"Light and Dark Are the Same": The Force's Most Terrifying Enemies Show How Star Wars Can Move Beyond Palpatine

Summary The Final Occultation wields the Anti-Force, a chaotic energy from the Netherworld beyond the Force's order.

Palpatine's rule centered on control and fear, making him an agent of the Force, unlike the Anti-Force cultists.

The introduction of the Final Occultation offers a chance for Star Wars to expand into new dimensions, and beyond Palpatine.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red #1! Palpatine has had a chokehold on the Star Wars franchise throughout every era depicted in film and television, as he’s the overarching villain of the originals, prequels, sequels, and many series. However, Star Wars just introduced a new villain with the potential to allow the franchise to move beyond Palpatine, as they are a terrifying evil beyond the Force itself that claims the 'light and dark are the same'.

In Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red #1 by Benjamin Percy and Stefano Raffaele, readers are introduced to the aforementioned villain capable of upending the entire Star Wars universe: the Final Occultation. Before the events of The Phantom Menace, Darth Sidious sends Darth Maul on a mission to intercept a prisoner-transport vessel carrying the three cult leaders of the Final Occultation, and what Maul finds when he faces them is beyond even his most twisted nightmares.

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The Final Occultation doesn’t worship the light or the dark side of the Force like other cults found in Star Wars, but rather an energy that exists in an entirely different dimension. The dimension is known as the Netherworld, and the energy comes from what the cultists call the Void, which emits pure, concentrated chaos. In every way that matters, the Final Occultation wields the Anti-Force, as their ‘chaos’ is the equal opposite of the Force’s ‘order’. That’s why, to them, 'light and dark are the same', as the Force is just the Force to one who wields the Anti-Force.

Related Palpatine's Attempts to Harness 'The Netherworld of the Force' Prove He Was a False Sith Many Star Wars fans consider Palpatine the ultimate Sith Lord, but his latest appearance calls into question if he's even a proper Sith Lord at all.

The Final Occultation Gives Star Wars a Chance To Go Beyond the Dark Side of the Force

While Palpatine was, indeed, a master of the dark side and a powerful Sith Lord, the Final Occultation would still technically consider him to be on the same side as any light-side wielder, including the Jedi. The Anti-Force cultists don’t see ‘light side’ and ‘dark side’, they see ‘order’ and ‘chaos’. The Force is ‘order’ (whether that be light or dark), and the Anti-Force is ‘chaos’.

Any Star Wars fan can attest to the fact that Palpatine was a stickler for order in the galaxy, even if his version of order could more accurately be described as control. Palpatine wanted to rule a galaxy that feared and hated him, as their hatred gave him strength. But, the Emperor also wanted to ensure the safety and prosperity of his Empire. As he once said to Darth Vader, “I do not wish to rule over a galaxy of the dead”.

Obviously, Palpatine had no problem eradicating the galaxy to start anew in the Star Wars sequels, but after his attempted ‘great purge’, he would have rebuilt his Empire stronger than it was before. In essence, while he was an agent of the dark side, Palpatine was still very much an agent of the Force - something the Final Occultation is decidedly not.

The Final Occultation Could Immensely Expand the Star Wars Universe

Palpatine was the perfect villain to represent the dark side versus the light side, but now that he’s gone for good, it’s time for Star Wars to expand even beyond its own reality. The Anti-Force energy the Final Occultation is channeling comes from the Netherworld, an entirely different dimension, and its effects on the people it’s used against aren’t those of the Force. This energy is seemingly from the darkest pits of hell itself; swirling horrors beyond comprehension. Darth Maul had to focus with all his might just to survive a handful of these Anti-Force-wielding masters - imagine an army of them.

The Final Occultation merely opens the door for the opportunity of delving deeper into this Netherworld, and the horrors that lurk beyond it. Sure, the cult itself would be a great villain for the next chapter in Star Wars lore, but the truly intriguing aspect is the Netherworld, and the Anti-Force that can be wielded interdimensionally. A villain/villains utilizing this ‘Anti-Force’ would, indeed, claim the 'light and dark are the same', making them not only terrifying, but the perfect Star Wars villain after Palpatine.

Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red #1 by Marvel Comics is available now.