When the Star Wars franchise first debuted over 40 years ago, not everyone had access to the kind of technology that would let anyone create their own galaxy far, far away. That certainly isn't the case now, with impressive fan films popping up all the time, such as the powerful short film Dark Legacy, directed by Anthony Pietromonaco. As you can see below, this fan-made adventure delves into an aspect of the Star Wars universe that isn't often touched upon. Here's the official description for what you're about to see play out.
"Dark Legacy is an unofficial Star Wars short not intended to compete with or discredit any existing or forthcoming material, and is based on the characters created by George Lucas and owned by Disney. That said... The setting of our story is a barren planet in a forgotten corner of the Star Wars universe. This is where the Sith Master has made his home, and it is littered with ancient artifacts from a tribe long forgotten by civilized society, most notably giant statues that seem to look down, watching the Sith Master and his generations of apprentices. The planet is home to no one but the Sith Master, his students, and one other unique organism."
The 11-minute short film begins with a quote from Sorzus Syn, a former Jedi master who would go on to author the Sith code. The quote states that, "Training is complete only with the death of the master or the student." The official website at StarWarsDarkLegacy.com reveals that, if the student cannot defeat the master, then the master does not simply enable them to die. Instead, the master, "harvests their essence using a unique parasite." The short reveals that these parasites harvest an apprentice's entire essence into the form of a kyber crystal, which are used to make lightsabers.
The short film opens on a planet only inhabited by the Sith master (Fabien Garcia) and his unwilling apprentice Kia (Erin Wu), who has been held against her will by this Sith Lord. He shows her the kyber crystal that contains the entire essence of her slain brother, which he places into a new lightsaber, that Kia must use to strike down her master. Here's the official description of this unnamed Sith Lord.
"The Master is ancient, from a long forgotten corner of the galaxy far far away. He has seen many wars and fought many battles before becoming obsessed with finding the one who would carry on his legacy. His methods are ruthless. After capturing his pupils he imprisons them and forces them to defend themselves against his tactics. Like a grandmaster of chess imparting his knowledge to a student, he never allows them to win a false victory. Instead, he punishes them for each mistake in the form of a lightsaber burn. He forces his apprentices to learn to use the darkness as a practical, strategic element, or perish under his tutelage."
As for his apprentice, Kia is covered in lightsaber burns, as she's seen taking yet another lightsaber strike on her bare skin during this battle. It is said that she comes from a long line of Jedi warriors, and the only thing she has left is a promise to her fallen brother, to survive no matter what the cost. The lightsabers used in this film also have quite the unique look, with the official website mentioning that the Sith Lord wields what, "appears to be one of the first lightsabers ever created." Take a look at this impressive Star Wars fan film below.
