In Star Wars canon, the Sith cannot become Force Ghosts due to their tainted relationship with the Force, but a Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode almost introduced two Sith Lords as Force Ghosts. Darth Bane and Darth Revan were created for the show, but Dave Filoni pulled the plug because it would have had big implications.

In Season 3, Episode 17 "Ghosts of Mortis," Lucas planned for Darth Bane and Darth Revan to appear to the Son and advise him. Bane and Revan are two ancient Sith Lords that would have brought a primordial evil element to the Son, who was a representation of the dark side of the Force. The characters were drawn up in the Clone Wars style but never made it to animation. The idea of bringing back ancient Sith Lords is enticing, but would not have fit with the rules of the Force Lucas has outlined.

Star Wars Clone Wars anakin seeing vision of vader

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In the episode featurette, Dave Filoni talked about the decision to not include Sith Force Ghosts, as he was, "very apprehensive of the scene, as cool as it was." Filoni was thinking in terms of, "the implication of it, which was that these Sith Lords could separate themselves from the Force, and somehow talked to the Son. That seemed like a big deal." He later adds, "They can't exist in that form. They can't exist in that way." Darth Bane did appear in Season 6, Episode 13, "Sacrifice," but it was as an illusion, which is very different from a Force Ghost.

After Force-sensitive beings die, they become one with the Force and exist in a plane outside of space and time. It takes great training for a Jedi to master the ability to retain a sense of identity after death that would allow them to return to the realm of the living as a Force Ghost. Beings who achieved this spiritual immortality would have their bodies disappear at the time of their death, signifying their retention of self in the Force. This ability was never mastered by a Sith, since it takes a full surrendering over to the light side of the Force and complete selflessness.

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The Sith only ever sought immortality and power in this life by manipulating the Force, not surrendering to it. Therefore, they could not separate themselves from the Force after death to be able to move between worlds and communicate with the living. Sith cannot maintain their sense of self in the Force after death. The inclusion of Darth Bane and Darth Revan would have meant that they somehow learned the ability of true selflessness and were able to separate themselves from the Force to be seen as Force Ghosts. A Sith learning true selflessness is highly unlikely.

It seems counterintuitive that surrendering to the Force allows a being to retain their sense of self in the Force, but that is what takes intensive training that only a few Jedi have mastered. Only the wisest Jedi, most notably Qui-Gon Jinn, understand that true Force immortality comes from surrendering one's spirit and body to the Force. The Sith approached death entirely differently, with overwhelming fear, whereas Jedi understood that it was a natural progression of their existence. Star Wars Legends has different ideas about Sith being able to become Force Ghosts, but it is not canon.

The introduction of a Sith Lord as a Force Ghost would have completely changed the abiding precedents that Lucas had set in place about the Force. As cool as the scene would have been, and the scene does exist in layout, it was the right decision not to break canon. The Force is the fundamental phenomena in Star Wars and deserves to be treated with extreme care and detail.

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