to save him the trouble...Marka Ragnos was the ninth dark lord of the sith. He succeeded Lord Simus and beheaded him. However Simus was so powerful that he was able to keep his head alive, however Marka was even more powerful than Lord Simus was. Marka was a half blood sith, and half bloods were hated and considered to be abnormal and an abomination to the old sith. Yet Marka was able to rise up from the very pits of the sith empire to rule, unchallenged for over a hundred and fifty years. He was so powerful that he was able to die of old age, an unheard of feat in the sith empire since the sith challenged their master for control as soon as they thought that they had a chance of victory. Yet even with this mentality, and the fact that he was hated by all, nobody dared to challenge him, knowing that they would loose. They allowed someone that they hated and was an abomination to them to rule unchallenged for over 150 years. And this was during the height of the sith, their golden age. The ruling sith could easily throw stars around (Marka’s successor, Naga Sadow could, also it was not a power that was specific to Sadow; Exar Kun destroyed several stars, yes one was using Sadow’s ship, but the other was by himself, so if Exar could do it using only Sadow’s notes, it stands to reason that the other sith lords in Sadow’s time could blow up stars as well), yet they could not over-throw him. Even when he was weak and on his deathbed, they did not dare to challenge him. Imagine, there is a person who you hate above all else, has ruled over you, you have support to kill him, you can throw stars at people and rule over massive fleets that could destroy the republic. Also, if you killed him you would be rewarded above all and rule the galaxy. He is old, sick, dying with cancer and in extreme pain. Would you not think that you could kill him? Probably, but Naga Sadow, how had all that power that I mentioned, still did not think he had the power to kill Marka.
Actually, they hated him even more than they hated other half bloods because he did not expand the sith empire much during his rule. He only expanded the sith empire slightly because he did not want to encounter the Republic, he alone out of the sith knew what they had done to the old sith and he was unsure if they were still that strong. However, he still knew that the sith needed to fight, so he decided that he would make them all attack him. He got all the other sith to attack him so they wouldn’t attack the republic and reveal themselves. He did this knowing that if even one of them succeeded, he was dead, yet nobody succeeded. So he was in constant combat for a while, at least until the other sith realized that nobody could beat him. So he was in constant combat for at least several years.
Even after his death the sith still listened to him, his spirit returned while Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh were fighting for control of the sith and he ordered them to stop. They did. Just think, he is dead, and they hate him, but they will still listen to him, knowing his power. He was so powerful that he could even get the next two most powerful dark lords to stop fighting and bow down to him. He could get sith to stop fighting for the title of dark lord of the sith! That is very impressive since sith do not stop fighting for just anything, especially when they are fighting over something that important and it is a duel to the death.
Marka also had tremendous physical and force power and was huge physically. He used a massive sword with cortosis weave, meaning that lightsabers and blasters would not harm it. He also had a staff and his staff could steal force power from others, cause earthquakes as well as fire a ‘laser-like’ blast of force energy, which caused massive damage and could blast through solid rock. Also, he would have been very skilled with his weapons, having fought his way to the top of the empire. Kreia said that the best duellers in her day are like children wielding sticks compared to the duellers in ancient times. Also, in her day there were sith lords like Exar Kun, Ulic-Qel Droma, Darth Revan and Darth Malak, all considered to be excellent duellers, yet apparently, the ancient sith (whom Marka led unchallenged for over 150 years) outclass them all.
Marka was also very cunning and smart. He controlled and manipulated entire sith empire for over 150 years. He would not be able to be fooled in battle and would use the battle setting to his own advantage.
Over 1000 years later his spirit returned and told Exar and Ulic to stop fighting, even though they had no reason to listen and had no idea who he was, they listened because they could feel his power, he ordered them around and they did as he wished. He was so powerful that even 1000 years after his death his gloves still retained traces of his power and memory (allowing only dark-siders to wear them). Also even 5200 years after his death his staff still retains traces of his power and is a powerful weapon, able to steal the force and use it to charge non-force sensitive people with the force. It was so powerful, that even 5200 years after his death it still could restore him to life.
Also, It is not the act of blowing up stars that makes what Naga Sadow did so impressive; it's the enormous potential needed. Naga Sadow was very influential, as was Ludo Kressh. Of the two, I believe Sadow was the better, and would have had no problem solidifying his rise to power in any case. Look how easily he led the Sith against the Republic! Also, even though Naga could throw stars at people, he was still challenged for control of the sith after only a few months, maybe a year. And he could throw stars around! Naga was also a respected sith (or as respected as you can get). Marka was hated and he was still never challenged.
So influence wasn't keeping Sadow from gutting Ragnos, because everyone hated Marka and wanted to see him dead. He was a half-breed and Sith, true Sith like Ludo and Naga, hated half breeds. And it wasn't out of respect or loyalty that Sadow allowed Ragnos to live. Once you eliminate the possibilities, it becomes obvious that Sadow simply could not defeat Ragnos and knew it.
thank you lord darkstar
I'm not saying everything is wrong in that post, Avis - but most of those are unsupported assumptions, don't really make too much sense, and contradict on occasion.
Unsupported assumptions/No sense/Contradictions/etc:
Marka Ragnos was the ninth dark lord of the sith
Said where exactly? Could be (but I doubt it the Sith Empire was around 2,000 years prior), but I don't remember where it says this - nor what relevance it holds over Marka being the most powerful.
half bloods were hated and considered to be abnormal and an abomination to the old sith
Ludo Kressh sure as hell didn't seem to hate Ragnos - he held him to the highest degree of respect, and even reprimanded Sadow for coming late:
The ruling sith could easily throw stars around
Really? Shown where? Proved where? Nowhere.
Exar Kun destroyed several stars, yes one was using Sadow’s ship, but the other was by himself, so if Exar could do it using only Sadow’s notes, it stands to reason that the other sith lords in Sadow’s time could blow up stars as well
Really? Shown where? Proved where? Nowhere.
Where does he "blow up stars by himself"?
rule over massive fleets that could destroy the republic
No, Sadow's illusions, and Sith forces were good enough to nearly conquer the Republic on three major cities. Once his illusions were foiled by Gav - the Republic pushed back the Sith forces.
if you killed him you would be rewarded above all and rule the galaxy
The Sith Empire didn't control the entire galaxy - not even close to "ruling the galaxy". Ruling the Sith Empire? Yes. Galaxy? No.
He is old, sick, dying with cancer and in extreme pain
We don't know the extent of Ragnos' death. He could've passed peacefully with minimal pain. I wouldn't use that as a comparison.
He would not be able to be fooled in battle and would use the battle setting to his own advantage.
Really? Shown where? Proved where? Nowhere.
even though they had no reason to listen and had no idea who he was, they listened because they could feel his power, he ordered them around and they did as he wished.
Exar Kun knew who he was:
And, he didn't order them around - Ragnos even says "By your free choice...", they choose their destiny.
He was so powerful that even 1000 years after his death his gloves still retained traces of his power and memory
Okay? What do his gloves (and what the hell are you talking about anyways? KOTOR2?) have to do with his power?
because everyone hated Marka and wanted to see him dead.
"All hail the memory of Marka Ragnos!" - seems Ludo Kressh was Ragnos' #1 supporter:
unchallenged for over a hundred and fifty years.
Unchallenged? But, but - I thought he was in "constant combat":
So he was in constant combat for a while, at least until the other sith realized that nobody could beat him. So he was in constant combat for at least several years.
Contradiction perhaps?
