You know that feeling when you're watching Obi-Wan Kenobi or playing Jedi: Fallen Order and a terrifying figure in black armor ignite a spinning red lightsaber? That’s an Inquisitor. They aren't Sith. Not really. They’re basically the Empire’s janitors, sent to sweep up the "trash" left behind after Order 66. If you’ve ever tried to keep track of them all, you know the Star Wars Inquisitors list is kind of a mess of numbers, names, and tragic backstories. Some are former Jedi Masters. Others were barely Padawans when the dark side chewed them up.
The Inquisitorius was Palpatine’s insurance policy. He knew a few Jedi would survive the clones. So, he took broken, tortured survivors and turned them into hunters. It’s a pretty grim irony. The very people who were supposed to protect the galaxy became the ones terrorizing it from the shadows of the Mustafar system.
The Hierarchy of the Inquisitorius
It all starts with the Grand Inquisitor. He’s the boss, at least until Vader decides otherwise. A former Pau'an Temple Guard, this guy actually saw the Jedi Order's flaws from the inside before he ever turned. He’s elegant. He’s cruel. He’s also the one who sets the tone for everyone else on the Star Wars Inquisitors list.
Most of these hunters go by titles like "Second Sister" or "Ninth Sister." It’s a way to strip their identity. The Empire didn't want people with names; they wanted tools. Underneath the helmets, though, are real people like Trilla Suduri or Masana Tide. Their power levels vary wildly. Some can hold their own against a Jedi Knight, while others get dispatched pretty quickly when faced with real talent like Ahsoka Tano or Maul.
The Heavy Hitters
The Second Sister, Trilla Suduri, is arguably one of the most compelling figures we’ve seen. Her fall wasn’t just about power; it was about betrayal. Her master, Cere Junda, gave up her location under torture. That kind of trauma doesn't just go away. It festers. In Jedi: Fallen Order, you see how she uses her agility and psychological warfare to get under Cal Kestis’ skin. She’s fast. Terrifyingly so.
Then you have the Ninth Sister. She’s the complete opposite. A Dowutin who relies on pure, brute force and empathetic abilities turned sour. She’s a tank. You don’t outmuscle her; you have to outthink her. It’s interesting how the Star Wars Inquisitors list fills different tactical niches for the Empire.
Every Known Name on the Star Wars Inquisitors List
If we’re looking at the actual roster confirmed by Rebels, Tales of the Empire, the comics, and the games, the list is longer than you might think.
- The Grand Inquisitor: The leader. Met his end in a reactor core after losing to Kanan Jarrus. Interestingly, his spirit was later bound by Vader to guard a Jedi outpost, proving that even in death, the Empire doesn't let you go.
- The Second Sister (Trilla Suduri): A primary antagonist in Fallen Order. She was arguably the most skilled tactician of the bunch.
- The Third Sister (Reva Sevander): A controversial figure for some fans, but her story is pure tragedy. She was a Youngling during the temple march. Her whole goal wasn't serving the Empire—it was getting close enough to Vader to kill him.
- The Fourth Sister (Lyn Rakish): We see her in Obi-Wan Kenobi and later in Tales of the Empire. She’s one of the few who actually found a path back to the light, or at least away from the darkness, thanks to Barriss Offee.
- The Fifth Brother: A hulking, aggressive hunter. He’s not subtle. He first appeared in Rebels and met his end at the hands of Maul on Malachor.
- The Sixth Brother (Bil Valen): If you’ve read the Ahsoka novel, you know this guy. He’s the reason Ahsoka has white lightsabers. She purified the kyber crystals from his double-bladed sword after he died.
- The Seventh Sister: Voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar, she brought a playful, cat-and-mouse cruelty to the hunt. She used ID9 seeker droids to track her prey.
- The Eighth Brother: The "jumper." He had a weird, buzzsaw-like hilt that allowed him to hover. It didn't work out great for him on Malachor when his hilt was damaged.
- The Ninth Sister (Masana Tide): Lost an arm to her own student and still kept coming. She’s incredibly resilient.
- The Tenth Brother (Prosset Dibs): A rare case of a Jedi who turned before Order 66. He lost his faith in the Council during the Clone Wars.
There are others, too. The Star Wars Inquisitors list includes several unnamed members, like the Twi'lek and the red-skinned humanoid seen in the comics who were killed by Vader during a "training" exercise. Vader was a brutal teacher. He literally chopped off limbs just to teach them that loss is a part of the job.
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The Secret Purpose of the Inquisitorius
You might wonder why Palpatine didn't just train a bunch of new Sith. The rule of two is the obvious answer, but it’s deeper than that. The Inquisitors were never meant to be powerful enough to challenge the masters. They were "Sith-lite."
Their real job? Projecting fear.
When a black-clad figure shows up in a small village on a backwater planet, people talk. It’s a visual reminder that the Jedi are gone and the Empire is everywhere. They also acted as a filtration system. If an Inquisitor found a Force-sensitive child, that child was either kidnapped for the "Project Harvester" program or eliminated. They were basically pruning the galaxy’s connection to the Force.
Why They Disappeared Before A New Hope
By the time A New Hope rolls around, the Inquisitors are nowhere to be found. Why? Basically, they outlived their usefulness. By then, the Jedi were considered a "dead religion." Most of the survivors were either dead or so well-hidden that they weren't a threat anymore.
Vader didn't need a team of B-tier hunters anymore. Also, the Inquisitorius was a dangerous organization to keep around. If they got too powerful, they might start getting ideas. Palpatine is nothing if not paranoid.
Misconceptions About the Inquisitors
People often think they are Sith. They aren't. They don't have the "Darth" title. They aren't taught the deepest secrets of the dark side. They’re basically glorified bounty hunters with lightsabers and a very limited understanding of Force telekinesis and torture techniques.
Another big one: people think they all died at once. In reality, their deaths were staggered. Some died in combat. Others were purged. A few, like the Fourth Sister, simply vanished into the chaos of the galaxy as the Rebellion heated up.
The spinning lightsabers are another point of contention. Some fans find them silly. But tactically? They’re designed to intimidate. Most people in the galaxy have never seen a lightsaber, let alone one that turns into a circular saw of red plasma. It’s psychological warfare 101.
Where to See Them in Action
If you want to see the Star Wars Inquisitors list in chronological order or just see who’s who, you have to jump between media.
- Darth Vader (2017) Comics: This is where you see their origin. Charles Soule wrote an incredible run showing Vader taking command of them.
- Star Wars Rebels: This introduces the Grand Inquisitor, Fifth Brother, and Seventh Sister. It sets the stakes for what they do to the remaining Jedi.
- Jedi: Fallen Order & Survivor: These games give the best "boots on the ground" feel of being hunted by one.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: Shows the infighting and the political ladder-climbing within the Fortress Inquisitorius.
- Tales of the Empire: A recent addition that gives us the backstory of the Fourth Sister and how the organization functioned in its early days under Morgan Elsbeth’s periphery.
Honestly, the most interesting part of the Inquisitors isn't their power. It's their sadness. They are all victims of the same machine they serve. They are broken people trying to find meaning in cruelty because the alternative—confronting what they’ve lost—is too painful to bear.
Moving Forward with the Lore
If you're looking to dive deeper into the lore of these dark side hunters, start by reading the Rise of the Red Blade novel by Delilah S. Dawson. It follows Iskat Akaris (the Thirteenth Sister) and provides the most intimate look at the psychological recruitment process the Empire used. It’s not just about being "evil." It’s about being lonely, misunderstood, and then being offered a "family" that eventually turns out to be a cage.
From there, track the appearances of the Inquisitors through the Star Wars timeline to see how the Empire's grip on the galaxy tightened and eventually failed. Pay attention to the ship they use—the Scythe. It’s a perfect metaphor for their existence: sleek, sharp, and designed for one thing only: reaping.
You should also keep an eye on future Disney+ projects. There are still numbers on the Star Wars Inquisitors list that haven't been assigned to a character yet. We still don't know who the First Brother is, or if a "First" even exists. There’s a lot of room for new stories about the ones who slipped through the cracks.