Want to smooch a Sith? Star Wars: The Old Republic delivers

I’ve been largely ignoring The Acolyte, the Disney Plus series that takes place in the High Republic era of Star Wars. As a long-time Star Wars fan, I don’t have much interest in that particular blip on the timeline, and much of the current Star Wars TV catalog has left me cold. But the show has forced its way onto my social media feeds, mainly due to Manny Jacinto’s portrayal of Qimir, a character inspired by legends like Let Me Solo Her in Elden Ring.

Qimir is a sexy, sinister Sith Lord, and I can absolutely see how that’s an appealing fantasy. The Sith are a dramatic lot, prone to murder and monologues, and they very obviously serve as the opposite of the Jedi’s monastic ways and virtuous order. A huge part of the appeal is that the Sith are an inherently passionate Order, unlike the Jedi, who reject romance. (Another portion is doubtlessly Jacinto and his shredded physique.)

But Star Wars stories don’t usually focus on romance; it’s certainly an element, but shows like Ahsoka and The Mandalorian are more interested in moving on to big lore reveals and exciting fight scenes. So, to cope, I’ve been getting my fill of Sith romance from Star Wars: The Old Republic, an MMO that launched in 2011 but today will scratch a very satisfying itch.

Image: Lucasfilm

It’s a no-brainer to find a Sith Lord hot, even Sheev Palpatine had a certain debonair charm to him before he got turned into a raisin. I’m pleased to report that The Old Republic has a roster of sexy Sith — and other eligible candidates — to date or marry.

In The Old Republic, the player can pick one of eight origin stories. The Republic heroes are the Jedi Knight, the Jedi Consular, the Smuggler, and the Trooper. The Empire allows players to choose the Sith Warrior, the Sith Inquisitor, the Agent, or the Bounty Hunter. Each origin has the character pursuing some goal, which leads them to find a ship, assemble a crew, and explore the galaxy. In the style of other BioWare titles, there are a couple of companions that you can choose to romance.

While the base game content is disappointingly hetero — queer relationship options don’t show up until later in the game — there are some fun dynamics. There are plenty of chances to date a Sith or a Jedi or flip the dynamic and be a Jedi falling for forbidden fruit. Players can also become a Sith seducing a naive hero.

Later, the narrative scope of the game narrows, and the origin characters are all funneled into a new set of adventures after a time skip. The player needs to rebuild a crew, and there are plenty of new romances to explore. Sometimes, an ex-lover can even show up and cause a little drama!

The Old Republic has unlocked origin stories from the character class, allowing you to mix and match playstyles and origin narratives. This is great for someone who, say, wanted to know the Jedi Knight story but couldn’t stand the tanky melee playstyle.

Even better, current developer Broadsword recently added a farmstead feature to the game — which includes date nights like a sexy sparring match or a game of holochess with your Sith Lord sweetie.

If you’re enjoying The Acolyte but want more Star Wars romance, I can’t recommend The Old Republic enough. Each date night is specific to a particular love interest, and so far there’s only a handful in the game — but Broadsword says there’s more to come, and the more smooching, the better.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is available to play on Windows PC via Steam and the EA Store.