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Sith Holocrons Like Jedi Holocrons, Sith Holocrons were capable of holding large amounts of information but they were also useful as keys to Sith technology. To open a Sith holocron one needed to call upon the Dark side of the Force. The information in a holocron was accessed through communication with a voice or projection of a Sith lord, presumably the one who created it.

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Sith Masks

"Masks have power. Some are worn in the grave. Others worn in life. This, like the others in my collection, has gathered the darkness of the living Force! Wear it. You are anointed, Kiza of Corellia." - Yupe Tashu, to Kiza The Sith have a curious relation to masks. Not a mere tool of protection or anonymity, Sith masks are tools of rebirth as superior beings. Unlike the Jedi, who believe in self-denial and preserving what is, the Sith value progress, self-empowerment and transforming things that are into something greater. The masks here are a tool in this progress. We’ll look at some examples to illustrate this.

Let’s start by looking at the one who would become Darth Revan. Even before their ascension to the title of Dark Lord of the Sith, they had already begun their transformation into something greater than the individual they once were. When the Republic was faced with war with the Mandalorians and the Jedi council refused to grant their aid, the one who would become Revan gathered those who opposed the council and left to fight. After finding a Mandalorian mask and chosing to wear it, both as a sign of respect for the fallen foe and as a warning to the rest of the Mandalorians, they took on the name Revan, a name that would inspire both awe and dread. The mask did more than that. Both the donning of the mask and the taking of a new name, made Revan into a symbol. Something greater than any one being. Another aspect was that this ritual rebirth into a greater being, allowed to do whatever they needed in order to succeed. Not being held back by who they once were, Revan’s victory allowed them to break the chains of the past and rise into something greater.

Vader is another example. While his suit served the purpose of keeping him alive despite his grievous injuries, it served another purpose as well. It allowed the transformation of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker into the Sith Lord Darth Vader to be completed. The mask and suit separated Vader from the rest of the universe at the same time it became a symbol of the Empire's power and might. The mere sight of Vader would inspire terror into enemies and allies alike. Something Anakin Skywalker would not have been able to do. The suit and mask also made Vader less reliant on his physical body, allowing him to focus on mastering the power of the Dark side. Vader’s mask likely became infused with his Dark side power over time, turning it into a powerful artifact even after his fall to the Light and his death. This in turn may have granted visions that inspired our final example.

Kylo Ren, while not a Sith, does in many ways adhere to the tenets of the Order. His mask is a sign of that. The Jedi student Ben Solo took the name Kylo Ren to become someone else, something else. A monster as Rey describes it. Ben Solo’s soul was always in conflict between Light and Darkness and having chosen to ally with the latter he sought ways to break this confusion and become, as Snoke put it, a new Vader. Kylo Ren is an act. It is the being that Ben Solo wants to become. An intimidating being of the Dark side. Fierce and powerful, feared by all just like Vader. But he is not yet there and when not wearing his mask this can be clearly seen. The mask, the name, the actions are all there to help him become who he pretends to be. Fake it until you make it. In the end, neither this performance nor the ritualistic sacrifice of his father to complete his journey to the Dark side works. What does is instead following another honored Sith tradition: Killing your master. Through the act of slaying his superior he ascends to power and finally becomes Kylo Ren.

The Jedi have one tradition that relates to the subject but show a complete reversal of purpose. This tradition is the one of Temple Guards. The Temple guards don’t use masks to raise themselves above others or to transform into a superior being. Instead they use it to erase their individuality and turn themselves into living symbols of duty and servitude. Their masks are identical, letting no individuality shine through. It obscures features and masks the voice, making it impossible to tell who a Temple Guard is below the mask. However, where a Sith might use this to obscure their identity in service to their grander goals, to the Jedi who don the Temple Guard uniform this is a statement that they are a Jedi and Temple Guard foremost and a person second. They effectively become their job.

We see that masks are important to Sith and related Dark side traditions. They are a way of transforming yourself into the being you want to become, to do what you know needs to be done, to distance yourself from both your past and the rest of the Universe. Masks are more than fashion. More than anonymity, protection and showing allegiance. Mask are transformation. Mask are power. Masks are freedom.