15 Most Powerful Sith Lords in Star Wars, Ranked

Represented by their uniquely red lightsabers, the Sith let their anger and hate flow, giving them power far greater than any Jedi. Their only goal of the strongest Sith is to gain more power, whether that be strength or influence over the galaxy. Thousands of strong Sith exist in both Canon and Legends, like Darth Maul and Darth Nihilus. With all of these Sith seeking strength in different eras, they have developed unparalleled power in strength, influence, and political control.

15 Savage Opress

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' (2008)

When mentioning a Force-sensitive Dathomirian Nightbrother, most fans will think of Darth Maul and his iconic double-lightsaber. However, there is another. Asajj Ventress hand-picked Savage Opress as her servant in a quest for revenge against Count Dooku. Imbued by the power of Dark Magic, Savage Opress would join his brother, Darth Maul, and help his recovery as the two would aim to take over Mandalore.

His intimidating frame is enough to frighten even the most veteran Jedi, but his most powerful aspect is his raw connection to the Force. Savage Opress could hold his own against imposing figures like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Count Dooku, proving himself to be one of the strongest Sith. However, he never fully utilized his raw power and potential, which is why Savage Opress finds himself at the bottom of this list.

14 Asajj Ventress

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' (2008)

The Clone Wars introduced many new Jedi and Sith for fans to love in love with, but one of the most underrated characters is Asajj Ventress. Initially serving as Count Dooku's apprentice and assassin/commander for the droid army, Palpatine would order her execution. Hurt by Dooku's betrayal, Ventress became a Bounty Hunter, eventually returning to the light side and helping Omega in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

While fans don't know much of her story because of cut content, they can't deny her strength, which fans saw firsthand multiple times as she was a recurring villain. Ventress is a skilled combatant, expertly able to fight with or without weapons, proving to be just as deadly either way. She fought on equal terms with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, even besting them a few times, proving why Ventress deserves a spin-off show.

13 The Stranger

First Canon Appearance: 'The Acolyte' (2024)

Recent Star Wars projects don't have the best track record, but The Acolyte is perhaps the most polarizing work from the franchise yet. Qimir/The Stranger was the main villain of the TV show and one of its bright spots. Originally a Padawan to Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh, the Jedi Order cast him out where he would learn the Dark Side from Darth Plagueis and look to take his own apprentice with Mae.

No fan can deny that the best part of The Acolyte was The Stranger and all of his fights, showing creativity, ingenuity, and badassery as he quickly dispatched countless Jedi. His untraditional fighting style is both a strength and a weakness, allowing him to catch opponents off guard and break their composure but also leaving himself open. His reckless and creative style is awesome nonetheless, with fans wanting to see The Stranger in Star Wars again.

12 Kylo Ren

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens' (2015)

Kylo Ren, played by Oscar-nominated actor Adam Driver, is a primary antagonist in the sequel trilogy. Son of the famous characters Princess Leia and Han Solo, Kylo Ren, was destined to impact the story significantly - though not technically a Sith, many consider him to still be one. He goes through an incredible character arc throughout the trilogy that starts with Luke Skywalker betraying him after sensing the dark side within him. After this, Kylo turns to the dark side, hoping to rule the galaxy and finish what Darth Vader started. Despite being clouded in hatred, he begins to turn good with the help of one of the best Jedi, Rey Skywalker.

While many fans may try to invalidate his strength after losing to an untrained Rey, Kylo has shown many impressive feats throughout the sequel trilogy and the expanded comics. One of his most remarkable battles is from Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, where he not only kills his master Snoke but fights and defeats the elite Praetorian guards hailed for their combat and strength. When gaining hold of the dark side, it can be challenging to let go, so one of the most powerful things a Sith can do is let go of their hatred and return to the light side. This is something that Kylo Ren eventually did and helped finally defeat Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

11 Count Dooku

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (2002)

While a couple of Sith had the power to let go of the dark side, Count Dooku did the opposite and embraced it after casting off the flawed ideals of the Jedi. The Jedi took in Dooku after his family abandoned him, and he later became the Padawan of Yoda. He would train in the Jedi arts and become a powerful Jedi. However, being a political idealist, Dooku became disillusioned by the Jedi's ways and thought them evil. This, along with the building corruption within the Galactic Senate, made Dooku leave the order, where he would later turn to the dark side under Darth Sidious.

Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyrannous, has shown to be a more than capable fighter. In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Dooku faces off against Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker, where he successfully fends off some of the strongest Jedi ever and even cuts off the hand of Anakin, who Charlie Hunnam nearly played. For years, fans wondered whatever happened to the Jedi master Yaddle after she never reappeared after Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The Tales of the Jedi reveals her grim fate when Count Dooku kills her. While Dooku is mighty, the only thing holding him back from being one of the most powerful Sith is his hatred, which is lacking compared to his fellow dark side users.

10 Exar Kun

First Canon Mention: 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' (2018)

Exar Kun isn't a household name and mainly lived in Legends for years until his mention in Solo: A Star Wars Story. While his canon feats of strength may not be comparable to those of Legends, there is nothing else to go by. Exar Kun is another former Jedi who became a Sith Lord and waged war against the Jedi thousands of years before characters like Emperor Palpatine were born.

Passion and desire are necessary to become a powerful Sith, and Exar Kun was said to have a burning desire greater than any Jedi during his time, which partially led him to become a Sith. This anger and passion multiplied a hundredfold after he retrieved the Sith amulet on Yavin 4, making him even more in tune with the dark side. Exar Kun mastered many Sith techniques, like Force Wound, which can damage internal organs, or Force Rage, which significantly increases force abilities when angry.

9 Darth Maul

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace' (1999)

Darth Maul is often compared to Count Dooku, as they are both Darth Sidious's apprentice. Darth Maul is the son of Mother Talzin, one of the strongest night sisters. Maul was trained as a Sith by his master, Darth Sidious. Maul would make his first appearance by trying to capture a young Anakin Skywalker, revealing to the Jedi that the Sith were not extinct. Darth Maul established himself as a fan favorite simply by his excellent design and incredible power. However, fans would learn to appreciate him more as his arc continued in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

No one will forget one of the greatest Star Wars fights between Maul, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon. This fight was a spectacle and showcased Maul's elite lightsaber combat, as he fought evenly against two Jedi and even defeated Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn. Maul proved his power by surviving a fatal blow and then began scheming a rise to power, leading him to form Death Watch, a Mandalorian militia that takes control of the planet and takes the famed dark saber for himself. What makes Maul so powerful is his hate and revenge for Obi-Wan, which directly leads him to conquer Mandalore and kill his love, Duchess Satine. Darth Maul's power didn't just lie in pure strength; his anger and desire make him a ruthless and powerful Sith, which rivals his strength to Darth Vader.

8 Darth Bane

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' (2008)

George Lucas initially created Darth Bane in the Legends continuity of the Phantom Menace and only canonized him in the Clone Wars. Bane was born on the Sith planet of Moraband during the era of the Old Republic, where thousands of Sith rivaled the number of Jedi. Darth Bane is considered a legendary Sith who created the rule of two, which states that there should only be two Sith at any given time.

Sometimes, strength isn't all that one needs to be powerful; sometimes, it's a vision of the future. This is what Darth Bane had. He foresaw the fall of the Sith due to their greed and knew they couldn't live with each other, so he created the rule of two. This creation not only led to the survival of the Sith but also the catalyst that led to Palpatine ruling over the galaxy as he was a follower of the rule of two. This rule single-handedly changed the events of the Star Wars franchise and balanced the Force. Besides this, Darth Bane also possessed incredible skills in lightsaber combat and the force, which overshadowed many other Sith. Additionally, he was a fast learner who surpassed many elder Sith at a young age and continued to develop where he would become one of the strongest Sith of the Sith Empire.

7 Darth Nihilus

First Canon Mention: 'Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)

Darth Nihilus is a popular character from the Star Wars video games and Legends content. Still, it wasn't until The Rise of Skywalker that Disney officially recognized him as a canon character by adding his statue. While fans don't know which aspects of the character are canon, he is a wound on the Force, with Darth Traya training him to tame his hunger for The Force, becoming a Sith Lord.

Darth Nihilus is a mysterious character, but fans best know him because of his cool design and the fact that he can devour entire planets with The Force. Darth Nihilus had an unparalleled connection to The Force, able to sense wielders across the galaxy. While he wasn't as capable in a fight, his Force Drain ability could render even the most powerful Jedi or Sith useless, making him one of the strongest characters in Star Wars.

6 Darth Revan

First Canon Mention: 'Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)

Darth Revan was initially a well-respected Jedi who criticized the Jedi order for not intervening in the Mandalorian Wars between the Jedi and the Mandalorian. When he finally got support, he defeated the leader of the Mandalorians and wore a Mandalorian helmet. Shortly after, Revan and Malak follow the Sith influence in the Mandalorian Wars, leading them to the Sith Empire, where Vitiate converts them to the dark side. Revan would create a new Sith Empire and rage a civil war with the Jedi before being betrayed by Malak and subsequently captured. After his capture, Bastilla wiped his mind clean, and he went back to the light side of the Jedi. Revan made his first appearance in the video game Knights of the Old Republic but was made canon in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, where Palpatine named a legion of Sith troopers after him. Revan was supposed to make his first canon appearance in The Clone Wars but was unused in the final cut.

Darth Revan proved to be both a powerful Sith and Jedi. In the video game expansion Shadows of Revan, some of his most impressive feats include defeating multiple champions of the galaxy, defeating The Outsider, who beat the powerful Sith Vitiate, and being able to force-pull 60 teratons worth of meteors down to the ground to rain upon enemies. After returning to the light side, Darth Revan destroys the Sith empire he helped create, including Sith like Darth Bane, Darth Nihilus and Darth Traya. Revan also showed his power through his philosophy, which inspired Darth Bane to make the rule of two.

5 Naga Sadow

First Canon Mention: 'Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)

Naga Sadow is yet another relatively unknown Sith during the era of the Old Republic. However, this does not mean he isn't powerful. Sadow was born around 5000 years before the battle of Yavin and made his first canon appearance as a statue on the planet Exegol during the final battle in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. His voice can also be heard in the final movie when several Sith speak to Kylo Ren.

Naga Sadow showed incredible strength during his time, nearly conquering the entire galaxy thousands of years before Emperor Palpatine was born. He started the Great Hyperspace War since it was near the start of hypertravel. Naga Sadow led the Sith empire against the Jedi order and Empress Teta, who narrowly managed to defeat Teta only because of the alliance of the two superpowers. This did not stop Sadow from getting revenge, as he displayed one of the most impressive feats in Star Wars, which was causing the Cron Supernova. The Cron Supernova destroyed an entire system of planets and stars, which wiped out much of the Jedi order and caused the rest to flee. If Naga Sadow displayed more feats such as this, he would be much higher on this list; however, there isn't as much of this character as there should be.

4 Darth Plagueis

First Canon Mention: 'Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith' (2005)

Many fans know Darth Plagueis from Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, where Palpatine spoke of his demise. While Disney has drip-fed fans information about Plagueis, fans know that he was the master of Darth Sidious, who can be considered the main villain of the Star Wars franchise. Plagueis was obsessed with immortality and preserving his life, leading him down a dark path.

Power doesn't always lie in impressive feats of strength able to defeat other force users; for Plagueis, power was learning the secrets of the dark side and ruling over the galaxy. Plagueis was not deemed wise just for show; he was able to alter his midi-chlorians and prolong his life, a feat no one before him could do and is what led to Palpatine's return in The Rise of Skywalker. Plagueis also wielded immense political power, which he used to train Palpatine as a politician and ultimately get him the position of minister of Naboo. Darth Plagueis never got to wield the power of immortality because his apprentice killed him before he could use it, but he proved to be wise in the ways of the force that granted him ultimate power.

3 Darth Vader

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope' (1977)

Darth Vader is one of the most recognizable characters in Star Wars and villains in cinema. He earned his reputation by displaying his ruthless and intimidating presence in the original trilogy. Darth Vader became the scourge of rebels after being manipulated by Emperor Palpatine and falling to the dark side. It showed his attachment to people and things since he didn't own much as an enslaved child, which deepened his desire to keep those he loved alive. Unfortunately, he failed to do so, and with nothing else to love, he embraced the dark side until redeemed at the end of Star Wars Episode IV: The Return of the Jedi.

Even before he was a Sith, Anakin Skywalker was one of the strongest Jedi, which set a precedent for how strong he could be when he embraced the dark side. Vader has shown incredible feats in Star Wars, and the list of people he has defeated is undoubtedly impressive. The list includes Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku, Emperor Palpatine, Mace Windu, and many non-canon Jedi. Darth Vader displayed immense strength by effortlessly disposing of an entire rebel squad in the famous Rogue One scene. The greatest feat of power Darth Vader showed was defeating Emperor Palpatine, considered the greatest Sith ever to live, bringing balance to the force. Darth Vader could have been even more powerful if he hadn't lost most of his body on Mustafar, but his loss of midi-chlorians made him weaker than Anakin.

2 Darth Krayt

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars #10' (1999)

Many fans probably don't know who Darth Krayt is, but he is technically a canon character since the comics he appears in are currently canon material. Originally a Jedi Knight, general, and friend of Anakin during the Clone Wars, he would become Darth Krayt after Obi-Wan exiled him from Tatooine. He would then lead a war against The Empire and The Galactic Order, challenging Luke Skywalker.

Despite being a relatively unknown character, Darth Krayt has some of the most impressive feats and raw skills among all the Sith. He has decades of experience from the Clone Wars, Empire's Rule and Fall, where he would fight evenly against Luke Skywalker and help defeat Abeloth. He was physically powerful and able to master multiple Force techniques and lightsaber styles, which allowed him to fight on par with the strongest Jedi in Star Wars.

1 Darth Sidious

First Canon Appearance: 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope' (1977)

Darth Sidious is more well known by the name Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Palpatine is the main antagonist for the original and prequel trilogy and somehow returned to be the villain for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Sheev Palpatine was born on Naboo near the end of the High Republic era, where Darth Plagueis later trained him. After killing his master, Palpatine takes on his apprentice, Darth Maul, leading to the events of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.

There aren't many fans who would deny that Darth Sidious is the most powerful Sith of all time, as George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, confirmed this himself. Darth Vader's appearance in one of the comics further proved this fact. One of Palpatine's greatest powers is shatterpoint, the force technique used to break and control the will of others. He famously used this on Anakin Skywalker, which made him become his apprentice, and Darth Vader, who ruled the galaxy together for years. Palpatine also used what he learned from his master to cheat death and gain immortality. Because of this, he was able to retake control of the galaxy with The First Order in the sequel trilogy. Project Necromancer in The Bad Batch explores his cloning ventures further. Palpatine's power also extends to his control over people and manipulation techniques. He orchestrated the rise of The Empire, a system where he acted as dictator over the entire galaxy. Even worse, he did this legally through the manipulation of the Jedi, the Galactic Republic, and the Separatists, where the senate held a vote to give him unlimited power!

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