The Star Wars franchise is filled with memorable Sith Lords, but one villain introduced in Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords still remains the coolest Dark Side of all. Released back in 2004, the RPG sequel casts players as a Jedi Exile who must rebuild the order and face off against a dastardly Sith lineup. While the title was divisive upon release, over time the Star Wars fandom has grown to accept KOTOR 2 as an engaging tale from a galaxy far, far away. This legacy also extends to the title's lineup of villains, with one particular Sith Lord being regarded as perhaps the franchise's best.
While the status of Star Wars: KOTOR 2 in canon is now uncertain, many of the game's characters are still beloved by franchise fans even 18 years after launch. One particularly iconic character is Kreia, a blind Force-sensitive woman who forms a bond with the player character and mentors them in the ways of the Force. Kreia adopts a novel outlook on the Force that depicts it as gray, rather than simply black or white, but she is eventually revealed to actually be a Sith Lord named Darth Traya and the game's final boss. The character of Kreia helps illustrate the best aspects of Knights of the Old Republic 2, but one villain manages to be even cooler than her.
Darth Nihilus Is One Of Star Wars' Most Memorable Sith Lords
Many fans consider Kreia the best Star Wars character introduced in KOTOR 2, but Darth Nihilus easily sures her in of pure iconic design and characterization. Nihilus was one of Darth Traya's apprentices, and he rules the galaxy alongside her and Darth Sion during the events of KOTOR 2. Having lost everything during the galactic Mandalorian Wars, Nihilus miraculously survived the activation of a superweapon that killed almost the entire population of the planet Malachor V. These events turned Nihilus into a shadowy ghost of the Dark Side who constantly hungers for the life force of other beings. Darth Traya helped Nihilus channel this affliction into raw power, transforming him into a Dark Lord of the Sith and the self-proclaimed Lord of Hunger.
Video games have introduced many fascinating new Star Wars villains, but Darth Nihilus is easily the coolest. The villain's backstory is unique and haunting, eliciting both sympathy and fear from players when they face him. Nihilus also has an amazing Sith Lord design, with his skull-like mask and flowing robes being easily as memorable as Darth Vader's iconic armor or Darth Maul's striking tattoos. Darth Nihilus also traverses the Star Wars galaxy and devours the essence of entire worlds using his personal ship, the Ravager. The derelict battlecruiser is held together with Darth Nihilus' sheer Dark Side power, adding yet another bullet to the list of unbelievably awesome things about the Knights of the Old Republic 2 antagonist.
The story of Star Wars: KOTOR 2 is looked upon fondly, and Darth Nihilus stands out as perhaps the game's greatest addition to the sci-fi universe. The Sith Lord's insatiable hunger for energy makes him particularly monstrous, and his ethereal design makes him stand out from the franchise's more mechanical menaces like Darth Vader and General Grievous. While the canon status of Knights of the Old Republic 2 may be questionable, Darth Nihilus was an unquestionably awesome addition to the Star Wars universe.
