Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker introduced the mysterious planet Exegol, and a hidden easter egg connects the film to A New Hope and expands Sith history in canon. From thousands of years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to over a hundred years after Return of the Jedi, the Sith had a long and fascinating history in the original Star Wars Expanded Universe, most of which was made non-canon and branded as “Legends” under Disney. However, several characters and events from Legends have returned, and The Rise of Skywalker brought back several Sith Lords in canon.
Exegol was identified as the ancient world of the Sith, and Emperor Palpatine took inspiration from his predecessors when creating the Sith Eternal. The red-armored Sith troopers were divided into legions, each one named after a famous Sith Lord, bringing back Legends characters such as Darth Revan, Darth Tenebrous, and Darth Andedu. It’s unclear how much of their history from Legends remains the same in canon, but one Sith Lord has received the most concrete backstory. This connects The Rise of Skywalker to an iconic location from A New Hope and opens new possibilities for future Star Wars stories.
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Rise of Skywalker Confirmed That The Sith Lord Naga Sadow Is Canon
Naga Sadow’s connection to Exegol
The Rise of Skywalker made several Legends Sith Lords canon through reference guides and tie-in books, including Naga Sadow. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – A Junior Novel by Michael Kogge shows Kylo Ren hearing Naga Sadow among the voices of ancient Sith Lords on Exegol and recognizing a statue built in Naga Sadow’s honor. This confirms that the Legendary Sith Lord still exists in canon, presumably with much of his Legends history intact. Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon #23 states that Naga Sadow enslaved the Massassi on Yavin 4 around 5,000 BBY, just as he did in Legends.
Naga Sadow’s Yavin 4 Connection Explained (From Canon & Legends)
The Golden Age of the Sith
The temples used by the Rebel Alliance in A New Hope are the same structures built under Naga Sadow’s rule in canon and Legends. The Sith Lord’s story was first told in Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi – The Golden Age of the Sith by Kevin J. Anderson and Dario Carrasco. Naga Sadow rallied an army behind him after the death of the Dark Lord of the Sith, leading an attack on the Republic and starting the Great Hyperspace War. Following a Jedi and Republic victory, Naga Sadow and his followers settled on Yavin 4 and enslaved the Massassi.
Much of Sadow’s history seems to have been left the same in canon, as has much of the Tales of the Jedi comics. However, some of the stories recounting his legacy are told in speculative form, meaning future stories could change his history in canon. Even so, most of Naga Sadow’s story still happened and is directly connected to A New Hope and The Rise of Skywalker.
What Naga Sadow Means For The History Of The Sith
More Sith Lords could return
Naga Sadow’s existence in canon further proves that the history of the Sith from Legends can be used in future stories. The Old Republic era is the period that Disney and Lucasfilm have avoided so far, with no upcoming canon projects announced that will be set during that time. However, if Naga Sadow’s history has been kept intact, the same could be said for other Sith Lords, providing an opportunity for new tales about these characters. Whether that includes Naga Sadow remains to be seen, but his easter egg in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has opened more possibilities.
