Halloween is just around the corner, perfect time to discuss some of the scariest things in the Star Wars universe, both from legends and the current canon: creatures, places, and beings that are pure nightmare fuel.
Some things weren’t included because the information available is too limited or the theme is already present in the list. A few examples of this are The Blackwing Virus, Dathomir, and Mnggal-Mnggal.
11. Geonosian parasites
Geonosians appeared for the first time in Attack of the Clones. While their insectoid appearance made them hard to look at, that is not their scariest trait.
Like many insects, Geonosians are born in hives with each having a queen. She is responsible for laying the eggs and ordering the top members.
In episodes “Legacy of Terror” and “Brain Invaders” of The Clone Wars, one of these queens released brain worms capable of controlling any individual.
What makes it worthy of this list is the fact that they could also reanimate dead bodies, literally being able to create an army of zombies.
10. The Shadowlands
The Shadowlands is the most dangerous ground level of the Kashyyyk forests. Wookiees travel there through rudimentary elevators, and only for very specific purposes, like rituals or for warriors to prove themselves in the ultimate survival test.
The Shadowlands is a proper name for this area because the forest is so dense that in some areas, the sunlight barely reaches the ground. It is believed that this place could be a result of a malfunctioning machine made by the Infinite Empire when they ruled a vast portion of the galaxy.
The Shadowlands is home to all types of dangers: bounty hunters, shady corporations exploiting the wildlife, massive carnivore plants, and even Terentateks can be found here.
This is also the place where Wookiees exile those who break their rules; in practical terms, anyone exiled to the Shadowlands could be considered dead.
The Shadowlands have appeared in games like Knights of the Old Republic, Republic Commando, and Jedi: Fallen Order.
9. The Drengir
The Drengir are a carnivorous species from Wild Space who threatened the galaxy during the High Republic era. They were put to sleep by ancient Sith with special status in the Amaxine Space Station, but when those statues were removed, the Drengir awakened.
The Drengir are a sentient species connected by a collective mind, controlled by a more powerful Drengir also known as The Great Progenitor. Their sole purpose is to consume meat, and what makes them extremely dangerous is their natural alignment to the dark side of the Force.
Even massive beasts like Wampas are their prey, which gives you a rough idea of how big they are.
Born from darkness, pain, and hatred. They are capable of corrupting even the minds of trained Jedi and bringing them into their ranks.
Since they are plant-like creatures, they spawn from seeds and can grow up to be massive. Naturally, many confuse them with trees.
Additionally, they are notoriously hard to kill. Lightsabers or blasters are ineffective against a Drengir, as they can continue to live even when split into two. The most effective way to eliminate them is by throwing them into the vacuum of space.
As you can imagine, these powerful creatures were very bad news for the Jedi and the Republic. The Drengir are so dangerous that Jedi Master Avar Kriss makes an alliance with the Hutt Cartel to capture the Great Progenitor.
After causing mayhem for many months, the Drengir were finally purified by the White Wroshyr Trees of Kashyyyk during the events of Into the Light.
8. The Rakghoul Plague
Karness Muur is one of the Dark Jedi who was exiled from the Republic after losing the Battle of Corbos, putting an end to a hundred-year war.
Muur and the other Dark Jedi arrived on Korriban for the first time, it wouldn’t be long before they conquered the native species of the planet; the Sith.
Muur possessed a Sith Amulet that would grant tremendous power to the user. This talisman gave Karness Muur the ability to turn those in close proximity into mindless minions that would blindly follow his orders.
This Talisman didn’t work on Force-sensitives species, so Muur created the Rakghoul Plague, an infection that could turn anyone into a blood-thirsty monster, Force-sensitive or not.
What makes this virus so dangerous is that any individual who gets injured by a Rakghoul would inevitably turn into one. A single Rakghould could turn an entire city into a ghost town worthy of your worst nightmares.
During the Jedi Civil War, Rakghouls infested Taris’ undercity, a place that only criminal gangs and the poorest occupy. If not for the bombing of the planet, who knows what would’ve happened?
If you play or have played Star Wars The Old Republic, you are most likely familiar with the follow-up disasters the Rakghouls continue to cause on many planets.
7. The Maw
The Maw is a cluster of black holes located in the Maw Cluster inside the Akkadese Maelstrom. This planet-sized black hole pulled everything into it with such force that escaping it is almost impossible.
Additionally, The Maw is home to massive creatures that are capable of living in the vacuum of space, such as Summa-verminoth. You saw these in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
However, what makes this a lot more interesting is the Legends story. In Legends, The Maw Cluster is a defense that surrounds the prison that contains the most powerful entity in the galaxy, who happens to be the last member of this list.
6. The Shrikarai
Also known as the Nameless, the Shrikarai are creatures from the planet Sophros. They have a direct connection to the Force itself, so when they were removed from their homeworld, they got corrupted into Force-eaters.
In this form, they are natural predators of Force-sensitives, making them the perfect weapon to fight against the Jedi, and that’s exactly what Marchion Ro did during the High Republic era.
Just being close to a Nameless, a Jedi would suffer hallucinations, creeping terror, lose their connection to the Force, and eventually die. It didn’t matter who it was, a young Padawan or an experienced Jedi Master would both succumb to a Nameless without being able to do anything.
The fact that Marchion Ro could control them as pets with ancient Rods made the war against the Nihil incredibly hard for the Republic. Countless Jedi died before the Jedi Order figured out a way to deal with this threat without precedents.
After countless battles and a few key victories, a special group known as The Luminous Nine was sent to Sophros to return the creatures to their home and have a final facedown with Marchion Ro.
The mere existence of these creatures is a threat to the Jedi Order and the Republic. To ensure that no one would try to repeat Marchion Ro’s actions, all records regarding the Nameless were completely erased from the Jedi archives.
5. Korriban
Korriban is the homeworld of the Sith. After Ajunta Pall and the rest of the Dark Jedi arrived, they bred with the Sith and gave birth to incredibly powerful individuals. Naga Sadow, Marka Ragnos, Tulak Hord, and Tenebrae, the greatest Sith Lords, learned about the dark side of the Force and the means to acquire power on this planet.
The chances of dying or worse when someone is on Korriban are incredibly high. Lethal creatures are everywhere, deadly traps await you in every tomb, and fellow Sith conspiring to kill each other to gain the favor of their master is a daily experience. But this is not the scariest thing about this legendary planet.
Deep within the temples and Sith bombs, there are many spirits of ancient Sith Lords, spirits that do not wish to be disturbed. The rage some of them had before dying perseveres through millennia, and they can do many things to any individual foolish (and weak) enough to mess with them. Drive you insane, torture your mind, make you kill your best friend, or take control of your body.
Korriban is the embodiment of the dark side, I believe only select Jedi are able to resist its pull. Even those who are aligned with the dark side have suffered the consequences of disturbing the ancient spirits.
“Korriban shall be as it always was. A graveyard for the darkest of the Sith Lords, still whispering within their tombs. It shall always be a source of evil, spawning threats throughout the millennia” – Darth Traya.
Korriban made its debut in 1994, in the Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith comic series published by Dark Horse Comics.
Korriban was later renamed “Moraband” because George Lucas liked it better. This happened when Lucas and his team were developing the sixth season of The Clone Wars.
In the final episode, Yoda visits the planet as a part of a journey to unlock the secrets that will allow him to preserve his consciousness after becoming one with the Force. In his adventure, the Jedi Master encounters the spirit of Darth Bane.
You can experience Korriban when playing Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: The Old Republic games.
4. The Yuuzhan Vong
The Yuuzhan Vong are a nomadic species that come from the Unknown Regions. The average Yuuzhan Vong is taller, heavier, and stronger than its human counterpart.
Their only purpose is to “cleanse” (eradicate) any other living form of life so that they can live on the planets they conquer.
They are religious fanatics who view any type of mechanical technology as blasphemy, which is why all of their technological advancements are organic, weapons, ships, and even their armor.
Yuuzhan Vong warriors live and die for pain; you can imagine how ruthless and sadistic they are.
The better warriors often graft organs from other species into their bodies; remaking their bodies was a way of becoming closer to their gods.
They didn’t take prisoners; everyone must die, men, women, and children too. They even killed their own offspring if any deformity was detected. Their devotion to pain or ugly appearance isn’t what makes them so scary; The Jedi could not detect them with the Force; their presence, feelings, or intentions could remain a mystery until they showed their true intentions.
Force attacks were capable of damaging them, but they required a lot more effort than a regular enemy. A gigantic army that uses completely unknown technology, enjoys killing everything, and is force-resistant? I can’t imagine many that could withstand such an enemy.
Fun fact: before the Clone Wars was canceled, Dave Filoni had plans for the Yuuzhan Vong to briefly appear in The Clone Wars. I hope that one day, Disney will reintroduce them as a part of a new saga.
3. Betrayal, Hunger, and Pain
The Sith Triumvirate is an alliance of three Sith Lords that remained after the end of the Jedi Civil War. It was created after the death of Darth Malak. The three Sith leading this alliance are:
Darth Sion
Darth Sion fought back in Exar Kun’s Sith Empire until he was defeated. As opposed to any other mortal beings, Sion clung to his pain, anger, and hatred to return from death at the expense of perpetual agony.
His body is a corpse held together by the dark side of the Force. He has been killed countless times, and countless times he has returned. Darth Sion is also known as the Lord of Pain.
Darth Nihilus
Darth Nihilus is a former Jedi who fought in the Mandalorian Wars. He survived the effect of the Mass Shadow Generator, which obliterated almost anything and everyone on Malachor V. This experience left him craving for Force energy.
His hunger was endless, as he could devour entire planets and still feel unsatisfied. Nihilus’ only purpose became feeding on the Force energy of others. Darth Nihilus is also known as Lord of Hunger.
Darth Traya
Before becoming a Sith, Traya was known as Jedi Master Kreia. An unconventional member with a deep love for philosophy. She trained Revan before he became a Sith Lord, which led to Kreia being cast out of the Jedi Order. Kreia would later visit the dead world of Malachor V, where she embraced the dark side.
Traya would form a Sith Order with her at the top, followed by Sion and Nihilus as her apprentices. Though both of them would betray her and lead the First Jedi Purge, where they almost wiped out the remaining Jedi.
Traya concluded that neither Jedi nor Sith were worthy of winning the war. She also started to develop a very deep hatred for The Force itself. Later, she would also relinquish her Sith title and return to being just Kreia. Her new goal? To permanently release the galaxy from the Force. Darth Traya is also known as Lord of Betrayal.
The entire Sith Triumvirate was defeated by the Jedi Exile Meetra Surik in Knights of the Old Republic II.
2. The Immortal Emperor
The mighty Sith Emperor is known by different names depending on the era. He was born as Tenebrae during the ancient Sith Empire. By the age of ten, he had already killed and tortured thousands of people.
Tenebrae dethroned his father and imprisoned his spirit. Eventually, Marka Ragnos recognized Tenebrae’s power, which granted him the title of Darth Vitiate.
As Vitiate, he lured many Sith Lords to Nathema, promising power and rewards. This was all a ruse to have all of them in one single place. Vitiate executed a powerful ritual that drained the life and power of all living creatures on the planet. After this, he would self-proclaim as the Sith Emperor.
Vitiate relocated his new Empire to Dromund Kaas, where the new Sith would increase their power over the next millennium.
Vitiate slowly became unhappy with the state of his Sith Empire, so after discovering the lost world of Zakuul, he split his consciousness and took over the body of a warrior named Valkorion and built the Eternal Fleet. An army with unmatched technology capable of taking on the Republic and the Sith Empire at the same time.
His plan was to replicate the Nathema ritual by creating an event that would have even more casualties. As Emperor Valkorion, he waited for centuries for the perfect moment to launch his new armada against the Republic and the Sith while his other half continued ruling as Emperor of the Sith.
Before his plan could be completed, he was found by Revan and Malak after defeating the Mandalorians. While the two Jedi were powerful, they could not compete against Vitiate’s power, and he turned them to the dark side of the Force.
Centuries later, the Immortal Emperor and all of his selves would finally be defeated by the combined efforts of a few Jedi, his own family (Senya, Arcann, Vaylin), Revan, Meetra Surik, Satele Shan, Darth Maar, Lord Scourge, Kira Carsen, and The Outlander (your character in SWTOR).
There are many details and events that I am leaving out because it would be impossible to summarize it in just a few hundred words. If you want to experience this sprawling story on your own, you should play Knights of the Old Republic I and II, as well as Star Wars: The Old Republic.
To think that it took so many of his enemies from different times to defeat him is a testament to his power and legacy. For me, Tenebrae is the ultimate Sith Lord and more than worthy of being number two on this list.
What could beat the greatest Sith of all time in a list of scary things? Only something that is beyond light and darkness.
1. The Mother (Abeloth)
Abeloth, also known as Bringer of Chaos or Beloved Queen of the Stars, is a force entity, but she wasn’t always this fearsome creature.
Abeloth was once a regular human, born thousands of years before the Skywalker saga, she served the Ones; the Father, the Daughter, and the Son. If you watched The Clone Wars then you have already met these beings, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Anakin encountered them on Mortis.
She was a beloved member of the family and eventually became the Mother, years passed and the fear of losing her family became unbearable so she decided to drink from the Font of Power and take a bath in the Pool of Knowledge. This corrupted and turn her into the entity that we know as Abeloth.
Abeloth acquired immortality and powers that make her virtually invincible. Her mental fortitude is extreme, she can shapeshift, trick force-sensitive people to look for her and consume them on sight, mass mind control of weak-minded individuals, is ten times stronger than any human, ability to possess or switch bodies, can absorb energy and teleport short distances, her telekinetic powers are unmatched and she possesses the most powerful force-healing.
Regular Jedi and Sith often fell under the influence and regular humans can’t even be near her without going insane. The only way to truly defeat her is with the Mortis Dagger, otherwise, she can only be temporarily contained.
She has been locked up by the Daughter and Son multiple times. Her special prison is surrounded by The Maw. In the Expanded Universe, it took the combined efforts of Darth Krayt and Grand Master Luke Skywalker to defeat her.
With the statues of the Father, the Son, and the Daugher (partially) appearing in Episode 8 of Ahsoka, there is a small chance that Season 2 of Ahsoka reveals more about what I believe to be the most terrifying creature in Star Wars.
