Jedi

The Jedi are a noble monastic peacekeeping organization from the Star Wars saga, known for their talent in and observance of The Force. They use the living things around them to manipulate the Living Force. Many Jedi are central characters in the Star Wars movies and additional works, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker.

Origins of the Order

The word "Jedi" is said to have been adapted by George Lucas from "jidaigeki" (Japanese for "period drama" movies about samurai), perhaps contaminated by association with the warrior's title "jed" found in the Barsoom books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, a series which Lucas considered adapting to film before his work on Star Wars.

The Jedi Knights were an order of individuals who had the ability to touch and work with the Force. Shunning the dark side (the "evil" side of the Force, known in ancient times as the "Bogan"), the Jedi followed the light side (the "good" side, or "Ashla") of the Force, using their power for unselfish, socially-beneficial acts. The order began tens of thousands of years before the rise of the Galactic Empire. Many ancient and semi-legendary organizations have been proposed as the forerunners of the Jedi Order, such as the Order of Dai Bendu or the Chatos Academy, but no conclusive links have ever been shown. Likewise, the birth planet of the Order is unknown. There are many candidates, including such known worlds as Coruscant, Ossus, Corellia and Utapau, as well as mythic, lost planets such as Had Abbadon and Ondos. It has also been said that the philosophies of the Jedi originated with the Caamassi, as they were very similar in their ways prior to their near extinction by the Empire. Caamassi legends say that the Jedi came to Caamass to learn to be Jedi before they were even an order.

It is known, however, that the brightest and best philosophers, priests and warriors came together on a single world long ago to discuss their discoveries involving the enigmatic, mystical Force, and that the concentration of these efforts eventually led to the development of the Jedi Order.

Initially the Jedi was a contemplative order. Over time, however, the Order changed, and took a more direct and active role in galactic affairs, eventually centralizing themselves on Coruscant in the aftermath of the catastrophic Battle of Ruusan. Before that, for thousands of years the Order had been centered on the planet Ossus (which is among the worlds where it is thought that the Order may have originated), until Ossus was devastated 4,000 years BBY during the Sith War. The history of the Jedi was intertwined with both the Republic they served and the Sith they fought.

For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.

Becoming a Jedi

Becoming a Jedi required the most profound commitment and astute mind. Sensitivity to the Force belonged to those with a naturally high level of midi-chlorians. Those who showed an aptitude for the Force were taken at birth or soon after to train in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where the Order was headquartered. The life of a Jedi was one of personal sacrifice. From the outset of their training they lived a life of simplicity, adhering to the Jedi Code which forbade material possessions and emotional attachments. A Jedi was expected to adhere to this strict Code that included concepts such as rational thought, patience and benevolence. A venerable, experienced Jedi conducted this initial training until the individual was proficient. In the expanded universe novels, when Luke Skywalker founded his new Jedi Academy, he altered the Jedi ways and traditions, allowing emotional attachments, possessions and more contact with family and friends in order to prevent emotional traumas like those that his father Anakin Skywalker endured and eventually gave in to. Luke formulated an Order that gave value to the sense of a Jedi Family. The Jedi, having been decimated by Palpatine's and Vader's Jedi Purge, needed to repopulate its ranks. This would not have been possible if the New Jedi Order was not allowed to have families to pass on the Force sensitive gene.

Jedi robe

In keeping with the tenets of modesty and humility, the Jedi traditionally wore simple and comfortable long, flowing robes, including tunics, a cloak and sometimes a tabard, of which each generally varied in tones and shades of white, cream and brown, though, grey was also quite common for the overtunic. The Jedi also wore trousers, an obi, a leather utility belt, where they carried specialized field gear for their missions and leather boots. The colors were in stark contrast to the antithetical Sith, who were draped primarily in black. Exceptions were sometimes made, most notably in the cases of Anakin Skywalker and his son, Luke, as well as Luminara Unduli and her padawan Barriss Offee. The latter pair are also examples of the occasional concessions made to the cultural background of certain Jedi, such as the wearing of special headresses, long skirts and patterned fabrics. Other Republic-era Jedi with notably culture-specific costume elements and tattoos inculde Shaak Ti and Quinlan Vos respectively.

During the post-Imperial era with Luke and the New Jedi Order, the dress code became more flexibile, allowing the Jedi to wear clothes closer to what they preferred, within reason. Some Jedi, like Corran Horn and Ganner Rhysode, still wore the traditional robes, while other Jedi who were also accomplished pilots, like the Solo children, Jaina, Jacen and Anakin, preferred to wear jumpsuits, simple and useful outfits that allowed the Jedi to have more mobility as well as advantages for piloting. In events that demanded formality, or Jedi gatherings, however, traditional Jedi robes were required.

The Force

The Force is an incorporeal energy field that is generated by all living organisms and permeates the universe and all things within. It is clearly indebted to the concept of chi and the Od of Baron Carl Reichenbach. Its principles resemble some real-world religions like Hinduism, the Shinto religion of Japan, certain Celtic druidic concepts, and probably resembles Buddhism and Taoism the most. 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 Indian religions in writing the Star Wars saga. And as such many Christians connect the Force with the concept of the Holy Spirit, the energy force of a Higher Being that connects believers and when coming into contact with a human spirit creates something new. It also bears a close similarity to the Chinese notion of qigong, the Hindu notion of Brahman, and many others. The earliest description of this "energy field" would be akin to that of pran, of which pranayama is a systematic practice originating in India and a part of yoga. 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.

This life-force is known in China as qi or chi; in India, prana and in Japan as Ki. A belief in a life-force is most commonly seen in the East, practised by Buddhists, Taoists, Confucianists and Hindus.

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 (an obvious play on mitochondrion and chloroplast). 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" (though this statement appears to be contradicted in some places in the Expanded Universe). The higher the midi-chlorian count in their cells, the stronger the Force is with the particular individual. 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."

The Jedi Code

The Jedi Code is portrayed as being the central philosophy and dogma of the Jedi Knights. Several versions exist, and the code is portrayed 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^{[citation needed]}. 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 death; there is the Force.

The video game Knights of the Old Republic added the 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.

Another version of the Jedi Code can be found in official Star Wars book "I am a Jedi", a children's book that purports to be written by Qui-Gon Jinn but is actually by Marc Cerasini and Iain Morris. This version goes as follows:

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.

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.

• Knowledge (See Jedi Archives)
• The Force
• Self-Discipline

The Lost Twenty

The Lost Twenty is a phrase that refers to the number of Jedi who have voluntarily renounced their commission in the Jedi Order over ideological differences ^[3]. Count Dooku was 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 acknowledgement that the Order is imperfect and cannot satisfy all needs. Attack of the Clones:The Visual Dictionary lists other of the twenty as Chon Actrion and Darth Ruin.

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

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 12 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 Jedi Civil War that followed), they would act as generals, soldiers and advisors 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 typical lightsaber consists of a 30 cm-long metallic rod base that conjures a blade-shaped field of energy. To carry a lightsaber is an example of incredible skill and confidence, dexterity and attunement to the The Force. Lightsaber colors include white, green, blue, red, yellow, orange, silver, gold, viridian, 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 would 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 (subtle or obvious) between two lightsabers. Because each Jedi personally constructs his or her own weapon from scratch, 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.

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.

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.

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

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 five 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); Darth Revan, when the Jedi Order captured him and erased his memory, if the player follows the light side (which is traditionally considered canon); and 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 (1 & 2), minor characters such as Visas Marr, Atris, Juhani, and Yuthura Ban can be brought back to the light side of the Force by the player's actions, and in Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, the character Rosh Penin turns back from the dark side. Though, depending on the player's actions, he can be killed. The storyline where he lives is regarded as canon.

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. Dark Jedi study both the light and dark sides of the Force but for whatever reason have chosen to use the Dark Side, yet have not sworn allegiance to the Sith (and sometimes actively hate the Sith). However some Dark Jedi do become members of the Sith Order, and are vastly superior among them. Sith normally use red lightsabers, but Dark Jedi can use any color for their lightsabers. 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 sometimes seen as possibly being an illusion or belief, a false concept. In this view, there is no true 'Dark Side', there is only the Force, and how those aware of it perceive it.

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.

Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi's epic duel on Mustafar.

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 final 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 twice as powerful as himself, going so far as to tell Yoda that "soon Darth Vader will become more powerful than either of us." In some ways, he was correct. Vader's anger and aggression increased his raw power considerably, as evident in the operating room when Vader arose from the table, the Force crushing everything non organic in the room. Vader could have killed his master at anytime, which the video game star wars episode III video game portrays in an unlockable extra ending, where vader stikes down Obi Won, and then kills Sidious.

It was earlier speculated that ability to use the Force required living flesh, and that Vader's cybernetic enhancements prevented him from using certain aspects of the Force. However, due to basic Film knowledge and canon, this is simply not the case. Luke used his cybernetic hand to call his lightsaber from the Emperor's Throne in Ep.VI, and Vader is seen using his arms to make the Force Choke gesture, both of which are cybernetic. It is assumed that Vader did not use Force Lightning because it would possibly damage his cybernetics, which would put him in a potentially fatal situation from simply using what is considered a traditional Sith technique.

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 Empatojayos Brand, Vima Da Boda and Vergere, none of whom 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

Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker.

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 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 fallen to 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

Anakin Solo, who died in 27 ABY.

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.

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. 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.

Interestingly, many of Luke's realizations would have been considered heresy during the time of the original Jedi Order. This has caused many fans to question the continuity of the reformed Jedi order with the principles of the Jedi order in the films.

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.

Jacen Solo in his early thirties.

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 subconcious.

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, it has raised concerns regarding the inevitable time when Skywalker can no longer function as the Grand Master, and the fear that successors would be too quick to abuse the power. Unfortunately, at the time there seems to be no alternative, given the divisions that have formed among the Master's Council. This may mean another civil war among the Jedi

Major Jedi

There are several major Jedi, divided into four categories; Ancient Jedi, Pre-Ruusan Reformation/Old Republic Jedi, Post-Ruusan Reformation / Old Republic Jedi, The New Jedi-Order's

Ancient Jedi

• Arca Jeth
• Ashka Boda
• Bodo Baas
• Chamma
• Conor McGeoch
• Dominus
• Exar Kun
• Garnoo
• Gra'aton
• Ikrit
• Jaled Dur
• Jassa Mroon
• Memit Nadill
• Naga Sadow
• Odan Urr
• Ood Bnar
• Ooroo
• Shatoyo
• Sidonra Diath
• Master Thon
• Vodo-Siosk Baas

Pre-Ruusan Old Republic Jedi

• Atris
• Bastila Shan
• Cay Qel-Droma
• Dorak
• Duron Qel-Droma
• Hoth
• Jedi Exile
• Jolee Bindo
• Juhani
• Kavar
• Kreia
• Lonna Vash
• Malak
• Nomi Sunrider
• Revan
• Ulic Qel-Droma
• Vandar Tokare
• Vrook
• Zez-Kai Ell
• Zhar

Post-Ruusan Old Republic Jedi

• Aayla Secura
• Adi Gallia
• Agen Kolar
• Anakin Skywalker
• Barriss Offee
• Bultar Swan
• Cin Drallig
• Coleman Trebor
• Daakman Barrek
• the Dark Woman
• Depa Billaba
• Count Dooku
• Dylki Maloc
• Echuu Shen-Jon
• Eeth Koth
• Empatojayos Brand
• Even Piell
• Foul Moudama
• Ihe-Du Inora
• Jocasta Nu
• Joclad Danva
• Jorus C'Baoth
• Ki-Adi-Mundi
• Kieran Halcyon
• Kit Fisto
• K'Kruhk
• Lumas Etima
• Scella (Paru)
• Luminara Unduli
• Mace Windu
• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Oppo Rancisis
• Pablo-Jill
• Plo Koon
• Qui-Gon Jinn
• Quinlan Vos
• Roron Corobb
• Roth-Del Masona
• Saesee Tiin
• Aaska Ren-Turro
• Sha Koon
• Sha'a Gi
• Shaak Ti
• Sifo-Dyas
• Siri Tachi
• Sora Bulq
• Stass Allie
• Tan Yuster
• Tarados Gon
• Tarr Seirr
• Tyvokka
• Vergere
• Yaddle
• Yarael Poof
• Yoda

The New Jedi Order

• Alema Rar
• Anakin Solo
• Callista
• Cilghal
• Corran Horn
• Daeshara'cor
• Dorsk 81
• Dorsk 82
• Duron Voltros
• Ganner Rhysode
• Gantoris
• Jacen Solo
• Jaden Korr
• Jaina Solo
• Kam Solusar
• Kirana Ti
• Kyle Katarn
• Kyp Durron
• Leia Organa Solo
• Lowbacca
• Luke Skywalker
• Mara Jade Skywalker
• Miko Reglia
• Raynar Thul
• Rosh Penin
• Saba Sebatyne
• Streen
• Tahiri Veila
• Tekli
• Tenel Ka
• Tesar Sebatyne
• Kam Solusar
• Tionne Solusar
• Zekk
• Wurth Skidder

Jedi of Star Wars Legacy time period

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

A noble order of protectors unified by their belief and observance of the Force, the Jedi hearken back to a more civilized, classical time in galactic history. Their order is ancient, spanning over a thousand generations. As the Galactic Republic throve and grew over the centuries, the Jedi came to serve it as guardians of peace and justice.

Headquartered on Coruscant, the Jedi trained, studied, and planned from the impressive Jedi Temple, a towering edifice rising high above the surrounding structures on the city-planet. They are governed by a High Council of 12 Jedi -- most of them Jedi Masters -- who contemplated the very nature of the Force.

To become a Jedi requires the deepest commitment and most serious mind. It is not a venture to be undertaken lightly. As such, Jedi instruction is rigidly structured and codified to enforce discipline and hinder transgression. Only 20 Jedi have ever voluntarily renounced their commissions. It is with great regret that the Jedi order recognizes the so-called "Lost Twenty." A Jedi who fails in his training can be a very serious threat. The dark side of the Force beckons to the impatient, and students in the past have been lured to its call with devastating consequences.

Jedi candidates are detected, identified and taken into the order as infants. One method of detection is through blood sampling -- those with great Force potential often have high midi-chlorian counts in their bloodstream. A prospective Jedi begins training in infancy. All connection to previous family life is lost. In this early stage of training, a single master instructs groups, or clans, of Jedi hopefuls.

As the Jedi mature, the apprentice is paired with a master to continue the next phase of the training. According to the Jedi Code, a Jedi Master may only have one Padawan at a time. Near the end of the Padawan's training, she must undergo trials before ascending to the rank of Knight.

The next level of rank in the Jedi order is the Jedi Master, reserved for those who have shown exceptional devotion and skill in the Force. It is from the ranks of the Jedi Masters that the High Council is chosen, which is the main interface between the Jedi and the government of the Republic.

The Jedi dress in simple robes and carry specialized field gear for their missions. Their signature weapon, the lightsaber, is both elegant and deadly when in the hands of a trained master.

The sworn enemies of the Jedi are the Sith -- a cult-like order bent on domination through subservience to the Force's dark side. Founded by former Jedi, the Sith abandoned the precepts of knowledge and defense, and instead seek abandon and strength through the Force's hateful energies. Centuries ago, the Jedi destroyed the Sith order. A dangerous complacency set it, wherein the Jedi believed the Sith extinct. Little did they know the order would arise anew, to destroy their ranks.

At first, the signs were few. The sudden appearance of a Sith attacker during the Battle of Naboo was startling to the Council, but that threat was dispatched. Still, according to Sith lore, the dark villains always traveled in pairs -- a master, and apprentice. For a decade, there was no physical sign of the remaining Dark Lord, but evidence of his power began to appear.

The Jedi ability to use the Force inexplicably began to diminish. This, coupled with increasing violence in the galaxy sparked by a Separatist movement overburdened the valiant protectors. Their ranks were spread thin trying to maintain the peace, and many Jedi fell during the crisis. When it came to war, and the first shots of the Clone Wars were fired on Geonosis, only a scant 200 Jedi were readily available for the conflict. Most of this taskforce was killed in the battle, but reinforcements, in the form of the Republic's new military, secured a victory against the Separatists.

The Clone Wars were a trying time for the Jedi. They transformed from an order of peacekeepers to military commanders, serving as battlefield generals for the Republic's new clone army. With their perception so focused on the war and so clouded by the pall of the dark side, the Jedi failed to see the truth: that the Sith were the masterminds behind the conflict.

In truth, the Sith Master was hidden in the very heart of the Republic. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was actually Darth Sidious. With his position of absolute authority over the galaxy, Palpatine enacted Order 66 -- a command transmitted to the fiercely loyal clone troopers that identified the Jedi as traitors to the Republic. Across the galaxy, clone troopers opened fire against their Jedi generals, killing many of them.

The Jedi were branded as enemies of the state. Palpatine's new Sith apprentice, Darth Vader, razed the Jedi Temple in a nighttime attack carried out by loyal clones. As the Empire came to power, the Jedi were all but extinct. A few survivors, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Jedi Master Yoda, were able to train the first new Jedi in a generation. As a sign of the desperate times, Luke Skywalker was taken into the Jedi fold well past the traditional age requirements -- he was already an adult when he first picked up the lightsaber. Nonetheless, his raw talent in the Force -- inherited from his father -- was such that his age didn't matter.

Luke Skywalker scored numerous major victories against the Empire, and was able to lure Darth Vader from the grip of the dark side. Vader, once again Anakin Skywalker, defeated Emperor Palpatine, bringing an end to the Sith reign of terror that had seized the galaxy.

The New Jedi Order

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The characters from The New Jedi Order series, based on NJO book covers.

The New Jedi Order, also known as New Jedi Order, or by its acronym, NJO, is a series of 27 science fiction stories set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe galaxy 25-30 years ABY. The plotline revolves around the invasion of the galaxy by the Yuuzhan Vong and its proceeding after effects, along with showing the changing lives of the characters on both sides in the conflict. The series was followed by The Dark Nest Trilogy in 2005 by Troy Denning, who also wrote several novels for the original series.