Star Wars is a long-running franchise revolving around an order of Force-wielders referred to as Jedi. The Jedi are known for not only being able to use the Force, but also for wielding cool and powerful weapons known as lightsabers. Moreover, the Jedi are often tasked with helping out during political strife, especially during The Clone Wars, wherein every Master also served as a General in the field. From Master Yoda to Obi-Wan Kenobi, there are plenty of Jedi that are wise and powerful, hoping to bring peace to the galaxy far, far away. Of course, with all this good, the evil must come with it.
The polar opposite of the Jedi is the Sith. The Sith serve as the antagonists who hope to defeat the Jedi and use the Dark Side of the Force in order to gain power. The Sith are generally seen as selfish, deceptive and greedy and, willing to put anything and everything at risk for their own needs. While there are many Jedi who have fallen to the Dark Side, not all of them have gone on to become Sith Lords. The title of Sith Lord is reserved for those who control and manipulate plenty, making a negative impact on the entirety of the Jedi and the Republic. These are the known Sith Lords in the Star Wars franchise.
Darth Maul
Darth Maul made his first appearance in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Appearing on Tatooine and showing off his skills with a lightsaber — Jedi aren't the only ones who can use a lightsaber — Darth Maul is a worthy adversary trained by his Master Darth Sidious AKA Emperor Palpatine. With his iconic dual-ended saber, Darth Maul manages to fight off both Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, eventually killing Qui-Gon and giving Obi-Wan the strength to eventually defeat Darth Maul. However, it’s revealed in The Clone Wars animated series that Darth Maul is not dead as Obi-Wan once thought, but somehow managed to escape and is out for revenge against Obi-Wan.
Darth Tyranus / Count Dooku
Darth Tyranus, mostly referred to as Count Dooku, is another apprentice taken on by Darth Sidious. Count Dooku first appears in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones after Obi-Wan is captured, and the two have a passive-aggressive argument, making it clear that Dooku and Obi-Wan have a history. Darth Tyranus is responsible for uniting the Separatists against the Galactic Republic and is also responsible for taking Anakin’s arm. In The Clone Wars, Dooku eventually ends up taking on an apprentice of his own known as Asajj Ventriss, whom he betrays and attempts to kill. When his attempt is unsuccessful, Ventriss comes after Dooku. Dooku meets a swift end in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith when Anakin is coaxed into killing him by Emperor Palpatine.
Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker
Previously known as Anakin Skywalker, the chosen one who would bring balance to the Force and father of Luke and Leia, Darth Vader makes his first chronological appearance at the end of Revenge of the Sith after Obi-Wan cut off his remaining three limbs and left him for dead on the ashy shore of Mustafar. Due to his injuries, Vader is forced to dawn his intimidating suit which causes him a great deal of pain. Despite his condition, Darth Vader is arguably the most powerful Sith in the Star Wars universe. Darth Vader is known for his cruel treatment and his conniving tactics, particularly in his appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Vader meets his end through an act of redemption when the Emperor is about to kill Luke, but sacrifices himself so that his son may live. His constant struggle with the light and dark sides of the Force are key elements of why Darth Vader's story is so tragic.
Darth Sidious/ Emperor Palpetine
One of the most hated characters in the Star Wars Universe is Darth Sidious also known as Emperor Palpatine or Chancellor Palpatine. Darth Sidious first made an appearance as Senator Palpatine from Naboo who eventually climbed the ladder and made it to become Chancellor which led to the fall of the Republic and the Jedi Order, responsible for Order 66. While Darth Sidious doesn’t fight much, or often, throughout the franchise, when he does, you can be certain that someone will die by his hand.
Palpatine is also responsible for the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the rise of Darth Vader through his exploitation of Anakin’s vulnerabilities, which coerced him to embrace the Dark Side. While Palpatine was thought to have been dead when Darth Vader threw him, it was revealed that he’d been preserved in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker but came to meet his true maker at the hands of Rey.
Darth Bane
While absent from the Star Wars films, Darth Bane makes an appearance in The Clone Wars TV series, and is voiced by Mark Hamill who plays Luke Skywalker in the original and sequel film trilogies. Darth Bane lived thousands of years before the films were set and is responsible for the Rule of Two for the Sith: one master and one apprentice. Darth Bane’s existence is mysterious to say the least and while most of what has been written about him has been deemed non-canonical, his appearance in The Clone Wars suggests otherwise.
Darth Plagueis
Darth Plagueis never makes a physical appearance in any of the films or series’ in the Star Wars universe, but he is mentioned in the story told by Palpatine. Darth Plagueis was the Master of Darth Sidious, who was so powerful with the Force that he figured out how to create life and prevent death. Darth Sidious told the story to Anakin of how Darth Plagueis was so overcome with power that Darth Plagueis thought he was invincible. He was proven otherwise when Darth Plagueis was eventually murdered in his sleep by his apprentice, Palpatine, after teaching him everything he knew. Palpatine states that the tale is ironic as Darth Plagueis could save others from death, but not himself.