The Sith were the main antagonists of the Star Wars universe and an order that harnessed the dark side of the Force. In addition to being the avowed nemesis of the Jedi, they have launched galactic wars and exerted their will over the cosmos for thousands of years.
As one might expect, there are almost as many detriments to being a Sith as there are benefits. By identifying the harshest realities of the cult, we can better appreciate the cost of power and whether or not the dark side is as tempting as it claims to be.
8 The Sith Cannot Trust Their Own Masters
One of the most precarious realities about being a Sith is that betrayal is inevitable. Apprentices are not eventually given the same rank as their masters through merit, so the only way to climb the hierarchy is by deposing the person already there. As a result, masters usually murder and replace their underlings after their usefulness has ended (like Sidious did to Dooku when instructing Anakin to execute him).
The most famous example of a master attempting to betray their apprentice comes from Return Of The Jedi, where Palpatine tried to coax Luke Skywalker into cutting down his own father.
7 The Sith Suffer Under The Rule Of Two
The Rule of Two was established to provide some semblance of structure in an otherwise chaotic Sith world. It necessitated that there could never be more than two members of the order at any given time - specifically, one master and one apprentice.
A consequence of this is that it means the Sith are badly outnumbered by their Jedi counterparts. Worse yet, they are relatively easy to predict and counter since the Jedi Council knows exactly how many powerful enemies they're facing (provided that neither the Sith apprentice nor master is grooming a replacement for the another).
6 The Dark Side Has A Negative Effect On A Sith's Appearance
In multiple Star Wars media, the dark side of the Force has had a physically visible effect on its user. Palpatine is the most obvious example, as his insidious powers have only withered him with time (as evident through his contrast between the original trilogy and The Rise Of Skywalker).
It also had an immediate effect on Anakin after he pledged his allegiance to the Emperor, as proven through his newfound yellow eyes. Consequently, it stands to reason that lava and extensive surgeries were not the only things that had warped him by the time he took off his helmet as Vader at the end of the original trilogy.
5 The Jedi Oppose The Sith At Every Turn
As grand as a Sith's ambitions might seem, they are limited by the powers that rise up against them. Whether as a predominant galactic entity or as fugitives on the run, the Jedi have reliably thwarted their schemes time and again.
Although the Sith are frequently successful in killing the Jedi (such as through Maul's victory over Qui-Gon and via Order 66), the heroes' willingness to sacrifice for a cause makes them particularly difficult to subdue for good.
4 The Sith Are Expected To Condone (Or Participate In) Atrocities
One of the most enticing factors about becoming a Sith is that one gets to embrace their passion and listen to their emotions. However, these sentiments become difficult to justify when considering that the order was responsible for obliterating entire planets of innocent people (as seen in the destruction of Alderaan).
Consequently, a Sith is expected to condone (and usually, participate) in some of the worst atrocities that the galaxy has ever seen. Moreover, they will be remembered as villains well after their deaths.
3 Most Sith Cannot Fully Unlock The Mysteries Of The Force
Another powerful motivation for joining the Sith is that they can discover mysteries of the Force inaccessible to the Jedi. This was Palpatine's primary pitch when recruiting Anakin as an apprentice.
However, even Plagueis' research on immortality was extremely difficult to master. Further, Sidious never actually told Anakin how to save the ones he loved from dying since Padme had already passed on by the time he recovered from his duel with Obi-Wan.
2 The Sith Have Ultimately Lost All Of Their Major Conflicts
Despite how the Sith flaunt the power of the dark side, they have lost every major gambit they have attempted to make. Be it millennia-old wars or during their attempted rebirth under the First Order, none of the cult's grand designs have ever been fully realized.
The villains' only major victory was during Order 66, where they exploited the Jedi's reliance on clones. However, considering that they failed to exterminate their enemies outright, even their greatest success is questionable.
1 The Sith Cannot Trust Their Own Apprentices
Just as apprentices cannot trust their masters, the converse is equally true. Motivated by a lust for power and validated by the creed of the Sith itself, many underlings will look to depose their superiors when the time is right.
Vader's betrayal of Sidious was the most famous and consequential example of this phenomenon. However, Darth Maul had also hoped to take revenge on Sidious for abandoning him if his newfound Death Watch organization ever became prominent enough to do so.
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