How Fear Of The Dark Side Turned One Jedi Into A Serial Killer
Recent revelations in the Star Wars universe have shed light on the dangers of fear and repression in the Jedi Order. While Jedi are sworn to serve the light side of the Force and maintain self-discipline, many have struggled with crossing the line between control and fear of the dark side.
The Jedi Code, which emphasizes the importance of peace, knowledge, serenity, harmony, and the Force, lies at the heart of their teachings. However, some Jedi have come to rely on repression rather than discipline to maintain their serenity, burying negative emotions and risking their own descent into darkness.
In one particular story from George Mann’s anthology book Dark Legends, the tale of Sol Magra and his master Nil Idyth illustrates just how dangerous repression can be. Nil Idyth was a respected and powerful Jedi known for his wisdom and potential in the Force. Despite his many accomplishments, he remained humble and enigmatic about his past, including his role in ending a serial killer’s rampage on Coruscant.
Years after Nil Idyth’s death, his Padawan Sol Magra inherited an amulet from his master that contained a kyber crystal. When a series of killings began again, Sol Magra led the investigation and eventually discovered that the killer possessed the Force. It wasn’t until another Jedi was killed that Sol Magra realized the horrifying truth: he himself was the serial killer, driven to darkness by the amulet’s influence.
One of the three types of Force artifacts in Star Wars is a relic that contains memories, emotions, or personalities of a Force user. The amulet Sol Magra inherited was filled with the dark side, with Nil Idyth’s own inner darkness contained within. Fear of the dark side had turned Sol Magra’s master into a killer, and now it had done the same to him.
The cautionary tale in “The Black Mirror” is that fear of the dark side can lead Jedi down a path to darkness. By repressing their inner darkness, they risk becoming the very thing they are sworn to oppose. This fear of the dark side was evident in the tragic story of Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Ultimately, the message is clear: true serenity and self-discipline come not from repression, but from acknowledging and confronting one’s inner darkness. Only then can a Jedi hope to remain in the light and avoid the dangers of the dark side.
Star Wars has revealed fear of the dark side turned one Jedi into a serial killer. The Jedi are sworn to serve the light side of the Force, and they spend their lives pursuing disciplines that will encourage self-discipline. The Jedi Code lies at the heart of this: “There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.“
Unfortunately, many Jedi appear to cross the line between self-control and actual fear of the dark side. For these Jedi, their serenity comes not through discipline but through repression, with their negative emotions buried. Even Master Yoda learned this lesson during the Clone Wars, when his quest to learn the secret of becoming a Force ghost meant he had to confront aspects of his own character and nature he had refused to face for potentially centuries of his long lifespan. But there are tales of one Jedi, Sol Magra, who learned this in a far more sinister way.
How One Jedi Became A Serial Killer
The story of Sol Magra and his master Nil Idyth is told in George Mann’s anthology book Dark Legendswhich one short story – “The Dark Mirror” – revealing just how dangerous repression really is to the dark side of the Force. Nil Idyth was a powerful and respected Jedi, one noted both for his wisdom and potential in the Force. Where others would become proud and boastful, telling others of their adventures, Nil Idyth tended to be much more humble in character. He was particularly enigmatic about one of his most famous feats, in which he brought an end to a serial killer’s rampage on the city-planet of Coruscant.
Years later, after Nil Idyth’s death, his Padawan Sol Magra inherited an amulet from his master that contained a kyber crystal. Some time later, the killings began again. Sol Magra wound up in charge of the investigation, and gradually learned the killer possessed the Force. It was only after another Jedi was killed that he discovered the truth; he was the serial killer. His master had repressed his own inner darkness, becoming a killer; he had eventually discovered the truth, and used the amulet to contain his darkness rather than continue as a killer. There are three types of Force artifacts in Star Wars; one of them is a relic that contains certain memories, emotions, or personalities of a Force user. The amulet Sol Magra had inherited was filled with the dark side, and it was now exerting an influence on him. Fear of the dark side had turned Sol Magra’s master into a serial killer, and now it had done the same thing to him.
Fear Of The Dark Side Is A Route To The Dark Side
The stories contained in Dark Legends are said to be myths in the galaxy, but according to Lucasfilm they contain a fragment of truth. In this case, “The Black Mirror” is a subtle warning that fear of the dark side can itself be a route to the dark side. When Jedi repress their inner darkness, they risk becoming the very thing they are sworn to oppose. By the time of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, the Jedi seem to have been characterized by this kind of fear, repressing so much – and encouraging Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, to do the same. The tragedy of Anakin Skywalker played out on an even more tragic scale than the story of Sol Magra and Nil Idyth.
