Jedi/Legends

"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."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

The Old Jedi Order was an ancient and noble monastic peacekeeping organization unified by its belief and observance of the Force. Throughout the Galaxy the Jedi were the most famous of the various organizations that relied on the Force for their power. Wielders of a mystical energy and the vibrant signature lightsaber, the Jedi Knights were revered as august guardians. Ideal brokers of peace, Jedi took swift, decisive action, possessed a calming demeanor, and were equal parts thinker and warrior; they were the epitome of serene power, wisdom, and patience. The Jedi Order, with its long, involved history, saw its members come to be the protectors of the Galactic Republic over the millennia in which that democratic union rose to prominence. During the later part of the Clone Wars and the Great Jedi Purge, the Jedi Order was virtually annhilated by its sworn enemy, the Sith Order. But it was later rebuilt as the New Jedi Order by Luke Skywalker during the New Republic era.

Origins and brief history of the Order
"You must remember that there are over a hundred thousand inhabited worlds in the Republic, and there are now only a few thousand of us. Billions of beings have never seen a Jedi. Millions have never even heard of our Order. Or of the Force. When we do appear, we can be killers, but also healers. Thank the Force for that."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi to Anakin Skywalker during the Battle of Jabiim



Since the beginning and most likely before the Galactic Republic, scientists had been studying the Force and its connection to midi-chlorians. This research was conducted most notably by the Paladins of the Chatos Academy, The Followers of Palawa and the Order of Dai Bendu, on planets like Ondos and Had Abbadon. The Jedi Order itself, however, began on Tython, where the brightest and best philosophers, priests, and warriors came together long ago to discuss their discoveries involving the enigmatic, mystical positive energy called the Ashla. Those who wanted to use the Bogan, the negative energy of the Force for their personal gain ignited a century long conflict called the Force Wars, from the ashes of which arose the Jedi Order. Some of these Jedi left Tython to defend the Galaxy, and became known as Jedi Knights.

Initially the Jedi were a contemplative order, but over time they began to take a more direct and active role in galactic affairs. The Jedi followed the "light" side of the Force, using their power for unselfish and beneficial acts. In the ensuing millennia, the history of the Jedi was intertwined with both the Republic they served and the Sith they fought.

The order suffered many Schisms&mdash;the first was the Great Schism, which produced Xendor's Legions of Lettow, but the most consequential was the subsequent Hundred-Year Darkness in 7,000 BBY, where the Dark Jedi, once again defeated, were banished from known space.

They arrived on Korriban, the home of the Sith people, a primitive but Force-sensitive species. The Dark Jedi impressed the Sith with displays of Force power, and became the rulers of the planet and formed the Sith Empire. Over time, the Dark Jedi intermarried with the Sith, and the two identities merged. The term ‘Sith’ would later come to refer not only to the Sith species but also to the Dark Jedi who followed the codes of these ancient Jedi.

In 5,000 BBY the Jedi and the Sith Empire clashed in the Great Hyperspace War. The Sith were defeated, but would return to haunt the Jedi in the Old Sith Wars and the New Sith Wars.

Sometime over the next one thousand years, the Republic granted the Jedi land over a Force nexus: a sacred mountain on Coruscant. The Jedi eventually centralized themselves here, founding the Jedi Temple in 4,019 BBY, which would stand for four thousand years.

Between the end of the Great Sith War in 3,996 BBY and the beginning of the Mandalorian Wars in 3,963 BBY, some Jedi traditions and organizational structures seem to have changed quite radically. Jedi of the period prior to the Great Sith War were openly allowed to marry and raise families. Each Jedi apprentice would be trained at a local Praxeum run by individual Jedi Masters, each of whom had a number of students. Governance of the Jedi Order was handled by a large-scale temporary gathering called a Jedi Convocation or Jedi Assembly.

After the Great Sith War, the Jedi seem to have adopted a stricter monastic code, forbidding marriage and other family attachments. The looser Jedi Convocation gave way to a permanent Jedi Council on Coruscant, made up of 12 respected Jedi Masters. Regional enclave councils, such as the one on Dantooine, handled day-to-day issues in more remote areas, and ultimately answered to the Jedi High Council on Coruscant. This is the earliest point at which the term Padawan is verified as having been in wide use, and more individualized one-on-one relationships between Masters and Padawans replaced the larger classes of the Praxeum system. It is also possible that this was the point at which the revised version of the Jedi Code as established by Master Odan-Urr began to be accepted as the canonical version.

"Darker, the coming storm grows."

- Yoda

Twice the Jedi Order was near extinction&mdash;in the aftermath of the Old Sith Wars and in the years following the Great Jedi Purge&mdash;but both times it managed to recover.

Timeline of major events in Jedi history

 * 25,000 BBY &mdash; The Old Jedi Order is founded.
 * (24,500 – 24,400 BBY) &mdash; The Great Schism
 * 7,000 BBY &mdash; Hundred-Year Darkness
 * 5,000 BBY &mdash; The Great Hyperspace War
 * (4,015 – 3,951 BBY) &mdash; Old Sith Wars
 * 3955 BBY – 3951 BBY &mdash; First Jedi Purge
 * (2,000 – 1,000 BBY) &mdash; New Sith Wars
 * 1,000 BBY &mdash; Ruusan Reformation strips the Jedi of their military titles.
 * 32 BBY &mdash; The Sith resurface
 * (22 – 19 BBY) &mdash; Clone Wars are fought, and many Jedi die or turn to the dark side.
 * 19 BBY &mdash; the beginning of the Great Jedi Purge
 * 19 BBY &mdash; the Sith gain control of the Galaxy by the establishment of Palpatine's Galactic Empire as the result of many years of scheming by Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious.
 * 4 ABY &mdash; Luke Skywalker becomes the first of the new Jedi and manages to return his father Anakin Skywalker, known as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, to the light side. Anakin's last deed as a Jedi is to destroy Darth Sidious.
 * 11 ABY &mdash; Luke builds his Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4.
 * (25 – 30 ABY) &mdash; Yuuzhan Vong War.
 * c. 130 ABY &mdash; Sith return to prominence

Path

 * 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 Jedi Code (Based on the meditations of Odan-Urr)

Becoming a Jedi required the most profound commitment and astute mind. The life of a Jedi was one of sacrifice. To hinder transgression, those who showed an aptitude for the Force were taken directly from birth (or soon afterward) to train in the Jedi Temple headquarters on Coruscant. From the beginning of their training a Jedi was expected to adhere to a strict Code that included concepts such as rational thought, patience, and benevolence. Emotions such as hate, anger, and fear were thought to be destructive and lead to the dark side, so such things were banned from Jedi practice.

Training
"The council have granted me permission to train you. You will be a Jedi, I promise."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

Almost all youthful Jedi were initially called Younglings and instructed in "clans" by a venerable, experienced Jedi Master, learning the ways of the Jedi and the powers of the Force. After Ruusan it had become the norm that the Jedi trainees were always children. Once Yavin 4 had been established as Jedi headquarters, the Jedi initiates, which were no longer children, were trained first under the direction of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and, in time, under another Master's direction in groups. With the New Jedi Order, the Younglings were trained in clans since childhood once more.

"Patience, use the Force, think."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

When an individual student achieved satisfactory understanding of the Jedi way, they were usually taken under the wing of another Jedi member and instructed individually to complete their training. Masters typically brought their Padawans along on missions, and later sent them on missions on their own, for them to gain experience and learn from practice. Thus, Obi-Wan Kenobi was brought on a diplomatic mission during the Blockade of Naboo to settle an agreement for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Things did not go as planned, as the situation developed into a violent confrontation, giving Kenobi plenty of possibility to practice his combat skills.

Lightsaber training
"The crystal is the heart of the blade. The heart is the crystal of the Jedi. The Jedi is the crystal of the Force. The Force is the blade of the heart. All are intertwined: the crystal, the blade, the Jedi. You are one."

- Luminara Unduli, during a lightsaber construction ceremony

The traditional Jedi weapon was the lightsaber, which, in the hands of a skilled wielder, could be deadly in combat, even against opponents armed with ranged weapons. To attain this level of skill, however, required great focus and training. Students practiced the rubrics of lightsaber combat with a remote, and children used training lightsabers. They also dueled fellow Jedi as a contest of their skills. Due to all the weight being in the hilt, Jedi needed heightened awareness, thus, such conditioning honed their attunement to the Force. Since the binding of a lightsaber's intricate innards and the initial charging of the power cell also required knowledge of the Force to implement, a Jedi was tasked with constructing their own lightsaber as part of their training, using special crystals that focused the lightsaber's blade. During the Jedi Civil War era, many Cerean Jedi used specially-forged Kasha lightsaber crystals as a meditative tool; by incorporating such crystals into their training regimens, they helped to clear the wielder's mind of distractions, even during tense physical combat. Further, it was a task in itself to find components for the lightsaber. Meditation in a crystal cave on a planet such as Ilum or Dantooine would often produce an image in the Jedi's mind about the lightsaber they were to build. The construction of a lightsaber was considered a milestone on the path to Jedi Knighthood, and took on a heavily symbolic meaning. Obi-Wan Kenobi often reprimanded Padawan Anakin Skywalker about this: "This weapon is your life."

Way of life
"The path of the Jedi isn't an easy one, and even if you succeed, it's a hard life."

- Qui-Gon Jinn

"If the ways of the Jedi were easy, there'd be millions of us instead of dozens."

- Luke Skywalker

In following the Code, Jedi behavior was rigidly structured to uphold self-discipline, responsibility, and public service. The Jedi conquered emotions and materialism. They honored life, the law, the order itself and the master-student relationship. Jedi rendered aid to support and defend the weak. Rules of engagement included such notions as understanding the dark and light in all things, learning to see accurately, opening their eyes to what is not evident and exercising caution, even in trivial matters. Above all, Jedi upheld their duty to the Republic and embraced the Force. The Jedi before the Ruusan Reformation typically had more leeway in their dealings, as the Order was more loosely organized and the individual Knights and Masters granted greater personal freedom. Afterwards, the Order was more centrally regulated by the High Council.

"The Jedi use their powers for good. [&hellip;] The Jedi are selfless, they only care about others."

- Anakin Skywalker

Although this was later discouraged, the early Jedi were known to utilize shields and armor to protect themselves in battle, and were allowed to use blaster pistols as well as lightsabers in combat. The Jedi of the pre-Reformation era also do not seem to have had any formal dress code, and dressed more or less as they saw fit, although traditional robes were favored by most Masters.These included a tunic, a cloak, and sometimes a tabard—usually in varied tones and shades of white and brown, though, gray was also quite common for the overtunic. The left side of the dress was always turned on the right part of the torso. After the Reformation, these robes became the typical Jedi clothing, even in battle. The Jedi also wore trousers, an obi, a leather utility belt, where they carried specialized field gear for their missions, and leather boots. The Jedi colors, which showed harmony with the Force, formed a stark contrast to the antithetical Sith, who were draped primarily in black. In accordance with their philosophies of non-attachment, clothing was viewed as quite dispensable; Obi-Wan Kenobi, for example, went through over six separate robes throughout the course of the Clone Wars.

"We are Jedi, our lives are not ours to live. We are pledged to serve a higher power than ourselves."

- Qui-Gon Jinn

Jedi of the Old Republic were forbidden to hold strong attachments, as they were believed to lead to the emotions of the dark side. For this reason, Jedi were not allowed to marry. Anakin Skywalker would become testament to such Jedi circumspection, as his fear of losing his undisclosed wife, Padmé Amidala, ultimately caused his fall to darkness, but his connection to his son, Luke Skywalker, would later drive him back to the light. Though Jedi weren't required to be chaste as well, many Jedi were. At least one special case was recorded in this arrangement: Ki-Adi-Mundi who, due to low Cerean birth-rates, was permitted to have a polygamous marriage, and fathered seven daughters. Ranik Solusar was disciplined by the Council for his marriage and the child it produced, but was not expelled from the order. Despite this restriction, Jedi were known to have secret, clandestine relationships, whether with non-Jedi, such as the marriages of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, Quinlan Vos and Khaleen Hentz, and Nejaa Halcyon and Scerra Halcyon; or within the Jedi Order itself&mdash;such as the relationships of Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura, Qui-Gon Jinn and Tahl, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi, and Tholme and Tr'a Saa. Many of these relationships did not lead to mishap. Further, Revan shared a romantic affection with Bastila Shan that was even able to redeem her.

Others openly defied the High Council on this matter. This led to particular strife with Jolee Bindo and his wife, Nayama Bindo, during the Great Sith War. Bindo trained his wife in the ways of the Force, but she soon fell to the dark side. He was not expelled from the order, and instead was to be promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight. He then lost faith in the wisdom of the Council and left the order.

Up to the Ruusan Reformation, some Jedi did practice marriage and were known to have families of their own. There were even cases of families consisting entirely of Jedi, such as that of Andur Sunrider. The children of Jedi families were often quite gifted in the Force. Even later in the order, such families existed&mdash;though the continuation of the line was through those family members who did not become Jedi. Famous Jedi families of the late Republic included the Koon family and the Diath family.

The way of the Jedi was a life-long path, and a Jedi usually remained part of the Order their entire life&mdash;learning more about the Order and the Force and following the will of the Jedi Council. Up until the beginning of the Clone Wars, only twenty Jedi (of rank Knight or higher) were said to have ever left the Order (although there is some debate as to whether this means the post-Ruusan Order, the Order after some earlier point in its history, or literally in its entire history), of which the most prominent were Count Dooku and Master Phanius. These were commonly refered to as the Lost Twenty, or simply "The Lost".

The Force
"My ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."

- Yoda

"May the Force be with you."

- Jedi well-wishing phrase



The Jedi were unified by their study of the Force: an "energy field" that emanated from every living thing. The Jedi sought to understand the Force so that they could use its power to protect and aid the people that they served. The Jedi believed that the Force could be harnessed through careful study and contemplation to benefit the user and the world around them. As they studied the light side of the Force, the Jedi encouraged their members only to use the Force for healing and defense&mdash;never in anger or fear. Unfortunately, several of the Jedi order throughout its history disagreed with this view, arguing that other, darker uses of the Force should be allowed. This disagreement was one of the main issues the Jedi faced in their constant battle with the Sith.

"A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight."

- Yoda

The dark side of the Force brought with it a great temptation for many Jedi; to many the dark side seemed a quicker and easier path. Pursuit of the dark side, however, was a self-destructive endeavor, and many Jedi who tasted dark powers found it harder and harder to turn away. Though some Jedi could be redeemed back to the path of the light, many fell and became Dark Jedi, some of whom were members of the Sith Order. For this reason, practice of dark Force powers was expressly forbidden by the Jedi Council.

Political organization
"Once you embrace the Republic, the power of all Jedi is ready to serve you."

- Ulic Qel-Droma

Eventually the Jedi formed a central political entity called the Jedi Council. The High Council was a gathering of great minds that acted as a governing body for the Order, as well as an advisory board for the Old Republic Senate. The Jedi Council could only have 12 members at a time.

Among other tasks, the Jedi eventually became responsible for law enforcement and peacekeeping in the Galactic Republic. Many Jedi held different opinions on peacekeeping; while some favored diplomacy at all costs, others advocated a more direct approach, such as issuing "aggressive negotiations," with the majority striking a balance between the two extremes.

The Jedi Council of 4,000 BBY refused to enter the Mandalorian Wars until they felt the "threat had been assessed", taking a more passive stance on the issue. Later, perhaps due to the Order's near extinction as a result of that decision, the Jedi that rebuilt took a slightly more aggressive stance, culminating in the New Sith Wars where they actively ruled the Republic as a quasi-military dictatorship. During the Clone Wars, in the twilight years of the Galactic Republic, the Jedi acted as Generals, soldiers and military advisors in the conflict.

Three pillars of Jedi strength
"Jedi do not fight for peace. That's only a slogan, and is as misleading as slogans always are. Jedi fight for civilization, because only civilization creates peace. We fight for justice because justice is the fundamental bedrock of civilization: an unjust civilization is built upon sand. It does not long survive a storm."

- Mace Windu

The strength of the Jedi Code and organization rested on three core tenets. When used correctly, these allowed a Jedi to solve any problem and overcome any obstacle, helping to make the Galaxy a better place.
 * Self-discipline
 * Knowledge, as contained in the Jedi Archives
 * The Force a universal energy that binds all things also has many relations to Midi-Chlorians

Jedi ranks
"Confer on you, the level of Jedi Knight, the Council does. But, agree with your taking this boy as your Padawan learner&hellip; I do not."

- Yoda to Obi-Wan Kenobi "You think you can deny Mastery to me!"

- Anakin Skywalker

As the Jedi instructed their members in the ways of the Jedi Code and the Force, each member progressed through four basic levels of rank.

Hierarchy

 * Jedi Initiate (or Youngling or "Jedi Hopeful") – a Force-sensitive child. At a very young age, children were removed from their families and assigned to the Jedi Temple for training. Younglings were taught in communal groups known as clans.
 * Jedi Padawan – an apprentice who began serious tutelage under a single Jedi Knight or Jedi Master. In order to graduate to Padawan status, an Initiate was required to be chosen by a Knight or Master and taken as their sole pupil. If a youngling was not chosen to be a Padawan by 13 years of age, the youngling was placed into another, lesser role in the Jedi Service Corps, or they could choose to leave the Order. Depending on where the student's talents lay, this might be the Agricultural Corps, the Medical Corps, or the Exploration Corps. Human Padawans typically wore a long braid of hair behind their right ear. When a Padawan was elevated to Knighthood the braid was cut during the knighting ceremony. At least a few Jedi, though, were elevated to Knighthood simply by being told that they had passed whatever trials were considered necessary&mdash;most notably Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Vergere. Some exceptions of late acceptances to Padawan training were made, most notably in the case of Anakin Skywalker.
 * Jedi Knight – a disciplined Padawan could become a fully trained Jedi once they completed "the trials." The known trials were, but weren'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").
 * Jedi Master – a Jedi Knight who showed great understanding of the Force and managed to instruct a Padawan and train them successfully to the level of a Jedi Knight. This title could also be achieved through the performance of extraordinary deeds. Self-proclamation of the Jedi Master title was rare and frowned upon by the Jedi Council (for example: Jorus C'baoth and his unknown clone Joruus C'baoth).
 * Councilor (or Council Member) – A very few Jedi were invited to serve on the Jedi Council, the governing body of the Order. The Council was made up almost exclusively of wise, experienced Masters (in the waning days of the Order, one Knight, Ki-Adi-Mundi, served as a Councilor, but was undergoing the process of becoming a Master at the time of his invitation). The Council was made up of 12 masters, five of them with life terms (two of them designated as "senior"), four as long-term, and three short-term.
 * Grand Master – The highest rank of the Jedi Order was that of Grand Master. Yoda was once the Grand Master, as was Luke Skywalker following the Swarm War. Some people also belive that master Vandar was a Grand Master himself.

A Jedi Knight or Jedi Master could have only one apprentice at a time, and the Padawan had to be promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight before another apprentice could be chosen. Several thousand years before the events of the Ruusan Reformation, however, masters were allowed to have more than one apprentice, as evidenced by Master Arca Jeth having three&mdash;the brothers Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma and the Twi'lek Tott Doneeta. When the New Jedi Order first began, Luke Skywalker had to assign several students to one master due to the few Jedi in the Order; for example, Kyle Katarn had Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin both assigned to him.

Specialization
Being a Jedi was a life of great variation as the Jedi Order had several responsibilities. While many Jedi were generalists, some would specialize in one or more areas either in accordance with their own interests and preferences, or because they were delegated responsibility for an area that required specialization. With these specializations often came specific Jedi ranks. Moreover, in certain periods of the history of the Galaxy, some Jedi would assume military ranks fighting alongside Republic forces.

Military and warfare
"Wars not make one great!"

- Yoda

"You must realize there aren't enough Jedi left to protect the Republic. We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers."

- Mace Windu to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine

In times of war, especially when Sith forces were involved, Jedi would sometimes assume military ranks and govern armies of Republic military units, as was seen in the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War, the New Sith Wars, and the Clone Wars. So Jedi indeed became soldiers, not just keepers of the peace.

"You can't kill a Jedi."

- Anakin Skywalker


 * Jedi General – a Jedi who had been placed in command of a Republic army. Considered a full General.
 * Jedi Commander – a Padawan serving as a Commander in the Grand Army of the Republic, the Jedi Commander is assigned to a Jedi General until knighted. Once a full Jedi, the Padawan is now referred to as General.
 * Senior Jedi General – a high-ranking Jedi serving as general in the Clone Wars, the Senior Jedi General was typically a Jedi Master who was very experienced in warfare and battle tactics.
 * High Jedi General – a member of the Jedi Council serving as a Jedi General during the Clone Wars, the Jedi High General would not only command their own army, but also supervise other Jedi Generals.
 * Jedi Lord – a Jedi who served as a commander in the Army of Light during the New Sith Wars. The Jedi Lord assumed this title mainly out of political motivation. The rank was abolished after the war.

In addition to the ordinary military ranks, there were a number of ranks and titles based on specialization in areas of warfare and combat.


 * Force Warrior – a Jedi who was skilled in a special type of unarmed combat, using meditative martial arts and the Force.
 * Jedi ace – a Jedi who had specialized in starfighter combat, combining piloting skills with mastery of the Force.
 * Jedi brute – a Jedi being responsible for guarding the Jedi Temple, the Jedi brute would focus on physical strength and aggressive lightsaber combat.
 * Jedi gatemaster – the Jedi who served as the keeper of the main entrance at the Jedi Temple. These Jedi were usalliy trained in a special way.
 * Jedi sniper – another class of Jedi specializing in long-range telekinetic lightsaber combat with powers such as lightsaber throw.
 * Jedi Guardian/Warrior Master – a Jedi Master who was especially skilled in battle, the Guardian (Warrior Master at master level) would concentrate mainly on martial training and combat in general without losing focus on diplomacy and the philosophies of the Force.
 * Jedi Weapon Master – a Jedi Master who focused solely on battle, the Weapon Master was among the greatest fighters of the Order, but also had very limited insight into philosophy and non-combat related Force skills.

Healing
"When we do appear we can be killers, but we can also be healers. Thank the Force for that."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi



Some Jedi would focus on the more humanitarian aspects of the Force, specializing in Force powers based on Force healing. In addition to knowledge of such Force powers, Jedi Healers also had extensive knowledge of medicine and medical technology. Jedi healers were normally stationed at the Jedi Medical Corps Infirmary, but would also serve in the field. For instance, around the time of the Clone Wars, Jedi healers would serve aboard MedStar frigates and, occasionally, in Republic's mobile surgical units ("Rimsoos").

Culture, history, and knowledge
"In a dark place we find ourselves&hellip; a little more knowledge might light our way."

- Yoda

Some Jedi would specialize in lore, such as the history of the Galaxy, the Force, and the Jedi Order, producing invaluable knowledge.


 * Jedi archaeologist – a Jedi who had specialized in gaining historical knowledge through archaeology, the Jedi archaeologist was often a member of the ExplorCorps and involved in expeditions of various kinds.
 * Jedi historian – a Jedi who had specialized in chronicling the history of the Galaxy and the Jedi Order, the Jedi historian knew virtually everything about the past of the Jedi Order.
 * Jedi librarian – a Jedi who had specialized in administrating vast databases of knowledge, the Jedi librarian was in charge of an important Jedi library, such as the ancient Great Jedi Library, the library of the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, or the Jedi Archives.
 * Jedi geologist – a Jedi who had specialized in geology.
 * Jedi Consular/Sage Master – a Jedi Master dedicated to the mysteries of the Force, the Consular (Sage Master at master level) had deep insights into the philosophies of the Force and was a highly skilled user of many Force powers.

Liaison and diplomacy
"Go, I will. Good relations with the Wookiees, I have."

- Yoda



Jedi were often called upon to act as impartial diplomats. They would serve as moderators and negotiators during disputes, and their judgments were often recognized as just and binding. When acting as diplomats, Jedi took the utmost care to be impartial and fair-minded.

Jedi Watchmen were charged with overseeing a particular system or sector, thus serving as a type of liaison officer between the system or sector and the Jedi Council as well as the Republic in general. Jedi Watchmen were often highly skilled in diplomacy and possessed knowledge of the culture of the system or sector they oversaw. Often Jedi Watchmen originated from the system or sector they were tasked with overseeing.

Crimefighting and investigation
"You are under arrest, my lord."

- Mace Windu

The Jedi Order would also actively partake in the crimefighting. They would generally police the Galaxy, but there were also groups of Jedi specializing in crime detection, investigation, solving, and prevention.


 * Jedi investigator – a Jedi specially appointed by the Council to uncover hidden and obscure threats to the Galaxy such as powerful criminal syndicates, corruption and conspiracy against the Republic and other shady menaces. The Jedi investigator would often work alone and undercover to infiltrate suspicious organizations or would be busy investigating some act of crime.
 * Jedi Sentinel – a Jedi Sentinel was the perfect balance between the Jedi Guardian and the Jedi Consular, possessing great skills in combat and knowledge in the force. This type of Jedi functioned like both the Jedi investigator and the Jedi Shadow, rooting out and destroying both crime and the dark side. In addition, the Jedi Sentinel also had skills in various other studies.
 * Jedi Shadow – a Jedi whose job was to seek out and destroy any sign of the dark side of the Force, the Jedi shadow was the Jedi Order's primary weapon against the Dark side up until the Clone Wars.

Instruction
"For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind."

- Yoda to Luke Skywalker



In addition to the Master-Padawan model, some Jedi had specialized in teaching aspects of the Force and the skill required to be a Jedi.


 * Jedi instructor – a Jedi accountable for giving general teachings to Younglings, Padawans, or the occasional older beings. Sometimes Council members, who were frequently at the Jedi Temple, where initial instruction commonly took place, served as Jedi instructors. However, most such mentors were stationed at a Jedi Praxeum or academy.
 * Jedi Battlemaster – a Jedi highly skilled in lightsaber combat, the Battlemaster was the lightsaber combat instructor of a Jedi Praxeum or academy.
 * Jedi trainer – a Jedi student or Jedi Knight responsible for teaching and instructing a certain aspect of the Force, the Jedi trainer was a vital component in the education of Jedi Knights in the early years of the New Jedi Order.

Locations
The Jedi Order had outposts on many worlds, and possibly even controlled a few throughout its history.

The Chosen One
"&hellip;And in the time of greatest despair, there shall come a savior, and he shall be known as THE SON OF THE SUNS."

- Journal of the Whills, 3:127

The prophecy of the Chosen One was an ancient Jedi legend that foretold the coming of a being who was "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 believed that a young Anakin Skywalker was that person when he discovered him in 32 BBY, because of Anakin's exceptionally high midi-chlorian count.

"You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!"

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

It seemed that Anakin was not the Chosen One, since he fell to the Dark Side, and as Darth Vader, was a main figure in the destruction of the Jedi Order. However, in 4 ABY he redeemed himself with his decision to stand against Emperor Palpatine, sacrificing himself to save his son, Luke, and finally destroyed the Sith in the process, proving Qui-Gon and various others correct at last. With the deaths of both Sidious and Vader the Force was brought into a certain "balance".

Apprentice ages
"He is too old. Yes, too old to begin the training."

- Yoda


 * Prior to Exar Kun, apprentices were chosen anywhere from childhood to young adulthood. Nomi Sunrider was among those chosen even later. Before the War, the Order was much less centralized, without a High Council or the restrictions on marriage and family. It can be speculated that the restrictions were a reaction to the devastating effect of Kun's defection and split of the Order.
 * In the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the crew of the Ebon Hawk find solace on the planet of Dantooine. It is here, that Revan&mdash;who is unaware of his real identity&mdash;is retrained for the purpose of finding the Star Maps. Both Vrook and Dorak mention that is a rare exception indeed to train an adult in the ways of the Force.
 * The same exception is also made dealing with Anakin Skywalker, when he is found by Qui-Gon Jinn when he is trained by Obi-Wan Kenobi, except that Skywalker is too old to start training, but not an adult. If Skywalker were born on a Republic-controlled planet, he would have been discovered at an appropriate age.
 * In the Jedi apprentice series, it becomes clear that Younglings who pass thirteen years of age and do not start training under a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master must leave the Order.
 * Another example is Luke Skywalker, who was nineteen when he first began training with Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and then with Master Yoda. It is likely that this exception was made due to the dire circumstances of the time (because of the Great Jedi Purge), for without a Jedi to counter the dark side powers of Palpatine and Vader, the Rebellion, and by extension freedom throughout the Galaxy, was doomed.
 * Following the events of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, and the creation of the Jedi Academy (later Praxeum) on Yavin 4, Luke Skywalker made it possible for older students to be trained in the Force without the restrictions placed upon them in the Old Republic. An example of this was Corran Horn, a Corellian member of Rogue Squadron who served in the Corellian Security Force during his adult life, prior to his training with Skywalker. Another prime example is that of Streen who was an aging man when he became a Jedi under Luke Skywalker's training.

Jedi types

 * In the Wizards of the Coast version of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, the different personal dispositions of Jedi are reflected in the gaming world by the Jedi types&mdash;Consulars for those favoring diplomacy or Force powers and Guardians for those favoring aggressive solutions. The video game Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) introduced a third type, the Sentinel, which was a balance between the two. KOTOR also assigned particular lightsaber colors to each: green for the Consular, blue for the Guardian, and yellow for the Sentinel. Whether an artifact of the RPG format of the game, or an actual canonical piece of the plot, the practice seems to have died out by the Old Republic's waning years, possibly having been lost with the near eradication of the Jedi Order during the Jedi Civil War or eliminated during the reorganization of the order during the Ruusan Reformation.

Inspirations

 * One possibility is that "Jedi" is at least partly inspired by the Proto-Indo-European word "ghedhi"; however such a word did not exist in Proto-Indo-European. The closest was "ghōdhos", which is the root of the English word "good" but which bears no resemblance to "Jedi".
 * There is a likely 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 word "Padawan" may even be a corruption of "padwar", a low-ranking officer in these science fiction books. The term "padawan" is also quite similar to an Urdu word "palawan" that means "hero."
 * Wizards, the Knights Templar, Knights of the Round Table, Western mystics, Taoists and Benedictine and Buddhist monks seem to have served as sources for these august guardians.
 * The Jedi could also have been influenced by the Sufi Muslim concepts of futuwwat/javanmardi, or spiritual chivalry, the masters of these guilds/orders are reported to have been called "al-Jeddi."
 * The Jedi (including the concept of their High Council consisting of twelve members and perhaps even the term "padawan" itself) are possibly influenced by the concept of the paladin, paragons of chivalry and heroic champions in medieval legends and history (as with the Twelve Peers, or twelve legendary companions, of Charlemagne, or the twelve disciples of Jesus); the Jedi High Council is also very similar to the ruling Council (often consisted of twelve elders as well) in Christianity.
 * The Hebrew infinitive verb "to know" ידע yadah" and its noun form ידיעה yediah "knowledge" may also be another possible source of derivation for the word Jedi and Yoda, since the Yod י in Indo-European languages transliterates as "I "J" and "Y" respectively.
 * In Mormonism, there is also a High Council, which, as the Jedi High Council, is consisted of twelve members.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novelization
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * All instances in which Jedi appear.