Star Wars Theory Reveals The Secret Origin Of The Inquisitors... A Decade Before The Clone Wars

Summary Imperial Inquisitors may have shocking origins in Star Wars, pre-dating the Clone Wars.

Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas commissioned the clone army, falling right into Palpatine's trap.

Sifo-Dyas' questionable recruitment of Force-sensitive children may have led to Inquisitors.

One incredible Star Wars theory suggests that the Imperial Inquisitors may have a much longer history in the Star Wars timeline, linking their origins to one Jedi who had already caused significant damage to the Jedi. Following Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, it seemed there were few survivors of Order 66. However, Star Wars movies and TV shows have since revealed a number of survivors beyond Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda, and not all of them remained Jedi.

Many Inquisitors were ex-Jedi, from Reva Sevander to Barriss Offee. This raises questions about why so many Jedi were willing to turn to the dark side and join the Empire. It may have been an act of self-preservation after the Empire made it clear they were hunting down and executing any remaining Jedi. However, that can't account for all Inquisitors, particularly as the role required monstrous acts such as killing children, which were entirely counter to the way of the Jedi. One Star Wars theory instead points to a Jedi Master who had a massive influence on the Clone Wars.

Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas Foresaw The Clone Wars... & Became The Sith's Pawn

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Sifo-Dyas' name was first mentioned in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones when Obi-Wan Kenobi was working to uncover the plot on Kamino. Although Obi-Wan had no idea he was about to discover an entire clone army meant to serve the Republic and the Jedi, he certainly knew something was afoot, as Kamino had been wiped from the Jedi Order's archives. When the massive army was revealed to Obi-Wan—who, like the other Jedi, had no idea it existed—he discovered that Sifo-Dyas had commissioned it.

This was immediately suspicious, and even suggested that Sifo-Dyas himself may have been plotting against the Jedi; after all, the clones would go on to destroy most Jedi during Order 66. However, it seems Sifo-Dyas genuinely was trying to help the Jedi and the Republic, although he went about it all wrong. Sifo-Dyas had foreseen the impending Clone Wars and the devastation it would bring, and, in an effort to preserve the Jedi, he had the clones commissioned. Ironically, this ultimately caused the very thing he was fearing, as many visions often do.

Although he believed the clones would aid the Jedi and the Republic, and, on the surface, they did, they were really only ever weapons for Palpatine. As Palpatine had them modified with an inhibitor chip that would allow him to command the entire army to execute the Jedi, the clone army was essentially a Trojan horse. Sadly, Sifo-Dyas entirely fell for it.

The clone army was essentially a Trojan horse.

Sifo-Dyas Was Desperate To Recruit Younglings Into The Jedi

A new Star Wars novel, Star Wars: The Living Force, written by John Jackson Miller, revealed additional information about Sifo-Dyas, much of it equally troubling as his involvement with the clone army. Still haunted by his fears of the war to come, Sifo-Dyas redoubled his efforts to identify Force-sensitive children to recruit to the Jedi Order. It was the job of all Jedi to be mindful of possible Initiates to the Jedi Order as they navigated the galaxy; however, this did not mean that every infant, toddler, and young child who exhibited Force abilities was meant to be a Jedi.

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Still haunted by his fears of the war to come, Sifo-Dyas redoubled his efforts to identify Force-sensitive children to recruit to the Jedi Order.

Rather, as shown in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace with Anakin Skywalker (who was a major exception given his age), the Jedi tended to be quite particular about the Jedi they chose. Presumably, Anakin had even more scrutiny as someone who was much older than typical Jedi Initiates and as a child who had grown up with a mother. However, the Jedi had to be thoughtful about who they brought on, as the potential for terrible ramifications if they chose incorrectly was high.

Did Sifo-Dyas' Recruits Include Those More Likely To Become Inquisitors?

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However, given Sifo-Dyas' intense anxieties about the impending Clone Wars and his desperation to prevent the devastation that was to come, Sifo-Dyas was recruiting an incredible number of Force-sensitive children, to the point that he was asked to no longer bring new younglings on. The severity of this response from the Jedi suggests both how much Sifo-Dyas had abandoned the tenets of the Jedi recruitment process and what a danger that posed. Indeed, this very aspect of The Living Force may reveal why there were so many Inquisitors following Order 66.

The Jedi approach to recruiting younglings wasn't just because they wanted to be selective; it was meant to protect the Jedi Order and prevent the very destruction Sifo-Dyas was afraid of. As characters like Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker made clear, a fallen Jedi can do an unbelievable amount of damage. As an insider with so much information about how the Jedi operate, and, if they stay on as a spy, the access they have to the other Jedi and the Temple, posed a very grave threat indeed.

That very vulnerability may expose the reason behind the number of Inquisitors who emerged during the Dark Times. Perhaps because Sifo-Dyas was so open and desperate in his recruitment, he was bringing Force-sensitive children on who were more prone to the dark side. After all, one of the key things the Jedi Council would have considered when assessing a possible Jedi Initiate was their susceptibility to temptation.

Were Sifo-Dyas' Visions Controlled By The Sith?

Of course, it's quite possible that these questionable choices Sifo-Dyas made were directly influenced by the Sith. Many of Sifo-Dyas' fears stemmed from visions he had of the Clone Wars. While the Clone Wars did come to pass, it would be very much Palpatine's style to plant those visions in Sifo-Dyas' mind as a way to instill fear and cause him to act in ways that would benefit Palpatine in the long run—such as by recruiting younglings who posed greater risk and commissioning a clone army that Palpatine could weaponize.

Moreover, George Lucas originally intended Sifo-Dyas to be a Sith, suggesting he had some dark side connections. Ultimately, Sifo-Dyas' full backstory has yet to be elucidated in the franchise, and, as Star Wars moves on from the Clone Wars era, it may not be revealed. However, this Star Wars theory regarding Sifo-Dyas' perhaps inadvertent role in the number of Imperial Inquisitors is certainly compelling.

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