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The Jedi are keepers of the peace of an ancient and noble monastic organization from the fictional Star Wars universe, known for their talent in and observance of The Force. Using the living things around them to manipulate the Force and wielding their signature lightsabers, members of the Jedi Order fought for peace and justice in the Galactic Republic for between 20 000- 25 000 years prior to the Battle of Yavin, often against their mortal enemies, the Sith. Many Jedi are central characters in the Star Wars movies and additional works, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker. Their philosophical rivals and opposites are the Sith.

The Force

The Force is an incorporeal energy field that is generated by all living organisms and permeates the universe and all things within. While it is not treated as a religion in the movies, the Force does have religious overtones. Dick Staub, author of Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters, in an interview with Christianity Today, said he feels "the Lucas story is more theologically attuned with Hinduism". On his own admission, George Lucas has clearly been influenced by Christianity, Buddhism and other Indian religions in writing the Star Wars saga. As such many Christians connect the Force with the concept of the Holy Spirit. It also bears a close similarity to the Chinese notion of qi, the all-pervasive energy that is inherent with-in the fabric of the Universe. The Chinese notion of Dao and the Hindu notion of Brahman are also comparable. The Force is subject to control by anyone who is "Force sensitive." An individual who can control the Force can perform incredible feats such as telekinesis and telepathy.

Possible Inspirations Behind the Force

Lucas was influenced to some or great extent by the works of Carlos Castaneda who documented his experiences with shaman/sorcerer Don Juan Matus. The teaching and amazing powers of Matus were basically in the same vein as the force and our ability to use it. It may also be of high relevance that the most ancient sources of knowledge regarding early origins of life on this planet, often talk of a higher race called in Hebrew "Shaddai" (pronounced shedi) It basically means "powerful ones". The Force and the term Jedi may not be as far from reality as first assumed. It is reocurring cultural knowledge all through history as seen below. Ch'i (qi) powers in the Chinese wuxia genre give the wielder great skill in combat, premonitions, and the ability to strike foes without touching using an invisible force. The radio drama The Shadow featured an Asian-trained hero with nearly all of the same abilities as Jedi. The term "Jedi" was derived from Jidaigeki (Japanese period dramas) as George Lucas was heavily influenced by Akira Kurosawa. Isaac Asimov's Foundation series features several varieties of empaths and telepaths who can detect and influence human emotion. One such group, the Second Foundation, believes itself the guardians of the galaxy, and the Second Foundationers strive to prevent Galactic civilization's collapse into chaos. In this respect, the Second Foundationers resemble the Jedi Knights, although Asimov's paternalistic guardians are not telekinetic. Many years after he invented the Second Foundation, Asimov did introduce "mentalics" who could also manipulate physical objects; these play a large role in his novels Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth. Being an avowed humanist, Asimov did not indulge in light / dark moralizing, and he took pride in constructing villains who believed themselves just and heroes afflicted by their own dilemmas. (See the essays reprinted in Gold for Asimov's exposition of these views). Though the Solarians and the Gaians can manipulate objects and minds much like the Jedi, Asimov's mentalics are not divided into light and dark sides, nor do they have the power of prophecy. In Asimov's fiction, predicting the future requires either intuition or psychohistory. Asimov's influence on the Star Wars universe has been frequently noted, one example being the debt Coruscant owes to Asimov's Trantor. Further examples of stories akin to those found within Jedi "history" can be seen in the miracles of the Christian saints and the lives of some mystical Rabbis from the Middle Ages. Both saw individuals using an outside force to "manipulate" their environments and in a sense bend the laws of nature to suit their wills.

Science of the Force

As explained in the movie Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Jedi get their ability to understand the Force from symbiotic organisms within their bodies called midi-chlorians. Also known as "the messengers of life," these organisms allow a Jedi to "hear the Force," and it is said that "without them, life could not exist." The higher the midi-chlorian count in their cells, the stronger the Force is with the particular individual, and the higher the potential force abilities. Their presence can be sensed by other Jedi, although exact count cannot be determined without the aid of a computerized blood test and, possibly, midi-chlorian measuring software that Jedi carry with them in their utility belts. Anakin Skywalker had a count of over 20,000; higher than Master Yoda. This led many, most notably Qui-Gon Jinn, to believe Anakin to be the prophesied "Chosen One."

It is likely that the concept of midi-chlorians is derived from the cellular organelles known as mitochondria. These are the "power-plants" of all life-forms, and produce the energy (in the form of ATP) necessary to accomplish all cellular functions. It has been speculated that mitochondria were once free-living bacteria that developed a symbiotic relationship with other cells; this theory is supported by the presence of separate and distinct DNA within the mitochondria. They are the only organelles within a cell to have such, aside from the cell's own nucleus.

The Jedi Code

Becoming a Jedi requires the most profound commitment and astute mind, as Jedi instruction is rigidly structured and codified to enforce discipline and hinder transgression. The Jedi Code is portrayed as being the central philosophy and dogma of the Jedi Knights. Several versions exist, and the code is depicted as having been appended over the millennia. By the time of the Clone Wars it included many fairly esoteric prohibitions far removed from the core beliefs of a Jedi, such as a doctrine that training shall only begin in infancy. However, throughout all of these changes there was a central, core part of the code that remained the fundamental belief of a Jedi.

There is no emotion; there is peace.

There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.

There is no passion; there is serenity.

There is no chaos; there is harmony.

There is no death; there is the Force.

The video game Knights of the Old Republic added the fourth line "There is no chaos; there is harmony.", falling between the third and fourth lines above. This is the only official source containing this line. All others before or since, going back to the Code's original form as first presented in the 1980s Star Wars Roleplaying Game have only the four lines above. The Star Wars official website still currently features the four-line version as well.

The code was the focus of meditations on the Force by the Jedi Master Odan-Urr, a veteran of The Great Hyperspace War.

During the restructuring of the Jedi Order by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker a new code would be established for easier interpretation for the newer generation of Jedi. The code retained the same core beliefs as the millenia old code, rewritten for better understanding.

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.

Jedi use their powers to defend and protect, never to attack others.

Jedi respect all life, in any form.

Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.

Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.

Structure of the Order

There is a well-developed hierarchy of ranks, listed below.

Jedi ranks

Members of the order progressed through four tiers of rank, sometimes referred to as levels.

Youngling / Initiate / Apprentice -

An unofficial title, this refers to a child with Force potential. (Also referred to as "Jedi Hopeful.") More accurately, Youngling is Galactic Basic slang for children of any sort. At a very young age, the Jedi initiates leave their homes and are assigned to a group for training. If a youngling is not chosen by any Jedi Knight or higher ranking Jedi to be their Padawan by 13 years of age, the youngling is placed into another, lesser role in the Jedi Service Corps. Depending on where the student's talents lay, this may be the Agricultural Corps, the Medical Corps, or the Exploration Corps. A youngling is given a training lightsaber instead of a real one. Training sabers are less powerful than real ones.

Padawan

An apprentice Jedi undergoes intensive one-on-one training under a Jedi Knight or Master after graduating from the academy. As tradition a human Padawan grows a long strand of braided hair that is finally cut off during the ceremony of knighthood, when a Padawan becomes a Jedi Knight. A Jedi may have only one apprentice at a time, and is required to promote the current apprentice before taking another. Master Yoda was seen training several younglings in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, during the scene where they locate Kamino for Obi-Wan, one of whom Yoda refers to as a Padawan ("...the Padawan is right").

Jedi Knight

Disciplined, experienced padawans may become full-fledged Jedi once they have completed "the trials", which are usually intensified tests, physical and otherwise, of candidates' skills, knowledge and dedication. The known trials are, but aren't limited to: the Trial of Flesh, the Trial of Courage, the Trial of Skill and the Trial of Self (also known as "facing the mirror"). Master Yoda gave his apprentice Luke Skywalker the trial of confronting Darth Vader for a second time in order to become a full-fledged Jedi. Occasionally, performing an extraordinary (usually heroic) act can earn a Padawan learner Jedi Knight status, such as when Obi-Wan Kenobi, toward the end of his training, defeated Darth Maul, Sith Apprentice, during the Battle of Naboo. Jedi Knight is the most common rank of Jedi, hence, the title is also used, mostly by non-Jedi, to refer to any member of the order that has at least met the compulsory requirements of the Jedi Council. Becoming a Jedi takes the utmost strength of mind, knowledge of the Force, and skill with a lightsaber.

Jedi Master

A Jedi Knight may become a Master after successfully training a Padawan learner to Knight status. Though this is the most common manner, it is not always the case. If the council sees that a Jedi Knight has become more powerful and has gained more knowledge and discipline in the Force, then they can be nominated by one or more council members to take the trials again. But this time, the trials will be more difficult. It should also be said that most Jedi Masters, like Qui-Gon Jinn, never become members of the Council, as it is not a requirement to be a Master. The rank can also be achieved through the performance of extraordinary deeds or self-proclamation, though it is extremely rare.

Jedi Council Member

When a Jedi Council Member vacates their seat, the council looks for an exceptional Jedi Master to fill the empty position. Presiding Council members elect prospective candidates when openings become available. In some texts, the Council has a few Knights in its membership (such as Ki-Adi-Mundi) "to give a different perspective"; however, most references were removed in preparation for Revenge of the Sith, as Anakin's position on the council, but lack of promotion to Master, was a point of contention, as it was at the request of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. While there are no explicit ranks among the Jedi Council (as it is, at least theoretically, a conclave of equals), there are clear centers of authority. Yoda, during his tenure on the Council, was usually regarded as the Council's most senior member, better known as the Grand Master, and Mace Windu as his second. During the time of the New Jedi Order, Luke's "first-among-equals" position as the Grand Master is also unquestioned, if not totally agreed with. According to the Dorling Kindersley guide to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, some members were permanent, or lifetime, members, while the rest served limited terms, after which they stepped down and another member would be elected to the Jedi council.

The Chosen One

In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace reference is made to the "Chosen One", a prophecy of a person who is "to bring balance to the Force". This prophecy was interpreted by Qui-Gon and other Jedi to mean that he would destroy the Sith. Qui-Gon Jinn believes that a young Anakin Skywalker is that person when he discovers him on the planet Tatooine in The Phantom Menace, because of Anakin's exceptionally high midi-chlorian count and unusual conception.

It seems that Anakin is not the chosen one, since he falls to the Dark Side of the Force, and as Darth Vader, helps destroy the Jedi Order. However in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, he redeems himself with his decision to stand against Emperor Palpatine, sacrificing himself to save his son, Luke, and finally destroying the Sith in the process. George Lucas clarified on the Documentary DVD that came with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith that Anakin Skywalker is the Chosen One, putting to rest fan speculation. Despite fan confusion over the definition of "balance", Lucas affirms that the Dark Side represents imbalance, stating that, although Anakin Skywalker turns to the Dark Side, he does eventually destroy the Sith (by killing Emperor Palpatine, and then dying himself) and thus fulfilling the Prophecy that he would bring balance to the Force. Another theory is based on the idea that in order to "balance" the Force, Anakin had to destroy both the Jedi and the Sith. A third theory holds that simply by betraying the Jedi and spearheading the slaughter of the Jedi order, Anakin Skywalker brought a numeric balance to the force because the only two surviving Jedi, Obi-Wan and Yoda, matched the only two Sith, Palpatine and Vader. This is contradicted by a plethora of surviving Jedi in the Expanded Universe. And even a fourth theory is that Anakin did eventually bring balance since his lineage eventually allowed the Sith to be destroyed. A fifth theory is that balance is acheived by ridding the universe of those who would use the Force selfishly for their own benefit, this unbalances it. Using it for the benefit of others balances it. This is what the Jedi try to do for the benefit of all.

The Lost Twenty

The Lost Twenty is a phrase that refers to the number of Jedi Masters who have voluntarily renounced their commission in the Jedi Order over ideological differences. Count Dooku is one of these, the most recent at the time of Attack of the Clones. The Jedi Order keeps busts of the Lost Twenty in the Jedi Archives, apparently as an acknowledgment that the Order is imperfect and cannot satisfy all needs. The only other known members of the Lost are Chon Actrion and Phanius, who would later be known as Darth Ruin.

Leaving the Jedi Order does not inherently make one a Dark Jedi or Sith. However, without the guiding influence of the Jedi Council and their fellow Knights, some members of the Lost Twenty, like Phanius and Dooku, have fallen to the dark side of the Force.

After falling to the dark side, Anakin Skywalker considered himself the Lost Twenty-First, but this was nothing more than hubris, as he was never granted the rank of Jedi Master and the concept of the Lost was abandoned during the Clone Wars.

Political organization

In the time of Episodes I-III there is a central political entity called the Jedi Council, a gathering of great minds which acts as a governing body for the order and an advisory board for the Old Republic Senate. The Jedi Council could only have twelve members at a time.

Among other tasks, the Jedi were eventually responsible for law enforcement and peacekeeping in the Galactic Republic. At the time of the Clone Wars, in the twilight years of the Galactic Republic and during the time of The Mandalorian War (and in the Sith War that followed), they would act as generals, soldiers and advisers in the conflict.

The Lightsaber

The traditional weapon of the Jedi is the lightsaber which, in the hands of a skilled wielder, could be more than a match for most opponents, even those that are armed with ranged weapons. A skilled lightsaber practitioner can deflect shots from blasters and even target the attacker. A typical lightsaber consists of a 30 cm-long metallic rod base that emits a blade-shaped field of energy. To be able to use a lightsaber is an example of incredible skill and confidence, dexterity and attunement to the The Force. Lightsaber colors include green, blue, yellow, orange, red, silver, and purple (a personal preference on the part of actor Samuel L. Jackson who played Windu). But by the rise of the Galactic Empire, most lightsaber crystal caves that gave the colors other than blue and green were destroyed. A common task for the Jedi is to construct their own lightsaber, after collecting special crystals which form the core of the lightsaber. The construction of a lightsaber is considered a milestone on the path to Jedi Knighthood, and takes on a heavily symbolic meaning. While many lightsabers appear similar at first glance, closer inspection reveals many differences. Because each Jedi personally constructs his or her own weapon, no two lightsabers are the same. However, some Padawan learners build their lightsabers to resemble those of their Masters as a sign of respect.

The lightsaber's beam is made of pure energy which can cut through almost anything, except the beam of another lightsaber or some rare materials, the most notable of which is Cortosis, a force-resistant ore found deep within asteroid belts along the Outer Rim. Cortosis, once refined, could be bonded with other metals when both were melted, creating an alloy that couldn't be cut by a lightsaber. Cortosis was readily available during the era of the Old Republic, as evidenced in the multitude of weapons and armor that have been imbued by a Cortosis weave. The secret to refining Cortosis, however, was lost during the Great Jedi Purge. It should be noted that a lightsaber does not depend on the Force to function; Han Solo operates one in The Empire Strikes Back, and Luke Skywalker's lightsaber was fully operational within the force dead zone created by Ysalamiri during the Thrawn trilogy.

The lightsaber is not just a single-bladed weapon, and not only wielded by Jedi. Some Jedi have used two single-bladed lightsabers, and some use double-bladed lightsabers as well.

One important note about lightsaber wounds is that they rarely bleed profusely, even when a limb has been severed. The energy blade cauterizes the wound as it passes, and thus even a severe wound does not tend to bleed heavily. An exception to this was in A New Hope when Obi-Wan Kenobi cut off the arm of an alien in a cantina, and the arm was shown with blood on the ground; though the nature of the alien species' biological processes is not known and could provide for the discrepancy in the incident.

Younglings' training lightsabers cause much less damage on contact in case they make a mistake. While the blade won't cut through things nearly as easily as a typical lightsaber would, the injuries it inflicts can still be fatal.

The Dark Side of the Force

See also: Sith Code

The power of the Force does not come without a price, for with these abilities come great temptation to misuse them, and emotions such as hate, anger, and fear can cause a Jedi to be overcome by the Dark Side of the Force. The Dark Side is the easier path and at first can seem more powerful. In the words of Yoda, it is not actually more powerful, but only quicker and easier to learn, and thus more seductive. When one turns to the Dark Side, there is little hope of recovery. Only seven Jedi have broken from the Dark Side: Ulic Qel-Droma, after killing his brother, Cay, in a duel; Anakin Skywalker, when he killed Palpatine to save his son, Luke; Luke himself, after he joined the Dark Side to learn its secrets in the Expanded Universe comic book series Dark Empire (but later fell back to the Dark Side from trying to suppress his darker emotions until he learned to accept that they were a part of him and now walks the grey line between light and dark); Kyle Katarn, after a duel with Mara Jade in Mysteries of the Sith during which Mara Jade put her lightsaber away and refused to fight Kyle; Darth Revan, who lost his memory and was given a new identity by the the Jedi Order, if the player follows the light side (which is traditionally considered canon); Bastila Shan, who was brought back to the light when the reformed Revan professed his love for her in the video game Knights of the Old Republic; minor characters such as Visas Marr, Juhani, and Yuthura Ban can be brought back to the light side of the Force by the player's actions in KOTOR; and in Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, the character Rosh Penin turns back from the dark side. Depending on the player's actions, though, Penin may be killed. The storyline where he lives is regarded as canon. Kyp Durron is also brought back from the Dark Side after being persuaded by Luke Skywalker after falling to the force phantom of Exar Kun in "Champions of the Force."

The consequences of a Jedi falling to the Dark Side of the Force are quite costly, not only for the fallen individual, but for many others as well. Such Jedi are normally referred to as Dark Jedi. Dark Jedi and the Sith are often confused as one and the same but are two entirely different enities. Dark Jedi study both the light and dark sides of the Force and for whatever reason have chosen to use both, yet have not sworn allegiance to the Sith (and sometimes actively hate the Sith). However many Dark Jedi do become members of the Sith Order or at least allies. Sith normally use red lightsabers, but Dark Jedi may use any color for their lightsabers although they often favor red. This was demonstrated by the seven Dark Jedi in Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II.

These ideas are generally accepted as canon, but various groups of Jedi and Sith have presented different opinions on the Dark Side. At times, the Dark Side of the Force is cast as an insidious force that corrupts a tangible duality to The Force. And yet, it is at times portrayed as simply a seductive path that may be chosen, a way of using or experiencing The Force. Within the greater collective of the 'Expanded Universe' of Star Wars, and the gray areas of canon, the Dark Side is revealed to be an illusion or belief, a false concept. In this view, there is no true 'Dark Side' only the "dark side" inside each person, there is only the Force, and how those aware of it perceive it.

Equipment

The Jedi dress in simple robes and carry specialized field gear for their missions. Their utility belts usually consist of their lightsaber, survival rations in the form of capsules, a Hush-98 comlink, a holoprojector, particularly an imagecaster, a holomap, and an A99 aquata breather. For reconnaissance missions, they employ Jedi starfighters.

Recent history of the Jedi

The Jedi-Sith Conflict Resumes

In 32 BBY, the presence of the Sith once again became known to the Jedi. Two Sith Lords, the master Darth Sidious, and the apprentice Darth Maul, supported the blockade of Naboo. After Darth Maul was killed, the Jedi knew that somewhere in the galaxy there was still one member of the Sith active, but they were unaware of the identity of Sidious. During the next ten years, former Jedi Count Dooku fell to the dark side and became the new apprentice, as Darth Tyranus. Tyranus selected a bounty hunter, Jango Fett, as the template for a clone army he ordered for the Galactic Republic under the guise of the deceased Sifo-Dyas. Later, with the assistance of the Trade Federation, he rallied as many star systems as he could to create the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and gathered an enormous army of droids. Tyranus and Sidious, through political machinations and exploitation, engineered the Clone Wars.

At approximately the same time toward the end of the Clone Wars, the Jedi discovered that Chancellor Palpatine was in fact Darth Sidious, and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker succumbed to the Dark Side. Anakin became known as Darth Vader, Sidious's latest apprentice. During a battle with his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin suffered serious injuries, including the loss of his legs and one arm and terrible burns from fire and lava. After the fight, the majority of Anakin's body had to be replaced with mechanical implants, including a breathing apparatus to keep him alive.

By Darth Sidious' own admission, Darth Vader had the potential to become more powerful than himself, going so far as to tell Yoda that "Darth Vader will become more powerful than either of us."

The Dark Times and the Empire, Return of the Jedi

At the onset of the Galactic Civil War, the Jedi were almost completely wiped out through the actions of followers of the Dark Side, led by Palpatine (now Emperor) and Darth Vader. Vader led the Great Jedi Purge, wiping out nearly all of his former fellow Jedi. Obi Wan Kenobi (Anakin's own teacher), and Yoda were among the survivors featured in the original trilogy. The Jedi archives, found in the ruins of the Jedi Temple, indicate that a few other Jedi also survived the purge. Other survivors include Anakin's former rival Ferus Olin (but he left the Jedi Order after a mission), Empatojayos Brand, Vima Da Boda, Quinlan Vos, and Vergere, none, except Vos briefly mentioned by Obi Wan Kenobi in Episode III, are referenced in the movies. Also, in the Star Wars game "Galactic Battlegrounds" the protagonists are aided by a Jedi named Echuu Shen Jon, who claims to have survived the purge.

The novels written after the original trilogy indicate that the Empire took steps to exterminate the Jedi family members and supporters as well as the Jedi themselves. Corran Horn's grandfather was a Corellian Jedi named Nejaa Halcyon, who had died in the Clone Wars. Halcyon's friend Rostek Horn married Halcyon's wife, adopted Corran's father Valin "Hal" Horn, and altered the records concerning the Halcyon family. He did this to protect Hal and his mother from the Empire's Jedi hunters. Hal kept the knowledge of Corran's true grandfather from him, because revealing that knowledge would have made Corran a target as well. As a result, Corran only learned of his true heritage when Luke Skywalker discovered his past, and shared that discovery with Corran.

The Emperor also trained a number of "Hands," or those who had the potential to use the Force as his personal agents. Through the Force, he was able to relay orders to these agents. Mara Jade was one of his Hands. She had been discovered to be Force sensitive at a young age, and was taken by the Emperor for training. It has also been suggested that these "Hands" had little power on their own, being artificially "boosted" by the Emperor's own power, as an extension of his will. Upon his death, Mara found her own power greatly reduced, having to re-learn the ways of the Force through training. That the Emperor could extend his will to empower others under his control was also demonstrated in his formation of the Dark Side Elite. The actions of Luke Skywalker and his relationship with the Force were a principal plot device in the films. As a sign of how desperate things had become, Luke was taken into the Jedi fold as a young adult as opposed to during infancy, or even childhood (as Anakin had been). The period of his training was also amazingly short, by necessity.

After the Galactic Civil War

In the novels set after the Galactic Civil War, Luke's main task was to reestablish the Jedi Order by training a new generation of Jedi Knights. It was not an easy task. Because the Emperor had wished to completely destroy the order, almost all information concerning the Jedi had been destroyed. Only a few histories remained, and they were propaganda pieces used to paint the Jedi in an unfavorable light. Almost all the material on instructing Jedi was also eliminated, save a few documents on how to turn potential Jedi to the Dark Side of the Force.

Four years after the death of the Emperor at Endor, Luke discovered an ancient relic: the wreck of the Chu'unthor on the planet Dathomir. The Chu'unthor was a starship that had served as a mobile Jedi academy. Dathomir was the home of Force sensitive "Witches," who were the descendants of a fallen Jedi banished to that world. Master Yoda had left the instruction materials from the ship behind with the rest of the ship. Four hundred years later, after defeating the Witches that had experimented in the Dark Side, one of the natives gave Luke the instruction materials that she had kept safely since the time of the crash. Due to Luke's lack of knowledge with the old ways of the Jedi Order, the new generation of Jedi were very unorthodox. He established an academy in order to teach the way of the Jedi to others. The academy was established in the old temples on Yavin 4, which the Rebels had used as a base until after the Battle of Yavin. This new academy used a system very different from the "one student, one master" system used by the old order. The new order also differed from the old in that Luke allowed his students to have personal possessions and had no rule against a Jedi having emotional attachments to friends and family, which had been forbidden by the old order. Accepted students were also taken into the order at a much older age than had been the case previously. Most members were already well into adulthood before they began training.

What Luke did not know was that Yavin 4 had once been a base for the Sith Lord Exar Kun during the Great Sith War. He was unaware that Kun's spirit had been trapped in the temples all that time. As a result, Kun was able to influence three of Luke's students. The first, Gantoris, under the tutelage of Exar Kun, secretly constructed a multi-jeweled lightsaber before being killed by the dark lord's spirit. The second student, Kyp Durron, eventually fell to the Dark Side for a time while under Kun's influence. Kyp's actions resulted with the destruction of several star systems by the Sun Crusher. Eventually, the students at the academy were able to destroy Kun's spirit. Freed of Kun's influence, Kyp surrendered, returned to the Light Side of the Force, and became one of the first new Jedi Masters. The final student was Streen, an old hermit from Bespin, who was gifted with the power to control the winds. Streen created a whirlwind to kill Master Skywalker, under the impression that he was fighting the "Dark Man."

Luke eventually turned the academy into a center that would provide basic training for potential Jedi. He began pairing Jedi who had gone through that training with a more experienced Jedi, much like the master/apprentice system used in the old order.

The New Jedi Order

The New Jedi Order grew slowly but steadily. Some Jedi from the first class Luke taught - such as Kyp Durron - became Jedi Masters. The order eventually became large enough that Luke Skywalker considered reinstating the Jedi Council. However, an extragalactic alien species, the Yuuzhan Vong, invaded the galaxy. The war had lasted 5 years, and the results were severe. An estimated 365 trillion sentients had perished in the invasion. Many Jedi fell while fighting this new threat, but the order did survive the war and continued to grow in strength. One of the Jedi casualties of this war was Anakin Solo, the youngest son of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo, Luke's nephew. Before his death, it was widely felt that Anakin would eventually become one of the greatest Jedi of his generation, and that he would eventually take Luke's place. Since Anakin's death, it has been assumed that Luke Skywalker's son, Ben Skywalker, has the most Force potential of any living being.

With the formation of the New Republic, a new Jedi Council was formed, which sat in Coruscant in the old Jedi Temple. Jedi "centres" within the galaxy, were also created, such as the Yavin Temples and the Corellia Jedi Tower. Though new Jedi recruits could vary in age from very young to very old and were initially taught in large groups, as the order grew, one master-one padawan teaching was not uncommon. The principles of the order remained the same; to strive for good and follow the will of the Force. However, the restrictive nature of the old Order which had themselves aided the rise of the dark side, were stripped away and the new Jedi Code allowed for Jedi to have some links with their family. Jedi Master Skywalker quoted Yoda in saying that the loving nurturing of a family was just as good as the peaceful surroundings in the Jedi temple.

In recent novels, after the war with the Yuuzhan Vong was over, Luke realized that the order would have to further adapt in order to survive. His experiences had led him to believe that the Force was not rigidly divided into a light and a dark side. Strong emotions, including anger, were not intrinsically evil - instead it was the intentions of the Force user that mattered the most. Luke came to believe that nearly everyone, regardless of their heritage, had some ability to touch and use the Force. He also felt that individual Jedi (and other Force users) would need to discover their own paths: that some could be called to contemplative life, while others would feel a need to take a more active role in galactic affairs, like the old-style Jedi. Romance should be allowed, and Jedi would not be forced to live lives of denial, in order to prevent the sort of trauma that his father suffered. Because the Jedi had no single goal, he felt the Jedi Order as a whole should remain carefully aloof of its allegiance to the Galactic Alliance or any succeeding government. Many of Luke's realizations would have been considered heresy during the time of the original Jedi Order.

The Dark Nest

After the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, a call was heard through the Force calling the surviving members of the mission to Myrkr to meet with Raynar Thul. The members who were still alive answered the call, except for Tenel Ka who was too busy ruling the Hapes Consortium. When the Myrkr strike team was found to be missing, Luke, Han, Leia, Mara, and Saba Sebatyne went to investigate. Raynar Thul had become the leader of the Killiks who were the original species on Alderaan. All of the strike teams except Jaina Solo and Zekk returned to the Galactic Alliance.

The Jedi discovered that the Killik's uncharacteristically aggressive actions were driven by another survivor of the Myrkr mission. The Jedi barely managed to stop a war from breaking out between the Alliance and the Killiks. Leia announced that she wished to finally take up the Skywalker legacy and become a Jedi like her brother and father before her. After Luke killed the being they thought was leading the Dark Nest and he saw that person had become a bug-human hybrid he realized that the Dark Side was very much real and personally recanted his Gray Jedi views. The Jedi then realized the Dark Nest was being controlled by Lomi Plo. She had gone to the Dark Side and been controlling the Killiks as the Hive's subconscious.

Months later tensions once again arose between the Chiss and the Killiks. The Jedi went to negotiate with the Killiks and Raynar took Luke and Han hostage to be certain that the Alliance wouldn't betray him. While Luke was gone the Jedi Order fell into chaos with Corran Horn the state appointed leader while Luke was absent. Once Luke decided to free Han and himself from prison he heard about the state of the Jedi and felt doubt. This lead to Lomi Plo being able to defeat him as she was able to use any doubt to cloak herself.

In order to counter the behavior of the Council in his absence Luke attempted to unite the Masters against him by saying he was taking direct control of the Order. This tactic later backfired when the Masters still could not come to a consensus and Skywalker was then forced to actually take control. Luke decreed that the Jedi Order had to come before any other commitments. This led Danni Quee to resign as Danni's first commitment was to helping Zonama Sekot and Tenel Ka couldn't abdicate her throne as the Queen Mother of Hapes. Luke was forced to exile Lowbacca, Tesar Sebatyne, and Tahiri Veila to Dagobah because they had told Raynar's mother about the fact that Jedi would kill him if necessary, thus betraying him and the Jedi Order.

While there are few who would deny that Luke is capable of serving as the sole authority in the Jedi Order, many know that the new order must adapt to being directed by a council of Jedi Masters as the old order once was. The fact that the Jedi's role in maintaining peace and order in the Republic is not clearly expressed in any code or doctrine or Republic law, will also remain an issue in the future.

Major Jedi

There are several major Jedi, divided into four categories; Ancient Jedi, Pre-Clone War Era Old Republic Jedi, Clone War Era Old Republic Jedi, The New Jedi-Order's.

Pre-Clone Wars Era Old Republic Jedi

Clone Wars Era Old Republic Jedi

The New Jedi Order

Jedi of Star Wars Legacy time period

• Kol Skywalker
• Cade Skywalker
• K'Kruhk
• Wolf Sazen
• Shado Vao
• Rasi Tuum
• Hosk Tre'lyis

See also

• Jedi census phenomenon
• List of minor Star Wars Jedi characters
• Jidaigeki (Japanese period genre films)
• Samurai

Notes

1. "The Jedi Order". The Official Star Wars Website. Retrieved 2007-03-24.
2. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 1977 (“For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic”)
3. "Order of the Jedi". Sideshow Collectibles Website. Retrieved 2007-03-24.
4. Brooks, Terry "Episode 1: The Phantom Menace",pg 149, Lucas Books and Del Rey 1998
5. "The Jedi Code". The Official Star Wars Website. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
6. ^ J.D. Wiker, Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Power of the Jedi Sourcebook (hardcover; Wizards of the Coast, 2001), ISBN 0-786-92781-X. Cite error: The named reference "PotJ" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
7. R.A. Salvatore, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones novelization (hardcover; New York: Ballantine Books, 2002), p. 157, ISBN 0-345-42881-1.

External links

• The Jedi Order - Star Wars Databank article
• The Jedi Encyclopedia
• Jedis of England 2001 map
• 390,000 Jedis There Are; But did hoax campaign boost response in teens and 20s?, (United Kingdom - see link to map above).

References

• Jedi
• Jedi religion
• Fictional military organizations
• Star Wars fandom
• Star Wars governments
• Warrior code