The first episode of Star Wars: Visions is an exciting, Kurosawa-inspired, adventure that follows a mysterious Ronin who protects a village of innocents, despite being a Sith. The Sith are the main antagonists of the Star Wars franchise, as well as the most powerful and deadly practitioners of the dark side of the Force. With an intrinsic knack for treachery, goals of galactic domination, and the philosophical belief in personal freedom at all costs, the Sith Ronin’s behavior in Visions only adds to the mysterious character’s intrigue. Why does this Sith act so fundamentally different from the rest of the order and protect others?
Star Wars: Visions is a unique new addition to the Star Wars franchise. It doesn’t exist in either the canon or Legends timelines and each episode is standalone, giving the writers and animators maximum creative freedom to put their unique spin on the malleable Star Wars universe. The result was a breathtaking anthology series that told unique Star Wars stories while often feeling right at home in one or both continuities. The first episode of Visions, “The Duel,” told a simple story about a Sith-led gang of bandits attacking a village, which is defended by brave, albeit ordinary, guardsmen and the Sith Ronin.
It’s clear that The Ronin is no longer part of the Sith Order in “The Duel,” but he continues to wield a red-bladed Sith lightsaber and appears to be using the dark side of the Force (though he never uses the Sith powers of Force choke or lightning). The villagers are just as surprised by his heroism, but the Ronin’s collection of Sith red lightsaber crystals suggests that he’s killed more Sith than just the bandit leader, Kouru. The upcoming Ronin: A Visions Novel reveals more about this new version of the Star Wars universe, including a reimagined Jedi and Sith Order, whose members aren’t as morally absolute as they are in the main timelines.
In this universe, the Sith are a recent creation, having been founded by former Jedi who rebelled against the formation of a feudal Jedi empire. The Ronin was once part of the Sith Order, but he now wanders the Outer Rim, helping others and killing other Sith who prey on the innocent. This new version of the Jedi and Sith is inspired by Feudal Japanese history, and though it still depicts the Sith as a largely villainous organization, it takes a far more neutral approach to both warriors.
Both The Ronin and Kouru (who’s revealed to have survived her defeat in “The Duel”) are shown to use the Force and the dark side, referring to the former as the "white flare" and the latter as the "black current." This is another significant departure from the mainstream Star Wars universes, where the Force and its dark side are incompatible, with the Force being in balance and the dark side corrupting its users.
The Sith are feared by the villagers in “The Duel,” which may be partially explained by the victorious Jedi shaping the rebellion’s narrative, but The Ronin’s quest to kill all other Sith for the good of the common people indicates that there is truth to their gruesome reputation. The Ronin was most likely an altruist before he left the Sith Order, possibly rebelling against the Jedi for legitimate reasons. The Sith Order’s brutality may have been what caused him to leave after the Jedi victory. As a Sith Ronin, he protects the innocent on his own merits, making for an exciting and unique episode of Star Wars: Visions.
