Star Wars’ New Show Breaks George Lucas’ “Balance of the Force” Rule With Disney’s Best Sith Lord

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The latest Star Wars stories are shifting away from how George Lucas originally envisioned “balance in the Force.” Lucas introduced the concept in the earlier films, linking it to Anakin Skywalker’s supposed destiny. However, he never clearly explained what “balance” meant, and by the end of those films, even Yoda questioned whether the Jedi had understood the prophecy correctly. Now, a new Sith Lord will offer a very different perspective on what “balance” truly is.

The third season of Star Wars: Visions, now streaming on Disney+, provides a fresh perspective on the Force. Unlike other Star Wars shows, Visions lets various animation studios create their own stories without worrying about fitting into existing timelines. It has already given us a powerful new Sith Lord, the Ronin, a character who challenges the traditional understanding of balance in the Force as envisioned by George Lucas.

George Lucas Viewed The Dark Side As A Perversion

I’ve noticed a lot of people talk about the light and dark sides of the Force like they’re just two halves of a whole, like yin and yang – that balance means they need to be equal. But honestly, when I was watching the prequels, that didn’t feel right to me. George Lucas seemed to be showing the dark side as something fundamentally wrong – a truly destructive force that brings only death and chaos. It’s not about balance at all! The dark side actively destroys balance. If you look at the Sith Code, it’s a clear path from intense feelings to just… crushing everyone. It’s a really bleak progression, and it really emphasizes how dangerous embracing the dark side is.

According to this understanding, the Sith Order, and particularly the lineage stemming from Darth Bane, created a disruption in the Force. The Rule of Two allowed Sith power to grow rapidly as each master passed their knowledge to a single apprentice. Therefore, Anakin Skywalker was destined to correct this imbalance by eliminating the Banite Sith, which he accomplished by defeating Palpatine in Return of the Jedi. This explains why, in The Rise of Skywalker, Anakin asked Rey to restore balance – he believed she was the one to finally complete his mission.

Even George Lucas Seemed To Change His Mind About The Force

Interestingly, over time, George Lucas seemed to rethink some of his ideas about the Force. The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduced the Mortis Gods – beings who represented the light side (the Son), the dark side (the Daughter), and balance (the Father). The Father maintained equilibrium between light and dark, believing that an excess of either would be dangerous. He suggested that the Chosen One’s purpose was to achieve the same kind of balance – a significantly different approach to the Force than what had been previously established.

Disney’s Star Wars has been increasingly emphasizing a new take on the Jedi’s history. For example, Star Wars: The Last Jedi featured artwork hinting that the original founder of the Jedi Order wasn’t simply a force for good, but contained both light and darkness. Recent related stories have also subtly suggested that the earliest Jedi weren’t purely dedicated to the light side—they aimed for balance. This likely happened after a major division, possibly the one that led to the creation of the Sith.

Disney Star Wars’ Best Sith Lord Blurs The Line Even More

It’s surprising how few new Sith characters have appeared in Disney’s Star Wars productions. The mysterious villain, the Stranger, in the series The Acolyte, was actually the first new Sith we’ve seen in live-action since the prequel movies. While the animated Visions series did introduce a powerful new Sith Lord called the Ronin in its first season, he’s a unique character – a former member of his own people who now hunts them down. He’s presented as a heroic figure, and his story was so popular it’s been expanded into both a novel and a manga.

In the new season of Star Wars: Visions, the Ronin returns in the episode “The Duel: Playback,” arguing that both light and darkness are essential for balance. As the story’s hero, we’re meant to see things from his point of view – especially because he’s facing a Jedi who is essentially Darth Vader, a powerful master representing the Jedi’s idea of balance. This Grand Master believes the dark side must be eliminated and is on a mission of revenge against the Sith. However, his relentless pursuit ultimately shows he’s strayed from the Jedi path, as he loses the ability to distinguish between a Sith’s red lightsaber and the one he used to wield.

The fight between the Ronin and the Grand Master isn’t just a physical battle, but a conflict between two very different ways of thinking, and the result clearly shows which approach is better. The Ronin has found a path to making amends for his past by hunting the Sith, but he does so with a focus on peace, not rage. He’s a true hero, dedicated to protecting the weak from those who would harm them. The Grand Master, however, is consumed by a rigid and uncompromising belief system that leads him down a dark path. He’s obsessed with destruction, and uses his anger as an excuse to justify his actions and pursue his goals.

Is Star Wars Finally Moving On From George Lucas’ Original Ideas About Balance?

The stories in Star Wars: Visions aren’t considered official parts of the main storyline, which gives the creators more freedom to explore different ideas. Interestingly, the concept of a Sith Lord having a unique view on balance isn’t new. The older Star Wars stories featured a Jedi Master named Vergere (who was later revealed to be a Sith in disguise) who shared similar beliefs to a character in Visions. However, the creators eventually decided that idea didn’t fit and showed it to be a deception used to lure people to the dark side.

There are growing signs that Star Wars is moving towards a more mystical and spiritual direction. The Last Jedi introduced the idea that the first Jedi were keepers of balance, and James Mangold’s upcoming “Dawn of the Jedi” story will likely expand on that concept. Additionally, the ending of Ahsoka season one hints at a return to the storyline involving the powerful Mortis Gods, which showrunner Dave Filoni has confirmed will be further developed. Filoni even admitted that George Lucas originally presented these ideas unexpectedly, leaving him to interpret their meaning.

Considering everything, “The Duel: Payback” feels like the beginning of a major storyline that Star Wars will likely develop much further. It offers a glimpse of what’s to come and could become a very important part of the overall saga.

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2025-11-03 22:13