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"Always two there are; no more, no less: a master and an apprentice." -Yoda ^[1]

"Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it." -Darth Bane ^[2]

The Rule of Two is a principle in the fictional Star Wars universe used to describe the Sith practice of allowing only two Sith Lords to exist at a time: a Master and an apprentice. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Yoda is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe, who appears in all of the franchises films except for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. ... Darth Bane is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... Star Wars is an epic space opera saga and a fictional universe initially developed by George Lucas during the 1970s and expanded since that time. ... Within the Star Wars universe, the term Sith is used to describe two separate but related groups. ...

It is somewhat curious that Sith Masters take apprentices despite knowing that eventually that apprentice will probably kill them. Perhaps the pride of knowing that the apprentice, the one the Master himself trained, managed to exceed him in mastery of the Force or in combat is reward enough. This proposed motivation is supported by Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, where Darth Sidious is quoted as saying to Yoda: "Darth Vader will become more powerful than either of us!" Two other possible motives are that mission of defeating the Jedi is sufficient to force the Sith Lord to overcome his natural caution to train his overthrower, or that they see an apprentice as a useful tool which they can (they believe) control. The Force is a binding, ubiquitous power that is the object of the Jedi and Sith monastic orders in the Star Wars universe. ... Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the third episode of the Star Wars film series (but the sixth film to be produced), to be released on Thursday, May 19, 2005. ... Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who often contacts his minions via hologram. ... Yoda is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe, who appears in all of the franchises films except for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. ... Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ...

For the Sith, like the Jedi, training is based on a unit of two people: one Master and one apprentice. The Master trains the apprentice in everything that he knows of the dark side of the Force. Unlike the Jedi, though, who graduate from Padawan to Jedi Knight and then Jedi Master based on merit or talent, the current Sith apprentice only becomes the Master once his own Master has died, either by accident, natural causes, or his apprentice's own hand ^[3]. At this point, the new Sith Master will eventually seek out his own apprentice, and the cycle begins again. Jedi Knights and Jedi Knight redirect here. ... People from a Korean martial arts school in Calgary do a demonstration Korean martial arts (Hangul: 무술 or 무예, Hanja: 武術 or 武藝) are the martial arts that are native to, or were adapted and modified by, Korea. ... Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of skilled crafts practitioners, which is still popular in some countries. ... The Force is a binding, ubiquitous power that is the object of the Jedi and Sith monastic orders in the Star Wars universe. ...

History

Origin

The Rule of Two was first instituted by Darth Bane approximately 1,000 years BBY, following the cataclysmic Battle of Ruusan ^[4]. Bane discovered the Rule of Two while listening to a Sith holocron left behind by Darth Revan. Prior to the destruction of the latest incarnation of the Sith Order in that battle, the possible number of Sith was unrestricted, as it had been for almost 6,000 years, since the days of the ancient Sith Empire ^[5]. Bane, Ruusan's sole surviving Sith, realized that the Order would have to be reformed to survive and seek its revenge on the Jedi. After choosing an apprentice of his own, Darth Zannah, Bane fled to the tomb of ancient Dark Lord of the Sith Freedon Nadd on the Onderonian moon of Dxun. In the tomb, Bane studied an ancient Sith holocron extensively, until he underwent a transformation that would determine the future of the Sith Order. Darth Bane is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... Fans of the Star Wars fictional universe keep track of the dates of key events with a dating system (or calendar) reckoned at the Battle of Yavin featured in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. ... Combatants Army of Light (Galactic Republic, Jedi) Brotherhood of Darkness (Sith) Commanders Lord Hoth Lord Farfalla General Kiel Charny Lord Kaan Darth Bane Lady Githany Strength Jedi Masters Jedi Knights Padawans Republic Troops Sith Lords Sith Acolytes and Cultists Dark Jedi Casualties All Jedi except for Lord Farfalla and his... The Sith Empire was an empire established by Dark Jedi banished from the Galactic Republic. ... This list is about minor Sith characters (both Dark Lords of the Sith and regular Sith Lords) from the fictional Star Wars universe. ... Dark Lord of the Sith is a fictional title created by George Lucas for his Star Wars universe. ... Freedon Nadd is an ancient Dark Lord of the Sith in the fictional Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... -Mandalore the Uniter Onderon is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe. ... Dxun is the moon of Onderon, a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe that appears in the video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, among other sources. ... A Holocron is an artifact from the Star Wars universe. ...

In reforming the Sith, Darth Bane looked back on the Order's past incarnations, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each and determining where they went wrong. The most important thing he realized was that, the greater the Sith's numbers, the more self-destructive they became; this was in distinct contradistinction to the Jedi, who had no problems with civil war, possibly because each Master generally trained only one Padawan. The ancient Lords of the Sith Empire had warred for centuries, and the New Sith Order, prior to Lord Kaan's unification of the warring Lords into the Brotherhood of Darkness, had been similarly divided. At the final Battle of Ruusan, the Brotherhood had been utterly destroyed not by the Jedi, but by Kaan himself, via a suicidal thought bomb. Taking inspiration from the legendary Exar Kun/Ulic Qel-Droma and Darth Revan/Darth Malak Sith duos, Bane decided that the dark side of the Force should be concentrated in only two Sith Lords: a Master and an apprentice. And so the thousand-year tradition was born. Kaan, formally known as Lord Kaan, is a fictional character from the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... The following is a list of heavy weapons from the fictional Star Wars universe, including demolition weapons and personal heavy launchers. ... Exar Kun, Dark Lord of the Sith is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... Ulic Qel-Droma was an ancient Jedi who lived 4000 years before Star Wars Episode IV. He was born on Alderaan. ... Darth Revan (pronounced //) was a fallen Jedi and Dark Lord of the Sith in the Star Wars universe. ... Darth Malak is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. ...

The Jedi versus the two Sith

The Jedi Order did not know of the continued existence of the Sith until the appearance of Darth Maul on Tatooine shortly before the Battle of Naboo. Nonetheless, Master Yoda was already aware of the Rule of Two at that time, something of which the Jedi had been informed by the Dark Jedi Kibh Jeen 156 years earlier ^[6]. Darth Maul was the apprentice of Darth Sidious, who had himself been the apprentice of Darth Plagueis. After Maul's death, Sidious took the former Jedi Count Dooku as his new apprentice, giving him the name "Darth Tyranus." Darth Maul is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ... In George Lucass Star Wars saga, Tatooine is the home planet of the Skywalker family and Ben Kenobi, the setting for much of the action in the sagas films (as well as several of the novels and other pieces of written fiction) and one of the most iconic... It has been suggested that Naboo Celebration be merged into this article or section. ... Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who often contacts his minions via hologram. ... Darth Plagueis (the Wise) is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, who is mentioned in passing during Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. ... Count Dooku (also known as Darth Tyranus) is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. ...

The continued danger to the life of one Sith from the other was demonstrated when Chancellor Palpatine (who was secretly one and the same person as Sidious) encouraged Anakin Skywalker to kill Dooku during the Battle of Coruscant during Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Sidious had apparently never regarded Tyranus as his true successor; his long-term plan had been to use Dooku as the victim of Anakin's fall to the dark side (in the words of the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover) and convince Anakin to join the Sith as his apprentice and heir apparent. When Anakin accepted the name Darth Vader, the most legendary example of the Rule of Two appeared this time in control of the galaxy: Emperor Palpatine, the Master, and Darth Vader, the apprentice. Anakin Skywalker is the central character in the Star Wars franchise. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the third episode of the Star Wars film series (but the sixth film to be produced), to be released on Thursday, May 19, 2005. ... For the football player, see Matt Stover Matthew Woodring Stover (born 1962) is an American fantasy novelist. ... Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ...

Palpatine and Vader fit the archetype of a Sith master/apprentice relationship; Palpatine was at once Vader's tutor, ally, and adversary. Like all Sith apprentices, Vader both revered Palpatine's power and wanted to claim it for himself, while Palpatine both nurtured and distrusted Vader. For other uses, see Archetype (disambiguation). ...

This partnership was itself not without internal tension. Within days of becoming a Sith, Vader suggested to his wife Padmé Amidala the possibility of his killing the Emperor and taking over from him. Years later, Vader proposed to his son, Luke Skywalker, that they kill the Emperor together^[7]; Luke would then have become Vader's apprentice, preserving the Rule of Two. Palpatine also hoped for Luke to kill Vader and become his own apprentice. Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in George Lucas science fiction saga Star Wars. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

It is possible that with the Sith essentially dominating the galaxy, Palpatine had decided the time had come to discontinue the rule. Palpatine's heavy use of Force-sensitive agents such as the Emperor's Hands, Imperial Inquisitors, the Imperial Royal Guard, and the Prophets of the Dark Side may have been a first step in this process, as he had intimated years earlier to his second apprentice, Dooku.^[1]

After Palpatine

Even after Palpatine's and Vader's death over the forest moon of Endor ^[8], the Rule of Two continued. Though Bane's Sith Order was at an end, it wasn't long before a new order was formed by Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith and a former Emperor's Hand once known as Shira Brie. Though Sith tradition changed under Lumiya, she kept the Rule of Two intact for at least seven years after the Battle of Endor. Her first apprentice was a Force-sensitive stormtrooper named Flint, whom had received training from Darth Vader himself prior to the Dark Lord's death. When Lord Flint was returned to the light side by Luke Skywalker, Lumiya took a new apprentice: the treacherous Sovereign Protector Carnor Jax. After Jax's death at the hands of Kir Kanos^[9], Lumiya went into hiding with her loyal Imperial forces, appearing sporadically throughout the galaxy over the years. During this time she trained her final apprentice Jacen Solo, who after her death took up the Sith mantle and became Darth Caedus, Dark Lord of the Sith. Jacen hopes someday to take his younger cousin Ben as his apprentice and keep the Rule of Two alive a little while longer. The moon of Endor In the Star Wars fictional universe, the forest moon of Endor, also known as the sanctuary moon, or simply Endor, is a moon that is home to the Ewoks and above which the second Death Star was constructed in Return of the Jedi. ... In the fictional Star Wars Expanded Universe, Shira Elan Colla Brie (a. ... Mara Jade and Kogo Vess, two Emperors Hands The Emperors Hands, in the Extended Universe of the fictional Star Wars galaxy, were Emperor Palpatines secret, private Force-sensitive agents and assassins throughout his reign. ... This list is about minor Sith characters (both Dark Lords of the Sith and regular Sith Lords) from the fictional Star Wars universe. ... Fanatically loyal, the Guardsmen protect the former Supreme Chancellor turned Galactic Emperor and his personal residences unceasingly In the fictional Star Wars universe, the Emperors Royal Guard (a. ... It has been suggested that List of minor residents of Tatooine be merged into this article or section. ... Kir Kanos is a fictional character from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, a fervent Imperial loyalist and former Royal Imperial Guardsman in the Dark Horse Crimson Empire comic series. ... Jacen Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... Jacen Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... Dark Lord of the Sith is a fictional title created by George Lucas for his Star Wars universe. ... Ben Skywalker is a fictional character from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, the son of Jedi Masters Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker. ...

List of known Sith Master/apprentice pairs during the Rule of Two

• Darth Bane and Darth Zannah
• Darth Cognus and Darth Millennial
• Darth Revan and Darth Malak
• Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious
• Darth Sidious and Darth Maul
• Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus
• Darth Sidious and Darth Vader
• Darth Vader and Lumiya
• Lady Lumiya and Flint
• Lady Lumiya and Carnor Jax
• Lady Lumiya and Darth Caedus

Darth Bane is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ... This list is about minor Sith characters (both Dark Lords of the Sith and regular Sith Lords) from the fictional Star Wars universe. ... Darth Milennial is also Known as Don Melsted he was the greatest person ever. ... Darth Revan (pronounced //) was a fallen Jedi and Dark Lord of the Sith in the Star Wars universe. ... Darth Malak is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. ... Darth Plagueis (the Wise) is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, who is mentioned in passing during Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. ... Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who often contacts his minions via hologram. ... Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who often contacts his minions via hologram. ... Darth Maul is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ... Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who often contacts his minions via hologram. ... Count Dooku (102 - 19 BBY) is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. ... Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, who often contacts his minions via hologram. ... Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ... Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ... In the fictional Star Wars Expanded Universe, Shira Elan Colla Brie (a. ... Lumiya exacts her revenge on a Rebel In the fictional Star Wars universe, Shira Brie (a. ... Lumiya exacts her revenge on a Rebel In the fictional Star Wars universe, Shira Brie (a. ... It has been suggested that List of minor residents of Tatooine be merged into this article or section. ... Lumiya exacts her revenge on a Rebel In the fictional Star Wars universe, Shira Brie (a. ... Jacen Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. ...

Notes and references

1. ^  Yoda first said this in Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
2. Star Wars: Jedi Vs. Sith, 2002, trade paperback (Dark Horse Comics). Darko Macan, Ramon F. Bachs, Raul Fernande, ISBN 1-56971-649-8
3. ^  "Bane of the Sith", Kevin J. Anderson, Star Wars Gamer #3 (2001)
4. ^  The New Essential Chronology, 2005. Daniel Wallace, ISBN 0-345-49053-3
5. ^  Crimson Empire, trade paperback, 1st printing, 1998. Mike Richardson et al, ISBN 1-56971-355-3
6. ^  The Dark Side sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st printing, 2001. Bill Slavicsek, J. D. Wiker, ISBN 0-7869-1849-7
7. ^  Dark Forces Saga, Part 2, from the Wizards of the Coastp0uihgiuybvh

Film poster for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 film by George Lucas starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Jake Lloyd. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Kevin J. Anderson (born March 27, 1962) is an American science fiction author. ... Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is a publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. ... Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is a publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. ...

References