When Star Wars Legends continuity, it seemed as though the galaxy was rid of the Sith forever, and could re-enter an era of peace. Indeed, before the events of The Phantom Menace, the galaxy had experienced a thousand years without the threat of the Sith. And with Palpatine gone, Luke Skywalker could rebuild the Jedi Order in peace, and bring the galaxy back to a similar era. However, that isn’t what happened, and it’s all because a group of surviving Sith used a trick made famous by Master Yoda himself.

In Star Wars: Legacy #0 by John Ostrander, Jan Duursema, Sean Cooke, and Dan Parsons, the origin of the series’ ‘big bad’ is revealed: the One Sith. The One Sith is a dark side cult ruled by Darth Krayt which utterly rejects the Sith Rule of Two. The doctrine of the One Sith dictates that there can only be one Sith Master (aka the One Sith, a title which Darth Krayt holds during this story arc). However, there is no limit to the number of Sith Lords who can exist, so long as they pledge themselves to the One Sith.

The most interesting thing about the One Sith is that the cult was operating not just after Emperor Palpatine was killed for good. And even then, Luke Skywalker and the other Jedi who rose up to reestablish the Jedi Order never figured out what Darth Krayt and his One Sith cult were up to, despite actively reaching out through the Force to find Force-sensitive individuals to train in the ways of the Jedi.

So, how did he do it? Well, as previously mentioned, Darth Krayt used an old trick made famous by Yoda: he used the dark side energy of an entire planet to hide. The One Sith was founded on the planet Korriban, which was the original homeworld of the Sith species. In other words, just as Yoda was able to hide himself on Dagobah, the overwhelming dark side energy that emanated from Korriban hid all of the One Sith’s activity. So, after Emperor Palpatine was long gone, Darth Krayt and his One Sith were more than ready to take his place.

How Darth Krayt and the One Sith Carried On Emperor Palpatine’s Legacy

Darth Krayt May Have Represented a Different Kind of Sith, but He & Palpatine were the Same

While Emperor Palpatine and his Empire would have assuredly tried to crush the One Sith if he discovered their existence (and very well may have succeeded), Darth Krayt actually proved to be exactly like Palpatine in practically every way. In Star Wars: Legacy, Darth Krayt uses his Sith Lords to overthrow the galaxy’s governing body, and becomes the Emperor (just like Palpatine). Not only that, but like Palpatine, Krayt craved eternal life. A major plot-point in Star Wars: Legacy is Darth Krayt trying to corrupt Cade Skywalker, as Skywalker could heal others with the Force (which was extremely rare).

Emperor Palpatine remained true to the Sith Rule of Two (to an extent, as he did utilize the Inquisitors and other Sith Assassins during his reign), meaning his methods of overthrowing the government and taking over the galaxy were a bit different from those of Darth Krayt in Star Wars: Legacy. However, all things considered, Darth Krayt became the spitting image of Emperor Palpatine (albeit with a much more hardcore aesthetic), and thus perfectly carried on Palpatine’s Sith legacy in the Star Wars universe.

Emperor Palpatine Accidentally Created Darth Krayt & the One Sith (Yes, Really)

Emperor Palpatine Unwittingly Manufactured the Means of His Own Sith Replacement

While it’s true that Darth Krayt became Emperor Palpatine’s perfect replacement despite the fact that Palpatine would have crushed Krayt’s One Sith if given the chance, that’s not even the most interesting aspect of their dynamic. Interestingly enough, Emperor Palpatine actually created Darth Krayt, and by extension, the One Sith. Darth Krayt was originally a Jedi named A’Sharad Hett who fought on behalf of the Republic during the Clone Wars. However, after Order 66, Hett fell to the dark side, and became Darth Krayt. And, who was responsible for Order 66 and the Clone Wars as a whole? Sheev Palpatine.

Indeed, Emperor Palpatine unwittingly manufactured the means of his own Sith replacement, one that had been growing since Palpatine became the Galactic Emperor. And while Emperor Palpatine must accept his share of responsibility for the rise of the One Sith, and the persistence of the Sith in the galaxy long after his own death, the One Sith wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did in Star Wars continuity if not for a trick famously used by Yoda.