Second Sith theory The Second Sith theory was a marginalized theory held by some members of the Jedi Order during the Separatist Crisis and later the Clone Wars . Not officially endorsed by the Jedi High Council as being a legitimate belief , the theory postulated that the Zabrak dervish that killed Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn had been a Sith Lord . If this were true , then those who believed that the Rule of Two had been maintained among any possible Sith survivors suggested there must be a second Sith : either a master or an apprentice . The theory was further advanced by Count Dooku ' s conversation with Obi - Wan Kenobi , where he implicated one Darth Sidious in manipulating the Galactic Senate . Overview . Origin . The theory of the so - called " Second Sith " originated in 32 BBY when reports out of the Theed Royal Palace were received at the Coruscant Jedi Temple . Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn had been cut down by the same Zabrak dervish that had ambushed him on Tatooine . The Zabrak , garbed in black and wielding a double - bladed lightsaber in the style of Sith Lord Exar Kun , was well - versed in the ways of the Force and was able to draw upon the dark side for strength . While the assassin had been killed by Jinn ' s Padawan , Obi - Wan Kenobi , rumors spread when investigations showed that members of Queen Padmé Amidala ' s Advisory Council had overheard Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray refer to the Zabrak as " Darth Maul " . Swearing the Queen and her council to secrecy and asking them not to spread information about the Sith , the Jedi set the debacle to rest . While Jedi High Council member Mace Windu privately questioned the idea of a second Sith hiding in the shadows , neither he nor Grand Master Yoda could determine the truth beyond speculating whether or not Maul was an apprentice of the master . Development . Over the following decade , talk of the return of the Sith remained a topic of private conversation within the Jedi Temple , just as word spread of the suspicions that Anakin Skywalker would come to fulfill the ancient Prophecy of the Chosen One . With the name " Darth Maul " impossible to corroborate , there seemed to be no other leads . Despite such fanatics as Granta Omega cropping up during the turbulent time of the Separatist Crisis , the High Council refused to speculate on the matter and counseled patience and meditation in the matter . With the lack of evidence providing little relief to those frustrated with the identity of Darth Maul , scant trace accounts of the Rule of Two kept the mystery alive . Some Jedi began to suspect that the a Sith may have avoid death during the Seventh Battle of Ruusan and gone into exile . Others , however , dismissed the notion out - of - hand . Council member Ki - Adi - Mundi was adamant in his belief that the idea was obscene , declaring that the Sith had been extinct for a millennium and the Order would have detected their return . When accusations arose and pointed to Count Dooku as being a Sith , Mundi proclaimed him to be a political idealist rather then a Sith . Clone Wars . The theory was revived when Dooku himself revealed to an imprisoned Kenobi on Geonosis that a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious was secretly in control of the Galactic Republic . This control , Dooku alleged , came through Sidious ' manipulation of thousands of Senators who unwittingly served the Sith agenda . Dooku went on to claim that Viceroy Gunray had served Sidious at Naboo , but had been betrayed and abandoned by the Sith when he no longer served a useful purpose . During the ensuing battle and the showdown between Dooku and Grand Master Yoda , Dooku ' s actions revealed that he was indeed in league with the Sith but did not answer the fundamental question of whether or not he was the master or the apprentice . Rumor spread quickly at the Jedi Temple of the possibility of a Second Sith being involved in Republic politics . Most Jedi continued to dismiss this as too far - fetched to even consider : the Jedi would be aware of a Sith takeover within the Galactic Senate . Many Jedi , including Kenobi , believed that Dooku was using this as a deception to cover up his own fall to the dark side and to paint himself in a stronger light . Despite this , several marginalized Jedi dissented from the status quo . Jedi Master Quinlan Vos went undercover on behalf of Master Tholme in hopes of corroborating the existence of the Second Sith . Vos went so far undercover that hunting the elusive Sith became his obsession and his only claim to his former identity . Dooku understood this and sent Vos on a wild bantha chase across Coruscant , convincing Vos that Senator Viento was actually a Sith Lord . Infiltrating Viento ' s apartment , Vos did battle with his fellow Jedi Master K ' Kruhk and nearly killed him , as he assassinated the Senator . Realizing he had been deceived , Vos eventually returned to the Order proper , but still harbored his belief that Dooku was simply the apprentice . Jedi Gokim Keeg was another dissenting member of the Order , believing that Dooku ' s claims were not a ruse and actually held some truth to them . Resolution . By the height of the Clone Wars , most of the Jedi High Council began to fear that the Sith had actually penetrated the Republic Military ' s highest echelons as several coincidences and discrepancies were made apparent . Mace Windu in particular became concerned with those surrounding the Supreme Chancellor himself , believing that he was but a puppet of the Sith . Windu ' s suspicion fell on Senate Vice Chair Mas Amedda . It wasn ' t until Master Kenobi recovered the mechno - chair of Viceroy Gunray that the High Council could definitively link Dooku with some mysterious , shadowy figure . Two members of the Council were convinced that Dooku was in fact the master , having been self - taught by a Sith holocron he uncovered or ancient lore found on Korriban . As more evidence presented itself in the final weeks of the war , Yoda revealed the hunt for the Second Sith to Supreme Chancellor Palaptine and informed him of an ongoing investigation in the Works district of Coruscant . The Jedi had tracked the Sith to an abandoned building there and believed that the Sith was using it as a base .