10 Times Star Wars Broke Its Own Rules (And You Didn't Notice)

2. The Nonsensical Rule Of Two

Even casual Star Wars fans are aware of the Rule of Two, a Sith maxim first concocted by the legendary Darth Bane, which states that only two Sith Lords can exist at once - one master and one apprentice.

It sounds simple enough, and yet, as stringently as Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) initially appears to adhere to it, it's been treated more as a guideline throughout the history of the series.

To that end, Palpatine juggled Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker as apprentices - a move which could've conceivably resulted in there being a third wheel in this party.

But of course, Palps ended up sealing his own fate when father and son reconciled, resulting in him getting lobbed down a reactor shaft by Vader.

Then there's The Rise of Skywalker, which saw Palpatine residing on Exogol with a whole-ass fleet of Sith acolytes, prompting the film's novelisation to effectively retcon the Rule of Two, claiming that there are many Sith who are ruled by two.

Really, though, it's just another interesting idea which George Lucas didn't think through enough.