The Inquisitors

If you’re a fan of Star Wars: Rebels, then you know all about the Inquisitors. This group of former Jedi turned to the Dark Side after Darth Sidious ascended to full power over the galaxy at the end of his infamous Order 66. Clothed in solid black armor—each set individualized to fit the species and personality of its owner—and armed with one of the deadliest weapons in the galaxy, the Inquisitors were truly a Jedi’s worst nightmare. 

Following the fall of the Republic, Emperor Palpatine designated these warriors to train under a single master, the Grand Inquisitor. Each of them dropped their former names to become known simply as one more Brother or Sister in the clan of Inquisitorius. And to further strip them of anything that could still define them as individuals, the Inquisitors often wore masks or helmets that covered their faces, blending them into one large enemy rather than several smaller ones. 

The Inquisitors were first introduced to Darth Vader in the months following his transformation into a Sith Lord. Vader immediately saw the lowly Force users as unworthy competition for his spot as the apprentice to Darth Sidious. However, Sidious needed to teach Vader a lesson in humility, and he knew Inquisitorius would do exactly that. When faced with this sudden competition, Vader cracked down even harder, diving deeper into the Dark Side and growing stronger in the Force. He lashed out against the Inquisitors time and time again, only to be repeatedly reprimanded by his Master in a constant game of cat and mouse. 

Unlike Vader, though, the Inquisitors had only one real job: to hunt down and kill any remaining Jedi in the galaxy. And that hunt didn’t end with the Jedi who were trained during the time of the Republic—it extended to Force-sensitive children born after the establishment of the Empire. Darth Sidious wanted no competition for his throne. When the Brothers and Sisters of Inquisitorius were not searching for hidden Jedi, they rooted out and destroyed factions of the Rebel Alliance. Oftentimes, the search for Jedi and the search for Rebels both led to the same place.

The most iconic aspect of the Inquisitors was the lightsaber assigned to each of them. With few exceptions, Inquisitors wielded red, double-bladed sabers equipped with a round extension that encircled the hilt. When caught in difficult situations—or faced with pursuit—these sabers had the unique ability to spin so quickly that the Inquisitors could use them to take flight. Similar to a Mandalorian’s jetpack or R2’s rocket boosters, the helicopter-like flight of Inquisitors was just enough to keep them in the air for a short period of time.

The reign of Inquisitorius over the galaxy’s hidden Jedi may not have lasted very long—by the time Luke Skywalker destroyed the first Death Star, little to nothing remained of the Inquisitors’ faction—but they still did plenty to instill fear in the hearts and minds of the citizens of the Empire, whether Force-sensitive or not. If you need more Inquisitorius in your to-read pile, check out the books and comics listed below.