Everything Star Wars Canon Has Revealed About the Origin of the Jedi & the Sith

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For many years, the origins of the Jedi and their age-old enemies, the Sith, were unclear. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2014, the vast collection of Star Wars stories detailing their history became known as “Legends” – meaning it wasn’t considered official. Only the original trilogy, the prequels, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series remained canon. However, new Star Wars stories released since 2014 have begun to carefully reveal a more complex and spiritual understanding of both the Jedi and Sith. We now know the Jedi didn’t start as the strict military force seen in the prequels and The Clone Wars; they began as individuals searching for balance in a chaotic galaxy. Similarly, the Sith weren’t an alien race, but a group that broke away from the Jedi due to differing beliefs and a desire for independence. This shift from a single way of using the Force to two opposing philosophies shaped the galaxy for thousands of years.

Through clues found in everything from old artwork and religious writings to the ruins of ancient temples, the Star Wars universe is gradually revealing the history of the Jedi and Sith – how they evolved into the peacekeepers and dark side users we see in the films.

7) Malachor and Its Ties to a Sith-Jedi Battle

The events on Malachor were among the most devastating conflicts in the history of the Jedi and Sith. Millennia ago, a huge battle called the Great Scourge took place on the dark planet featured in Star Wars Rebels. During the fight, a powerful Sith weapon was unleashed against the Jedi, instantly turning every living creature on the planet to stone, and leaving behind a desolate landscape of frozen remains.

This terrible event shows how the Sith have always been inclined to use the Force to cause widespread destruction. The secret Sith temple on Malachor wasn’t simply a religious site; it was a heavily fortified base powered by a massive kyber crystal. This highlights that the Sith’s beginnings were closely linked to weapons and technology, a stark contrast to the Jedi, who initially emphasized harmony with nature and spiritual practice.

6) The World Between Worlds

Hidden on the planet Lothal, within an ancient Jedi Temple, is a gateway to the World Between Worlds – a mysterious dimension of the Force that transcends time and space. This realm shows that the first Jedi understood the fundamental structure of the Force in a way that was later forgotten. Essentially, the World Between Worlds is a network of pathways linking all points in history, demonstrating that the Force is a single, eternal power beyond the physical world. Years after Ahsoka Tano’s battle with Darth Vader on Malachor, Ezra Bridger discovered a way to access that very moment and rescue Ahsoka, bringing her forward in time.

The murals above this entrance show the Mortis gods – representing balance (the Father), darkness (the Son), and light (the Daughter). Their appearance in Jedi buildings on Lothal hints that the Jedi Order’s founders once understood and respected these powerful beings, but that knowledge was lost to time. It wasn’t rediscovered until Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka faced them during The Clone Wars. This suggests the Jedi originally focused on understanding the fundamental nature of the universe before they became involved in politics and peacekeeping.

5) The Prime Jedi and the Balance of Ahch-To

The Jedi Order began long before the Republic, founded on the distant planet Ahch-To by the very first Jedi. Unlike the warrior image often associated with the Jedi, this founder was a meditator, as shown in an ancient mosaic of light and dark stone. This suggests early Jedi understood the Force as a balance of both light and dark, striving for harmony instead of completely rejecting the dark side. Recent stories from the High Republic era support this idea, featuring Jedi who responsibly use the dark side for positive purposes.

The earliest Jedi temple wasn’t built like the towering structures of Coruscant. Instead, it was designed around natural features, emphasizing a connection to the living galaxy – a concept similar to the ‘Living Force’ that Qui-Gon Jinn believed in. Ancient Jedi texts Luke Skywalker found on Ahch-To reveal that these first Jedi focused on the natural flow of the Force, understanding it as a kind of rhythm or ‘tide,’ well before the Jedi Code became a strict set of rules.

4) The Hundred-Year Darkness and the Great Schism

The Sith didn’t just suddenly exist – they originated within the Jedi Order. According to established lore, a major event called the Hundred-Year Darkness saw a Jedi begin exploring the dark side of the Force. This Jedi believed that power came from embracing emotions, not controlling them, which caused a fundamental disagreement and permanently split Force-users into opposing groups.

This wasn’t a simple disagreement; it was a hundred-year war that completely changed the galaxy. The Jedi who disagreed with the Council were forced into exile, where they developed their dark side abilities. This period saw the Sith evolve from a small group of rebels into a powerful, organized cult with its own traditions, leadership, and a deep-seated hatred for the Jedi.

3) The Rise of the Sith Empire on Moraband

After being forced into exile, those who practiced the dark side of the Force made their home on the barren planet of Moraband. Over time, these exiled Jedi evolved into the Sith, constructing enormous tombs and temples that channeled dark energy. This period marked a complete break from Jedi ways, as the Sith adopted a culture focused on conquest, mystical practices like those of the Nightsisters, and the pursuit of personal power gained by corrupting the Force.

For many generations, Moraband was the sacred home of the Sith. When its ruins were discovered much later, they showed a cruel civilization where power came from fear and the strong exploited the weak. By the time the Sith had fully risen to power, they had rejected the Jedi’s focus on balance and instead sought to conquer the entire galaxy.

2) The Construction of the Coruscant Temple Over a Sith Shrine

A disturbing discovery in Star Wars lore reveals the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was constructed over an ancient Sith shrine. Long ago, the Sith controlled the planet and built a temple above a powerful source of dark side energy. When the Jedi took back Coruscant, they deliberately built their Temple on top of this site, hoping to contain the dark energy that still flowed from below.

The decision turned out to be a terrible mistake. Over time, the evil emanating from the hidden Sith shrine grew stronger, subtly influencing the Jedi Council and concealing Darth Sidious’ true nature. The fact that the Jedi and Sith temples were built on top of each other represents the repeating pattern of their conflict, showing how their histories have been intertwined for thousands of years.

1) A More Detailed Explanation For Force Spirits and Immortality

Over time, both the Jedi and Sith became focused on overcoming death. The Jedi discovered that true selflessness allowed a person’s consciousness to live on within the cosmic Force. This ability, known as becoming a Force Spirit, was a lost Jedi art rediscovered by Qui-Gon Jinn. It reflected the original Jedi understanding: letting go of the individual self and merging with the eternal Force was the path to peaceful immortality.

The Sith’s pursuit of immortality stems from a deep desire to preserve their individual selves. Unable to achieve spiritual existence through selflessness like the Jedi, they resorted to dark magic and science, attempting to transfer their consciousness into objects or cloned bodies. This fundamental difference – the willingness to let go versus the need to hold on – has been present since the very beginning of both the Jedi and the Sith, and it continues to be the key distinction between the light side of the Force and the Sith’s enduring darkness.

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2025-12-22 05:12