a bit too academic, i.e. boring. It usually isn't explained why certain things get changed or don't go through.

It's kinda out my hands to say at this point...anyone have a scan of the illo in the New Essential Guide to Droids?

Take care,
Abel

 

Of course, we SAW the Jedi Afterlife/Netherworld of the Force way back in MARVEL #92...Chaos is simply making "Dark Side Hell" formal.

 

Good question. I forget about this guy.

Glad you liked it. Here's the discussion thread.

Case in point. Luke had this vision in a dream, didn't he?

Take care,
Abel

 

Oh sweet mother of God...

What's worse is that "Darth Ulicus" actually *is* my username on the OS. My only defence is that I was young and stupid and gave into the "Darth" temptation. I've been meaning to change it...

 

Thats good to know But I do still think some things are best left to mystery and speculation

On another topic - do you think that there will ever be a novel that deals with a 'Jedi historian', 'Jedi explorer' or 'Jedi archeologist', exploring the ruins, uncharted systems and long forgotton planets of the GFFA? It would certainly be a series that would provide fuel to the continuity lovers - and could be set in a wide variety of eras, such as post-Revan era, post-Kaan era, or post-Palpatine era - at which point the Jedi order would have needed to recover lost secrets. Also, are all the Sith novels like Path of Destruction likely to be set in the 'rule of two' era?

 

>Case in point. Luke had this vision in a dream, didn't he? <

Yes, but the end of the comic also shows two dead characters in the netherworld with Yoda.

TC

 

I'm almost afraid to ask, but is Ulicus a made up name?

Indiana Jones in space? A novel I'd say is a long shot. Jocasta Nu was a Jedi explorer, though.

I hope not, though technically Path of Destruction is right before, I believe.

That's right, heh heh. Become one with the morass of non-identity already you simpletons!

Marvel #92 implied some strange things about the Force. This is the same issue that has a bunch of (presumably) non-Force-strong recurring characters trying to get Jedi training from Luke.

 

I think the Jedi archeologist type thing could be pulled off pretty well, so thats a pity. It would be quite easy to conjure up the sence of awe that one gets when watching some historical docu on a good subject, or 'Raiders of the Lost Arc', with a good dose of mystery creation and continuity exploitation. Add typical Star Wars charecterisation, and voila - a series that isnt life and death galaxy wide crisis, but explores one of the most interesting facets of the Jedi in peacetime. Since you have written continuity orientated articles that capitalised on history well, you would probably be good for the job.

Although Path of Destruction is in Kaan's time, those were the waning days of the multiple Sith - I was thinking something along the lines of KOTOR era - so far only the games and comics have gone that far back.

 

Abel,
Love the new article. They should really collect all your articles into a paperback and sell it. I know I would buy it. All that continuity in one easy to page through volume...

 

Well, I "made it up" insofar as I stuck an "us" on the end of "Ulic". I was such a creative ten year old... heh.

But, hey, if you want to create a "Darth Ulicus", don't let me stop you... maybe it was Aleema's pet name for ol' Qel-Droma? Who knows

It seems most made up names borrow from other places though - I'm assuming you took "Galahad" and messed about with it? Though from what I've read, Halagad would hardly be the sort to survive Siege Perilous...

Speaking of which, when ARE you going to introduce us to Darth Siege and Darth Perilous?

 

Actually, Halagad Ventor comes from the old RPG adventure "Domain of Evil." A Jedi from the old Order who was broken and forced to betray his brethren, Halagad wallowed in his despair until he was found on the boggish planet Trinta by a band of nameless heroes. Abel has since taken up his mantle...

You're correct that his name is a mishmash of Galahad. (And Ventor is derived from the Latin word for hunter, IIRC.)

 

Besides which, Exar Kun destroyed the holocron he took from Odan-Urr (which possessed the apprentices who Kun would later turn against their Masters).

Well I was always fascinated by the ruminations of the TotJ Companion that there may have been "circles" of the ancient (pre-Dark Jedi) Sith along with an implication that some would not have been necessarily of the Dark Side (though IIRC it's explicit that that the Dark Side circles had gained dominance). I know I ran with those ideas in my TotJ RPG campaign in which the players were exploring a shadowy conspiracy/coverup over the Sith Genocide during and following the Great Hyperspace War...

 

Right....I forgot that

Is the holocron actually seen in "The Freedon Nadd Uprising"?

 

Well, my opinion isn't gospel, just my perception of how the publishing market works. We did get two novels about Jedi medics, though. I agree that it could be a highly entertaining story. A Da Vinci Codesque Star Wars novel, anyone?

I'd love to see the early Republic cracked wide open.

Hell, I would buy it.

Thanks for the kind words, DarthRotten!

"You lick us"?

Right after Darth Rotten.

 

I wonder if we'll ever see a Sith who's name is Just "Darth", no anything afterwards.....

It's possible, I mean, there was a "Carth", maybe the Sith initiated the tradition with his own name...

 

Hmm, I suppose that is possible.

I don't think so, though if it is, I think it'd be in the possession of the character Novar, who has it in the TOTJ Companion.

 

Had they come up with the idea of "Force-sensitives" by then? I was pretty sure that until Bantam, it was implied that ANYONE could be a Jedi; some people, like Luke, just had a head start thanks to genes.

(IIRC, Obi-Wan even says something like that to Han on the Falcon in ANH)

 

That is how I will always see it.

Mace afterall had hardly any natural force ability but expanded it through skill.