Grand Master/Legends

Grand Master was a title used in both the Old and New Jedi Orders to describe the recognized head of the Jedi Order.

History
By the time of the Conclave of Exis Station, Nomi Sunrider was the acknowledged leader of the entire Jedi Order.

Yoda was the last and only other known Grand Master of the Old Jedi Order, although there may have been one during his time as a knight, and possibly some time into his Mastery: his report on the Battle of the Chu'unthor was made to a single, enthroned "high master," not a council. During the Dark Nest Crisis, Cal Omas manipulated the Masters' Council into appointing Corran Horn as the temporary leader of the Jedi. Luke Skywalker achieved the title after he rebuilt the Order, though he did not formally assume the title until the Swarm War.

Traits
"My apprentice will become a very great Jedi&hellip;a Jedi who will be remembered for her deeds or bravery, as long as the Jedi Knights survive."

- Thon reflecting on Nomi Sunrider



Each Grand Master was known to be the most prominent of their era, whether through feats of valor or otherwise. All three were apprenticed to the wisest Masters of their time. All three have shown exceptional prowess with lightsabers, each having fought with them in the major Galactic conflicts of their day. All three were known to have incredible Force potential, and were very proficient in its applications. Nomi Sunrider for example was the most prolific user of the rare Jedi arts of Sever Force and Battle Meditation, having learned to perfect both from Odan-Urr. Master Yoda, widely recognized as the most powerful Jedi in the Order, was credited as the being greatest lightsaber duelist in the History of the Jedi Order. He also had the highest Midichlorian count on record, before the appearance of the Chosen One. Master Yoda trained Jedi for more than eight-hundred years, during which time every youngling in the Jedi Order received some form of training from him. Through Yoda, the foundations were laid for which future generations would restore the legacy of the Jedi. Luke Skywalker, after being trained by both his father's master and Master Yoda, toppled the Galactic Empire and through the redemption of his father brought balance to the Force. Skywalker then created a New Jedi Order in the wake of the Galactic Civil War.

Jedi Convocations
"Now that we finally know what the Force wanted for the Yuuzhan Vong, it's time to ask what the Force wants for us."

- Luke Skywalker addresses the gathered Jedi



Over the course of Galactic history many events have taken place that have sundered the ranks of the Jedi Order, at times stretching them very thin. Because of this, several Masters have felt a necessity to gather the host of Jedi to discuss the state of the Order from time to time. Of the three known, two presided over great Jedi assemblies. In 3,986 BBY, Nomi Sunrider hosted the Conclave on Exis Station. This was the first mass Jedi gathering since the Conclave on Deneba about ten years earlier. Some thousands of years later, Grand Master Luke Skywalker called together four separate meetings of Jedi. First was the Conclave on Yavin 4 in 25 ABY, called together in response to the impending Yuuzhan Vong threat. Second was the Conclave on Coruscant in 26 ABY, an attempt by Skywalker to heal the growing rift within the Order. The third was in 30 ABY for the Conclave on Zonama Sekot, to discuss the future of the Order post-Yuuzhan Vong War. Fourth was the Conclave on Ossus in 36 ABY, where Luke proclaimed himself Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

Destroying the Sith
The Jedi Order dedicated it self to publicly serve the Galaxy. To this end, each Grand Master saw paramount necessity of eradicating the Sith menace, and of the dark side completely. Two of the three known have dueled with Sith Lords, who more often than not were behind much of the evil that plagued the Galaxy. Master Yoda dueled Darth Tyranus on two occasions, forcing the Sith Lord into retreat both times. He then dueled Darth Sidious to a stalemate, but ultimately lost that contest. Luke Skywalker has dueled more Sith Lords on more occasions than the others combined. First, his own father in Cloud City. Again Luke dueled Vader, this time with assistance from his sister and the spirit of his old mentor. His third and final duel with Vader on the second Death Star. He then dueled a reborn Emperor Palpatine, to which he lost and succumbed to the dark side. He dueled Palpatine again on the Emperor's flagship, and won. In 4 ABY, Luke fought and defeated the new Dark Lady, Lumiya. They would duel thirty-six years later, a bout that ended with Lumiya's escape and the loss of his prosthesis. Their third duel would end in a draw. Their fourth and final duel ended with the death of the Dark Lady. His latest duel with a Sith Lord was with his own nephew, Darth Caedus, to which Caedus escaped. Though her skill with a weapon was well spoken for, Master Nomi Sunrider's battles with the dark side were not always won with a lightsaber, but through her powerful applications of the Force. She played a minor part in the Freedon Nadd Uprising, and would later on be instrumental in defeating the Krath. During the Great Sith War, Nomi would use her mastery of the Force to strip Sith Lord Ulic Qel-Droma of the Force, thereby defeating him. At the Battle of Yavin, Nomi was part of the Jedi force that created a wall of light to contain the dark spirit of Exar Kun. Master Yoda was the only of the three who was unsuccessful in halting the machinations of the Sith.

Known Grand Masters

 * Nomi Sunrider, Head of the Jedi Order prior to the Mandalorian Wars
 * A "High Master" around 340 BBY
 * Yoda, Grand Master of the Old Jedi Order
 * Luke Skywalker, founder and Grand Master of the New Jedi Order

Appearances

 * Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization
 * Dark Empire
 * The Courtship of Princess Leia
 * Dark Nest III: The Swarm War
 * Betrayal
 * Bloodlines
 * Tempest
 * Exile
 * Sacrifice
 * Inferno
 * Fury

Notes and references
Wielki Mistrz Jedi