Jedi Temple Guard/Legends

"Cease hostilities!"

- A Jedi Temple Guard attempts to end the fight between Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee

The Jedi Temple Guards were members of the Jedi Order who were dedicated to protecting the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant. They served as part of the Jedi Temple's security force, and reported to Jedi Master Cin Drallig, who headed the Temple's security detail. During the Clone Wars, members of the Guards participated in the trial of the Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who was framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple Hangar. Four Jedi Temple Guards, along with Tano's Master, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, escorted the actual culprit, Jedi Barriss Offee, to Coruscant's Republic military base. Offee confessed to the crimes, which led to Tano's exoneration.

Description
The Jedi Temple Guards were an ancient security group in the Jedi Order. They comprised various Jedi Knights and sentinels in the Order. The position of Temple Guard was considered one of the duties that a Knight could adopt, and Knights were chosen as part of their continuing commitment to the Jedi. The Jedi Temple Guards were tasked with the protection of the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant, and were a part of the security force, reporting to the head of security.

History
The Jedi Temple Guards were established many years prior to the Clone Wars, a galactic conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems which began in 22 BBY. Around the war's second year, the Jedi Temple's hangar was bombed, killing six Jedi, several clone troopers, and a number of Temple employees. During the investigation, a group of citizens gathered at the Temple's steps to protest the Jedi's involvement in the war. Two members of the Jedi Temple Guards stood guard at the steps, along with Jedi Master Cin Drallig&mdash;whom the Temple Guards reported to due to his status as security chief&mdash;as the citizens continued their protest against the war.

After a memorial service was held for the Jedi victims of the Temple hangar bombing, the Togruta Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano was accused of orchestrating the sabotage and the murder of Republic citizen Letta Turmond, who was involved in the bombing. She was captured by her Master, Anakin Skywalker, and the Republic security forces. Members of the Jedi Temple Guards helped escort Tano to the Chamber of Judgment, where the Jedi High Council questioned Tano about the charges levied against her. When the Council expelled her from the Order so that she could be tried by the Galactic Senate, two of the Guards activated their double-bladed lightsaber pikes and blocked Skywalker when he objected to the ruling, while one of the Guards removed Tano's Padawan braid.

Skywalker soon discovered that the actual perpetrator of the crimes was the Mirialan Jedi Barriss Offee, a friend of Tano. When Skywalker confronted Offee in the Temple's dormitories, she attempted to flee from him but was blocked by the Temple Guards. As the duel progressed on the rooftop of the Temple's ziggurat, the Temple Guards activated their lightsabers and continued to surround Offee and Skywalker in order to protect Jedi Master Tera Sinube and a class of Jedi Initiates from harm. When Offee was defeated and apprehended by Skywalker, four members of the Guard escorted her to the Republic military base where Tano was being tried, and Offee confessed to the Temple bombing and Turmond's murder. The Guards escorted Offee out of the court when Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was officiating the trial, ordered her to be taken away.

Equipment
Jedi Temple Guards wore formal brown robes and identity-concealing masks, which displayed their sense of emotional detachment that was required in service to a higher calling. Temple Guards carried large lightsaber pikes&mdash;double-bladed lightsabers that produced a yellow blade, which was considered rare among Jedi of the time.

Behind the scenes
The Jedi Temple Guards were first introduced in the episode "Sabotage" of the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, in the series' fifth season. The episode aired on February 9, 2013. Although not identified in the episode itself, the security detail was given a title in the episode's accompanying guide on StarWars.com. The Guards later appeared in the season finale, "The Wrong Jedi," which aired on March 2, 2013, and were given an entry in StarWars.com's Encyclopedia.