One Ancient Jedi-Sith War Proved Yoda Was Wrong About The Dark Side
Summary
- Yoda thought the dark side was not stronger than the light, but this isn’t entirely true.
- The Sacking of Coruscant in
Star Wars: The Old Republic
proves the Sith are more powerful in combat. - The Jedi’s emphasis on defense over offense may put them at a disadvantage, but it ultimately protects them from the dark side’s corruptive influence.
Jedi Master Yoda taught Luke Skywalker about the dark side of the Force in The Empire Strikes Back, but an ancient conflict between the Jedi and the Sith proved that one of his lessons was wrong. While the first Star Wars movie mentioned the dark side and portrayed it as evil through Darth Vader, the film never explained what separated it from the “good side”, as Luke called it. According to Yoda, the dark side is about anger, fear, and aggression, while a Jedi chooses to use the Force for knowledge and defense, never being the one to attack first.
This became the foundation of Jedi philosophy and the light side that would be expanded in subsequent Star Wars movies and TV shows. However, Yoda also told Luke that the dark side is not stronger, but the franchise has repeatedly shown that this isn’t entirely true. Of course, one of the saga’s central themes is that power is not everything, but Yoda’s words are worth analyzing nonetheless. One Star Wars video game introduced a battle between the Jedi and Sith that perfectly demonstrates the advantage of the dark side and why Yoda was wrong (from a certain point of view).
Related
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The Sacking Of Coruscant Proves The Sith Are More Powerful In Combat
The dark side is stronger when it comes to offense
Created for BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, the Sacking of Coruscant was a climactic battle of the war between the Republic and the Sith Empire. During the battle, approximately 50 Sith attacked the Jedi Temple, overwhelming the Jedi and their soldiers. While the Jedi put up a strong defense, they were ultimately no match for the Sith, led by the terrifying Darth Malgus. After slaying the last of the Jedi, Malgus triumphantly walked out of the Temple as the Sith forces bombarded the planet, decimating the Republic and leaving the Jedi Order in chaos.
The dark side is powerful, gives its practitioners abilities that Jedi can’t or won’t use, and makes a single Sith more than a match for multiple Jedi.
The outnumbered Sith’s devastating victory over the Jedi proves that Yoda was wrong about the dark side not being stronger. The dark side is powerful, gives its practitioners abilities that Jedi can’t or won’t use, and makes a single Sith more than a match for multiple Jedi. If this were not the case, then countless Sith wouldn’t turn to the dark side to satisfy their greed, while countless Jedi wouldn’t be seduced by its false promises. However, while Yoda was wrong about the dark side in this respect, he perfectly explained why the Jedi still don’t use it.
The Dark Side Is All About Aggression, Not Defense
The Jedi wisely avoid the dark side’s corruptive influence
The dark side is stronger from an offensive point of view, but the Jedi are far more skilled at defense. This may put them at a disadvantage in combat, but Jedi know that while the dark side may be the quick and easy path to power, it ultimately corrupts anyone who uses it. Anakin Skywalker fooled himself into thinking he could use the dark side to save his wife from death, but its corruptive influence transformed him into a monster she wanted nothing to do with. It also made him overconfident, allowing Obi-Wan Kenobi to beat him on Mustafar.
Mace Windu, Yoda, and Rey gained the upper hand on Palpatine by using defense to turn his own Force lightning against him.
This theme carries over to Luke’s final duel with Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi, where he finally beats his father by giving in to aggression. Thankfully, Luke realizes that killing his father would only set him down the same path, so he throws his weapon away. It shows that real power is not just about winning, it’s about how a person wins, something the Sith could never understand. Yoda may have been wrong about the dark side not being stronger in Star Wars, but this wisdom acquired over many centuries made him more than a match for it.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
BioWare extends its time in the long-ago era of Star Wars in Star Wars: The Old Republic, an MMORPG that takes place in the distant past (over 3,600 years) before the events of the core films. Players will choose from several classes and align themselves with the Republic or the Sith – allowing them to adjust their morality, unlocking new powers depending on the chosen path of light or dark.
- Franchise
- Star Wars
- Developer(s)
- BioWare
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
