Summary

  • Darth Tenebrous, a mysterious Sith Lord from Star Wars Legends, may have made his live-action canon debut in The Acolyte.
  • Tenebrous was a pivotal Sith Lord in Star Wars history, as he was the Master of Darth Plagueis, who was eventually Darth Sidious' Master.
  • The possible appearance of Tenebrous in "The Acolyte" aligns with the show's deep connection to Star Wars Legends and its timeline in the High Republic era.

Darth Tenebrous is one of the most mysterious yet important Sith Lords in all Sith Lord known only as the Stranger. Played by Manny Jacinto, the Stranger is a powerful Dark Lord of the Sith, able to cut a brutal swathe through an entire team of Jedi.

The interesting question, though, is just how the Stranger connects to the Baneite line of Sith. According to this lore, there should only ever be two Sith at one time, a Master and an Apprentice; the one to crave power, and the other to wield it. Only two Sith should really be active at this point in the timeline, Darth Plagueis and his mentor Darth Tenebrous. Here's everything we know about Darth Tenebrous, the Sith Lord who trained Plagueis, Palpatine's own master.

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Darth Tenebrous Originated In Star Wars Legends

Darth Tenebrous wielding red Force lighting in Star Wars

Darth Tenebrous was first referenced in an issue of Star Wars Insider, but made an actual appearance in James Luceno's novel Darth Plagueis. According to this (now non-canon) story, Tenebrous was the Sith Master of Darth Plagueis. He was a Bith - a species best ed for being seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina Band in the first Star Wars movie. Tenebrous, however, was no simple musician; he was a skilled shipbuilder.

Tenebrous, like many Sith Lords, had a secret identity. Most of the galaxy knew him as Rugess Nome, a famous shipbuilder whose designs were sought after by the elite. Plagueis killed Tenebrous and took his place as a Sith Lord, in keeping with Palpatine's Project Necromancer.

Darth Tenebrous Has Only Ever Been Name-Dropped In Star Wars Canon

Darth Tenebrous is almost exclusively a product of Star Wars Legends, but he has been canonized in recent years. In 2015, Tenebrous was mentioned in Build the Millennium Falcon #44, a magazine that contains several canon articles; he was described as the Sith Lord who created the Sith Interceptor used by Darth Maul. Tenebrous was also one of the many Sith referenced in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which solidified his existence in canon. Those were the only two times Tenebrous has ever appeared outside of Legends, but The Acolyte may have given him a much more prominent appearance.

Could Darth Tenebrous Be The Acolyte's New Sith Lord?

The Sith Lord in The Acolyte certainly isn't Darth Tenebrous; in fact, according to the Stranger he doesn't even have a Sith name. What's more, The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland is a huge fan of the old Expanded Universe, and she surely wouldn't swap a Bith for a human. It is notable, though, that some of the Sith Lord's helmet design appears to reference Darth Plagueis. This may indicate there's some sort of connection here.

There's been some speculation the Stranger could be the canon version of a character named Darth Venamis. In Legends, Tenebrous trained not one prospective apprentice but two, Plagueis and Venamis, These two ultimately faced off against one another, deciding the line of the Rule of Two. The same could well happen with The Acolyte's Sith Lord, which would be very appropriate.

The Acolyte Poster Showing Jedi Order, Mae, and a Sith Lord Holding Lightsabers

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The Acolyte
Release Date
2024 - 2024-00-00
Showrunner
Leslye Headland
Directors
Leslye Headland, Alex Garcia Lopez

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.