Darth Tenebrous

Evil-doer

Full Name

Rugess Nome

Alias

Darth Tenebrous

Lord Tenebrous

Origin

Star Wars franchise

Occupation

Dark Lord of theSith

Master ofDarth Plagueis andDarth Venamis
Starship Designer
Engineer
Scientist
Spymaster

Powers / Skills

Mastery of thedark side of the Force

Talented lightsaber duelist
Genius-level intelligence
Vast scientific knowledge
Ability to see the future
Technological prowess
Access to a massive spy network

Goals

Achieve immortality(somewhat succeeded, but horribly backfired)

Destroy the Jedi and the Republic(succeeded through Plagueis' apprentice)

Crimes

Conspiracy

Murder by proxy
Attempted bio-terrorism

Type of Villain

Immortality-Seeking Mad Scientist

“	We Sith are an unseen opposition. A phantom menace. Where the Sith once wore armor, we now wear cloaks. But the Force works through us all the more powerfully in our invisibility. For the present, the more covert we remain, the more influence we can have. Our revenge will be achieved not through subjugation but by contagion.	„
	~ Darth Tenebrous teaching his apprentice, Darth Plagueis.

“	For the last time I call you apprentice and I applaud your skillful use of surprise and misdirection. Perhaps I was wrong to think you had no stomach for it.	„
	~ Darth Tenebrous complimentingDarth Plagueis on getting the jump on him.

Darth Tenebrous is a major antagonist in theStar Wars franchise, serving as the overarching antagonist of theLegends novelStar Wars: Darth Plagueis and the titular protagonist villain of the Legends short storyThe Tenebrous Way.

He was a Bith Dark Lord of theSith ofDarth Bane'slineage who was the master ofDarth Plagueis, who would later become the master ofDarth Sidious. In public, he was known as Rugess Nome, an engineer who designed luxury starships. In private, he was an obsessive scientist who sought immortality and the ability to see the future above all else, in addition to destroying the Jedi and Republic.

Ultimately, Tenebrous' achievements made him a crucial figure in the culmination of the Sith Grand Plan, and thus an important individual in the history of the galaxy and the rise of what would become theGalactic Empire.

Biography[]

“	To be strong in the Force is one thing. But to believe oneself to be all-powerful is to invite catastrophe. Remember, that even in the ethereal realm we inhabit, the unforeseen can occur.	„
	~ Darth Tenebrous

After being chosen as an apprentice by a Dark Lord of the Sith, Rugess Nome took the name Darth Tenebrous. Together, he and his master dedicated themselves to the Grand Plan of the fall of theGalactic Republic and the annihilation of theJedi Order. Darth Tenebrous constructed a red lightsaber and continued to wield the weapon, whether in training or refining his lightsaber combat skills. Tenebrous and his master devised a plan that would cut the Jedi's connection to the Force by a virus.

However, despite years of development, the project ultimately failed. Tenebrous did not see the dark side of the Force as some sort of malevolent mystical sentience seeking to spread suffering throughout the galaxy, but as a source of energy that could be manipulated like any other energy source. When Tenebrous saw no further use for his Sith master, he killed him and assumed the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith.

To the rest of the galaxy, Rugess Nome was a legendary engineer who designed some of the most luxurious starships in the galaxy. This production of luxury vessels enabled him to come into contact with highly influential figures in galactic society. He also controlled a massive spy network throughout the entire criminal underworld.

Tenebrous orchestrated the courtship of two Force-sensitive Muuns, believing it would lead to the birth of a child strong in the Force. He was ultimately correct, leading to the birth of Hego Damask II. Eventually Tenebrous would take the young Muun in as his apprentice, naming him Darth Plagueis. The two were never close, with Tenebrous only teaching him the bare minimum and having many disagreements on the nature of the Force and their personal ideologies. Tenebrous came to see Plagueis as weak, believing he had no stomach for their work and secretly began training a replacement apprentice calledDarth Venamis.

Obsessed with immortality and the ability to see the future, Tenebrous heavily experimented with midi-chlorians, ultimately creating a new version he named maxi-chlorians. Seeing Plagueis as expendable, his plan was to wait for Plagueis to kill him, and when he did, the maxi-chlorians would infect Plagueis, transferring Tenebrous' consciousness into his apprentice, afterwards he would transfer his consciousness into the body of the Chosen One in order to become the most powerful force user ever.

While he would have lost his ability to foresee the future, Bith science could accomplish the same thing. When Plagueis finally betrayed and killed him, Tenebrous activated his plan. At first, he was impressed with how Intune Plagues was with the Force which he was not aware of, making him realize that he may have underestimated his apprentice. However, when he tapped into Plagueis's foresight, he foresaw Plagueis' death, which was before Plagueis could meet the Chosen One. much to his horror, as he would not attain the power he wanted and had been working for. By tapping into Plagueis's foresight using the maxi-chlorians, he had effectively robbed his apprentice the ability to see the future. Unbeknownst to Tenebrous, the maxi-chlorians mutated. He then yanked the maxi-chlorians out of Plagueis, but noticed he could only see his mummified remains, making him realize time has passed. He then wondered if his foresight, instead of being eliminated, had been twisted in upon itself, forcing him to endlessly relive his death, thus acquiring the coveted immortality, but not as he wanted. At that moment of realization, the Dark Lord wished he still had a mouth with which to scream. Tenebrous appears to be doomed to relive his death for eternity unless the maxi-chlorians eventually die out.

Personality[]

“	You've risked everything to undo me. The entire future of the Sith. My instincts about you prove correct after all.	„
	~ Darth Tenebrous' last words, insulting Plagueis

“	Darth Bane would appreciate our efforts.	„
	~ Darth Tenebrous to Darth Plagueis.

As a person, Darth Tenebrous was very different from his apprentice, Darth Plaguies. Similar to Plagueis, Tenebrous was a rationalist and was very scientific in his approach to the Force, viewing it as nothing more than a potent tool. He was also intrigued in the science of midi-chlorians, which helped inspire Plagueis' interest in the mysterious organisms. They were also both highly manipulative and vengeful individuals obsessed with immortality. Aside from those few things, the master and apprentice could not be more different. While both Plagueis and Tenebrous viewed the Force as something to be used and abused as they see fit, Plagueis saw it as an investment for future profits, while Tenebrous viewed it as an energy source akin to power or electricity.This view of the Force as a tool as opposed to something mystical is what led to Tenebrous and his own master into attempting to creating a virus to cut Jedi off from the Force, which ultimately failed. While Tenebrous was a highly manipulative individual, as seen when he molded Plagueis into the person he became, he preferred a more straight-forward method of confrontation. Unlike Plagueis, Tenebrous actively enjoyed lightsaber combat and was said to have been a master of the art.

Tenebrous, like most Sith Lords, was a sociopath, a narcissist and an egomaniac. He saw himself as the smartest Sith Lord who ever lived and viewed other beings of 'lesser' intelligence with disdain. He had no regard for anyone, viewing them as pawns or enemies to him. He had especially had a low opinion of Plagueis, viewing him as weak and only useful for his body which Tenebrous secretly planned to possess, to the point he secretly trained another replacement, Darth Venamis. Throughout their entire relationship, which lasted as long as a normal human lives, Tenebrous was always putting down Plagueis and finding fault with him that bordered on nitpicking. When Plagueis eventually betrayed and fatally wounded him, Tenebrous was genuinely surprised and congratulated his apprentice for catching him off guard. He was also vengeful, ordering the murder of a business rival for cutting him out of a deal. His pride was perhaps his strongest trait, as well as his greatest weakness.

Despite being proud of his Sith identity, he saw Darth Bane's Rule of Two as outdated, and sought to create a new Rule of One (indirectly predicting the rise ofDarth Krayt, nearly two hundred years later). He was fixated on shaping the future, rooted in his Bith intelligence. He was also proud of his Bith heritage, and often utilized Bith technology and science in his efforts to aide in the Grand Plan.

He aimed to merge dark side powers with Bith science for the Sith Grand Plan, using advanced technology and predictions to weaken the Jedi. Ultimately for him, his two greatest desires, immortality and the power to see the future, were his undoing. His experimented midi-chlorians, called maxi-chlorians, ultimately mutated, leaving him to suffer his death over and over again presumably for all eternity unless the slim chance the maxi-chlorians ever die.

Powers and Abilities[]

“	To we who dwell in the Force, normal life is little more than pretense. Our only actions of significance are those we undertake in service to the dark side.	„
	~ Darth Tenebrous to Darth Plagueis.

Powers[]

The Force: Darth Tenebrous was a master of the dark side of the Force, with a mind rooted in both Sith tradition and Bith science. Initially trained in the ways of the Sith, Tenebrous honed his abilities in lightsaber combat. His proficiency extended to techniques, such as red Force lightning and powerful telekinesis. Tenebrous also possessed exceptional precognitive abilities, allowing him to foresee future events, including his own death. While Tenebrous was not skilled in Sith sorcery, he relied on his scientific expertise to experiment with midi-chlorians and developed a retrovirus that could amplify their power, making him a unique and formidable Sith Lord.

Telekinesis: Darth Tenebrous could use the Force to lift and throw heavy objects, such as holding up large rock boulders.
Force Barrier: Darth Tenebrous could use a Force barrier. He used this ability to shield himself andDarth Plagueis from a fireball.
Force Lightning: Tenebrous could unleash a rare and deadly form of Force lightning, distinctively red in color. This ability was a testament to his deep connection to the dark side and his mastery of its destructive powers.
Force Speed: Tenebrous was highly proficient in Force speed, allowing him to move with incredible swiftness. He used this power when attempting to escape the collapsing cortosis mine.
Precognition: Tenebrous possessed extraordinary precognitive abilities, allowing him to foresee his own death, a feat few Sith could achieve.

Abilities[]

Genius-Level Intelligence: Outside of his Force abilities, Tenebrous is an exceptionally intelligent person.
- Science: Darth Tenebrous was highly skilled in Bith science, which he believed to be superior to traditional Sith sorcery.
- Starship Design: Rugess Nome was known for creating legendary starship designs throughout the galaxy.
- Midi-Chlorian Knowledge: Although not as knowledgeable and talented as his apprentice, Darth Plagueis, Tenebrous had an understanding of midi-chlorians. He created a retrovirus capable of turning them into "maxi-chlorians,"
Lightsaber Combat: Tenebrous was a talented lightsaber duelist, a skill he passed on to his secret apprentice, Darth Venamis. His mastery of lightsaber combat was superior to that of Darth Plagueis.

Trivia[]

Darth Maul's ship inThe Phantom Menace, theScimitar, was designed and built by Darth Tenebrous.
Tenebrous is often depicted in art using red Force lightning.
In the first draft ofColin Trevorrow's original script for Episode IX, titledDuel of the Fates,Kylo Ren was going to find an holocron with a hologram of Emperor Palpatine which would guide him to the Remnicore system to be trained underTor Valum, Plagueis' Sith Master. If this was kept to the final version, Darth Tenebrous would have been uncanonized.