Xanatos was not a Sith, nor is it likely that he ever learned of the existence of that ancient order of dark side Force-users. He was nothing more, but certainly nothing less, then a talented and powerful Jedi fallen to the dark side of the Force. However, the timing of his fall was indicative of the decline of the Jedi Order and its ability to keep pace with events and more generally with the unravelling of the Old Republic in the years before its demise. He was trained as a Jedi and taken up as a Padawan learner of none other than Qui-Gon Jinn, but he was ambitious and aggressive, and although he passed all the conventional trials to become a Jedi Knight, the Jedi Master Yoda insisted on one more test: Xanatos went to his old homeworld to investigate a brewing civil war. He and Qui-Gon discovered that Xanatos’ father was behind the plot, and the true nature of the test was revealed: Xanatos had to choose between his father and the Jedi. As for Xanatos’ father, he engaged Qui-Gon in battle and was not surprisingly slain. Xanatos, too late, chose his father, and swore revenge on Qui-Gon and all Jedi. Qui-Gon spared his life, perhaps to give him a chance at redemption. Several years later, when Qui-Gon was considering taking up Obi-Wan as his new Padawan, Xanatos emerged from hiding and executed a number of gambits in a single-minded effort to destroy the Jedi Order. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan foiled him each time, and in a final confrontation, Xanatos taunted Qui-Gon one last time before letting himself drop into a pool of acid – presumably killing himself rather than surrendering.