Sith eyes are a phenomenon in which a dark side Force user’s eyes turn a flame-like color. Although red-rimmed yellow eyes are one type of Sith eyes, the dark side Force user’s eyes may turn various shades of orange or red as well. Sith eyes embody a Force user’s deep immersion in the dark side of the Force. Some Sith Lords may experience the phenomenon temporarily during specific flareups of their anger and dark side energy. Other Sith Lords may embody Sith eyes permanently.
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Anakin’s Sith Eyes in Revenge of the Sith
Darth Vader, the human Sith Lord formerly known as Anakin Skywalker, provides the most famous example of Sith eyes. Shortly after Vader turns to the dark side, he leads the 501st clone trooper legion on a raid on the Jedi Temple. During the ensuing battle Vader kills many Jedi and his eyes temporarily turn red-rimmed yellow. (Before falling to the dark side, Anakin Skywalker’s eyes had been blue.)
A symbolic eye color change particularly favors film, an inherently visual medium. In the film Revenge of the Sith, Vader’s eye color change from calming blue to fiery yellow in order to provide a strong and clear visual cue of the Sith Lord’s rage. Though lesser known, the film also shows Palpatine’s eyes temporarily turning yellow during his own fits of dark side rage.
The Prequel Trilogy’s horned Sith Lord Darth Maul has red-rimmed yellow eyes as well. A member of the Zabrak species, Maul is actually born with naturally occurring yellow eyes. Yellow eyes are one of the known natural eye colors for Zabrak individuals. Maul’s Sith warrior brother Savage Opress also has naturally occurring yellow eyes.
Naturally Occurring Pureblood Sith Eyes
Maul is not the only Sith to have naturally occurring yellow eyes. Flame-like eyes correlate to the appearance of the eyes of members of the Sith species as well. Also known as Red Sith or Pureblood Sith, members of the Sith species originate from the planet Korriban. A humanoid species with red skin and facial tentacles, many Sith Purebloods have piercing yellow eyes as well. The existence of the Sith species pre-dates the founding of the Sith Order.
How to Get Sith Eyes in Star Wars: The Old Republic Game
The game Star Wars: The Old Republic offers two ways to get Sith eyes. One way is to earn enough dark side points and show dark side corruption. If a player only cares about the fiery appearance of the eyes, however, a player may unlock red-rimmed yellow eyes in the Cartel Market. The Cartel Market version only changes the eye color while the dark side corruption method changes other physical features (i.e. paler skin, more sickly appearance, etc.).
Evil Yellow Eyes in Mythology and Pop Culture
Yellow eyes are commonly associated with werewolves, witches, ghouls, vampires and other monsters or supernatural beings. Sometimes the eyes are also described as “glowing” or “unnatural” in other ways. In short, the eyes are intended to be unusual and scary.
Notorious Spider-Man villain Green Goblin also famously possesses, in the words of Aunt May, “Those horrible yellow eyes!” (Spider-Man [film], 2002)
Yellow Eyes in Real Life
Although humans in real life do not have naturally occurring yellow eyes, some individuals can experience the whites of their eyes turning yellow. Yellow eyes in real life is commonly caused by jaundice, a liver-related medical condition that should be evaluated by a doctor.
