Anti-Jedi sentiment/Legends

"Fear is the path to the dark side"

- Yoda

Anti-Jediism was the fear, mistrust, or outright hatred of the Jedi Order. Just as with the Sith, a large number of sentients feared them, and criticism developed from the fact that many common people did not understand the Jedi, their ability to use the Force, or their principles. The Jedi propensity for taking children in at birth, away from their families, generated a large amount of controversy, with the last amjor example being the "Baby Ludi" case.

Anti-Jediism was normally quite prevailent during times of conflict, especially when the Order was a particular target of the enemy force attacking the Galactic Republic. Due to the Order's alignment with the Republic and the Jedi's role as mediators and negotiators, those living outside the Republic saw them merely as puppets of the Republic.

Clone Wars
The Clone Wars was a time of rather strong anti-Jedi sentiment. The Jedi, some without any military experience, were placed in command of the Grand Army of the Republic, causing some distrust among the populace. The populace was also distrustful when a number of Jedi refused to take up arms for the safety of the Republic, calling their former comrades Palpatine's Secret Police.

But the anti-Jedi sentiment was stronger for reasons beyond the Jedi's control. Many Jedi, such as Sora Bulq and Quinlan Vos, defected to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Asajj Ventress, a Separatist commander, eventually began offering up bounties for the heads of the Jedi. General Grievous, the Supreme Commander of the Droid Army, had an obsessive hatred of the Jedi Order due to the Jedi and the Republic's one sided role in ending the Huk War. By far, the most damaging to the Jedi among the populace was that Count Dooku, the Head of State of the Confederacy, was a former Jedi himself.

And it was just as Palpatine wanted. After the Battle of Coruscant, the Jedi learned that Palpatine was Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith responsible for the War to begin with. Mace Windu lead a group of Jedi Masters to arrest Palpatine, but he managed to kill all four with the help of Anakin Skywalker. During the duel with Windu, Palpatine's face was hideously scarred. He latter claimed that the arrest was part of a coup attempt to take over control of the Republic. Using the huge distrust for the Jedi among the populace, Palpatine launched the Great Jedi Purge.

Anti-Jediism was now open government policy.

Galactic Empire
Under the Galactic Empire, people were discouraged to believe in the Force. The Jedi's history was re-written by Emperor Palpatine's best propagandists. Palpatine rewrote their history to make it seem that the Jedi had secretly begun to control the Galactic Republic (possibly when human Masters took non-human apprentices.

But it was not just the Jedi that suffered. All Force sensitives were targeted. Some examples included the Quermians, who were accused of sending siditious thoughts into the minds of others. The Iktotchi were attacked due to their telepathic abilities, which were said to be drawn from the Force.

Despite the established anit-Jediism of the New Order, many in the Imperial government were aware that Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader were Force users, and a few even knew that they were Sith Lords.

New Republic
Under the New Republic, the Jedi endured a full rehabilitation. Luke Skywalker was eventually granted permission to form a Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, with the intent of forming a New Jedi Order. Luke's actions during the Galactic Civil War brought a great deal of respect back to the Jedi Order.

Yet there was still a great deal of mistrust. People were very concerned about the potential of a new Darth Vader. The actions of Kyp Durron, while under the influence of the spirit of Exar Kun, greatly damaged the New Jedi Order's image. Since the New Republic had it's own military and it's own diplomatic service, many questioned the need for the Jedi to serve as diplomats and guardians. The Presidencies of Mon Mothma and Leia Organa Solo, Luke's sister, insured that the Jedi had reliable allies in the government. However, the election of Borsk Fey'lya as Chief of State changed all of that. Fey'lya was notably anti-Jedi (though this may have been influenced by his advesarial relationship with Leia Organa Solo and his own Bothan nature). Further provocative actions by Kyp Durron and his supporters lead many to question view the Jedi not as an asset, but as a risk.

Which was exactly what the Yuuzhan Vong wanted.

Yuuzhan Vong War
The Yuuzhan Vong War was a time of rampant anit-Jediism, at a time the Galaxy needed the Jedi the most. The Yuuzhan Vong realized that the Jedi were the greatest threat to their invasion, and they had to be eliminated immediately. Many in the Yuuzhan Vong leadership advocated that they turn the Galaxy against the Jedi.

One of the most devastating blows to the Jedi came in the Battle of Ithor. Jedi Knight Corran Horn battled Commander Shedao Shai for the survival of Ithor at stake. Horn won the duel, but Deign Lian, Shai's subordinate, unleashed a bioweapon which wiped out all life on Ithor. The Galaxy believed that the Yuuzhan Vong had done it because Horn had killed Shai, rather than in spite of Shai. As a result, the Jedi suffered a huge backlash. It was at this point that Shimrra Jamaane, the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong, decided that discrediting the Jedi was the best way to defeating them.

The high point came at the Battle of Duro the next year. Tsavong Lah, the Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong, was defeated and humiliated by Jedi Knight Jacen Solo. Sending a message to the New Republic, Lah said that he would halt the invasion, and leave the rest of the Galaxy in peace, if they carried out one simple demand. "Give us your Jeedai.", Lah demanded. The request prompted Viqi Shesh, already secretly spying for the Yuuzhan Vong, authored the Appeasment Bill, which would have outlawed the Jedi and allowed the Yuuzhan Vong to retain their current holdings. The bill was voted down by the New Republic Senate two to one, but anti-Jedi sentiment increased. Sadly, the populace was unfamiliar with the nuances of the Yuuzhan Vong language. To the Yuuzhan Vong, peace meant submission.

Many planets, however, believed that Lah was sincere, and they began offering up their Jedi defenders as fast as they could capture them. Ando and Devaron both betrayed their Jedi knights to the Yuuzhan Vong. Members of the Senate even tried to have Luke Skywalker arrested, in an attempt to appease the invaders. To counter this, Skywalker set up the Great River, an underground movement to smuggle Jedi out of dangerous locations.

It was in the hysteria that Borsk Fey'lya, that last person the Jedi thought they could count on, sided with them. When Nom Anor appeared before the Senate demanding the lives of the Jedi, Fey'lya reversed a lifetime of Anti-Jedi sentiment, stating that Luke Skywalker had his full support. The subsequent Fall of Coruscant, and the Jedi's actions during the subsesquent Battles of Hapes and Borleias brought a significant level of trust back to the Jedi. There was also the realization that the Yuuzhan Vong had broken there word to many times to be trusted. With the election of Cal Omas as Chief of State, he organized the High Council, which would allow the Jedi a role in the War effort. There was still an anti-Jedi sentiment among the Senate, but it was noticably muted. Shimrra's death at the hands of Luke Skywalker cemented the public's trust of the Jedi.