"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.''"

The dark side of the Force, called Bogan or Boga by ancient Force-sensitives on Tython, was a method of using the Force. Those who used the dark side were known as either Darksiders, Dark Side Adepts, or Dark Jedi when unaffiliated with a dark side organization such as the Sith. Unlike the Jedi, who used the light side of the Force, darksiders drew power from raw emotions and feelings such as anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, fear, aggression, megalomania, and unrestrained passion.

The dark side overrode an individual's character and consumed the souls of those who used it, whilst submitting to the light side meant the death of the self and sacrificing for the Cosmic Force, an aspect of the Force that bound all things together and communicated its will to all life under the aspect known as the Living Force, the energy of all life.