10 Things You Didn't Know About Darth Bane
"Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody the power, the other to crave it. The Rule of Two."
- Darth Bane, Star Wars: Darth Bane: Rule of Two
Darth Bane was the famous Sith Lord from the past known for creating the Rule of Two, where there could only be two active Sith at any time: a master and an apprentice. He was third on Culture Slate’s The Most Powerful Sith Ranked. Details of his life were depicted in Drew Karpyshyn’s Star Wars: Darth Bane Trilogy. These books are considered Legends, however, so the majority of this list is not considered canon.
Here are 10 things you (probably) didn't know about Darth Bane
1.) The Rule of Two Was Designed To Strengthen The Sith Over Time
Bane’s Rule of Two came about after he saw how the Sith’s infighting allowed the Jedi to wipe them all out (except for him). If there were multiple apprentices, the strongest would be held back by the weaker ones. The weaker apprentices could also band together to defeat a powerful master, allowing for a weaker successor to follow. Under the Rule of Two, the apprentice would challenge their master for the title of Dark Lord. If they succeeded, then the new Dark Lord would be even stronger than their predecessor.
2.) Darth Bane Believed In The Long Game
His Great Plan was to corrupt the Galactic Republic from within, discredit the Jedi, and eventually rule the galaxy. He was aware that he might not be alive to see his plan to fruition. His patience was rewarded almost a thousand years later, when Darth Sidious wiped out the Jedi and established the Empire.
3.) Origin Of The Name Bane
Darth Bane was born with the name Dessel, on the planet Apatros in the Outer Rim. As his mother died in childbirth, his father blamed him for her death, calling him the “bane” of his existence. He took the name Bane when he arrived at the Sith Academy on Korriban.
4.) He Was Not Trained In The Ways Of The Sith At A Young Age
Like his father before him, Bane worked in a cortosis mine. After an altercation that resulted in the death of a Republic soldier, he joined the Sith Empire as a foot soldier to avoid being caught by Republic forces. He rose to the rank of sergeant in an infantry unit known as the Gloom Walkers. His combat skills combined with latent Force sensitivity allow him to lead his unit to becoming an elite force. His Force talent caught the eyes of Sith Lord Kopecz, who offered to take him to be trained on Korriban.
5.) His Thirst For Knowledge Was Unparalleled
He was always working to become the most powerful Sith Lord. He would seek out ancient Sith texts and holocrons to further his understanding of the dark side of the Force. This drive would continue even after he had left the Sith Academy. He spent a lot of time practicing and honing his skills. As such, he was able to unleash the most destructive powers of the dark side.
6.) He Was One Of The Deadliest Lightsaber Duelists
Bane practiced the all-offensive style Form V's Djem So variation, using his superior physical strength to overwhelm his opponents with brute force. His enemies would liken him to a force of nature bearing down on them.
7.) He Was One Of The Few To Use A Curved-Hilt Lightsaber
The curvature of the hilt gave more power to overhand strikes (which Form V utilized), and also changed the angle of the attacks by the smallest fraction of a degree, just enough to confuse an opponent. Count Dooku is another user of this style of lightsaber. (Oddly, some illustrations depict Bane using a standard-hilt lightsaber.)
8.) Darth Bane's Later Armor Was Made Of Living Parasitic Beetle-Like Creatures Called Orbalisks
Once attached to their victim’s skin, they could not be removed. They would cause extreme physical pain from their host in order to feed off the dark side energy. Bane would experience constant pain, fueling his rage (perhaps an inspiration for Darth Vader’s constant state of pain). The orbalisks also released adrenaline and chemicals into his bloodstream, increasing his physical strength and allowing him to heal almost instantly from any wound. Furthermore, their shells were impenetrable, even to lightsabers. This made Bane virtually invincible.
9.) He Also Sought Immortality
When he realized that his apprentice Darth Zannah was waiting for him to grow weak before challenging him for the title of Sith Lord (and thus defeating the purpose of the Rule of Two), he decided to look for contingency plans. He came across Darth Andeddu’s holocron, where he learned that he could use the dark side to transfer his spirit into another body. (This was possibly one of the inspirations for Darth Sidious’s plan.)
10.) You Might Recognize His Voice In The Clone Wars
Luke Skywalker actor himself Mark Hamill (who also famously voiced the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series) was the voice behind Darth Bane’s specter when he appeared in Episode 13 of Season 6.
Source(s): Wookieepedia