#rule of two

[straybardart]

Happy Revenge of the (twenty-)Sixth! ⬛🔴🤍

Fear. Fear attracts the fearful, the strong, the weak, the innocent, the corrupt. Fear. Fear is my ally - Darth Maul

[beyemar]

A chronological history of all Sith (and sith-adjacents, such as the Inquisitorius and Knights of Ren) in the current Star Wars canon, compiled after tedious research by yours truly.

Accurate as of November 2024.

[2stepadmiral]

What are the odds that Revan, aware of the grave reality of the symbolic stature he gradually came to embody, aware of the weight that rested upon his shoulders, keenly aware that he and the Mandalorian mask he wore and made his own transformed him into a being of legend, would frequently make silly faces at people (particularly Jedi masters, Malak, and stuffy officers) who would only see the grim and emotionless visage of his mask and never suspect that the butcher, the prodigal knight, the conqueror, was sticking his tongue out at them?

[thetorturedlover]

Darth Zannah

[saintheartwing]

Lily and Mikaila keep saying that Darth Bane invented the Rule of Two because he wanted the Sith to be a “super exclusive club” and that it just made the Sith weaker when neither of those things are true.

In hindsight I probably should have been more specific about his reason for making the rule, it wasn’t to keep the Sith from killing each other, it was based on the principle that all Sith would inevitably turn on each other.

A Master and an Apprentice, one to teach, and one to learn, one to have power, and the other to covet it. When the Apprentice kills their Master, (or the Master dies by other circumstances) they become the Master and find an Apprentice of their own, continuing the cycle.

Any thoughts on the matter?

That makes sense because the rule for the Jedi was supposed to be one of equal respect and partnership between the padawan and their master. The Sith take on it is just that, but bastardized, the way EVERYTHING they did was a bastardization of the Jedi way of doing things.

That's how evil works, after all. Evil...is good spoiled. Good gone wrong. You don't have an idea of what a crooked line is if you've never seen a straight line.

[starwars-and-discourse]

The Lesson: A Star Wars Story

“Do you take me for a fool?”

The rasp of Vader’s breathing was the only response for several moments,

“Master, I—“

Forked arcs of purple lightning shot out at Vader from his Master’s fingertips in a quick, but agonizing burst. Vader groaned loudly and collapsed to his knees, his breathing ragged and labored, the mechanical workings of his suit temporarily overloaded by the assault.

“No,” Palpatine said, venom dripping from the word. “You shall not speak.”

Vader did not respond, his world still shaking from the blast which he knew was but a fraction of the power his Master held.

“You seek the son of Skywalker to destroy me.” It was not a question. The tiniest trace of amusement could be detected beneath the otherwise pure disgust in Palpatine’s voice. “It seems that you still do not know your place—ever the slow learner.”

Vader had shakily risen back into a standing position, his suit’s power finally leveling out. Palpatine regarded him as one might regard a particularly bothersome insect.

“Oh yes, yes. Your anger is palpable, Lord Vader. Your hatred even more so,” The Emperor crooned. “Do you think to take my place now? Without the aid of the precious young Skywalker?” The mockery was evident.

Vader seethed, his breath rate increasing.

“Or do you know that you are nothing compared to the power in me? You exist within my shadow,” Palpatine spat. “Quite literally a shell of your former self.”

Vader’s gloved fists clenched,

“Enough.”

Palpatine cocked his head slightly, as if he was unsure of what he had heard,

“Enough?” He repeated.

The snap-hiss of Vader’s lightsaber activating came in response.

Palpatine regarded this dispassionately,

“I see.” He rose from the throne which he had been sitting on and stared down at the armor-clad Sith Lord standing at the base of the stairs which led up to the throne. The fury in his yellow eyes rivaled the flames of the molten rivers on Mustafar. “You will learn your place today, Lord Vader.”

The Emperor raised a single, gnarled hand with a speed that belied his decrepit appearance and released a burst of lightning which promptly relieved Vader of his lightsaber. The hilt flew from the Sith Lord’s mechanical hand and skittered across the floor several meters away.

“Bow to your Emperor!” Palpatine roared, raising his remaining hand and joining the two together to unleash another torrent of lightning. This one caught Vader square in the chest, causing him to once again fall to his knees.

Vader groaned as he found himself on the floor yet again. He knew that more pain was inevitable, his Master was far from finished with his merciless assault.

“There is no mercy!” The Emperor’s voice rang, as if in response to Vader’s musings. Another jolt of electricity flowed from his fingertips and into Vader’s body.

Vader fell forward, barely catching himself with his hands. On his hands and knees now, he looked up into the pitiless eyes of a predator descending upon its prey.

The Emperor stared down at the pathetic being below him, hatred filling his body,

“You have more than earned my ire. Where to begin?” He took a step down the stairs, another arc of lightning followed.

Vader collapsed in a heap under the latest torrent, his armor starting to smoke.

“Ah, of course. Mustafar.” More lightning. Vader’s body spasmed. “You could not defeat Kenobi and yet you have sought to challenge me!”

More convulsions came with yet another burst of dark power. Vader could feel the inner workings of his suit beginning to fail.

Palpatine took another step down the stairs and closer to the prone Sith Lord,

“You think that young Skywalker could make a difference—that together you could rule, as father and son.” The Emperor cackled with caustic glee. “His pitiful light will never shine through my darkness! I am shadow!”

Another burst of lightning. Followed by another. And another. Vader’s breathing was barely a rasp, his lungs on fire as they starved for air that could not come. His suit had finally failed. His Master finally reached the step directly in front of him—he could just make out the bottom of the dark cloak which he had become so accustomed to.

Palpatine looked down on Vader’s smoking form, savoring the pain and anger which rolled from him in delicious waves. He was aware that Vader’s suit had shut down, could feel the life slowly fading from his body. This he savored as well, but only for a moment, before he gestured to two red-robed guards who had been watching the display with detached professionalism.

He leaned down to his apprentice, knowing that his auditory processors were about to expire,

“Let this be a lesson to you, Lord Vader: a Master to embody power, an Apprentice to crave it. Do not forget which role is yours.” He rose, turning to the guards. “Take him from my sight.”

The last thing Vader heard before his auditory processors finally shut down was the sound of Palpatine reascending the stairs to his throne.

[noahsbookhoard]

📚October 2024 Book Review📚

October has been productive for reading but absolutely not for Reviews so as new year approaches like a derailed train I am trying to cram the last months of review! Expect three post like this back to back, sorry.

Le Crime d'Halloween (Hallowe'en Party) by Agatha Christie

A good mystery but I admit I read it jusr after seeing the newest adaptation and I did not feel the vibes the film had which were just perfect for Halloween. That one's on me.

La vie meilleure by Étienne Kern

Absolutely delightful writing and I am not saying this because the author is one of my old french teacher and I have great memories of his classes, no no sir, nothing but impartiality here. This is part biography of Emile Coue (the inventor of the famous "everyday in every way I am getting better and better" mentality) and part journey of discovery for the author.

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Great comedy, loved it. I watch the 1970 tv adaptation alongside so some bits are missing but I had a good laugh. Act 2 scene 5 still makes me smile just thinking about it.

Assassin's Apprentice (Realm of the Elderlings #01) by Robin Hobb

I was intimidated by this series because of it being a 16 books monster but I really enjoyed this first one so I will definitely read it further. I love my fantasy a little on the political side and that's right what this book offers me. I see why the rote fandom on tumblr has a thing for the Fool and I am with you in this.

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J Taylor

I was really intrigued by the premise, I though the hotel magic travel thingy would have a bigger role to play but the hotel itself being a magic entity is more than compensation enough. Loved the magic system, loved the plot, the romance was neither a bonus nor a malus. A really good YA fantasy novel.

Les Dragons by Jérôme Colin

This one definitely falls into the Dead Dove Do Not Eat category: The main character has to spend time in an institute for teenagers where he meets other youth like him, children who are angry at everything and everybody, who can't fit anywhere and many who turns it upon themselves. It is short but really really hard to read.

Rule of Two (Darth Bane trilogy #02) by Drew Karpyshyn

Book 2 of the Darth Bane series and I love that it ties up really well with book 1 and anchors it in the universe. Zhanna turns out to be an interesting character but by the nature of Bane's Rule of Two you already knows she is going to fail her goal (in this book at least) which kinda defeats the tension that was so high in book 1 (not saying more I'm already halfway through a spoiler). I look forward to book 3 tho.

I am however saddened to inform everyone that "flies through the void of space sans space suit and survives because of the Force" in episode VIII has a precursor so... is it valid no? Jurisprudence and all that? I hope not

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

I expected this one to be funny but it turned out to also be a really self indugent story of the kind we all need post covid (and that's exactly how the author wrote it). On top of that it manages to have natural nuclear reactor Kaiju from a parallel dimension that Actually Makes Sense. Go read it, you deserve a break.

The Outsider by Stephen King

I have really mixed feelings about this one. I loved the first part but was so frustrated with the way the first part ended it I was disappointed with the rest.

The story starts as an investigation with both sides fighting with contradicting evidences but I was invested! There was tension! I was cheering for Terry and his family against Ralph, the cop who arrested him. And then the scene at the courtroom happened and my hopes for the main character went down the drain.

It took me a very long time to warm up to Ralph as the NEW main character, especially because he was set up as the Cop With Good Intention and Bad Results in the first part of the novel. Like, you put this man against Jesus Christ if he was a little league baseball coach and expect us to empathise with him for the rest of the story?

If you can go past that it's a good thriller, plenty spooky and tension just like King likes it.

A Close and Common Orbit (Wayfarer #2) by Becky Chambers

I adored The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and this second book hits just where book 1 did. Pepper is really touching and I hope we get to see her again in the rest of the series. But I especially enjoyed Sidra's journey to figuring herself and her friendship with Tak. I had to look up the species a little at the beginning because I was completely lost in who was what and from where.

Les Possibles by Virginie Grimaldi

A story about two sisters and their father who suffer from Alzheimer. And also their road trip on route 66 as a last family trip. Tender and sad and happy and a lot of things in one. Virginie Grimaldi just has the knack to write touching family that don't really work but work all the same. I really liked it.

Le dieu d'automne et d'hiver by Pauline Sidre

A tale about the weight of immortality and godhood and an investigation all in one! I really loved it, I had it on my shelf since spring bit I wanted to way for the right weather for it and September had been too mild but it was worth the wait! It has an unusual pantheon, strange worship and summoning rules and very compelling characters, especially Helkeziro, our grumpy and weary God of justice and vengeance who really could use a break but cannot seem to catch one. Tumblr would love him.

War and Peace by Leon Tolstoi

I have beaten the monster. It took me 6 months but I did it. Some aspects and plots are interesting (even if I lack thd cultural and historical context to really enjoy it) but the battle of Borodino was almost too much to handle.

If We Were Villains by M L Rio

Strong contender for my favorite book of the year, it pains me to give the W to booktok but here I am!

I loved I might have enjoyed it even more maybe if I had a better knowledge of Shakespeare that I do now, but that's only a motivation to catching up on the Bard and reread the book!

I don't know how to feel about the very very end tho. Either I love it because that's the teeniest amount of comfort on the fuckload of hurt (my balance of choice) or I hate it because come on, you chose tragedy so own up to it! Jury is still out.

Le Bastion des Larmes by Abdellah Taïa

I picked this one in my continued quest of microdosing on price winning novels: at the start of fall the Goncourt academy published its list of nominees so I went and picked whatever inspired me. La vie meilleure and this one were on it, as well as others I did not get to read before the end of 2024. This one also has the bonus of making me read an author who is neither French, British or American which is the bulk of what I read. The story itself is that of a man returning to his native town in Morocco after his mother died to sell the childhood hose and also come to terms with the death of his lover and the abuse he suffered as a gay child in his home town. Not an easy read but an important one.

What Feast at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T Kingfisher

I really loved book 1, What Moves at Night but I think I even prefer this one. Creepy in just the right way, Alex is still kan sassy self and Eugenia and Angus are adorable.

Kiss Kiss by Roal Dahl

I always loved his children book but his short stories are amazing. I particularly love his way of wrapping up the ending, how it stops just before disaster and right when you realise what said disaster is going to be.

Trois battements un silence by Anne Fakhouri

Kinda wierd but in a good way. It reminded my a little of October Daye series as it I also centered around fae and changeling in a modern setting but totally different treatment. Tw for child abuse.

Tous les silence ne font pas le même bruit by Baptiste Beaulieu

The memoir of a gay man, general practitioner and father of a little boy, narrating how he got there, what he had to live through. It's hard, it's full of fear and fighting spirit and hope and I recommend it to everybody. I wish I could make it read to my entire family.

Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

A good and interesting novel but in my opinion, slightly too long for its story. I admire the writing and the characters but a work of fiction about sisters and witches doesn't have to deal with every single aspect of womanhood and feminism ever (especially if it means some of them are barely mentioned, as in "this character which you know since chapter 3 is trans btw now back to Avalon")

[nika6q]

Darth Bane destroyed and rebuilt the Sith by harnessing the power of reading.

[darth-maul-of-dathomir]

-Rules and interaction advice-

After an unexpected turn of events on Hypori, Darth Maul is... changed. His mind is dark, swimming with visions of past-present-future that scatter his thoughts and leave him restless. He does not always know when or where he is, but he is always dangerous.

Ask your questions, mind your words. Flippancy will have you barred. (Comment on any post to interact with him in character, either in RP style or as a holonet communication. Please use clean formatting of some kind. OCs, y/n, and canon characters are all welcome to run across him in the wilds.)

He knows his murderer. (Longs to meet him, to fight him again- and again- and again-) Mention that one at your own risk. If you are him, come prepared for instability.

Maul was made into a weapon, refined, for the explicit purpose to kill jedi. If you are from the order, be wary. He does desire to be more than what he was made to be. (Don't we all? And yet.)

This is not a place for the young. If you are, be gone.

The art herein is edited and originally from gffa media or similar sources. For the purpose of story telling, links are not often provided, but available via dm at any time. No AI has been utilized.

Filed under "maul's musings" you will find his journal entries, filled with the lore and sights of Dathomir. These tell an ongoing story, starting with the oldest post and moving forward.

Please use reblogs and tags to make silly or OOC commentary. The comments section is for character interaction.

For the sake of pleasant scrolling, this blog does not reblog other content, but you are welcome to send him links in the ask box.

You do not know him. No one knows him. If you wish to meet him here, introduce yourself. It is only polite.

He is hungry for company, but he is often poor company. Do not come looking for sweetness or regard you have not earned.

[sw5w]

At Last We Will Reveal Ourselves to the Jedi

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 00:40:37

[thesitharts]

Rule of two chapter seven: Crab Rave

[himboskywalker]

piggybacking off the last ask, are there plans to continue rule of two? NO PRESSURE !!!

Absolutely! I know I haven’t updated in a thousand years but it’s certainly not abandoned!

[cilantro-and-sillica]

Even though they say 'through victory my chains a broken', are they not still bound the sith code? As a master they are still forced to train only one appresntice; why follow a rule made up by a dead guy who you would have killed anyway? (Rule of two)

And as an apprentice, your life is a constant cycle of being abused and controlled. Just look at Vader, he was groomed since he was 9, and proceeded to lose everyone and everything he cared about over the years. Only for him to become a shell of a man, literally and emotionally; all of this doesn't sound like freedom to me...

FEAR IS THE PATH TO THE DARK SIDE. FEAR LEADS TO ANGER, ANGER LEADS TO HATE, HATE LEADS TO SUFFERING.

Is this not at the core of the Sith code?

Anyway I'm ranting! Tell me your thoughts if you want, even if you think I'm waaaay off lol

Yall are so desperate for the Sith to be grey morality instead of just the straight up villains theyre constantly shown to be and it shows

[skippyisntfunny]