Thanks to a big Sith reveal in Star Wars canon, a line from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is completely recontextualized. Star Wars’ Sith Lords have long been the primary antagonists of the franchise. Be it Darth Sidious, who serves as the overarching enemy of the entire Skywalker Saga, or comparatively lesser Sith like Darth Vader and Darth Maul, Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi have faced equally powerful adversaries on the opposite side of the Force.

Upcoming Star Wars movies are unlikely to deal with the Sith, given their apparent extinction with the death of Sidious/Palpatine. However, this is not a bad thing, as the history of the dark-siders is just as, if not more, compelling than anything else. The Star Wars timeline is expansive, with reveals about the Sith’s earlier days being brought to light recently. Thanks to one specific reveal, a key line from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith has been explained.

Star Wars Canon Has Now Confirmed That The Sith DID Rule The Galaxy

The Sith Were Not Just At War With The Jedi… They Won

The element of Sith history in Star Wars that was brought to light was found in the visual guide for The Acolyte. An excerpt from this book indicates that the Sith were not simply an Empire that was being opposed by the Jedi, but that the former actually succeeded in overthrowing the latter and conquering the galaxy. The excerpt labels the Sith as “conquerors,” insisting that the Republic emerged from the ashes of this conflict.

This canonizes the idea that the Sith actually took control of the galaxy millennia before the Skywalker Saga, linking to Revenge of the Sith. In this movie, Darth Sidious claims that “once more the Sith shall rule the galaxy.” At the time, many were confused, as Star Wars Legends stories never claimed that the Sith ever defeated the Jedi, simply that they waged war with them. Now, though, Star Wars canon has confirmed that the Sith succeeded in this, conquering the galaxy as we know it.

The Jedi Ended The “Reign” Of Darth Bane 1,000 Years Ago

Bane Was Seemingly At The Head Of The Sith’s Conquest

To make this Sith conquest all the more intriguing, it ties to a relatively mysterious member of Star Wars’ Sith ranks. The character in question is Darth Bane, only really known in Star Wars canon for creating the Sith Rule of Two, which states only a master and an apprentice can exist at any one time. Bane created this rule as he knew the infighting among the Sith’s vast legions would cause their own downfall, thus changing things up drastically by shrinking their numbers.

Beyond this, Darth Bane’s canon Star Wars story has mostly been shrouded in mystery. However, in Star Wars (2020) #20, written by Charles Soule, Elzar Mann, a Jedi from the High Republic Era, mentioned that the Jedi of old once “ended the rule of Sith Lord Darth Bane.” This implies that it was Bane himself who managed to harness the power of the Sith to create an Empire that all but destroyed the Jedi. The Jedi fought back, though, allowing the Republic to form.

Will Star Wars Ever Show The Birth Of The Modern Republic?

All of this begs the question of whether Star Wars will show us this story. The Republic, which persevered throughout the High Republic and into the days of George Lucas’ prequels, lasted centuries. That said, the early days of this Republic have never been highlighted in Star Wars canon. Legends stories have done so, such as video games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, yet the depiction of this era of the franchise’s timeline in movies or TV shows has been frustratingly thin.

After all, a medieval-like Star Wars trilogy or TV series that explores the legendary Jedi-Sith War could be excellent. It would not only make for a fantastic standalone story, but it would provide concrete answers to elements explored here. Bane’s conquest and the ascendance of the Sith Empire has only been hinted at in Star Wars thanks to the aforementioned books and comics. If the franchise wished, though, the birth of the modern Republic and the Jedi Order, and the Sith they overcame, could be shown in all its glory.