The Menace of the Force? Darth Plagueis in The Acolyte

"Have you heard of the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?" Sheev Palpatine asked Anakin Skywalker in "Revenge of the Sith" in 2005. Nineteen years later, this plague is finally introduced to us in "The Acolyte." Plagueis was a Muun, the Sith student of Darth Tenebrous, and the Sith Master of Darth Sidious (Palpatine). But it's unclear exactly how he and Qimir are related.

1. From 'Darth Plagueis' to 'The Acolyte'

The 2012 book "Darth Plagueis" tells Plagueis's story. However, it is set in the Star Wars Legends universe rather than the Star Wars canon universe, which is where "The Acolyte" is set. Consequently, the Plagueis setting in this book is purely informative:

Tenebrous trained a Sith apprentice named Darth Plagueis, whose real name is Hego Damask, especially for himself. The Sith have historically chosen to directly apprentice teenagers, adults, and even older people, in contrast to the Jedi, who preferred to raise infant Force sensitives from an early age. However, Tenebrous chose to defy convention and raise a newborn as an apprentice directly. He set up a Force-sensitive female muse to woo Caar Damask, a mid-level executive in an intergalactic banking conglomerate who was also Force-sensitive. After their son, Hego reached a certain age, Tenebrous and Caar made a deal: Tenebrous would help Caar achieve great things, and Caar would give his son to Tenebrous. Young Hego, therefore, became a Sith apprentice to Tenebrous. In "Darth Plagueis," Chapter 9, Plagueis informs Palpatine that, by human standards, he is well over 100 years old. This occurred sixty-five years before the Battle of Yavin. Hego Damask, also known as Plagueis, was born at least 165 years prior to the Battle of Yavin. Plagueis was, therefore, at least 33 years old by the time the events of "The Acolyte" occurred, which is 132 years prior to the Battle of Yavin. Plagueis killed Tenebrous 67 years prior to the Battle of Yavin. Thus, 132 years before the Battle of Yavin, Tenebrous was also alive.

One of the most powerful Sith Lords in the Star Wars universe is frequently considered to be Darth Plagueis, a well-known figure in Sith mythology. Those given in James Luceno's book "Darth Plagueis" provide intriguing evidence that the Force itself regarded Plagueis as a real threat. In this piece, we examine the strong evidence that, according to the book, the Force considered Darth Plague a menace.

2. The Force's Reaction to Plagueis

Plagueis had the fantastic power to expand his awareness and communicate with the minds of all living things. His attempts, however, encountered opposition from the Force. "But ultimately to no end" is how "Darth Plagueis" puts it. Many of the animals in his lab died of terrible illnesses, and the Force became quiet as though fleeing from him. This section makes it abundantly evident that Plagueis' entrance was actively resisted by the Force, which struck back by contaminating his lab specimens with fatal illnesses.

3. The Etheric War: Tipping the Scales of Power

In an audacious attempt to gain control, Plagueis and his trainee, Darth Sidious, started the etheric war, a spiritual conflict that aimed to subvert the Force itself. The unimaginable was accomplished by their unrelenting quest for dominance and their control over the dark side: a tipping of the Force's balance in favor of the evil side. The words of "Darth Plagueis," "Risen out of themselves, discorporate and as a single entity, they had brought the power of their will to bear, asserting their sovereignty over the Force."

4. Disturbing the Cosmic Harmony: Plagueis' Unbalancing of the Force

The effects of Plagueis and Sidious's etheric conflict went much beyond their immediate area of influence. Their unrelenting efforts turned the galaxy into a dark side stronghold, which caused a significant disturbance in the Force's natural equilibrium. An eerie sense of uncertainty shadowed the future as the light side's luminous presence faded.

5. Fear and Retribution: Plagueis vs. the Force

Not even Plagueis was immune to the terror of the Force's vengeance. He considered the disaster that the Force would inflict on him and his apprentice as he faced the repercussions of his deeds. As shown in "Darth Plagueis," he pondered the potential punishment the Force would inflict on him and Sidious for their bold challenge. Plagueis was afraid the Force would bring disaster upon them. The book outlines Plagueis' ideas: "Gazing into Sojourn's darkening sky, he wondered what calamity the Force was planning in retreat to visit upon him or Sidious or both of them for willfully tipping the balance."

6. The Force's Answer: Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One

The cosmic scales seek balance in the face of the Sith's unbalanced Force. Anakin Skywalker, the foretold Chosen One, was born as a result of the Force's fantastic intervention. "This kind of behavior is essentially the same as divine intervention. The Force's might and peril are demonstrated by the fact that they had to take such drastic measures to guarantee the Sith's downfall. The gravity of the threat posed by Plagueis and Sidious, as well as the Force's proactive involvement in thwarting it, is further highlighted by this exchange.

Conclusion

According to the evidence in the Star Wars narrative, especially in James Luceno's book "Darth Plagueis," Darth Plagueis was a threat that the Force itself feared in addition to being a fierce enemy of the Jedi. Plagueis' power and menace are highlighted by the Force's aggressive opposition to his telepathic reach, the etheric war's victory, and the Force's unbalance. Plagueis exposes the brittleness of equilibrium in the cosmic order and serves as a terrifying reminder of the never-ending conflict between the Force's light and dark sides.