Sith

The Sith are an organization and order of Dark side Force-users in the Star Wars universe. The first Sith were once Jedi before they turned evil and embraced the Dark side of the Force.

Background
The Sith Lords dedicate themselves to the Dark side of the Force which is accessed through negative, uncontrolled, or aggressive emotions and feelings, such as fear, pain, anger, hatred, rage, greed, intense desire, despair, craving, lust, desperation and unrestrained passions. Using any of these emotions while being a Force-user, and thereby using the Force, would cause the Dark side to enhance these emotions beyond the control of the individual, sometimes to the point of mental or emotional instability. It could warp the personality of the individual into a more evil one and turn them to the Dark side.

Organization
The Sith members, are known by the ranks of Sith apprentice, Sith Lord and Sith Master, traditionally use the title Darth before their Sith name. The Sith are the archenemies of the Jedi and, like them, their main weapon is the Lightsaber, only with all of these having a red or purple kyber or synthetic crystal and blade. They only exist two at a time; a master and an apprentice, due to Darth Bane established the Rule of Two.

Unlike the Jedi, they are not bound to a code of ethics, morality, principles and justice; as they are far more cold, cruel, brutal and ruthless than there archenemies. Despite this, some Sith like Darth Vader are known to have a sense of morals, honor, and principles.

The ultimate goal of the Sith, is to conquer and rule the galaxy, the Sith members, who have the rank of Sith Lord or Sith Master, are address as "Lord" or "Master"; before being address by their Sith names.

Rule of Two
The Rule of Two is a Sith philosophy created by Darth Bane; that only two Sith can exist at any given time; the Dark Lord of the Sith to embody power, and the apprentice to crave it. Bane created the Rule of Two so the Sith could operate in secret, using subterfuge to plot their revenge against the Jedi. For a thousand years, the Sith would remain in hiding until the time was right to reveal themselves.

Unfortunately, this philosophy would eventually lead to the Sith Order's downfall.

The Rule of Two was destroyed in the Battle of Endor, when Darth Vader broke away from the Dark side of the Force, becoming Anakin Skywalker once again. When Anakin killed Palpatine, he had killed the last surviving member of the Sith Order.

Code of the Sith
The Sith Code is a set of rules and teachings that governed the behavior of the Sith Order, it is the dark counterpart of the Jedi Code.
 * Peace is a lie, there is only passion: Unlike the Jedi, who become attunded to the Force through inner peace, the Sith connect to the Force through passion and other intense emotions.
 * Through passion, I gain strengh: All Sith are taught to believe that resolve hardened by intense emotions like rage make one strong.
 * Through strengh, I gain power: All Sith are taught to believe that the strong are meant to rule the weak.
 * Through power, I gain victory: All Sith are taught to believe that unless the victory is achieved by demonstrating that one's power is superior, it is not a true victory.
 * Through victory, my chains are broken: All Sith are taught to believe in using any means to achieve their ends.
 * The Force shall free me: All Sith are taught to believe that those who strove for perfection through knowledge and mastery of the Force would be rewarded.
 * Apprentice(s): A single Sith Lord or Sith Master is forbidden to have more than one Sith apprentice at a given time.
 * Non-Age Restriction: Sentient beings at any age are allowed to join the Sith Order as apprentices.

Sith ranks

 * Sith apprentice: Sith apprentice s a rank granted to an individual (and on occasion, a child) who have been chosen by a Sith Lord or Sith Master to be their apprentice. They are known to take on their own apprentice(s) in an effort to overthrow their mentor(s); however, after Darth Bane established the Rule of Two, there can only be one Sith apprentice and Sith Master at any given time.
 * Sith Lord: Sith Lord s a rank granted to Sith apprentices who have become considerable powerful in the Dark side of the Force, and skilled lightsaber combat; however, after Darth Bane established the Rule of Two, there can only be one Sith Lord and Sith Master at any given time.
 * Sith Master: Sith Master is a rank granted to a few Sith Lords, depending on their experience, intelligence, wisdom, mastery of the Force, skills in lightsaber combat or they had successfully killed their former mentor(s) who had the rank of Sith Master; however, after Darth Bane established the Rule of Two, there can only be one Sith Master at any given time.

Sith Military ranks
Although the Sith Order is not a military organization, as seen in the the original films, as well as in the animated series of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels; its members have became part of the Separatist Droid Army and the Imperial Army.
 * Sith Commander: Sith Commander is a military rank granted to Sith apprentices and Sith Lords, who takes leadership positions within in the Imperial Army and serve as the second-in-command to a Sith General; it is the second highest military rank in the Imperial Army that a Sith can achieve.
 * Sith General: Sith General is a military rank granted to Sith Lords and Sith Masters, who serve as generals within the Empire war effort; it is the highest military rank in the Imperial Army that a Sith can achieve.

Sith titles

 * Darth: Darth is a title that is granted to individuals (Sith apprentice, Sith Lord and Sith Master) who are members of the Sith Order.
 * Dark Lord of the Sith: Dark Lord of the Sith is a title that is granted to a Sith Master who is the elected leader of Sith Order and head of the Dark Council, it is usually granted to the strongest, wisest and most powerful member of the Sith Order; however, after Darth Bane established the Rule of Two, there can only be only one Sith Master at any given time, an individual can only obtain this title, if he/she successfully kills current Dark Lord of the Sith, who is also the individual's former mentor.

History
After the end of the Great Scourage of Malachor, the Sith Order were believed to have been entirely wiped out by the Jedi Order, however, unknown to the Jedi and the people of the galaxy, there was still one surviving Sith; Darth Bane.

Bane created a Sith philosophy known as the Rule of Two, that only two Sith can exist at any given time; so the Sith could operate in secret, using subterfuge to plot their revenge against the Jedi. For a thousand years, the Sith would remain in hiding until the time was right to reveal themselves. Their hiding in the shadows was inadvertently aided by the actions of the Jedi, who purged all the knowledge of the Sith they found from the galaxy, leaving them woefully unprepared for the Sith's eventual return.

After thousands of years, the Sith reintroduced themselves to the galaxy, when Darth Maul was sent to Tatooine by his former mentor Palpatine, to capture Padmé Amidala, the Queen of Naboo. During this mission he was confronted by a Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and during their duel - Qui-Gon realized that not only did his opponent know the ways of the Force but he was also familiar with the Jedi art of lightsaber combat. He then concluded that the only viable explanation was that his opponent was a Sith.

After this encounter, Qui-Gon reported his concerns to the Jedi High Council, however, some members of the Jedi council were skeptical to believe this such as Ki-Adi-Mundi who stated that the Sith have been extinct for a millennia and Mace Windu who arrogantly stated that the Sith could not possibly return without them knowing. Yoda and most other members of the Jedi council, however, knew that nothing was impossible and that the Dark side of the Force was unpredictable. It was only after the Invasion of Naboo and Qui-Gon's death that the Jedi council finally accept that the mysterious dark warrior was in fact, a Sith.

Unknown to the people of the galaxy, the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, was secretly Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith. He had used his position to orchestrate the Clone Wars and strategically gain more power. Over the next three years Palpatine became progressively more powerful and nearing the end of the Clone Wars - he had finally gained full control over the Galactic Senate. It was not until he had successfully converted Anakin Skywalker to the ways of the Dark side of the Force and turning him into the ruthless Sith Lord Darth Vader, that he initiated Order 66 - a brutal tactical strike targetting all Jedi. Mace Windu's extremism and attempted murder on Palpatine, gave the Dark Lord the pretext he needed to begin the Second Jedi Purge, also known as the Great Jedi Purge; bringing the Jedi Order to the brink of extinction.

For approximately fourteen years, Palpatine oppressed the people of the galaxy. This eventually resulted in the founding of the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Civil War that would last for nine long years. At the Battle of Endor, Darth Vader finally broke away from the Dark side of the Force, becoming Anakin Skywalker once again. When Anakin killed Palpatine and by extent himself, he had killed the last surviving members of the Sith Order, destroying the entity once and for all.

Despite the death of the Sith Order, their legacy was present even 30 years after their destruction; Supreme Leader Snoke, leader of the First Order, utilized many of their teachings and formed the Knights of Ren to perform a similar function in the First Order's ranks. Kylo Ren, grandson of Darth Vader, held a similar position to the deceased Sith Lord within the faction, as well as idolizing and aspiring to attain the same power of his grandfather.

Notable Sith

 * Darth Bane
 * Darth Plagueis
 * Palpatine
 * Darth Maul
 * Count Dooku
 * Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader