Star Wars: 25 Most Powerful Sith Ever, Ranked

The Sith Order has always been the ancient enemy of the Jedi Order, and that means that they were at war with one another for thousands of years until the Sith was finally destroyed in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Nevertheless, the Sith Order had some of the most powerful Force wielders to ever exist in the history of the galaxy because the Sith Lords craved power more than anything else.

Of course, we eventually discovered that the Sith’s never-ending quest for power eventually led to their near-extinction a thousand years ago. Nevertheless, the Sith Order has always been known to have incredibly powerful Force wielders that could take on multiple Jedi simultaneously. So, with that said, let’s look at the most powerful Sith ever.

25. Darth Shaa

Darth Shaa was a Sith Lord who lived more than a thousand years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. Unlike most of the Sith Lords on this list, she is a canon Sith and was one of the many Sith Lords that existed before the Rule of Two.

Shaa was a powerful Sith Lord with abilities unique to her, and she taught almost everything she knew to her apprentice, Darth Momin. However, she didn’t expect her apprentice to betray and kill her. Nevertheless, Shaa was still a capable Sith Lord during her time and was just as powerful on the dark side as any other Sith Lord.

24. Darth Momin

Darth Momin lived during an era that was decades before the Rule of Two, and that means that he existed alongside numerous other Sith Lords at that time. He was the apprentice of Darth Shaa, who taught him everything that he knew about the dark side of the Force. But Momin killed Shaa because he couldn’t reconcile the need for a Sith Lord to seek power because he was an apprentice.

Even though Momin died more than a thousand years before the Skywalker Saga, he imprinted his soul into his mask. As such, he could live again during the time of the Empire. However, Momin was eventually killed and destroyed for good by Darth Vader.

23. Darth Siberus

Not much is known about Darth Siberus, but she lived long ago and was one of the strongest Sith Lords during her time. According to George Mann’s ‘Dark Legends’ storyline, Darth Siberus could combine Force Lightning and Force Drain. But these abilities were never mentioned at all in canon.

Whatever the case, the point is that Darth Siberus is a canon character and is one of the few Sith Lords in the current Star Wars canon. She believed herself unbeatable and periodically encased herself in carbonite, only for treasure hunters to wake her up occasionally. And she was so strong that a corrupting Sith gauntlet was named after her.

22. Darth Phobos

Not a lot of people are familiar with Darth Phobos. Still, she was a Sith Lord that was introduced in the non-canon Star Wars: The Force Unleashed’ video game that starred Galen Marek, who was Darth Vader’s secret apprentice during the time of the Empire.

In that game, Darth Phobos was one of Galen Marek’s opponents. She is said to be a canon character, although her canon counterpart may not have the same story as the one in the video game. Whatever the case, there’s a chance that Darth Phobos is as strong as her video game counterpart.

21. Darth Noctyss

Like Darth Siberus, Darth Noctyss was a Sith Lord featured in the ‘Dark Legends’ anthology that contained many different in-universe myths surrounding the Star Wars world. And Noctyss has gradually made her way into canon even though she is still a myth.

But what we do know about Noctyss is the fact that she was one of the many Sith Lords who tried to seek power and immortality. It is said that she found the secret of immortality in Exegol. She also used a sickle-shaped lightsaber that made its way in the ‘Shadow of the Sith’ book written by Adam Christopher. And the fact that her weapon was featured in the book indicates that Noctyss may be a canon character.

20. Naga Shadow

Naga Shadow was an ancient Sith Lord prominent in the Star Wars Legends storylines. According to what the Jedi have written about him, Naga Shadow led the Sith Empire during the Great Hyperspace War against the Jedi Order. In that regard, he was one of the greatest leaders of the Sith Empire years ago.

It was also suggested that the temples on Yavin 4 were built under Naga Shadow’s orders. In that regard, the Rebels may have been living on a planet that used to belong to Sith worshippers thousands of years ago. And Naga Shadow is said to be canon because his likeness was carved on the walls of Exegol during the events of ‘The Rise of Skywalker.’

19. Darth Andeddu

Darth Andeddu was one of the most powerful Sith Lords of ancient times as he was often called the Immortal God-King of Prakith. He was such a prominent Sith Lord that an ancient curse often referenced him in the phrase “By Andeddu’s flames.” As such, there is no doubt that he was quite powerful during his time.

While he was featured in the Legends storyline of Star Wars, Andeddu was referenced a few times in canon, especially when you consider that one of the Sith Legions that Palpatine had in ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ was named after him.

18. Darth Bane

Darth Bane was a Sith Lord who lived a thousand years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. He was the sole survivor of the Sith Order at that time but could keep himself hidden from the Jedi Order, who thought that the Sith had gone extinct. 

It was through Bane’s wisdom that he realized that the only reason why the Sith lost was because they fought among themselves for power. As such, he created the Rule of Two to ensure that infighting among the Sith would be limited and that they could operate in secret for hundreds of years while plotting to destroy the Jedi. His plan worked because the Rule of Two eventually led to the rise of Palpatine, who was responsible for destroying the Jedi Order.

17. Darth Maul

After Palpatine (Darth Sidious) killed his master, he decided to take on an apprentice. That was when he found a young Dathomirian Zabrak who had incredible power. This boy was Darth Maul, whom Palpatine ordered to be physically abused as a young boy so that he would grow angrier.

The plan worked because Maul became a creature of pure rage. He became strong enough to take on a Jedi Master alone. And his rage was so great that it kept him alive long enough to fashion himself new legs after Obi-Wan Kenobi cut him in half in ‘The Phantom Menace.’

16. Freedon Nadd

Freedon Nadd was a key figure in the Old Republic storyline in the Legends lore. He was a powerful Sith Lord who used to be the master of none other than Exar Kun himself. And he was a Jedi before he abandoned the Jedi Order and helped the Sith ascend to greatness.

Nadd first appeared in the ‘Tales of the Jedi’ comic book series and in ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic.’ In all of his appearances, he was portrayed as a powerful Sith Lord essential to the rise of the Sith Empire thousands of years ago. And there’s even a good chance he would eventually become a canon character.

15. Darth Tyranus

Darth Tyranus was the Sith name given to Count Dooku when he decided to go over to the dark side and become Darth Sidious’ new apprentice after the apparent death of Darth Maul. He used to be a Jedi Master among the strongest Jedi of his time. But he lost faith in the Republic and the Jedi Order due to the corruption within the Senate.

Dooku went on to become the leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, which went to war with the Republic in the galactic war called the Clone Wars. He was so powerful that he could fight Yoda on par and defeat Obi-Wan Kenobi. But he lost his life to Anakin Skywalker, whom he urged to use the power of the dark side of the Force.

14. Darth Malak

Darth Malak was a Sith Lord who was prominent during the era of the Old Republic. He was the closest friend of Darth Revan while they were both members of the Jedi Order. However, they both fell to the dark side, and Revan eventually became Malak’s master.

Of course, like all Sith Lords, Malak chose to betray his master and friend as he ruled over the Sith Empire with an iron fist. But Darth Revan returned to the light side of the Force and ultimately defeated Malak in an epic battle between two powerful Force wielders.

13. Darth Zannah

Darth Zannah was Darth Bane’s apprentice, meaning she was the first apprentice in the Rule of Two doctrine that her master created. Learning the dark side of the Force under Bane allowed Zannah to rise and become incredibly strong. And most of her strength lay in her ability to use Sith sorcery.

As a Sith sorceress, Zannah could use illusions that could confuse her opponents. But she was also a skilled fighter, as she preferred the more defensive Form III: Soresu form instead of the more aggressive styles the Sith used. And like her master, Zannah was a ruthless and cunning Sith who wanted power above everything else.

12. Marka Ragnos

Marka Ragnos was an ancient Sith Lord that existed long before the Jedi and the Sith started using lightsabers in the Legends storyline. He was the emperor of the Old Sith Empire and was one of the Sith Lords who ushered in a golden age for the Sith Empire.

Instead of a lightsaber, Marka Ragnos wielded a Sith sword that allowed him to fight Sith and Jedi on par. He was also a powerful Sith sorcerer who could use all sorts of Force powers, including ones that allowed him to become nearly invulnerable. He was also able to achieve immortality after death after becoming one of the few Sith Lords to become a Force Ghost.

11. Darth Plagueis

Have you heard about the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? I thought not. It’s not a story the Jedi would tell you. Kidding aside, Darth Plagueis the Wise was a powerful Sith Lord who ruled the Sith Order as the master when Palpatine was still just his apprentice.

Darth Plagueis operated secretly as a Sith Lord while hiding the fact that he and his apprentice were plotting to destroy the Jedi. He was a Sith scholar who understood the dark side in ways other Sith Lords did not. Plagueis also taught everything he knew to his apprentice, including how to cheat death. After Palpatine learns everything he needs from Plagueis, he betrays and kills his master.

10. Darth Malgus

Darth Malgus was the Darth Vader of the Old Republic as he was an angry Sith Lord who acted almost entirely on rage and hatred throughout his entire lifetime. He was physically stronger and larger than almost everyone in the Old Republic era, allowing him to easily overpower Jedi and Sith alike.

But Malgus was not only a powerhouse but also known for his strength in the Force. He was a master of using Force Lightning. Malgus was also such a threat to the Sith and the Jedi that they both worked together to defeat the Empire that Malgus created.

9. Exar Kun

Exar Kun was another Jedi who ended up falling to the dark side of the Force to become a Sith Lord. He led the Sith and was feared throughout the galaxy as one of the most fearsome Sith Lords in the history of the Sith Order.

One of the things that Exar Kun was known for was his anger. He was quick to anger and was also just as quick to react to his anger by enhancing his physical abilities using the Force. As such, everyone in the galaxy feared him. He continued to influence the events of the galaxy by becoming a Force Ghost after his death.

8. Darth Tenebrous

While not many people know who Darth Tenebrous is, he was a powerful Sith Lord who possessed many different Force abilities that were unique to him. He was the master of Darth Plagueis, which means that he taught many things that Darth Plagueis also knew when he eventually became the Sith master.

Darth Tenebrous was also a scientist who used the science of his people, the Bith, to good use as a Sith Lord. His science paved the way for the Sith science that both Plagueis and Sidious used to try to find the secrets to eternal life. Of course, he was no slouch as a combatant, as he was incredibly skilled in using a lightsaber and was blessed with precognitive abilities that allowed him to gain the advantage in a fight rather quickly.

7. Darth Sion

Darth Sion is another one of the most dreaded Sith Lords of the Old Republic era as he was featured in ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II,’ wherein he was one of the three strongest Sith Lords that struck terror into the hearts of the people of the galaxy.

Known as the Lord of Pain, Sion found the secret to reviving himself from the dead as he eventually became immortal. In fact, the player cannot kill Sion the conventional way as the only way that he was defeated was when the player made him see what he was doing to his body the more that he tried to keep himself alive using the power of the dark side of the Force.

6. Darth Vader

Darth Vader was once Anakin Skywalker, with the highest potential in the Force the galaxy has ever seen. He was supposed to be the strongest Force wielder of all time before losing all his limbs and being burned to a near-death state. Vader became more of a machine than a man, and that was how he lost the potential to become the strongest Force wielder of all time.

Nevertheless, Vader became strong by tapping into his rage and anger the entire time. He was a ruthless Sith Lord who hunted Jedi and Rebels down without remorse. And he was so powerful that he could pull down an entire shuttle using the power of the Force.

5. Darth Traya

Known as one of the three great Sith Lords of the ‘Knights of the Old Republic II’ video game, Darth Traya was a “Grey Jedi” called Kreia, who manipulated all of the events in the game to achieve her own goals. It was only much later in the game that she revealed herself as a Sith Lord.

Traya was so powerful in the dark that she could mask her malice the entire time. Of course, one of the things that also made her so strong was her ability to manipulate other people, as only the strongest Sith Lords were known to understand how important it was for them to learn how to deceive and manipulate people for their own gain.

4. Darth Nihilus

Known as the Lord of Hunger, Darth Nihilus was one of the strongest Sith Lords of the Old Republic, as he had almost limitless powers due to his insatiable hunger for the Force. While other Sith Lords were threats to cities, Nihilus was a threat to entire star systems due to his insatiable hunger.

Nihilus was known for eating the life force out of all the planets he encountered, as he had an insatiable need to feed on life. This also allowed him to have nearly unlimited powers as he could basically feed on all of the lifeforms found on all of the planets he encountered and use their life to fuel his powers and sustain his own life as well.

3. Darth Revan

Darth Revan was always a legendary figure in Star Wars, especially after appearing in ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.’ Revan can be a polarizing figure because he used to be a Jedi who fell to the dark side before his apprentice and best friend, Malak, betrayed him.

After Malak’s betrayal, Revan returned to the light side of the Force and learned to harness the powers of both the light and the dark sides. Many people would call Revan a Force nexus or an anomaly due to his immense power in the Force. And that’s because he could strike the perfect balance between the powers of both sides of the Force.

2. Darth Vitiate

Darth Vitiate was the biggest threat to the entire galaxy during the Old Republic because he was the Sith Emperor who ruled almost uncontested for a very long time. And that’s because he discovered the secrets to immortality by basically siphoning the life force out of people.

In that regard, he was a powerful Sith Emperor who knew how to use his powers on the dark side to increase his power and lifespan. He was so destructive that he was known to massacre millions without remorse. And the worst part was that he also found a way to live on after death, essentially becoming immortal.

1. Darth Sidious

Others might not agree with this, but we do believe that Darth Sidious was the strongest Sith of all time. Of course, some would say that Vitiate was so much more powerful, but we can say without a doubt that the storylines of the Legends characters were often blown out of proportion because they are what they are—legends. But there was nothing mythical about what Sidious did during his time because his accomplishments and feats spoke for themselves.

Sidious kept a low profile by hiding under the guise of Palpatine the entire time, as he could stay hidden even in the presence of the strongest Jedi Masters in the galaxy at that time. In fact, it was his powers of manipulation and cunning nature that made him so strong. Of course, in ‘Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker,’ he siphoned the power of The Dyad to obtain the powers of all of the Sith Lords in history, thus becoming the one true Sith Emperor before his ultimate death.

Who do you think is the most powerful Sith? Let us know in the comments!