Ten Rounds with… Sith

Emerging from their self-imposed five year exile, Sith are preparing to unleash the follow up to their 2012 debut album The Age of Tyranny. In between making plans for galactic domination and communing with the Dark Side of the Force, guitarist and vocalist Carl took some time to sit down with Mass Movement and talk about his top ten Star Wars characters (with honorable mentions to: Yoda, Jyn Erso, K-2S0, Bail Organa, IG-88, Jabba the Hutt, Orson Krennic, Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader Snoke, Lando Calrissian, C-3P0, Grand Moff Tarkin, Qui-Gon Jinn, Chewbacca, and non-canon personalities like Prince Xizor and Darth Nihilus). And they are, in descending order, as follows…

Luke Skywalker. Luke Skywalker is arguably an everyman in the Star Wars franchise. He\’s the perfect depiction of the classic hero\’s journey in most fiction, following a young, bratty teen thrust into conflict and emerging out of it wiser than ever. He becomes the student of two legendary Jedi and has a hand in taking down the evil Galactic Empire, but not without confronting the demons of his family\’s past and passing on what he has learned for future generations. It remains to be seen of Luke\’s resolve when The Last Jedi comes out but it can be certain that the path toward preventing the mistakes of the past is not an easy one.

Obi-Wan Kenobi. While the story of the Star Wars movies centers on the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, it should be stated that Obi-Wan\’s journey from the first Jedi to defeat a Sith Lord in over 1,000 years (as a Padawan!), to his days in recluse under the nickname Ben, defines his story as one of the most important Jedi to ever exist in Star Wars. His wise, sagely demeanor is underscored by his utter selflessness in refusing to kill his fallen friend Anakin, while sacrificing his own life so that Anakin\’s son Luke could become the Jedi he was destined to be. For all his imperfections (\”I have the high ground!\” and \”Another happy landing\” come to mind), Obi-Wan\’s personal growth from apprentice to master was one we could all relate to in our own lives, and deserves mention on this list.

Han Solo. Forget Luke Skywalker, Han Solo is the hero that everyone wants to be. He\’s got the bad boy attitude with badass flying skills and a trusting copilot. Don\’t forget the cocky humor to go with it. He\’s saved Luke\’s hide on multiple occasions and becomes the wise fatherly figure that, like Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope, meets a tragic but selfless end in The Force Awakens. It is certain that his sacrifice will not be in vain come future Star Wars episodes.

Leia Organa. Leia Organa was something of an anomaly when she made her debut in 1977, going outside normal Hollywood conventions in becoming an incredibly strong female lead, perhaps even stronger than her male counterparts. She\’s brave, she\’s funny, and she\’s defiant, beginning with her role in the theft of the Death Star plans and concealing the whereabouts of the hidden Rebel base, even in the face of villains like Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin. Her actress was also a staunch advocate for mental health awareness and was open about her inner demons. It was clear that Carrie Fisher wasn\’t just royalty, she was one of us, too. RIP Carrie Fisher, what more can be said. That\’s all for the good guys. Because I come from a band named Sith, I wouldn\’t be doing my job if I didn\’t give a nod to the bad guys, so here goes.

Darth Maul. Darth Maul will be the only prequel-originated character on this list. He\’s so evil looking with the menacing face tattoos and horns, right along with his expert combat skills. He\’s not only evil, but he\’s resourceful, as evidenced by his takeover of Mandalore in The Clone Wars TV series. I\’d love to put him higher, but he only existed for one Star Wars movie. That said, it was wonderful to see his tragic story finally come to a close when Obi-Wan Kenobi defeats him for the final time in the Star Wars Rebels TV series.

Darth Revan. Darth Revan is not even considered a canon character in Star Wars lore (as far as we know). But he\’s so freakin cool! He not only goes to the dark side in order to rid the galaxy of the Mandalorian/Sith threats, but he redeems himself in the end that assures a beautiful story outside the normal Star Wars timeline. Despite the fact that several recent sources of canon have alluded to various elements of Knights of the Old Republic, the game from which Revan originated, Disney\’s purchase of Lucasfilm has all but discontinued any hopes that Revan\’s story would continue. Hopefully we will see his return one day, either referred to in an upcoming novel or TV series.

Boba Fett. This list would not be complete without reference to everybody\’s favorite silent bad guy. He not only comes equipped with a flamethrower, a dart launcher and expert combat skills, but he even carries the pelts of enemies he\’s killed. He brings certain doom to our heroes in The Empire Strikes Back when he tracks down the Millennium Falcon and successfully returns Han Solo to crime lord Jabba the Hutt. It all comes to an untimely end when he suffers an apparent accident as a result of his fall in the Pit of Carkoon. It\’s still to be seen whether Boba Fett will emerge from the pit alive, but it\’s been 34 years since Return of the Jedi and I\’m not feeling too optimistic about his chances.

Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Empire\’s only non-human officer, Grand Admiral Thrawn, hasn\’t made it to a live action Star Wars movie (yet!) but his cunning presence is already felt in Star Wars canon with his official debut in Star Wars Rebels and his appearance in the non-canon Heir to the Empire novels that precede it. He\’s a different kind of villain, one who brings the same type of ruthlessness to the Empire without the Force mysticism. Instead, he commands a giant fleet in the Imperial Navy and strikes fear into any rebel who dares to cross him. The last time we see him in Star Wars Rebels, he utterly destroys a major portion of the Rebel fleet and leaves our heroes scattered across the galaxy. It will be interesting to see where he takes the story next in the final season of the series.

Darth Vader. Darth Vader is the most iconic movie villain of all time and the ultimate enforcer of the Empire\’s iron fist. He invokes fear in his subordinates and audiences alike. When one thinks of the most horrifying movie bad guy, Darth Vader easily makes it to the top of most peoples\’ lists. If it weren\’t for his whiny depiction in the prequels, he might have made it to the top of this list.

Emperor Palpatine. It goes without saying that the guy is literally the most evil figure in the entire Star Wars galaxy. Beyond the evil look and badass Force powers, Palpatine is extremely cunning and manipulative, willing to take out any adversary to completing his end goals. His plans for galactic domination were borne out of true brilliance and the culmination of a millennia of devising the ultimate revenge against the Jedi Order. If it weren\’t for Emperor Palpatine, there would be no Darth Vader, and without Darth Vader, there would be no Star Wars.

Listen to The Age of Tyranny here and you can pledge your allegiance to the Dark Side and the Sith on Twitter by using the communication channel @Sithband66

 

 

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