At the start of the Star Wars universe, Obi-Wan Kenobi is described as a wizard who’s just a crazy old man. In a way, that’s what Jedi have become in the Star Wars universe. The Jedi are supposed to be the good guys, but they’re seen also as mystical wizards with incredibly strict and frequently misapplied rules. As a result, they that out more than their fair share of Sith.
In fact, there are so many Jedi that fall from the Light yet don’t become Sith that they introduce new terms for how to refer to these characters. Some simply stop being Jedi, some become Dark Jedi, and some become something new altogether.
7 Freedon Nadd
For a long while, it seemed that Freedon Nadd was going to be the best of the Jedi. Like Anakin Skywalker, he was instantly adept with the Force, and seemed destined for greatness within the Jedi Order. However, Freedon Nadd didn’t want to embrace the teachings of the Jedi. Instead, he killed his own Jedi Master and renounced the Jedi, instead deciding he would become a self-taught Sith.
Not only that, he even ended up on Yavin 4 — like so many Force users before & after him would — and became an apprentice there in the Sith arts. Again, he killed his Master, and again, he continued to self-teach himself darker knowledge and skills. Ultimately, Freedon Nadd completely eschews the Light, and embraces the Dark.
6 Pong Krell
The side of Light can become too overwhelming for some Force users, and Pong Krell is among them. Before turning Dark, Pong Krell was a Jedi General and he fought in the Clone Wars, seen as a frequently successful general in the Grand Army of the Republic. However, his two double-bladed lightsabers eventually turned on the Jedi. Pong Krell, like other Jedi have, began to have visions showing a new order replacing the Jedi Order.
In an attempt to protect his own interests, Pong Krell secretly turned Dark, teaching himself Dark things in secret like Freedon Nadd had. Eventually, Pong Krell turned on his men and ended up captured by them. He was killed for betraying the Republic and the Jedi, and, though he was never able to turn Sith, was as Dark as one in the eyes of his former comrades.
5 Mara Jade Skywalker
Like her husband, Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade isn’t a morally pure Jedi — but, then again, the problem with the Jedi is that it’s nearly impossible to follow their strict and absurd doctrine. Mara Jade, before becoming a Jedi Master, did a lot of Dark things and didn’t mind committing heinous acts for the greater good.
There’s nothing really wrong with the things that Luke and Mara Jade do on a regular basis, but she certainly does not follow the ways of the Jedi, especially early on. In fact, Mara Jade is even instructed to kill Luke — because she’s Emperor Palpatine’s Hand and his assassin, killing people on her behalf. These actions may as well make her a Sith early on in her life.
4 Jorus C’baoth
In order to become powerful enough to be a Jedi who holds to the Jedi ways, one must also be able to recognize their own strength. For some Jedi, this is also an indicator of a deeper arrogance. Jorus C’baoth is an unfortunate example of the price of arrogance. He was once like Dooku — confident in his own power and sure that he was without equal — but he was never able to quite obtain Dooku’s level of success. Instead, Jorus C’baoth was a Jedi Master, in a way, who later decided to kill Thrawn. As a Jedi must never give in to their anger, and similarly try never to take a life, Jorus completely gives up on the Jedi way. He goes so Dark that Palpatine even tries to clone Jorus later to make his weapon Joruus.
3 Sha’a Gi
The Jedi Order is just too much for some people. The average person in the Star Wars universe may have some Force sensitivity, but to become a Jedi is some next-level stuff, and not everybody is cut out for it. To take on such an overwhelming path can consume some, and Sha’a Gi was consumed.
It seemed that he was going to be successful as a Jedi. His Master, Daakman Barrek, lamented his lack of physical skill, particularly in martial arts, but he was great with computers, much like the technically-oriented Anakin Skywalker. What Sha’a Gi had in terms of skill with tech, unfortunately, he lacked in control over himself. When he saw his Master die in battle, he had a complete meltdown. When he lost control, General Grievous was able to target him and take him down. This weakness is impossibly un-Jedi.
2 Ben Solo
Ben Solo may become Kylo Ren, but many of his fans will hurry to remind people that he never truly became a Sith. If anything, audiences consider Ben Solo to be something of a Dark Jedi. When he’s young, he was being trained by his uncle, Luke Skywalker, to become a Jedi. However, Luke saw darkness in Ben, and Ben ultimately turned Dark, too. His Darkness was always at war with the Light inside of him, though, and Rey was able to drag him back from the brink. Ben was redeemed in the end, but his actions were nearly as bad as any Emperor Palpatine or General Grievous ever committed. For all the good Ben tries to do in the end, it’s true that Kylo Ren ultimately may as well have been a Sith.
1 Quinlan Vos
The Dark Side is tempting, especially with how frustrating the Jedi Order can be to people on the Light when they’re trying to get things done. Like other Masters, Quinlan Vos was struggling to feel like he was moving forward with the other Jedi. With such strong abilities, Quinlan Vos knew he was capable of great things, and ultimately teamed up with Asajj Ventress, who was once an assassin for the Dark Side. The both of them were somewhat Dark, and Quinlan Vos ended up going completely Dark, even going so far as to become the apprentice of Count Dooku. While he may not be fully Sith, saved in the final moments of the war by his love for Asajj Ventress, he may as well be after all he’s done.