9 Biggest Unanswered Mysteries In Star Wars
5. Why Were The Sith Gone For So Long?
By the time the of the Phantom Menace, the Sith had been gone for over a millenia. During the time of the Old Republic, the Sith splintered off of the Jedi to form a rival Force using faction. The Jedi and Sith went to war, and after the Sith's defeat, they established the Rule of Two, stating that only a Sith Master and Apprentice may coexist.
After this, the Sith don't really do all that much. For the next thousand years, they seemingly stay in hiding, with no notable Sith appearing until Palpatine and Maul's plan comes to fruition in The Phantom Menace.
What were they up to for all that time? The Sith must have been planning something. Why was Palpatine the first major Sith Lord to try and take revenge in all that time? The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities, and apparently procrastination is one of them.