Star Wars has become a vast universe with thousands of characters, planets, species, and religions. Seeing distinctions between some of them is not the easiest job out there. This statement is specifically true about Force-sensitive users, especially Siths and the Inquisitors.
The Jedi Order and the Siths seem to follow strict rules. They also have distinctive ideologies on attachments, emotions, Force usage, and power.
With that being said, the Inquisitors are hardly ever mentioned in this chain of powerful Force users. They seem to live in the shadows, somewhere between Light and Dark.
Undeniably, Siths and Inquisitors are seen as the Dark Side of the franchise. They fight together against rebels and the Jedi Order, erasing what remains from the Republic.
Only are they one and the same? That’s the question we’ll be answering today.
Contents
Main Differences Between an Inquisitor and a Sith
Star Wars has introduced both sides of the Force. The Light is used by the Jedi like Master Yoda, and the Dark is associated with Darth Vader.
This distinction isn’t enough to differentiate between everyone who wields the Force. That is why it is very challenging to understand the dissimilarities between Darth Sidious and Grand Inquisitor.
You can find out why Palpatine chose to use Inquisitors in the first place here.
Inquisitors and the Sith may draw power from the Darkside, but they couldn’t be more different. However, it is still easy to confuse them. They all parade with red lightsabers and in black clothes, hunting Jedi.
Even so, Inquisitors, first appearing in Legends, never had the same rank as Sith or their religion. Instead, they are Fallen Jedi who wield double-bladed lightsabers.
Despite being strong in the Force and using red lightsabers, Inquisitors are not Sith Lords. They are beneath the Sith when it comes to the chain of command and their power.
But let’s get to the bottom of this debate and differentiate Inquisitors from the Sith.
#1 Origins
The Sith are always shown to be the opposite of the Jedi. They use the Dark side of the Force driven by hate, anger, greed, possessiveness, and the need for power.
Unlike light-side Jedi, they do not have the rules against attachments or possessions.
Both sides share several things in common. Like Jedi, the Sith have their own rules, convictions, religion, and even language. Their philosophy is the reason that makes them stand out when compared to Inquisitors.
The Sith were always governed by the Rule of Two. It dictated that only two Sith (the Master and their Apprentice) could exist at any given time. Because of this rule, the Sith remained in the shadows until the appearance of Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
At the same time, the Inquisitors don’t have their own rules or religion. They are best described as a group of force users who were either fallen Jedi (Sixth Brother) or padawans who were tortured and corrupted (Third Sister). Their only way is to serve the Sith Lord and hunt what is left of the Jedi Order.
You can find out how the Inquisitors hunt for Jedi here.
Whilst there were only two Sith Lords, many Inquisitors existed at the same time. Thus, we can place them somewhere between the Sith and the Jedi and conclude that not all force users have to be either Jedi or the Sith.
#2 Force Abilities
Since the canon loosely defines Force, it is hard to set boundaries. Force is often described as a power of life itself woven into the fabric of the universe. It is also said that Force-sensitive people all have different powers.
Anakin Skywalker here is a good example. Having prophetic dreams is a rare power amongst Force-sensitive individuals. Using this power, Anakin could predict his mother’s and Padmé’s deaths before they actually happened.
The Sith are also believed to be stronger than the Jedi as they use their negative emotions to harness the power. That’s why the Jedi Council was so surprised that Obi-Wan Kenobi was able to kill (almost kill) Darth Maul.
The young Jedi wasn’t even Knighted yet!
The Jedi Council was genuinely afraid of the Sith due to the raw power of the Force round them. Hence, it almost seems unfair to continue the comparison. The Sith have amplified abilities, whilst the Inquisitors even failed to be Jedi.
After all, it was shown many times that the Jedi could defeat the Inquisitors. For example, in Rebels, Ahsoka Tano held her own against the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister and even won. She would hardly win the duel against her former master.
Like Master, Like Padawan: Darth Vader barely lifted a finger defeating the Third Sister in the new Obi-Wan Kenobi Show. He was toying with Reva, which showed a true disbalance between their power.
You can find out how strong the Inquisitors really were here.
#3 Lightsabers and Kyber Crystals
Here’s where our case definitely gets interesting. The fans have seen many characters who preferred to wield double-bladed lightsabers.
You can find out why a lightsaber turns off when dropped here.
First, it was Darth Maul with the signature red lightsaber colour, and, yes, he was indeed a Sith. We also got Dark Rey from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, acting most definitely like a Sith with yellow eyes and a Saberstaff design. Besides, there is also Ahsoka, yet she carried two simple blades and not necessarily a staff.
Many Force users reaped the advantages of double-bladed weapons in the past.
Now, this weapon seems to be reserved for the Inquisitors. In Star Wars Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Inquisitors are the only ones carrying double-bladed lightsabers. Their design is very recognizable and was manufactured for them.
We don’t see the same level of individuality with their weapons as we would for the Jedi or the Sith. It is clear that they didn’t assemble them themselves.
Darth Vader and other Sith assembled their own sabers, meditating for hours to achieve greatness. They had a better choice of crystals, design, and quality as lightsabers played a crucial role in the Sith and the Jedi religions. As even Obi-Wan would say: “This weapon is your life.”
Bleeding of Kyber Crystals
Kyber Crystals are the core and the most important element of any lightsaber. They are very rare in the Star Wars universe, especially after the Empire wasted all the crystals on their Death Star.
Crystals have always played a central role in the life of Force-sensitive species, and they had a strong connection to the living Force itself as well.
As a part of Jedi training, young Padawans were sent to Ilum (an ice planet) to find the crystals. The Jedi and the Sith believed that the crystals called for their owners. As such, stolen ones wouldn’t be of any use.
Still, how would one get a red crystal?
The actual bleeding of Kyber Crystals is definitely new to this franchise. The first idea of bled Kyber Crystals was introduced in the Darth Vader comic book. The Sith would hunt the Jedi, steal their crystals, and bleed them with loathing, vexation, and greed to make them their own.
This act actually turns the crystals into the signature red of the Sith.
Did the Inquisitors have the same journey? This question is yet to be answered. Many believe that Inquisitors were simply given their weapons. After all, the bleeding of a crystal is a very painful and powerful procedure. Only expert force users can survive.
Some Jedi actually used red lightsabers too, and you can find out more about that here.
Fun fact: You don’t have to be a Sith to bleed a crystal. Even Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren, managed to do it, and he was hardly a Sith.
#4 Rank
The rank of the Sith and the Inquisitors is very straightforward. In general, the power imbalance is uncanny.
The Sith are immediately given the title of Darth and all the power to rule the Empire. Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and Darth Sidious are the most popular examples.
At the same time, the Imperial Inquisitors are simply disposable. They were sent many times on different missions to hunt the Jedi like Ahsoka Tano. With that being said, they hardly hold any power themselves.
Inquisitors didn’t deserve the rank of Darth or Lord. Instead, they were called Brothers and Sisters, depending on their gender and position.
Inquisitor vs Sith: The Final Verdict
The Sith are much more familiarized when it comes to the Force. They are also more powerful, influential, and well-versed in combat.
However, let’s settle this once and for all. Here’s a quick comparison between the Sith and the Inquisitors:
| Sith | Inquisitors | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Follow the religion based on the Rule of Two and the Dark Side of the Force | Fallen Jedi who either chose the Dark Side after Order 66 or were tortured by the Empire |
| Force abilities | Arguably the most powerful beings in the Star Wars universe | Don’t stand a chance against the Sith and trained Jedi |
| Lightsaber | Use red lightsabers with bled Kyber Crystal and usually one blade | Are given double-bladed weapons manufactured for them |
| Rank | Are ranked as Darth and Lord | Are called Brothers and Sisters (hardly influence the Empire) |
You can find out how a Sith Lord would fare against a Mandalorian here.
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