SPECULATION The Source of the Dark Side, Ahch-To & Ghosts

People seem to have the idea that Ahch-To, being the site of the first Jedi temple, means it is a sort of light side world. However, I wonder if this is the case at all. We've learned the Jedi temple on Coruscant was placed upon Sith grounds, perhaps the same was done here? Is Ahch-To in fact the "source of the Dark Side" that Sidious sought out? This would then explain why Luke was hell bent on finding it - perhaps he was in a race with Snoke to find this most powerful of planets? Perhaps he has been guarding this place all along which connects with very early ideas (largely debunked of course) of what happened to Luke (guarding a tomb)? I also wonder if this connects to exactly why Yoda chose Dagobah - another place strong with the Force that just so happened to have an evil tree, similar to what appears to be on Ahch-To (also worth noting Luke's search for Force trees in the Shattered Empire comics).

The other interesting thing about Ahch-To, as mentioned in the TFA novel, is that such places were used as sanctuaries for any Jedi fleeing the Empire (hence why it was perhaps partially removed/hidden from the archives of the Empire). After Ren destroys Luke's temple, the Jedi Master exiles himself to the FJT. For what reason we don't know - to survive, to discover ancient ways about the Jedi or for the reason I mention above. Many possibilities. However, something else I have stumbled across gives me pause for thought:



Strike-through text reads: One day you will be able to glimpse, as I have, the beautiful symmetry, the perfection of this creation we all belong to...

In this segment from the original TESB script written by Leigh Brackett, Kenobi explains to Luke that he continues to exist "in a different part of the universe". This could be seen in many ways to fit in with Palpatine's ideas of "the source of the Dark Side" existing somewhere in the unknown regions. This concept has always been very odd to me. Surely there isn't an actual source (a place where it was first used maybe, but not an evil well of energy)?

What I find curious here is when you read that dialogue from Kenobi and think about what Palpatine was attempting to do on Jakku - he was searching for a way to navigate the unknown regions to find the source of the Dark Side. This to me sounds like what Kenobi is saying to Luke he can do and one day Luke can do - but it also reflects the opposing ways of the Jedi and the Sith. The Jedi can retain consciousness and navigate the way to and from the netherworld of the Force - and they do this through their spiritual connection to the Force. But the Sith are more literal. Palpatine feels this dark side source but believes he can literally get to it but through bypassing these spiritual ideas and physical travelling there. In terms of Luke - was he searching for Ahch-To because he thought it could be a means of communicating to the other realm?

The question is whether the netherworld of the Force exists in some strange way in the unknown regions? Does this idea give any more of an explanation to how the source of the Dark Side could actually exist in the unknown regions? Could Ahch-To be connected to this and perhaps indicate that it exists outside of the usual laws that govern the rest of the known galaxy?

Finally, Pablo Hidalgo has said this about Dagobah and Mortis



- Could this is the case for all planets that have these mysterious Force connections - such as Ahch-To maybe? Could this mean that although Luke has been on Ahch-To for around six years that to him it has in fact felt a lot longer? It reminds me of Gandalf where battles the Balrog and I believe finds himself in a realm for him that feels like a thousand lifetimes...

So I haven't really come up with any theories here (!) or plot points but questions about how the story-group could be exploring the stranger things that could exist within the GFFA. I hope this thread doesn't come across as hot air - it's just stuff I have read about recently and felt it worthy of discussion...

 

Just picking back up on this since the info about the

Spoiler

burning tree

was released by MSW.

Perhaps Luke has been guarding this place that contains such a powerful Dark Side presence and it is in fact him that burns down the tree (that is perhaps the source of great Dark Side knowledge and power).

Being on the planet might even have taken a severe toll on Luke who is now not the man he once was - physically and spiritually. And could this link to Rey's origins and the reason the map is found on Jakku? Perhaps the Island wasn't just a dream for Rey but her birth place and this explains her great power.

I know a lot of people are pointing to Snoke as the source but has he really been out in the UR all along? Pablo Hidalgo suggests Leia knew him. And he has watched the rise and fall of the Empire.