SciFi_SW_Books_Darth Bane Trilogy 1/3
Updated: Sep 13
Oh boy, guess what i just finished... well if you're here, read the title and guess anything other than the Darth Bane Trilogy then I know you're fucking with me. Alright, Darth Bane he's a big, bald-headed, beast! Born on the mining planet of Apatros as Dessel. Darth Bane was dealt a pretty shit hand from birth, other than being a certified tank, his life sucked. His mother died during childbirth and he was raised by his abusive father and forced to start working the cortosis mines as a teen to pay off his father's ever deepening drinking/gambling debt (even after his father's sudden death in his sleep one night). The book opens with Dessel (Des) getting into a fight with another miner and going all Mike Tyson on his ass. Des actually bites off dudes thumb but still.
Soon after his Tyson moment he ends up killing a douchebag Republic soldier in self defense and is forced to escape being arrested by joining the Empire as a trooper during the Brotherhood of Darkness era. During his time as a soldier him and his unit literally make a name for themselves, "The Gloom Walkers", by surviving against all odds in some of the most austere conditions.
Soooo the Brotherhood of Darkness is the new Order of Sith who have decided to make their own type of Jedi counsel wherein everyone is equal. The brotherhood was established to limit infighting between the Siths so they could focus their energies on their true enemies the Jedi. They have also retired the title of Darth, all adopting Sith Lord as titles to denote equality. Call DOGE, it's starting to sound like DEI (jk i love inclusivity we actually all benefit from it).
The first book focuses on Dessel's journey from getting his shit rocked by his shit ass dad to becoming Darth Bane rocker of everyone else's shit. This guy can cut people in half he's a #bigsumbitch.
Anyways, Dessel is court-martialed after knocking out his commanding officer and assuming command of a mission which otherwise would have gotten everyone killed, while a trooper with the Gloom Walkers. His unit assumes he is executed as a traitor afterwards, but what really happens is Sith Lord Kopecz recognizes Des's luck in not dying is actually a manifestation of the force within him. Des is taken to be trained with other would be Sith Lords at a Sith Academy on Korriban, and takes the name Bane after what his father would often call him during drunken berating's. Since he was recruited later on and is older than the other trainees, he sticks mostly to himself and reads old Sith texts in the library. This is a huge character trait as he continues to search and expand on his knowledge of the darkside throughout the rest of the book trilogy.
Bane links up with Jedi Padawan turned Sith trainee, Githany at the academy to avenge an embarrassing loss he suffered during a training duel. Githany is "la toxica" and manipulates Bane (honestly though he doesn't seem to mind #loverboy) to use his strength against her enemies. Bane comes to realize that through his powers he was actually responsible for his fathers death and this revelation causes a barrier between Bane and the force due to his remorse. Githany sees this remorse as a weakness and aligns herself with stronger allies in disappointment.
Eventually Bane finds some philosophies in a Dark Holocon created by our boy Darth Revan, which inspires his own philosophies on how the Sith should operate. Darth Bane deduces that the reason the darkside has failed is because the Brotherhood of Darkness has disallowed true competition which would have culled the weak and left the power divided amongst the few proven strong leaders. He does agree with the Brotherhood in the way that the infighting amongst even a few could distract the order from defeating their true enemy the Jedi. Darth Bane adopts "The Rule of Two" philosophy, in which there will only ever be two Siths at a time; "one to embody the power of the darkside and another (an apprentice) to crave it".
Darth Bane makes his way to Ruusan where a war between all of the Sith Lords and a good number of Jedi has been taking place. Githany senses his arrival and warns the (we're totally all equals, but I'm kind of in charge) leader of the Sith Army Sith Lord Kaan. Githany decides she can take down Bane herself and almost succeeds by employing a poison kiss (like i said la toxica!). Darth Bane on the cusp of death finds a healer on the planet, Caleb, and persuades him to do the healing thing by threatening dude's daughter (don't worry this is an important detail). Bane then manipulates Sith Lord Kaan to use the Thought Bomb Ritual to destroy the Jedi, which also consumes the Sith and any force sensitive in the area (minor detail Lord Kaan doesn't need to know). The thought bomb ritual is rooted in Emperor Vitiate's Ritual Of Nathema, meaning all of its victims are stuck in a hellish limbo for all eternity.
All the while Darth Bane is searching for his BFF apprentice. Many false starts in the 1st book until the very end when he finds a small child who has used the force to kill two Jedi by means of the infamous force choke. Thus his apprentice Zannah is finally found!
Absolutely 5/5 lightsabers. Darth Bane's storyline is engaging and you find yourself rooting for someone you know is going to turn out to be bad in the end anyways. It shores up some philosophical questions regarding the Sith and the Old Republic as well as adding in some throw backs to favorites like Darth Revan. To me it also felt like the light at the end of the tunnel, having read so many books and finally getting to see how the history relates to the prequel trilogy movies. Darth Bane emerges as a complex character with a world of depth and you really want to find out how his legacy carries on through the rest of the books. It also leans in heavy of dark force lore that is lost, but can be found deepening the overall lore of the franchise. I also genuinely like seeing characters struggle to accept their destiny and Bane's reluctance to let the dark side in completely made him a more relatable character. It also makes it a little more intense when you see his disregard for others' lives begin as he fully accepts the darkside.
Added bonus a download of Star Wars Gamer #3 Magazine with the short story "Bane of the Sith". If you need it in another format message me.
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