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“ | Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. He had such a knowledge of the dark side, he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. | „ |
~ Darth Sidious about the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis. |
“ | You're heartless, ambitious, arrogant, insidious, and without shame or empathy. More, you're a murderer. | „ |
~ Plagueis telling Sidious why he was unable to become a Jedi. |
“ | He became so powerful… the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. | „ |
~ Sidious explains how Darth Plagueis died. |
Darth Plagueis the Wise is the overarching antagonist of the Star Wars franchise. Born under the name Hego Damask II (in Legends) he is a Muun Dark Lord of the Sith, heir to the lineage of Darth Bane and a master of midi-chlorian manipulation who lived during the century leading up to the Invasion of Naboo. Obsessed with eternal life, Plagueis experimented with ways to cheat death and create new life from the midi-chlorians.
His great contribution to the history of the galaxy was training his apprentice Darth Sidious in the ways of the Sith and the dark side of the Force, whom he incited to take control of the galaxy and bring about a new age of the Sith. Sidious, convinced that his master had outlived his usefulness, eventually betrayed him by killing him in his sleep.
Years later, Sidious (in his civilian guise of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine) recounted Plagueis' story as The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, an old "Sith legend", to sway Anakin Skywalker to the dark side.
Personality[]
“ | You must begin by gaining power over yourself; then another; then a group, an order, a world, a species, a group of species... finally, the galaxy itself. | „ |
~ Darth Plagueis |
Plagueis was considered to be mystic, despite the fact that he sought to develop an entirely rationalistic system of Force study, was among the few Sith Lords to have serious doubts about the existence of Force ghosts - even after confronting the purported ghost of Marka Ragnos—and was similarly wary of supposed prophecies. He was an enthusiastic devotee of the dark side, and a lover of things otherworldly and arcane. Obsessed with the prospect of eternal life and ideas of spontaneous regeneration, he remained focused on matters of the material world, though in later years Darth Vader mused that Plagueis had also desired a way to preserve the immaterial self after the death of the body.
Typical of a Sith Lord, Plagueis was cruel, ruthless, relentless and megalomaniacal, seeking to rule the galaxy alongside his apprentice forever. He rejected common morality and interpersonal ties as artificial restrictions fabricated by the weak to control the strong. He found the very idea of evil to be laughable, as he is capable of committing unspeakable acts without remorse, such as him manipulating a young Palpatine into murdering his whole family, ordering the murder of a group of miners and having their bodies dumped at their company headquarters, and terrorizing a civilization of primitive aliens by eating one of their hearts (even though, as a Muun, he is a vegetarian). Among his most terrible acts are the countless cruel experiments he subjected to many people and animals to learn the secrets of immortality. The worst of his experiments by far were on Darth Venamis, constantly killing him and resurrecting him, over and over again.
In spite of all this, Plagueis was not entirely a monster and is capable of feeling fondness for others. He had a genuine good friendship with Lars Hill, even taking his son San under his wing after Lars' death. He developed a sincere bond with his apprentice, Darth Sidious, in an attempt to break the cycle of death started by Bane and thus further their own goals. Plagueis' effort was not reciprocated, however, and Sidious ultimately murdered his Master in cold blood. In conversation, Plagueis was elegant, polite and eloquent, with an exceptional vocabulary.
Plagueis was wise and intellectual, so he possessed a logical mind, and his apprentice Palpatine believed that the extent to which he turned his sight inward was the source of his power and knowledge. He believed that power was to be gained incrementally, beginning with the self and culminating with control of the entire galaxy. As his own powers grew, he became afraid of nothing but losing that power. He disliked personal combat, referring to lightsaber duels as tedious and wasteful, preferring to use manipulation and the dark side to get his way. Like his apprentice, Plagueis was a master manipulator, easily gaslighting people
Plagueis was pathologically afraid of death, and this was the main reason he was chosen by Darth Tenebrous as an apprentice. He elected to change the usual means of Sith succession, death of the master by the hand of the apprentice, by becoming immortal together with his own apprentice and forgoing the need for succession. Eventually, he achieved a level of midi-chlorian control that allowed him to kill and resurrect sentient beings, as well as regenerate damaged or aged portions of his body through direct mental contact with the organelles, and came to see himself as the Sith'ari, the being free from all restrictions.
However, as a result of his arrogance and his lack of precognitive abilities resulting from his maxi-chlorian infection, he never saw his own death coming at the hands of his of his own apprentice. Sidious betrayed and murdered Plagueis when he least expected it.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
The Force: In canon and in Legends, Plagueis was a master of esoteric and unnatural aspects of the Force. With it, he was able to manipulate the essence of life. Plagueis could save others from death and when his power was applied to the extreme, allegedly create new life from the midi-chlorians found in all lifeforms. To the point where he can will someone to die by having their midichiolarians "return to their original source", such when he killed ex-king Verruna, though it takes much focus to accomplish. Plagueis even discovered the ability to transfer one's essence into another being's body or a cloned body however he was killed by his apprentice before he could do so.
He also discovered the ability to retain one's identity in the Force while becoming one with it, but this manner of surviving death did not appeal to him, as he was not concerned with the non-material world. Plagueis was also believed to have perfected Sith alchemy. Additionally, he was aware of some of the more obscure techniques of the Jedi Order, such as Emerald Lightning and Sever Force, though he was not known to use these powers himself.
- Telekinesis: Plaguies could use the force to push and pull objects with his mind. he could turn loose objects into legal; projectiles with just clap. He could create a Force Wave so powerful, that he was able to atomize six of his assailants, and bring it around to atomize a few more, causing investigators to mistake it for the work of explosives. Plagues could also use the dark side of the Force to choke someone to death with this mind.
- Force Lightning: Plaguies could unleash the power of the dark side through his fingertip in the form of lightning.
- Force Bellow: Plaguies could use the force to enhance his screams to where they are comparable to sonic weaponry.
- Force Enhancement: Plaguies could use the Force to enhance his body's capabilities allowing him to snap. decks and pull holes through people's bodies. He was able to run so fast during his duel with Venamis that an onlooker would have thought him a thunderbolt racing through the trees.
- Tutaminis: Plaguies was cable of absorbing blaster bolts and then channeling it into Force lightning, an ability that he was also very skilled in.
- Mind Trick: Plaguies could use the Force to influenced the weak minded to do as he commands of them, such as when he controlled one of Padme's hand maidens to tell him Anakin's whereabouts.
- Heart Stun: While fighting his assassins, Plagueis was able to use a heart stunningtechnique to keep two of his three hearts from failing.
- Foresight: Although Plagueis lost foresight after Tenebrous died at his hands, that power seemed to reappear a day after Tenebrous' murder, as demonstrated when he had received a vision of the Battle of Bal'demnic. Later, days before his own death, he glimpsed events surrounding Darth Maul and Anakin Skywalker, respectively.
- Force Illusion: Plaguies was skilled in conjuring Force illusions, convincing enough to fool Sidious.
Abilities[]
- Master Strategist/Manipulator: Beyond his Force Powers, he also was a canny manipulator of others and was skilled at the management of his business and the other responsibilities of the life he lead apart from his role as a Sith.
- Master Scientist: Plaguies was a highly skilled scientist as he spent most of his time experimenting on living creatures to further his research into Midicholrain manipulation.
- Business Acumen: As a member of the Banking Clan, Plagues was a highly skilled businessman as he ran his own company called Damask Holdings, with connections all across the galaxy.
- Master Lightsaber Duelist: Plagueis was also skilled in lightsaber combat, and although he disdained using his blade in combat, regarding lightsaber duels as tedious affairs; Tenebrous viewed his apprentice as a master of the art. Though his lightsaber form is unknown, his use of implement the Force in combat and specialization with other weapons suggests he uses Form 6, Niman. This takes a bit of every previous lightsaber form, turning it into a jack of all trades style. He was able to fight against Darth Venamis, who trained in his own style by his former Master.
- Weapons Expertise: Despite not using other weapons as often, Plauiesa was knowlegbale in using other weaponry beside a lightsaber. He is skilled at using vibroblades, force pikes, blasters, and explosives.
- Expert Hand to Hand Combatant: Though he rarely fought hand to hand, Plaguies was a very deadly close quarters fighter, Using the force his enhance his body he could snap necks and punch right through bodies of assassins.
- High Pain Tolerance/Indomitable Will: Plaguies has a high pain tolerance due to his grueling trying with Darth Tenabrous as her can endure harsh planet climate both hot and cold. He could even continue fighting his assassins despite being mortally injured.
- Vast Resources/Wealth: As the head of Damsk Holdings, Plaguies has vast wealth and resources that he can use to his disposal.
Equipment[]
Lightsaber: Darth Plagueis used a red-bladed lightsaber that was crafted sometime in his years as an apprentice under his master, Darth Tenebrous. After Plagueis murdered his master on Bal'demnic in 67 BBY, his lightsaber continued to be in his possession, even at the time he trained Palpatine as his apprentice. When his own apprentice Palpatine executed Pax Teem as retribution for outwitting him and his master he used Plagueis's lightsaber. He noted that it had been built for a larger grip and had to use two hands to effectively wield it.
Respirator Mask: After sustain mortally injuries during his assassination attempt, Plaguies wore a transpirator mask from 52 BBY to 32 BBY, the time of his death. It was vulnerable to electric shocks such as when Palatine shocked it with Force Lightning, leading to his death.
Gallery[]
Images[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- It was theorized that Supreme Leader Snoke is Darth Plagueis; however, this was quickly proven wrong, as Andy Serkis said that Snoke is "just Snoke". The Rise of Skywalker furthermore clarified Snoke as a creation of Palpatine.
- However, since then, some people have theorized that Snoke is actually a clone of Plagueis.
- It has since been revealed Snoke is an artifical being created from the DNA of many different species and beings.
- In the first draft of Colin Trevorrow's original script for Episode IX, titled Duel of the Fates, Kylo Ren was going to find an holocron with a hologram of Emperor Palpatine which would guide him to the Remnicore system to be trained under Tor Valum, Plagueis' Sith Master.
- In the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker, it's explained that Palpatine survived his death in Return of the Jedi thanks to Plagueis' teachings. The novel details that when Anakin threw Palpatine into the reactor shaft of the second Death Star, Palpatine recalled Plagueis' technique to cheat death and called all the power of the dark side of the Force to leave his original body as a spirit and send himself to a clone that awaited him on Exegol.
- There were plans for him to appear in the videogame The Force Unleashed as a reformed dark side mentor to Galen Marek.
External Links[]
- Darth Plagueis on the Star Wars Wiki
- Darth Plagueis on the Wikipedia