The Star Wars universe is filled with valiant heroes, from Jedi knights to resistance fighters, rebels and smugglers, ‘walking carpets’ and giant teddy bears. They’ve fought against the Sith, the Galactic Empire and the First Order-against the dark side of the force. They’ve blown up two Death Stars and a Starkiller base to boot, always against the odds and with the faintest of hopes. But no one can forget Anakin Skywalker’s fall from grace; the most notorious hero-to-villain transformation of all. Then there was his grandson decades later, arguably not as consequential but there are still moments that have yet to be seen.

Whether or not either Ani or Ben Solo’s turn to the dark side was enthralling enough, a hero’s transformation into a villain is not only compelling, it also has serious consequences for the galaxy at large. To think, how disastrous could it have been if other powerful Jedi were to succumb to the temptation of the dark side of the force? Or what if those legendary rebels and resistance fighters turned on their comrades? Some of us don’t even want to think about it. Others have totally gone there.

Creative artists around the world have already imagined what some of Star Wars’ most famous heroes would look like as villains. And before Disney acquired the franchise there were plenty of story lines that went there too. What has resulted is an internet teeming with images that make you wonder if you might even want to see it happen. I mean, the galaxy wouldn’t be any better off but it would look pretty cool…

20 Darth Qui-Gon

I don’t know how anyone could envision Qui-Gon Jinn being alive, especially after his ceremony with Yoda, Mace, Obi-wan and Ani in attendance. Howeverm the internet comes up with all kinds of crazy ideas, and a resurrected Qui-Gon Jinn is one of them. Depending on when he came back, Qui-Gon might have a few issues, particularly with the so-called Chosen One that he took under his wing and pressured the Jedi Council into training.

He is known to have learned a thing or two from the Jedi Priestesses, particularly about becoming one with the force and therefore surviving death in a manner. Maybe Qui-Gon was up to some side-projects of his own. Maybe he had a clone factory hidden away out there just in case things went sour.

Qui-Gon was known for being a maverick within the Jedi Order and was a Padawan to none other than Count Dooku himself...

He didn’t shy away from breaking the Jedi Code here and there, and using a Jedi mind trick against the Gungan King wasn’t exactly by the book. Qui-Gon was a longtime student of the Living Force and was big into the idea of eternal consciousness before he meant his end at the hands of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Sure, a resurrected Qui-Gon Jinn might be stretching it, but this is still a great representation.

Art by Facundo Vega.

19 Evil Yoda

Yoda is arguably the most powerful and wisest Jedi in the galaxy, and even after all these years, he can still shoot a lightning bolt from the sky as an iridescent Force-ghost. That’s some serious skill. And though Yoda would never turn to the dark side, it is still entertaining to picture him doing so.

I mean, he came pretty close to witch-status when he exiled himself to a swamp world and lived in a hut walking distance away from a cave heavily filled with the dark side of the force. He was well aware of the power of that cave when Luke came across it on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back. Maybe it was on Yoda’s morning route? I mean, who knows what day after day, year after year, decade after decade living in a giant swamp will do to an aging mind?

It is possible Yoda, like anyone, had his bad days.

Surely it didn’t feel good to lose in a one-on-one fight with old man Palpatine, not to mention the fact that nearly the entire Jedi organization was destroyed or at the least completely ruined. And all after he rejected the idea of training Anakin in the first place. Nothing tears away at someone like regret-that and a giant, smelly, bat infested swamp. Should have gone down fighting, Yoda.

18 Darth Jar Jar

A lot of people don’t want to think about Jar Jar Binks at all, let alone thinking of him as a Sith lord wielding a crimson-blade lightsaber. But once you take one step down the rabbit hole, the next thing you know you’re questioning whether or not it was Jar Jar who was the mastermind the whole time; unwitting accomplice or devious puppet-master of the Galactic Senate?

Either way, Gungans can hold their own in battle, as evidenced by their defiant stand against the droid armies on Naboo. They can also hold their breath for extended periods of time, possess advanced technology, are adept swimmers, and are notably flexible. Of course, if the Gungan King was coerced via Jedi mind trick to let Qui-Gon and Jar Jar go (controversial move Qui-Gon) it does mean at least some Gungans are weak-minded. One could reasonably assume Jar Jar Binks might be on that list.

Given this, it is conceivable that Jar Jar Binks might not even intend to turn to the dark side, but be persuaded by use of mind tricks and intimidation. Regardless of the reason for Jar Jar’s turn to the dark side, this representation of a Sith Lord Jar Jar Binks is pretty compelling. I’m not saying I want to see Darth Jar Jar, but a force-using, lightsaber-wielding Gungan would clearly be awesome.

17 Evil Ahsoka

Ahsoka Tano is one of the most popular characters of the Star Wars franchise, and one of the more complex. Brought to the Jedi Order at a very young age by Plo Koon, Ahsoka demonstrated her skills and ability to use the force as a Padawan to Anakin Skywalker and became a hero of the Clone Wars.

The canon animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars features many of the adventures of Ahsoka, most notably her duels with General Grievous and Ventress, her regrettable losses at the Battle of Ryloth, and when she was framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple. Sure, the Jedi later apologized and pardoned her for the crime, but the whole affair, and much of the Clone Wars in general, lead Ahsoka to leave the Jedi Order.

Following Order 66, Ahsoka went into hiding, after which she emerged to aid and support the Rebel Alliance, as seen in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. After learning the fate of her former master, Ahsoka duels with Darth Vader and presumably is defeated-that is, before Ezra Bridger saves her via the world between worlds.

I don’t think any Star Wars fan wants to entertain the idea of Ahsoka turning to the dark side too long, just long enough to consider how dangerous she would be.

Art by Vic55b.

16 Dark Side Rey

There are more than enough fan theories out there on the internet surmising what the fate of Rey and Kylo Ren will be in the (possibly) final installment of the latest Star Wars trilogy. Some of them, obviously, involve Rey’s turn to the dark side and alliance with Kylo Ren. Far-fetched as they may be, Rey did, as Luke noted, “go straight to the dark side.” And if that cave is any indication, the temptation is there. Also, sympathizing with your enemy on account of a force-bond doesn’t do anything to re-assure Jedi-lovers out there.

Regardless of what may or may not happen in Episode IV, Rey turning to the dark side would spell disaster for the Resistance, or then again would it? The Last Jedi delves into the notion of a more complex view of the force, implying that balance is found by acknowledging both the light side and the dark side of the force. Maybe the Jedi and the Sith are truly over, and whatever comes next, could involve the dark side as well as the light?

Bottom line, Rey has proven herself to be (as Snoke would put it) something truly special. Who could defeat the likes of a dark side Rey? Who’s even left? Ahsoka would be how old?

15 Darth Windu

Could Mace Windu have survived the fall off the Emperor’s balcony on Coruscant after he was blasted with blue lightning by ol' Sheev Palpatine? It’s possible, after all he did jump pretty far on Geonosis to get from Dooku’s private viewing area to the coliseum floor. However remote the possibility, there are many out there in the galaxy who like to think he made it. And if he did, he’d sure have a bone to pick with Ani, Palpatine, and a lot of other people.

Mace was known to be a valiant warrior and was highly-skilled in lightsaber combat, as after all, he was the champion of the Jedi Order and could master Form VII.

Mace Windu on the wrong side of the force could spell disaster for any Jedi left out there in the galaxy.

Plenty of Star Wars fans have called out for an Obi-Wan stand-alone film, and one of the more compelling ideas for a plot involves a not-dead Mace Windu. Consider for a moment that Mace survived, then found out that Anakin Skywalker, the man who betrayed the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic, had a couple children hidden out there in the galaxy. An angry, hateful, dark side Mace Windu might just go about trying to find said ‘evil offspring’ and one Obi-Wan might be the only one out there to stop him. For now, this kind of storyline exists only in fan fiction, there and in the artwork by Eli Hyder.

14 Sith Aayla Secura

Twi’leks usually get a rough go in the Star Wars galaxy; often dancing in servitude or else acting as majordomos for crime lords like Jabba the Hutt. Not Aayla Secura though. The force-sensitive blue Twi’lek was an influential Jedi Master and a General in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. As the Padawan of Quinlan Vos, she had a powerful teacher - one who succumbed briefly to the dark side.

Aayla is featured in several episodes of the animated series The Clone Wars as well as the films Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith and the comic Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir Part 3. She was involved in several consequential events and was known to be skilled with a lightsaber, intelligent, and mischievous on occasion.

Twi’leks have reason enough to be angry, given their social status and position in the greater galaxy. First, their homeworld of Ryloth was occupied by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, who instigated tyrannical rule, then after they finally expel the Separatists they are annexed by the Galactic Empire and subjugated yet again. And as for Aayla Secura, well she got it pretty bad getting blasted in the back like that. But let’s pretend for a moment that she survived that barrage of lasers on Felucia during Order 66, it would be reasonable to think she’d be pretty upset to say the least.

Art by imthenic.

13 Darth Ezra

One of the main characters of the television series Star Wars Rebels, Ezra Bridger grew up as an orphan when his parents were imprisoned (and later taken out) by the Galactic Empire. His early days were spent as a pickpocket on Lothal and though one might say ‘you do what you have to do to survive’, he did steal Kanan Jarrus’ lightsaber twice. Sure, he gave it back and became Kanan’s Padawan, but the choice between staying on Lothal with a lightsaber or joining the crew of the Ghost on their adventures across the galaxy was a pretty easy decision to make.

Anyone familiar with the Rebels series will know that Ezra did use the dark side to open the Sith holocron on Malachor.

Kanan didn’t like that, and for good reason. As Yoda once said “once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny”. And Ezra took that first step, no doubt about that.

The last time we saw Ezra he was sped into oblivion on a space squid-whale known as a purrgil alongside Thrawn. Where in the galaxy he ended up, no one knows. Perhaps when Ahsoka and Sabine Wren find him, they won’t like what they discover. Ezra has likely spent a good deal of time with Thrawn, who can be very convincing, and as mentioned before, he has used the dark side before.

Art by ibahibut.

12 Bad Poe

A hero of the New Republic and the Resistance, Poe Dameron is considered to be the most skilled pilot in the Resistance, known for his daring and often reckless actions. The son of two Rebel Alliance fighters, Poe learned from his mother how to fly at the age of six. The fearless pilot would go on to join the New Republic Defense Fleet before eventually defecting to the Resistance, after becoming disillusioned by the inaction of the New Republic following the First Order’s violations of the Galactic Concordance. His accolades as a Resistance fighter made him a legend across the galaxy, and a favorite of Leia Organa.

Growing up on Yavin 4, Poe not only had two heroic Rebel parents, he also had a force-sensitive tree, which was a gift to his parents from one Luke Skywalker. Whether or not that tree imbued him with a small measure of force-ability is up for debate, but regardless Poe Dameron is a highly-skilled pilot and a worthy adversary.

Poe’s devotion to the Resistance and its fight against the New Order leaves little room to speculate that he would ever switch sides and join the dark side, but nonetheless artists across the world have considered what it would look like. One thing is for sure, he’s already flown a TIE fighter and he seemed to really enjoy it.

Art by Nicha.

11 Sith Shaak Ti

The most famous Togruta in the galaxy is clearly Ahsoka Tano, but let’s not forget about Shaak Ti, who once sat on the Jedi High Council. Not only did Shaak participate in the Battle of Geonosis, she was also entrusted to oversee the production and training of clone trooper armies on Kamino. Shaak appears not only in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, she is also featured extensively in The Clone Wars as well as in the novel Dark Disciple.

Besides being an adept teacher, Shaak Ti was also highly skilled in telekinesis, exemplified by her move to smash droids into each other during the Battle of Kamino. She was also involved in some pivotal events during the Clone Wars though she, along with all the other Jedi, could do nothing to prevent the return of the Sith.

While in exile on Dagobah, Shaak Ti appeared to Yoda, wherein her fate was learned. In the vision, Shaak is seen urging the galaxy to continue the legacy of the Force before she is taken out by Anakin Skywalkker’s lightsaber.

Unless, of course, that was just a Force Projection. In which case, it might occur to Shaak that the only way to defeat the dark side is to use the dark side. Fight fire with fire as they say. At any rate, this depiction proves that if Shaak Ti did turn to the dark side, she’d look pretty cool.

Art by Angelicalieva.

10 Evil Luke

Before Disney acquired the Star Wars franchise, there were a lot of plotlines out there featuring a dark-side Luke Skywalker. As a kid, I chose to ignore all of it, but it was out there. Tales of Palpatine clones, World Devastators, Force-storms and Luke’s dip into the dark side were just a few of the developments outlined in the Dark Empire series. Suffice to say, a dark side Luke Skywalker has more than been contemplated.

Mark Hamill is on record several times stating that’s where he thought, and even hoped, the character was going to go (at least briefly). Even though, according to the events of The Last Jedi, that didn’t happen, there are those out there who still like to envision it.

Arguably, Luke did have a lapse into the dark side when he, for a fleeting moment, contemplated taking out his apprentice while he lay asleep in bed. He also lost his temper on the second Death Star and chopped off his dad’s hand. He wasn’t shy about choking out a few Gamorrean guards either. Come to think of it, Luke came pretty close to the dark side a few times. A couple steps further and he would have gone full Ani. This old ditty drums up memories of the Dark Empire series, which thankfully are non-canon now.

9 Evil Leia

Just like her twin brother Luke, Leia has the blood of Darth Vader pumping through her veins whether she likes it or not. She’s also got some serious force-ability if she can choke Jabba the Hutt out and survive the vacuum of outer space. While Luke went off to train new Jedi, Leia was trying to restore a Republic, fend off personal attacks on her heritage and convince a war-weary galaxy that the First Order needed to be confronted. Next thing you know, most of the new Jedi are gone, her son has turned to the dark side, her lover just straight up bounces and her brother decides it’s time to become a hermit.

In other words, Leia was abandoned by her brother, her lover, and the New Republic she fought to build, while simultaneously being betrayed by her son. Nonetheless, Leia kept up the good fight against the First Order while everyone else slept. Next thing you know planets are blown up and though she had every right to say “I told you so” instead she mounts an attack that destroys Starkiller base.

Bottom line, Leia’s got every reason to turn to the dark side.

Art by TGrebel2.

8 Darth BB-8

I’ll always be partial to R2D2, but let’s be honest, BB-8 is a loveable droid and a great addition to the list of Star Wars heroes. The loyal friend of Poe Dameron, BB-8 has been on more than his fair share of adventures  and has saved the day on numerous occasions. The astromech droid became Poe’s companion when he was a New Republic commander, and the two formed an unbreakable bond. The often precocious droid has a personality of his own and he has shown himself to be capable, daring, and courageous.

Sometimes the best heroes make the best villains in fan fiction and BB-8 is no exception to that. We all know we are never going to see an evil BB-8, so it’s fun to imagine the concept as ridiculous as it is. It’s mildly conceivable that, if Poe Dameron turned to the dark side, his loyal buddy would follow suit. I’m sure if BB-8 did turn evil he would maintain his brash, feisty attitude.

Everything in this depiction is dead on. The colors, the cloak, the lighter with a crimson flame and, dare I say, the pose. If the Sith had droid companions that looked like that, the Jedi would be a tough sell.

Art by WingBuffet.

7 Sith Padmé

Padmé went through a lot throughout the course of her life. She was just trying to represent her people, do what was right for Naboo and for the galaxy and maybe, just maybe, fall in love. Instead, what did she get? Well, we all know what happened.

Before her husband turned to the dark side and everything went top-side, Padmé was not only a capable politician and leader, she was also a renowned fighter and hero of the Clone Wars. Some of her many adventures are portrayed in the animated series The Clone Wars in which she is heavily featured. In retrospect, I guess those were her ‘glory days’.

I’m sure Vader would have loved the idea of ruling the galaxy with his dark-side bride, but Padmé had more sense than that.

Maybe if she had lived she could have turned Anakin back to good before the galaxy had to suffer under the Galactic Empire and Alderaan had to get blown up. Perhaps if Ani and Padmé took out Palpatine and ruled together as Sith, the galaxy would have been better off. We’ll never know, but that doesn’t mean artists can’t create awesome portrayals of what a Sith Padmé would have looked like.

Art by Ghosthornet.

6 Evil C-3PO

C-3P0 was created by Anakin Skywalker, also known as Darth Vader. If that doesn’t convince you that, at any moment, the protocol droid might snap and turn to the dark side, I don’t know what will. Everyone tells him to shut up, to do this or do that, to hurry up, to translate this or decode that-at some point or another it has to take its toll.

C-3PO has had his memory wiped, been shot half to bits, been reassembled backwards,  been tortured and among other tribulations he, at some point, must have lost an arm (just like Vader) since he has a new red one. After all he’s been through, and it’s absurd how much he has been through, C-3PO is still trucking along all these decades later. Resilience has to count for something, plus the Ewoks still likely consider him a deity and believe he has divine powers-and Ewoks can be solid foot soldiers as the Empire learned on Endor.

But what danger could C-3P0 pose if he did one day snap and turn evil? Well, for one he might make a mean accomplice as illustrated by the similar-looking homicidal droid featured in the canon comic Darth Vader #3.

Art by christianamiel21.

5 Evil Bothans

How many Bothans passed to bring the Rebellion information about the second Death Star? Only Mon Mothma will know. Her and maybe the Emperor. Possibly Vader too. At any rate, a lot of Bothans passed away and apparently they make good spies, though their skills in espionage must be called into question given the Emperor wanted the rebellion to know about Death Star 2 as part of his ‘master plan’.

Although Bothans arguably do not appear in any canon sources, they are most often depicted as wolf-like or lion-like creatures with long manes and claws. If online depictions of the species are to serve as any indication, an evil Bothan would be a fearsome foe indeed.

Perhaps the Bothans got sick of doing all the dirty work for the Rebellion, sacrificing their lives for the good of the cause. Maybe they heard that Emperor Palpatine had intended them to find out about Endor and the second Death Star and therefore those lives spent to bring the rebels that information were lost in vain. That kind of realization could really set someone off down the path to the dark side.

Art by mikekimart.

4 Sith Wookiee

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a Wookiee I didn’t like, or if a Wookiee has been anything but a hero; a valiant and loyal friend who can also pull people’s arms out of their sockets. It’s no wonder then that the idea of an evil ‘walking carpet’ would be horrifying to say the least. Now I’m not saying any Wookiee would go out and turn to the dark side, or that Chewbacca would ever do something like that, I’m just saying it would be really dangerous if one ever did.

One look at this depiction of a Sith Wookiee and I doubt anyone would argue against my point. It’s very possible that in the days of the Sith Empire, some thousand-or-so years before the events of The Phantom Menace, a Wookiee learned the ways of the force and turned to the dark side. If they ever delve into that time period, I’m sure we will see all manner of Sith and it wouldn’t surprise me if a Sith Wookiee was top of the list. But even though it would be awesome to see the Old Republic v.s. Mandalorians and the Sith Empire, I’m not holding out hope for a series or a film or even a comic book series set in that time period.

And since Wookiees are understandably beloved creatures, I doubt anyone is pushing for an evil one any time soon. I mean, just look how terrifying one would be.

Art by beeperNPS.

3 Evil Plo Koon

Not everyone remembers Plo Koon, despite the uniqueness of his mask, but this wise member of the Jedi Order was once part of the High Council and was involved in more than a few consequential galactic events. Hailing from the planet of Dorin, Plo Koon is a member of the Kel Dor species, who require rebreathers in order to survive in oxygen-rich environments. If it weren’t for Plo’s nifty goggles, his eye fluid would completely evaporate, but don’t let that fool you; the Kel Dor are very resilient. Their tough hide, for example, enables them to survive the vacuum of space for brief periods of time-not too shabby.

Plo Koon left his mark on the galaxy, as he brought the famous Ahsoka Tano to the Jedi Order when she was but an infant and his many escapades during the Clone Wars are often featured in the animated series chronicling the conflict. Plo was known to care for all living beings, in particular the clones, who many others (and even themselves) considered expendable.

Tragically, Plo was betrayed by the very clones he fought to protect, when they executed Order 66 and shot down his starfighter. But maybe, just maybe, Plo made it out of the fiery wreckage of his crashed ship, and if he did he’d have every reason to be angry. This may be a semi-humorous representation of an evil Plo Koon, but even a somewhat funny rendition makes you think; yep, that’d be scary.

2 Sith Ewok

The Ewoks put themselves at risk and, against all odds, defeated the Imperial garrison on Endor, quintessentially saving the galaxy. That qualifies them as heroes in most people’s books. But let’s not forget they were about to cook Han, Luke, and Chewbacca and eat them in a feast to honor C3PO. That is, until they were terrified by the power of the force. Suffice to say, Ewoks have a dark side.

Given their accomplishments in the Battle of Endor, it’s fair to say underestimating the teddy bear-like creatures is inadvisable.

And judging by their use of stormtrooper helmets as drums in victory parties and penchant for cooking trespassers alive, you’d think if an Ewok turned into a Sith, it might be a formidable foe to say the least.

Clearly the Ewoks were more than impressed by the force when C3PO floated above them and displayed his divine power before them. They literally went from “let’s eat these guys” to “let’s help these guys”. It therefore stands to reason an Ewok warrior would be interested in the force and the ability to control it. And assuming C3PO went about his duties and left Endor following the destruction of the second Death Star, the Ewoks might feel a bit miffed.

I think this image puts to rest any notion that an evil Sith Ewok would be anything but terrifying.

Art by Krikhey.

1 Sith Porg

Arguably one of the best creatures in the Star Wars universe, the Porgs were introduced in The Last Jedi and immediately became a hit with fans. Porg-inspired merchandize dominated toy shelves following the release of the film, in what was henceforth called Porg-fever.

Native to Ach-To, the planet upon which the first Jedi temple was built, the aquatic birds are naturally inquisitive, in addition to being downright adorable. They multiply quickly, as evidenced by the film, and often nest in inconvenient places. You might think these tiny penguin-esque creatures wouldn’t pack a punch but one look at Yoda’s moves in Attack of the Clones should have you not judge a book by its cover. Though they can’t fly a great distance, Porgs can still flutter about if need be, and those teeth do look sharp…

This take on an evil Porg might not make you run for your life, but it’s food for thought.

Imagine that thing flipping and flying about, Yoda-style, flashing a mini lightsaber here and there and trying to bite you in the neck! A manic flying evil Porg would be hard to hit given its size. Plus one pouty look of its eyes and you might let your guard down. Then it’s too late!

Art by CardboardKnife.