Are the Sith all bad?

Do the Sith get a pretty raw deal? Constantly labelled as the bad guys the Sith have to sit back and watch as the Jedi swan around like the proverbial golden child.

Sure there are some bad eggs in the Sith order and no one is condoning genocide, oppression and blowing up the odd planet or two. Let's face it Darth Sidious has some serious underlying issues. But what if the balance between Good and Bad, Jedi and Sith wasn't so clear. What if the basis on which the Sith are founded was no more or less evil than the Jedi. What if we look at a few key factors 'from a certain point of view?'


The Jedi wanted control of the Republic
Pay attention, the Jedi were going to take control of the senate in Episode 3. Mace Windu himself declares Palpatine must be removed from power if he does not step down after Grievous is killed. Why? Palpatine may have played the game somewhat to get elected as Chancellor and then ensure the senate gave him executive powers. However it was all done democratically. To remove him with no vote, no discussion. Is that not a coup?

Windu with his version of fair justice

Even once Anakin tells Windu of Palpatine's true identity he still doesn't have any actual proof. Just the opinion of a slightly deluded, unstable young man. Yet he marches in to Palpatine's office and tries to kill him. Which brings me to another point. Aren't the Jedi all about compassion and doing things the right way but here is one of their Grand Masters trying to execute a political leader with no trial. Not very gentlemanly at all from a Jedi who has an impenetrable aura of passive aggressive.


Competition is healthy
The Sith believe conflict is the only true test of one's ability and the challenge conflict gave forced individuals and civilisations to grow and evolve.

This is simply an evolution of the survival of the fittest theory. It is also the reason the Jedi became almost extinct. By refusing to challenge themselves and grow and evolve they limited their ability while the Sith constantly pushed the boundaries of what is possible with the force and how it is used. As the saying goes 'Evolve or Die.'


How many clones died?
Yes Sidious may have had a role in the forming of the clone army but it was the Jedi who sent hundreds of thousands of them to their death.

Why didn't they supplement their army with droids to lessen the human / clone death toll? Surely with the wealth of the Republic they could have developed an army of droids equal to the Confederacy's Commando droids. Led by clone troopers the Grand Army would have been equally as effective with a much lower loss of life. Instead they just ordered them to their death.

Evidently for Jedi all life is not equal.


Why show no emotion?
The corner stone of the Sith's belief system was around emotions and the power they gave. Anger, Hatred and Fear may have been the perceived by the Jedi as negative emotions but by definition you must care about something deeply to be able to have these feelings. The emotions of anger, hate and fear are also extremes of very normal, emotions of love and caring.

By not caring how would you ever value what you fight for. Sith use their emotions to focus and strengthen their use of the force. As we all know, some who fights because they care is infinitely more powerful than a mercenary who doesn't care.

Surely Anakin turned to the dark side because he wanted to protect Padme. Now we all know that led to some pretty dark moments but his intention was to save his wife. How can loving someone be bad, for most people surely it makes them stronger not weaker

Someone who doesn't allow people to love doesn't sound like a shining beacon to us.


The rule of two
One of the corner stones of the Sith belief was there where only ever be two, a master and an apprentice. By enforcing this the control of power was much greater. Rather than having hundreds of powerful, force sensitive beings running around you have two. How many rogue Sith do you hear of? How many Jedi went rogue?

There were Dark Jedi, yet they like their light side counterparts weren't as powerful as the Sith. They couldn't focus the force through their emotions.

There's no doubt that by 40BBY the Jedi were generally compassionate and powerful peace keepers and the Sith were scheming to take control of the galaxy. Yet they are two sides to the same coin. It's clear the Sith started as force sensitives who embraced their passion and emotions. It's also clear the Jedi were not the whiter than white, monks they would like to appear as.

A clear subject this is not.

Why not give your opinions below in the comments box.