20 Most Powerful Sith of All Time (Ranked)

There are two main factions in George Lucas’ Star Wars universe – the Jedi and the Sith. The former represent the Light Side of the Force and are the protagonists of Lucas’ world, while the latter are practitioners of the Dark Side of the Force and are the antagonists. The Sith are extremely powerful Force users but are presented as antagonists with a very dark history, which is why we haven’t seen too many members of the Sith Order. With that lack of info, you might wonder who is the most powerful Sith.

Some of these characters are quite skilled and are among the most powerful characters to ever have existed in George Lucas’ fictional universe. In this article, we at Fiction Horizon are going to bring you a list of the 20 most powerful Sith Lords of all time, as they appeared in Lucas’ franchise.

20. Darth Traya

Kreia, a controversial Jedi master, sought to create a new Jedi Order to liberate beings from the Force’s influence. However, her quest for understanding led her to embrace the Dark Side, becoming Darth Traya and forming a Sith Order. Betrayed by her apprentices, she abandoned the Dark Side, trained the Jedi Exile, and confronted her past by bringing down the remaining Jedi and Sith. Her journey began after being expelled from the Jedi Order due to Revan’s fall, and it culminated on Malachor V, where she discovered the dark secrets influencing Revan’s transformation. Ultimately, Kreia saw Revan’s fall as a rise to greater power beyond compassion and tolerance.

19. Darth Malak

Darth Malak, initially known as Alek Squinquargesimus, was a Sith Lord during the Jedi Civil War, trained alongside Revan. They defied the Jedi Council during the Mandalorian Wars, adopting the name Malak as a symbol of their cause. After the Battle of Malachor V, they returned as Darth Revan and Darth Malak, sparking a destructive war. Ultimately, Revan’s redemption and defeat of Malak were orchestrated by the Jedi, with the Exile putting an end to the Sith’s resurgence and the downfall of Darth Traya and her Sith triumvirate.

18. Tulak Hord

Tulak Hord, a former Jedi turned Sith, lived around 5300 BBY and discovered the Sith Worlds, eventually becoming the Dark Lord of the Sith after Ajunta Pall’s death. Renowned for his unmatched lightsaber skills and strategic prowess, Hord fought and expanded the Sith Empire’s influence. He mentored a student named Ortan Cela and clashed with the ambitious Sith Aloysius Kallig, ultimately killing him. Hord’s Sith Holocron was taken by Kallig before his death, and Hord was later buried in a tomb on Korriban’s Valley of the Dark Lords.

17. Darth Maul

Darth Maul, originally a Dathomirian night brother named Maul, became a Sith Lord under Darth Sidious’ command during the Naboo blockade. After killing Qui-Gon Jinn, he was defeated and believed dead, spending years in exile on Lotho Minor. Revived by his brother Savage Opress, Maul sought revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi, forming alliances and conquering Mandalore. His plans were thwarted by Palpatine, leading to imprisonment, escape, and eventual death at the hands of Obi-Wan on Tatooine.

16. Count Dooku

Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyranus, was a Jedi Knight and master of Qui-Gon Jinn. After Qui-Gon’s death, he embraced the Dark Side, becoming a Sith under Darth Sidious. As a key figure in the Clone Wars, Tyranus orchestrated conflicts, leading the Confederacy of Independent Systems against the Republic. Skilled in the Force and lightsaber combat, he faced Anakin and Obi-Wan in battles but was ultimately beheaded by Anakin on Palpatine’s orders, furthering Anakin’s descent into the Dark Side. Tyranus was a formidable Sith Lord with mastery over complex Force techniques.

15. Darth Malgus

Darth Malgus, originally Veradun, was a formidable Sith Lord during the Great Galactic War and Cold War. After killing his master Darth Vindican in the Battle for Korriban, he attacked Alderaan and sustained serious injuries, leading him to wear life-sustaining armor. Malgus later infiltrated the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, killing Jedi Master Ven Zallow. Unlike typical Sith, he focused on expanding Sith territories through expeditions to the Unknown Regions.

Years later, Malgus seized the opportunity to ascend the Emperor’s throne during the Emperor’s retreat, establishing a new empire. He gained significant support from military officers and Moffs, rebuilding the factory and upgrading Revan’s HK-47 assassin droid. Malgus used Ilum’s crystals to create an invisible fleet and space station, announcing the dissolution of the Dark Council and proclaiming the dawn of a new empire.

14. Darth Sion

Darth Sion, known as the Lord of Pain, was a Sith Lord and disciple of Darth Traya. His body, shattered and scarred, defied death through sheer willpower, hatred, and the Dark Side. Responsible for the great Jedi massacre, Sion believed the Sith had eradicated the Jedi, targeting the Exile after the Mandalorian Wars. Thought dead, he resurfaced on Korriban, facing the Exile again on Malachor V. Despite his physical immortality, the Exile convinced Sion to break free from Darth Traya’s influence, leading to his final defeat and release from eternal pain.

13. Kylo Ren

Ben Solo, also known as Kylo Ren, is the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo; he was initially trained as a Jedi with great potential by Luke Skywalker but turned to the Dark Side, serving the First Order and Supreme Leader Snoke. Notable for killing his father, Han Solo, in The Force Awakens and later eliminating Snoke in The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren experiences redemption in The Rise of Skywalker. Influenced by his connection to Leia and the ghost of Han Solo, he sacrifices himself to revive Rey and ultimately dies in the process, completing his journey back to the light side of the Force.

12. Darth Nihilus

Darth Nihilus, a powerful Sith Lord, played a key role in wiping out the Jedi in 3951 BBY. With the unique ability to absorb power from beings and objects, he devastated entire planets, including Katarr. Spiritually linked with Darth Sion, he spoke an ancient Sith language and trained a student, Visas Marr. Despite his formidable power, Nihilus was defeated by the Jedi Exile on the Ravager during an attack on Telos IV. His true identity, hidden behind a mask, remained unknown, and after his defeat, the Dark Side consumed his lifeless body, leaving uncertainties about his fate.

11. Naga Sadow

Naga Sadow, a Dark Lord of the Sith around 5000 BBY, ascended to power after Marka Ragnos’s death. Sadow aimed to expand the Sith Empire into Galactic Republic territory, leading to the Great Hyperspace War. Despite defeating his rival Ludo Kressh, Sadow’s plans failed, contributing to the Sith Empire’s fall. Following his defeat, he retreated to exile on Yavin IV, entering stasis. Centuries later, Jedi Freedon Nadd awoke Sadow’s mind, becoming his apprentice. Nadd eventually killed Sadow’s ghost in 4400 BBY, with Sadow’s grave located on Korriban.

10. Darth Vader

After losing most of his limbs in a duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader adapted to a new lightsaber style and endured daily pain. Serving as the Emperor’s enforcer, Vader instilled fear even among his allies in the Galactic Empire. Despite failing to retrieve Death Star plans, he discovered the Rebel Alliance’s base on Yavin IV. The Death Star was destroyed by Luke Skywalker, prompting Vader to chase the rebels to Hoth. Capturing Han Solo and Leia Organa, he lured Luke into a confrontation, revealing their familial connection. In the battle aboard the second Death Star, Vader turned against the Emperor to save Luke, sacrificing himself and embracing the Light Side of the Force. His body was cremated on Endor, bringing balance to the Force.

9. Darth Bane

Bane, once a trainee, became a powerful Sith in the Brotherhood of Darkness under Lord Kaan. After surviving an attempt on his life, Bane sought revenge on Ruusan, temporarily aligning with the Sith against the Jedi. Disappointed with the Sith’s disunity, Bane survived the destruction, formulating the Rule of Two to ensure the Sith’s survival. He discovered the concept in Darth Revan’s Holocron and adopted brutal training methods. Bane took Darth Zannah as his apprentice, and their quest for Sith knowledge led them to Dxun. There, Bane acquired orbalisk armor and further strengthened his connection to the Dark Side before training Zannah on Onderon.

8. Freedon Nadd

Freedon Nadd, once a Jedi turned Sith, sought power and became a king on Onderon. After his death, his sarcophagus became a source of dark energy. Nadd was the master of King Ommin and later took Satal and Aleema Keto as his apprentices. Jedi apprentice Exar Kun awakened Nadd’s spirit, leading to a confrontation. Nadd forced Kun to embrace the Dark Side to save his life. Eventually, Kun used an amulet to destroy Nadd’s spirit. Later, during the Onderonian Civil War, the Exile and her companions faced Sith masters in Nadd’s tomb on Dxun, defeating them and finding Nadd’s lightsaber and Holocron.

7. Ulic Qel-Droma

Ulic Qel-Droma, once a Jedi Knight, turned against the Sith sect Krath to avert their threat. Captured and tortured with Sith poison, he dueled Exar Kun, leading to the spirit of Sith Lord Marka Ragnos appointing Kun as the new Dark Lord and Qel-Droma as his apprentice. Ulic commanded the Krath Army, achieving victories. In a blind rage on Ossus, he killed his brother Cay, leading to Jedi exile. As a hermit on Rhen Var, he awaited his end. When approached by Jedi Vima Sunrider, he reluctantly trained her. Later, confronted by Jedi seeking revenge, Ulic was killed by a spaceman named Hoggon, and he passed over to the Force, finding peace.

6. Marka Ragnos

Marka Ragnos, a Sith-human hybrid born on Korriban, became the Dark Lord of the Sith after defeating Simus in a duel. Under his rule, the Sith Empire flourished, but chaos ensued upon his death, leading to the Great Hyperspace War. In 5000 BBY, Ragnos’ grave on Korriban played a role in a power struggle between Sith rivals Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh.

Centuries later, Tavion Axmis sought to resurrect Ragnos by using a powerful scepter. Jedi Jaden Korr intervened, preventing the resurrection and destroying the scepter. In the ensuing battle, Tavion summoned Ragnos’ spirit, but Korr ultimately defeated Ragnos and sealed Tavion’s body in the tomb on Korriban, preventing the Sith Lord’s return.

5. Revan

Revan, initially a Jedi, played a crucial role in the Mandalorian Wars, leading the Republic to victory but facing the lure of the Dark Side. Later, as Darth Revan, he and Malak betrayed the Sith Emperor, establishing their own Sith Empire. After Malak’s betrayal, Revan’s memory was erased by the Jedi, and he eventually returned to the Light Side.

In the Jedi Civil War, Revan defeated Malak and destroyed the Star Forge, ending the conflict. He then ventured into the Unknown Regions to face a greater evil. Captured by Darth Nyriss, he was betrayed by Sith Lord Scourge, leading to his defeat by the Sith Emperor. Revan was held in stasis for centuries until freed by a Republic task force, leaving a legacy that influenced the Sith teachings of Darth Bane and the Rule of Two.

4. Darth Plagueis

Darth Plagueis, a Muun and head of the Banking Clan, was a powerful Sith Lord who sought dominion over the galaxy. He mastered the manipulation of midichlorians, attempting to prevent death and create life. His apprentice, Darth Sidious, learned most of Plagueis’s knowledge but betrayed and killed him while he slept. Plagueis’s original plan involved eliminating strong Force elements undetected by the Jedi.

Despite full control of midichlorians, Plagueis’s arrogance and celebration of Sidious’s political rise led to his downfall. Sidious, intoxicated by power, murdered Plagueis to ensure the Sith Rule of Two endured. Plagueis’s tragedy lay in his inability to save himself despite his mastery over life. Sidious considered Plagueis a teacher but not a true master, as he had deviated from the Sith plan for galaxy dominance, focusing on his quest for immortality.

3. Darth Vitiate

Darth Vitiate, also known as Valkorion and Tenebrae, was a powerful Sith Lord who lived around 5000 BBY. After the fall of the Old Sith Empire, he took control, leading the Sith into hiding on Dromund Kaas and becoming the first Sith Emperor. Vitiate extended his life through dark rituals and machines, indirectly influencing galactic events.

He orchestrated Revan and Malak’s fall, sparking the Jedi Civil War. In 3681 BBY, the Sith Empire, rebuilt under Vitiate, waged war against the Republic. Despite the unexpected success, Vitiate offered peace, leading to the Treaty of Coruscant. He temporarily withdrew, leaving the Dark Council in charge.

Vitiate, using a possessed body as the voice of the Emperor, manipulated events. After losing a voice on Voss, he sought a new one in the temple of the dark side on Dromund Kaas. The hero of Tython destroyed his voice, sparking a new galactic conflict. Vitiate later founded the Eternal Empire of Zakuul, displaying confidence in its eternal dominance and the ability to reshape the galaxy.

2. Exar Kun

Exar Kun, a powerful Sith Lord in the Galactic Republic era, played a key role in the Great Sith War alongside Ulic Qel-Droma, Krath, and Mandalorians. After a ritual on Yavin IV, he was imprisoned in the Massassi Temple, with his spirit enduring for millennia until finding peace in 11 ABY. Exar Kun is credited with inventing the double-bladed lightsaber.

On Yavin IV, he encountered the descendants of the Massassi culture, avoiding sacrifice through the Dark Side and defeating Freedon Nadd to become the Dark Lord of the Sith. Using Sith artifacts, he subjugated the Massassi and uncovered Naga Sadow’s battleship, becoming a formidable Sith.

Ulic Qel-Droma led a Jedi fleet to Yavin IV in 3996 BBY to end Exar Kun’s regime. In a final ritual, Kun separated his mind from his body, unleashing immense power countered by the Jedi. The temple and Yavin IV were consumed by flames, and while the Jedi believed him defeated, Exar Kun’s spirit lingered on the jungle moon during the Second Galactic War.

1. Darth Sidious

Sheev Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, is the primary Dark Lord of the Sith, a former politician, and the main antagonist in the Star Wars saga. Trained by Darth Plagueis, his mission is to restore the Sith order and eradicate the Jedi through a galaxy-wide plot. Initially a Senator for Naboo, he rises to become Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, manipulating events to ignite a war between the Separatists and the Republic.

Using his mastery of the Dark Side, political skills, and knowledge of the Republic’s workings, Palpatine gains full powers, prolonging the Clone Wars to strengthen his grip. In 19 BBY, he declared himself Emperor, orchestrated the Great Jedi Purge, and transformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire. He turns Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader, his apprentice.

Palpatine’s reign ends in Episode VI as Vader kills him. However, he returns in Episode IX, meeting his final demise at the hands of Rey, his granddaughter.

Have a Sith Lord to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!