A new canon Star Wars book will see Palpatine himself reveal the secrets of the Sith. At heart, Star Wars is the story of the light battling against the darkness. The champions of the light are the Jedi Knights, including iconic heroes such as Luke Skywalker and Rey. But the dark Lords of the Sith are undeniably the most powerful and fearsome characters of all. Who can forget the first moment they saw the looming figure of Darth Vader stepping out from the shadows?
Lucasfilm understands the fascination fans have for all things Jedi and Sith, and naturally the company is keen to indulge that appetite. In November 2019, Lucasfilm published an in-universe guide to the Jedi given the appropriate title of "Secrets of the Jedi." Ostensibly written by Luke Skywalker himself, this served as a manual to the light side of the Force. It was particularly interesting because, in the modern Star Wars franchise, everything is equally canon – meaning all the revelations contained within were officially true. Naturally, many wondered if this would lead to a sequel from the perspective of the Sith.
Lucasfilm has just officially announced Secrets of the Sith, written by Marc Sumerak and featuring illustrations by Sergio Gómez Silván. Palpatine himself will serve as the reader's guide to the dark side of the Force, as he explores everything from notable figures such Darth Maul, Asajj Ventress, Darth Vader, and Kylo Ren, through to the Force powers and abilities he suggested many would consider "unnatural." The book is scheduled to come out on August 3, 2021.
The prospect of an insider's view on the Sith is absolutely fascinating, particularly after the revelations of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. This fundamentally transformed the lore of the Sith, revealing an ancient Sith redoubt on the planet Exegol in the depths of the Unknown Regions. Marvel's current Darth Vader run is attempting to iron out the various wrinkles this introduced into Star Wars continuity, and Secrets of the Sith is sure to continue that process. It is even possible there will be further information on how Palpatine survived his death in Return of the Jedi, or on the nature of the Force Dyad shared between Rey and Kylo Ren.
It will be fascinating to compare Secrets of the Sith to Book of Sith, a similar guide to the dark side that was published back in 2014 but is no longer considered canon. Unlike Book of Sith, Secrets of the Sith will be a definitive part of the Star Wars galaxy – not least because it is told from the perspective of the Emperor himself. Of course, that doesn't mean everything should necessarily be believed to be true; Palpatine was as manipulative as he was malevolent, meaning everything contained within the pages of this book will be what he wants readers to believe.
Source: Lucasfilm
