As the ancient enemies of the Jedi throughout the Star Wars saga, the Sith possess many impressive Force powers, many of which have never been seen in a live-action movie or TV show. Palpatine told Anakin Skywalker that the dark side was a path to many unnatural abilities, and the movies have certainly demonstrated this. Force lightning, influencing the midi-chlorians to create life, and even cheating death are but a handful of dark side powers seen or hinted at in the Star Wars movies.

However, even more abilities can be found in the Star Wars books, comics, and video games, many of which are official canon. The original Star Wars Expanded Universe, now branded as Legends, featured even more Sith powers that could eventually return in a new project. From the Old Republic era to the return of the Sith after the Battle of Endor, 10 Sith Force powers have had the biggest impact on the franchise outside of live-action Star Wars.

10

Dark Aura

Causing people to weaken and age

A variation of Force lightning, Dark Aura was first used by Darth Sidious in Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017). While the continuity of certain Force abilities is often debatable in Star Wars, the game’s mechanics are considered canon, meaning Palpatine really does possess this power. Normal Force lightning can change a person’s appearance, as Palpatine learned when he fought Mace Windu, but Dark Aura caused people to weaken and age just by being near him.

The user could charge the air with Force energy, creating a swirling vortex that would harm anyone in the vicinity and slow them down. However, it is unclear whether Dark Aura is a conscious dark side ability or an unconscious one caused by a Sith’s overwhelming power. Either way, it would be a sinister addition to Palpatine’s already terrifying arsenal of Force abilities in live-action.

9

Bleeding

How a Sith creates a red lightsaber

In the original Star Wars Expanded Universe, a red lightsaber color was achieved using a naturally red crystal. However, the new Star Wars canon changed things by making red lightsabers a rite of passage for new Sith Lords. The Marvel comic series Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017) by Charles Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli showed that a Sith must kill a Jedi, take their kyber crystal, and pour all their anger and hatred into it.

This outpouring of dark-side energy causes the kyber crystal to “bleed” and turn a deep shade of crimson. Star Wars: Jedi Survivor revealed that bleeding can happen unintentionally, showing Dagan turning a kyber crystal red while conveying his anger over being betrayed to Cal Kestis. Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston, the first story to mention bleeding, also confirmed that a Jedi can purify a corrupted kyber crystal by having Ahsoka Tano cleanse a slain Inquisitor’s blade to create her white lightsabers.

8

Thought Bomb

The ancient Sith destroyed themselves with this technique

Darth Bane told Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars that he was able to create the Rule of Two after the Sith killed each other, and the Legends timeline explained how this happened. Desperate to destroy the Jedi in a final battle on the planet Ruusan, Lord Kaan and the Brotherhood of Darkness were tricked by Bane into creating a thought bomb through an ancient Sith ritual. It required multiple Sith Lords to combine their power into a detonation of dark-side energy that would destroy all Force-sensitive beings caught in the blast radius.

The Jedi were unable to reach the Sith in time to stop the ritual, and the thought bomb destroyed every Jedi and Sith still on the planet. The spirit of every Force user was trapped in a swirling vortex of eternal torment, causing the Jedi to believe the Sith were extinct and freeing Bane to set his plans in motion. A thousand years later, Jedi Knight Kyle Katarn found Ruusan and freed the souls of the Jedi from their imprisonment.

7

Sith Alchemy

Powerful dark side magic

Although dark side magic is most commonly associated with the Nightsisters in Star Wars, the Sith are fully capable of Force alchemy. Darth Sidious frequently used Sith alchemy in Star Wars canon, working with Count Dooku to perform a ritual to see and influence Yoda from across the galaxy when he traveled to Moraband. In Star Wars Rebels, Palpatine used a similar form of alchemy to access the World Between Worlds, where he attempted to capture Ahsoka Tano and Ezra Bridger to enter the realm himself.

Sith alchemy has yet to appear in a live-action Star Wars project, but it has been featured indirectly. Symeong Albrekh, the metalsmith who repairs Kylo Ren’s helmet in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, was also a practitioner of Sith alchemy. The movie’s visual dictionary states that he used alchemy while reforging the helmet, possibly explaining the faint red glow along the cracks.

6

Force Storm

Creating a hyperspace wormhole

One of the earliest Sith abilities introduced in the original Star Wars Expanded Universe was the Force Storm, which allowed the user to create a wormhole through hyperspace. Palpatine used this power to reach Luke Skywalker from across the galaxy in Star Wars: Dark Empire by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy. Rather than attempt to escape, Luke allowed himself to travel through the wormhole to discover who was leading the resurgent Empire, temporarily swearing allegiance to Palpatine to try and defeat the dark side from within.

Palpatine has never used this ability in canon, but he was able to use another Force storm power in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. After absorbing the energy of Ben Solo and Rey’s Force dyad, Palpatine’s Force lightning became stronger, and he could direct it in all directions at the Resistance fleet. Considering how much the movie borrowed from Dark Empire, it makes sense to have given Palatine another variation of Force storm.

5

Mechu-Deru

Using the Force to control machines

One of the more unique Sith powers in the Legends timeline was mechu-deru, which gave the user a greater understanding of machines through the Force. While Jedi have always been able to use mind tricks on organic beings in Star Wars, mechu-deru allowed Sith to exert their will on droids and even bind their will and Force power to mechanical objects. Some Sith Lords were able to create hybrids called technobeasts, combining organic creatures with machines.

Despite the obscurity of the technique, many Sith Lords continued to use mechu-deru throughout the centuries. Darth Maul used mechu-deru to transform a protocol droid into an assassin droid, while a dark side practitioner named Cronal used it to transform himself. The Jedi hesitated to use mechu-deru due to its Sith origin, although some Jedi tech experts would use it when necessary.

4

Sith Stone Ritual

Turning someone to stone with the Force

The Sith stone ritual is one of Star Wars‘ most fascinating and horrifying Force powers. Like the thought bomb in Legends, the stone ritual was designed to imprison the victim in an eternal state of torment, transforming their body rather than destroying it. The ability first appeared in “Gaze of Stone” by George Mann, a short story published in Star Wars: Myths & Fables.

Ry Nymbis, a Sith apprentice, learned of the ritual and planned to use it on his master. However, Darth Caldoth changed the words so that the speaker would be turned to stone rather than the intended victim. Nymbis ended up imprisoning himself in a state of eternal suffering, much like the Brotherhood of Darkness when they activated the thought bomb in Legends.

3

Force Phantom

A dark variation of Force projection

Force ghosts have been part of Star Wars since the original trilogy, and Jedi Force projection was made canon in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The Sith, meanwhile, had their own dark variation of these abilities, able to project Force phantoms to haunt others. These lifelike apparitions siphoned Force energy from sentient beings to project images across the galaxy, requiring the same amount of strength as normal Force projection.

This meant that creating a Force phantom was extremely dangerous for the user, just as regular Force projection could kill a Jedi Master. Practitioners of the technique included its creator, Darth Vectivus, the Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya, and Dark Jedi Alema Rar. The secret of creating Force Phantoms was eventually lost, but considering the toll on Jedi and Sith alike, it was probably for the best.

2

Possession

Taking over another’s body with the Force

Another dark side power commonly associated with the Nightsisters of Dathomir is possession, thanks to Kanan Jarrus and Sabine Wren being controlled in Star Wars Rebels season 3. However, this ability can also be used by the Sith, particularly by a dark spirit taking over the body of a living being. Sith Emperor Vitiate could share his essence with multiple individuals during the Old Republic era, making them extensions of his will.

During the New Republic era, the spirit of Sith Lord Marka Ragnos nearly succeeded in returning from the depths of the Force to empower his disciples. Because Maul learned from Mother Talzin and performed the ritual that led to Kanan and Sabine being possessed, it’s possible that he would have learned to use the technique himself in time. Palpatine also planned to transfer his spirit to Rey at the Battle of Exegol, but because his plan was thwarted, it’s unclear how much control he would have had.

1

Reshaping Reality

Creating an entirely new universe

While Darth Plagueis was obsessed with achieving immortality, Palpatine sought a far more sinister power, one that would have radically changed the Star Wars galaxy had he succeeded. In Star Wars: Tarkin by James Luceno, Palpatine reflects on his desire to discover how to harness the dark side to reshape reality itself. He essentially wants to create his own universe, and since he is speaking of unlocking secrets of past Sith Lords, such a power may exist.

The Force gods of Mortis could wield the Force like no other beings in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the Sith Code appears on Mortis. Perhaps the ancient Sith did discover the ability to change reality in the distant past, but the power was eventually lost to time. Palpatine’s desire to reshape reality would explain his actions throughout the saga, from mastering Sith alchemy to attempting to enter the World Between Worlds. Out of all the Sith Force powers in Star Wars, reshaping reality would drastically raise the stakes if it ever appeared in live-action.