15 Most Powerful Ancient Sith Lords, Ranked

The Sith are some of the most interesting characters in the entire Star Wars lore because they make the storyline more compelling because of their evil ways. Representing the dark side of the Force, the Sith Lords have been trying to take control over the entire galaxy from the forces of good, including the Jedi Order. In that regard, they are usually portrayed as the antithesis of the Jedi because they only want power and control over anything else.

That said, the Sith are just like the Jedi in the sense that the entire Sith Order has been around for thousands of years. That’s why, on the Legends side of Star Wars, we’ve seen a lot of different Sith Lords that were around thousands of years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. So, with that said, let’s look at all of the best ancient Sith Lords that lived thousands of years ago.

15. Darth Bane

Darth Bane is one of the less ancient Sith Lords on this list, as he lived more than a thousand years before the Skywalker Saga. He was the survivor of an ancient battle between the Sith and the Jedi, as this battle was believed to have caused the extinction of the Sith Order. Nevertheless, Bane survived and became the sole Sith Lord for a brief moment in his lifetime.

Realizing that the Sith were destroyed because they fought among themselves, Bane created the Rule of Two, which ensured that there would only be two Sith that would only be fighting for power. This allowed the Sith Order to operate secretly while the two existing Sith Lords continuously became more powerful through a cycle of apprentices killing their masters. And the Rule of Two eventually gave way to Darth Sidious/Palpatine and his plot to destroy the Jedi Order.

14. Darth Zannah

Darth Zannah was the apprentice that Darth Bane chose to continue the legacy of the Sith Lords, as he believed that she could be strong enough to overthrow him one day. In that regard, she also became the first Sith of the Rule of Two. And as a Sith Lady, she was one of the strongest at using the power of the dark side of the Force.

On top of being a skilled fighter, especially with the defensive Form III: Soresu style, Zannah was skilled at creating illusions using the Force, as she often drove her enemies to insanity using this power. On top of that, she was a ruthless and cunning Sith gifted in using many different dark-side powers that her master taught her.

13. Darth Shaa

Darth Shaa was a Sith Lady that lived more than a thousand years before the Skywalker Saga and was around a hundred years before Bane’s time. She was famed for being the one who rescued Darth Momin, who became a famous Sith Lord himself. And she was also known for being one of the most skilled Sith when it came to wielding two lightsabers at a time.

Lethal with her melee combat style, Darth Shaa could give any Jedi a run for their money. She was also incredibly skilled in the Force and could share everything she knew with Momin. Unfortunately, Momin killed Darth Shaa and used her teachings for his benefit during his time as a Sith Lord.

12. Darth Momin

Simply known as Momin, Darth Momin was a Sith Lord that learned under Darth Shaa more than a thousand years ago. While he may have been a powerful Sith Lord, he was more of a scholar of the dark side as he used his powers and knowledge to sculpt and create things. As such, he was known as the most gifted dark-side scholar ever, as he learned a lot from Darth Shaa, who took him in as her apprentice. He even created an ancient superweapon that could destroy an entire city.

One of the things that Momin did during his time was to infuse his spirit into his mask when the Jedi tried to stop him from using his superweapon. As such, during the time of Darth Vader’s reign as a Sith Lord, he was able to return to life. Darth Vader eventually defeated and killed this revived Darth Momin, proving that he was still stronger than ancient Sith Lords.

11. Darth Andeddu

One of the most popular Sith Lords in the history of the Sith is Darth Andeddu, whose name was often used by users of the dark side of the Force whenever they attacked. That’s because this character was quite important in the history of the Sith, as there are accounts that would suggest that he was the first to use the “Darth” title.

Darth Andeddu was also called the Immortal God-King of Prakith, the planet he fled to after his apprentices betrayed him. He was known for his ability to somehow use the dark side of the Force to manipulate flames. And he could even “cheat” death by putting his essence inside a Sith Holocron just before his body died of natural causes.

10. Naga Sadow

There was a time when the Sith didn’t even call themselves “Darth,” as this can be dated to thousands of years before the Skywalker Saga. Naga Sadow was an ancient Sith Lord that lived even before ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic,’ a video game set more than 3,000 years before the Skywalker Saga. And he was portrayed as an antagonist during the events of the Qel-Droma Epics, which are Star Wars Legends stories that tell the tale of the Unification Wars.

As one of the most powerful Sith Lords of his time, his followers worshipped Naga Sadow like a god. While he may have lived thousands of years ago, several of his effigies could still be found on the Sith planet of Exegol. And that means that he may have been so powerful that the people of his time treated him like a god.

9. Darth Malak

Darth Malak used to be a Jedi that lived during the time of the Old Republic. He was one of Revan’s closest friends. Eventually, when Malak fell to the dark side, Revan became his Sith Master. And because Revan was one of the strongest Sith Lords during the Old Republic era, it goes without saying that Malak was also quite powerful.

Unfortunately, Malak betrayed Revan and ruled the Sith Empire as its emperor after taking the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. In that regard, he was powerful enough to defeat his old friend. But Revan returned to the light side, as portrayed in ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,’ which is a classic video game, and defeated Darth Malak once and for all.

8. Marka Ragnos

Marka Ragnos is another Sith Lord that lived when the Sith Lords weren’t called “Darth” yet. In that regard, he is as ancient as any Sith Lord and was a powerful Sith Lord that ruled as the emperor of the Old Sith Empire. He was so strong and wise that he was credited for taking the Sith to its Golden Age.

Of course, at that time, neither the Jedi nor the Sith used lightsabers because lightsabers were yet to be invented. In that regard, Marka Ragnos used a powerful Sith sword he wielded proficiently. He also mastered the Force, making him invulnerable as a fighter. And he eventually went on to become one of the few Sith Lords that became a Force Ghost after death.

7. Darth Malgus

Darth Malgus was the Old Republic’s version of Darth Vader because he was a Sith Lord of pure rage. He was one of the biggest Sith Lords of his time, which meant he had the physical strength and stature to overpower his opponents. The Jedi Grandmaster of that time once described Malgus as having the perfect lightsaber technique. As such, he was a very skilled fighter, even though he towered over all his opponents.

On top of his incredible physical abilities, Malgus was also known to be a powerful user of the Force. He could release incredible bolts of Force Lightning that could attack multiple opponents simultaneously. At one point, he rebelled against the Sith Empire and sought to establish his empire, only for the combined coalition of the Jedi and Sith to defeat him. And that meant he was a true threat to both orders.

6. Darth Traya

As the main antagonist of ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II,’ Darth Traya’s power could be seen in her deceptive ways. Unlike other Sith Lords that relied mostly on raw power and strength, Traya’s power was more subtle in the sense that she could hide her affinity for the dark side of the Force. In that regard, there was a point wherein she seemed to be someone who dwelled within the grey areas of the Force. However, the truth was that she was as dark as any other Sith Lord could be.

Traya was a schemer and manipulator that allowed her to fool everyone around her into doing what she wanted them to do. Through this, she could wage her campaign to destroy the Jedi Order, as she manipulated people into doing her bidding. Traya only revealed her true power shortly before her death, as she could perform unbelievable feats of power.

5. Exar Kun

Exar Kun was another Sith Lord that lived during the “Darth” days of the Sith but was not called Darth. In that regard, he was an ancient Sith Lord whose name may have gotten lost in time because he wasn’t mentioned a lot in the Legend storyline of Star Wars. However, he was a powerful dark lord as mighty as any other Sith Lord.

Formerly a Jedi Knight, Exar Kun lost his way and went to the dark side of the Force. He desired to be the strongest of all, which was why he abandoned his body to become a spiritual Force wielder that could affect an entire world with his power. And that’s why he is as high as he is on this list.

4. Darth Sion

Known as the Lord of Pain, Darth Sion was a Sith Marauder who lived during the Great Sith War, where he fought against Exar Kun. Of course, Exar Kun was stronger then, which was why Sion was struck down and killed in that fight. Nevertheless, instead of dying a true death, his anger and hatred allowed him to rise from certain death.

As such, Darth Sion obtained an immortal body through the dark side of the Force, as he survived the rest of the Great Sith Wars. He eventually became so powerful that few other Sith Lords could match his power. And Sion allied himself with Revan and Malak during that time.

3. Darth Revan

A favorite among fans of the Legends storyline, Darth Revan is one of the Sith Lords that have appeared in numerous media set during the Old Republic era of Star Wars. Once a Jedi Knight, Darth Revan fell to the dark side and became a powerful Force user. However, his friend and apprentice betrayed him and cast him aside.

Revan eventually returned to the side of the light and found the perfect balance between both sides of the Force. As such, he was an anomaly in the sense that his power could be felt throughout the entire universe. And that’s because Revan was a fierce duelist and an even stronger user of the Force, regardless of whether it was the light or dark side.

2. Darth Nihilus

Not many Sith Lords can match the haunting and terrifying power of Darth Nihilus, whose power was so incredible that he could feel the sensitivity of Force wielders from light-years away. In that regard, he sought to cleanse entire planets of Force users as he became a threat to all life because he could use such power. In that regard, he fed on the Force from the people around him, as this hunger fed him throughout his life.

In that regard, he was forced to bind his spirit to his mask as he could no longer sustain his physical form due to his insatiable hunger for the Force. He was also so powerful that he was regarded as an anomaly or “wound” in the Force, as his presence alone was a threat to the Force itself and all life in the galaxy.

1. Darth Vitiate

If one Sith Lord stands head and shoulders above any other, it would be Darth Vitiate, known as the Sith Emperor during the Old Republic era of Star Wars. He was also often considered the deadliest Sith ever to exist, as he could massacre thousands of people and drain Force users of their power. He even gathered all the remaining Sith Lords and fed on their power and the life of an entire planet to become one of the strongest beings ever in the galaxy.

In that regard, he could extend his lifespan and increase his power to unprecedented levels in the history of the Sith. And he enjoyed a very long life that allowed him to rule for 1,500 years before he was killed by a coalition of some of the strongest Force wielders in the entire galaxy at that time.

Who is your favorite ancient Sith Lord? Let us know in the comments!