Asajj Ventress, probably the strogest dark Jedi ever, she can even go blow for blow with Anakin before he matures into his power.

My favorite Dark Jedi

Dustil Onasi
Dak Vesser
Neema
Shaardan
Mekel (if he's redeemed)
Shasa
Galon Lor
Kel Algwinn
Yuthura Ban
Xanatos

'Those who embrace the dark side have either claimed or been ascribed various titles. Perhaps the best known is Dark Jedi, something of a blanket term to describe anyone who is skilled at using the dark side of the Force. Dark Jedi are historically distinguished from Sith and dark side Force-users by heritage and experience; more specifically, Jedi of the Old Republic regarded Dark Jedi as Jedi-trained indidviduals who had abandoned their Order's way to pursue a selfish and malicious agenda of their own design, and only those with direct Sith influence might be considered as Sith or Sith Lords. Because of these distinctions, two more accurate terms for a non-Jedi who wields dark side powers are dark sider, which dates back over many millennia, and Dark Side Adept. Both terms were used by Palpatine to describe many of his dark side servants. Still, the term Dark Jedi remains most prevalent.'

The difference between the Sith and the Dark Jedi is more than just one having "cult" status with fancy titles, as some here are led to believe. The Sith actually practice their own form of dark side magic that an ordinary Dark Jedi has no conception of. The one exception has to do with the Dark Jedi of 7000 years BBY. They were dark Jedi, but they perpetuated their knowledge of the dark side in order to manipulate life (or something like it) with the Force. When these dark Jedi ended up as exiles on Korriban, they continued their studies into the dark side as they bent the Sith species to their will. Thus, the Sith can draw upon the dark side in arcane ways that affect life (and in one weird case, machines). Dark Jedi like Ventress, Jerec, and Tremayne knew of Jedi powers, but they drew on the dark side to perform them. That's all. They knew not of the secrets of using the dark side to lengthen their lives. Dark Jedi can use the dark side physically. Sith can apply it to life.

Though I would be willing to concede that someone who uses the Force in a radically different way might be less likely to be stereotyped as "Jedi" - mind tricks, lightsabers, etc. are a big part of what makes a "Jedi" in the public eye.

Thanks for your response, Fragrant Wookie.

No problem, this is one of my favourite threads, so I'm always glad when it gets dredged up.

To be specific, I don't necessarily think that an individual had to be officially part of the Jedi Order in order to be a Jedi or a Dark Jedi...only trained in the tecniques and philosophy specific to the Jedi

That's not so far from my own opinions (see the three criteria I use on previous pages).

"I'm not calling you a liar, but... but I don't know how to finish that sentence."

• • • Bart Simpson

Don't worry, Cydon Prax. I believe you.

I keep hearing about Lumiya being in the new book. It would be cool if Ventress was involved.
I know she'd be like 82 or something, but it would still be cool.

No word so far....personally, I'm presuming that she won't be showing up again unless under very different circumstances (for example, much later on the timeline, or with a different identity, or in some remote place).

But if a member of Baran-Do embraces the Dark Side, why should he or she be considered a "Dark Jedi," when they have no ties at all? It would be like calling a Muslim who rejected Islam as a fallen Christian, wouldn't it? It's as if it's a "Jedi-centric" definition in the Star Wars universe analogous to early Christians referring to some Pagans as devil-worshipers, even when those Pagans didn't even believe in the Devil. Those pagans got stuck with a label that stemmed from the world-view of the individuals doing the labelling, even though the label had nothing to do with anything from the perspective of the pagans themselves. Get where I'm coming from? Again, thanks for responding.