- "The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The only difference between the two is that the Sith are not afraid of the dark side of the Force. That is why they are more powerful."
"The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inwards only about themselves."
"And the Jedi do not?"
- ―Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker
Forged by fire
- "Without strife, your victory has no meaning. Without strife, you do not advance. Without strife, there is only stagnation."
- ―Yuthura Ban
- "It is natural for him to want to destroy me. It is not crude mundane ambition, as it would be in an ordinary man; it is part of his growth. And of course it does not offend me—it is why I chose him. But he needs to grow still further."
- ―Emperor Palpatine, on his apprentice, Darth Vader
Sith philosophy emphasized conflict. The Sith believed that it empowered both individuals and civilizations by forcing them to change, grow, and evolve. Conflict ensured that only the strong would survive, thus leading the Sith down the path to perfection. Sentients only deserved what they were strong enough to take and those too weak to protect themselves were fair game.
The pacifistic teachings of the Jedi were viewed as obstructions to progress; lack of conflict led only to stagnation and decline. Likewise, morality was treated as an obstacle to be overcome as it got in the way of a Sith's ability to recognize and seize opportunities for advancement and self-empowerment.
Empowered by passion
- "What fuels your power with the Force but your passion? The stronger, darker emotions. Anger, hatred, fear… these passions empower us."
- ―Yuthura Ban
The core of a Sith's power came from emotion. The Jedi taught that fear and anger were negative emotions that must be overcome, but the Sith understood that every living creature was subject to such passions. They believed in harnessing rather than suppressing these natural urges. The Sith did not endeavor to place themselves beyond passions as the Jedi did – on the contrary, they believed that emotion was required in order to attain a holistic understanding of the Force.
However, not all emotions were embraced by the Sith. They, like the Jedi, considered 'love' a dangerous emotion, but for different reasons. The Jedi discouraged love because it led to attachment, but the Sith taught that love led to mercy, which was anathema to them.
- "Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."
- ―The Code of the Sith
Sith tattoos
Many Sith Lords adorn themselves with Sith tattoos, as a symbol of their devotion to the order. The tattoos often have an alternating pattern of red and black based mostly off of Ancient Sith Holocrons. Sith tattoos are incredibly painful to have applied, as they often cover the entire body. Examples of tattooed Sith Lords include the infamous Darth Maul, Darth Talon, Darth Wyyrlok, Darth Ruyn, and many other members of Darth Krayt's New Sith Order.
Lightsabers
Many Sith and Dark Jedi used synthetic, reengineered lightsaber crystals, also known as synth crystals, to focus the blades of their lightsabers. These crystals were red giving the blade a red hue. Synth crystals were more powerful but were unstable, causing lightsabers to short out or die after a much shorter time than normal lightsaber crystals.
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