The dark side of the Force is one of Star Wars' most essential elements, yet there is still a lot to be learned about it in canon. Since the original Star Wars movie, the Star Wars universe has explored the dark side in countless different stories, including movies, comics, novels, and video games. While a lot of Star Wars' dark side worldbuilding is now labeled as Legends, Disney's Star Wars canon has also revealed a lot of secrets about how the Force works.
The three upcoming Star Wars movies will reignite the theatrical side of the franchise starting in 2026. One of those projects is James Mangold's Star Wars film, which will take place 25,000 years before the Skywalker saga. Exploring the Star Wars galaxy thousands of years before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is the key to solving Star Wars' original Force mystery.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's lessons to Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars film served as exposition dialogue for audiences to understand what the Jedi and the Force were. Obi-Wan even mentions that Darth Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force. However, it was only in The Empire Strikes Back that Star Wars properly introduced the concept of the dark side. The term "dark side" is used quite a few times in The Empire Strikes Back, during which Yoda and Luke discuss whether the dark side of the Force is stronger. Likewise, Darth Vader tries to recruit Luke by teasing the "power of the dark side."
From then on, Star Wars built a large part of its mythos around the dichotomous nature of the Force - the dark side and the Light. However, it is still unclear what is the dark side. Is there an actual dichotomy of the Force? If so, that should mean the dark side is as important to the balance of the Force as what the Jedi consider to be the Light. However, Star Wars has also treated the dark side of the Force as a twisted version of the Force, which goes against the idea of "two sides of the same coin." Those two interpretations of the Force are mutually exclusive
James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi Star Wars movie, which currently does not have an official title, should finally settle Star Wars' dark side debate. Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi film will not actually be about the first Jedi. Instead, the film is being described as "Star Wars' Ten Commandments of the Force" and will showcase how the Force became known in the galaxy. As such, Mangold's Star Wars movie can show how the Force was first perceived, and how the idea of a dark side of the Force came to be.
The dark side is often associated with the Sith, which are tied to the Jedi. By exploring the Star Wars galaxy before the Jedi even existed, James Mangold's Star Wars movie can cover the inception of concepts such as the dark side and the Light. The possibilities for Star Wars' Dawn of the Jedi movie are endless, especially regarding how to portray the Force and its variations. If the dark side is a corrupted aspect of the Force, that can be portrayed through a corrupted character, for example. If the dark side is part of the balance, the story can involve antagonizing main characters who interpreted the Force differently.