- "Yes! A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side."
- ―Yoda
Jedi training was the action of teaching an apprentice the ways of the Force in the Jedi Order. Under the Galactic Republic, Force-sensitive beings were brought to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant from across the galaxy and trained as Jedi younglings by Grand Master Yoda. The younglings advanced to the next stage of their training as the Padawan of either a Jedi Master or the lesser ranked Jedi Knight. If they passed the Jedi Trials, the Padawan would ascend to the full status of a Jedi Knight, and therefore, be considered a full member of the Jedi Order.
With the fall of the Jedi Order during Order 66, Jedi training was an all but forgotten art, although it ultimately endured through the few survivors that escaped the Great Jedi Purge. After the destruction of the Sith, Luke Skywalker attempted to restore the Jedi Order by training a new generation of Jedi. Although his plans were ruined by Ben Solo's fall to the dark side of the Force, Skywalker passed his knowledge on to a final apprentice, a scavenger from Jakku known as Rey.
Overview[]
- "When I was out there, alone, all I had was your training and the lessons you taught me. And because of you, I did survive. And not only that, I was able to lead others to survive as well."
- ―Ahsoka Tano, to Anakin Skywalker
Members of the Jedi Order trained in the ways of the Force.[3] The training of each Jedi varied. depending on their Master. Masters' styles ranged from the maverick Qui-Gon Jinn,[4] to the emotionally driven Anakin Skywalker,[5] to more traditional Jedi such as Obi-Wan Kenobi,[6] Mace Windu,[7] and Grand Master Yoda.[8] Subjects taught included advanced tuition in other disciplies such as: military history,[9] diplomacy,[10] science,[10] investigation,[11] ancient history,[12] and medical science.[13] Dueling was widely considered to be the best training for Padawans, although it was fairly impractical since Jedi were the only ones wielding lightsabers during the Republic.[12]They were also trained in resistance to mind probes and interrogation.[14]
During the Clone Wars, Padawans were given additional training to make competent commanders of the Republic military under a Jedi General due to the Galactic Republic's lack of military leaders.[15]
Overall, every Jedi was duty-bound to observe the tenets of the Jedi Code, one of which forbade the Jedi from training more than one apprentice at a time. As Jedi, they were trained to rely only on the light side for power, to disregard accolades and resist other temptations of the dark side of the Force.[16][17]
History[]
Age of the Jedi[]
- "Anakin, training to be a Jedi isn't an easy challenge. And even if you succeed, it's a hard life."
- ―Qui-Gon Jinn, to Anakin Skywalker
During the reign of the Galactic Republic, Force-sensitive beings were identified by their midi-chlorian levels and ultimately taken to the Core World Coruscant to begin their training in the Jedi Temple.[16] Training began at the level of the Jedi younglings, who studied in clans consisting of twenty initiates. Together, the younglings were taken to the distant world of Ilum where they could acquire a kyber crystal as part of a rite of passage known as the Gathering, after which they would craft their lightsaber using the crystal as its power source.[18]
Following the Initiate Trials, a youngling had to be chosen as an apprentice, formally known as Padawan, in order to advance to the next stage in their path to becoming a full member of the Jedi Order.[19] Those who held the rank of Jedi Knight were tasked with mentoring the next generation of Jedi, while the elder members, known as Jedi Masters, were also free to select a Padawan at their leisure.[20] After further honing their skills in lightsaber combat and various Force techniques, a Padawan could undertake the Jedi Trials[19] once deemed ready by the Jedi High Council. For those who passed their final tests, the title of Jedi Knight was conferred upon them by the Council.[16]
Dark times[]
- "There's nothing for me here now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father."
- ―Luke Skywalker, to Obi-Wan Kenobi
In the aftermath of Order 66, the Jedi Order was all but extinct, reduced to a handful of survivors and fugitives hiding from the newly risen Galactic Empire. The Jedi that the Empire captured were subjected to torture and indoctrination, causing them to fall to the dark side and become members of the Inquisitorius. However, a few Jedi managed to survive the Great Jedi Purge, such as Cal Kestis, who served as the Padawan of Jedi General Jaro Tapal during the Clone Wars. After befriending another former Jedi, Cere Junda, Kestis set out to rebuild his Order by finding Force-sensitive children whom he could train as the next generation of Jedi. However, due to the threat that the Empire posed to their safety, Kestis ultimately abandoned this mission, believing the children's destinies should be trusted to the Force. But over the course of his journey, Kestis was able to relearn the Jedi arts and complete his training, by which time he was knighted by Junda, who also reconnected with her Jedi heritage.[3]
Kanan Jarrus, another former Padawan who survived Order 66, found his own student: Ezra Bridger, an orphan whose latent Force-sensitivity made him a candidate for Jedi training.[22] Despite his initial attempts to train Bridger, Jarrus did not feel suitable as a mentor, having never completed his own training. He set out to rescue Jedi Master Luminara Unduli after discovering that she might have survived the Purge, believing she would be a better teacher for Bridger. Ultimately, the rumor was a trap to lure fugitive Jedi to the Grand Inquisitor.[23] Jarrus redoubled his efforts to properly train Bridger, but at one point his apprentice demonstrated potential with the dark side. Concerned by Bridger's ability to harness the dark side, Jarrus warned him to not lose control of his emotions.[24]
Approximately two decades after the Galactic Empire rose to power, Luke Skywalker embarked on a journey to become a Jedi Knight like his father before him. He was initially trained by Anakin Skywalker's former Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who taught Luke how to sense the Force through his feelings. However, their time together as Master and apprentice was cut short by Kenobi's death at the hands of the Sith Lord Darth Vader,[21] forcing the young Skywalker to continue his Jedi training alone. After communing with the Force spirit of Kenobi, Skywalker traveled to Dagobah, where he discovered Yoda, the ancient Grand Master of the Jedi Order.[1] But Yoda was initially discouraged by Skywalker's attitude, seeing much of Anakin's impatience and anger in Luke. After some consideration and Kenobi's endorsement, Yoda chose to overlook Skywalker's age as well as his penchant for adventure and excitement in order to complete his training.[8]
Skywalker and Yoda were often at odds throughout their time together, with the latter trying to teach his apprentice to be calm and in control of his developing Jedi abilities. Yet Skywalker remained reckless, cutting short his training to confront Darth Vader. As a result, he suffered an agonizing defeat in battle against the Dark Lord of the Sith, who revealed his former identity as the boy's father, Anakin Skywalker. By the time Luke returned to Dagobah to finish his Jedi training, Yoda had become ill and was on the verge of becoming one with the Force. Yoda told Skywalker that, while he required no further formal training, he had to confront his father one last time in order to finally become a true Jedi.[8] Skywalker not only passed his final test, but also inspired Vader to turn away from the dark side, destroying the Sith and fulfilling his destiny as the Chosen One.[25]
Revival[]
- "Although I had been able to train with two of the greatest Jedi Masters who ever lived, my lessons were learned in unorthodox ways while in the heat of battle against the Empire. When I began my own temple, I hoped to offer a more traditional path into the Jedi Order for my students."
- ―Luke Skywalker
With the Sith defeated, Luke Skywalker wandered the galaxy searching for knowledge that could help restore the Jedi Order.[27] He trained his sister Leia Organa in the ways of the Force until she ceased her training to protect her son, Ben Solo, from the death she had foreseen would come if she continued down that path.[28] Skywalker went onto train the former Jedi youngling Grogu on[29] the planet Ossus,[30] where he used ant droids to contruct a new Jedi school. Grogu soon left the temple to reunite with his guardian Din Djarin[29] and take up the life of a Mandalorian.[31]
In addition to a dozen other students, Skywalker trained his nephew Ben in the Jedi arts[32] on Ossus.[30] Like his uncle and grandfather, Solo was naturally gifted in the ways of the Force, possessing raw strength[32] and the potential for limitless power.[33] As Ben[30] and the other initial students[34] grew older, new younglings came into the temple's care, with individuals like Enyo and the now-Padawan Solo helping Skywalker in passing down the Order's teachings.[30] It was in Solo that Skywalker placed his hopes for the future of the Jedi Order, and for a time he believed that he would not die as the last Jedi.[32] However, Skywalker's plans fell to ruin due to the machinations of[33] the secretly still-alive Palpatine[35] and his puppet,[28] Supreme Leader Snoke, who converted Solo to the dark side, which resulted in the destruction of Skywalker's new generation of Jedi.[33]
Rejecting his mandate to rebuild the Jedi Order, Skywalker resolved to die in exile as the last of the Jedi, until he was located on Ahch-To by Rey, a scavenger from Jakku. Yet Skywalker had no intention of leaving his hermitage to help the Resistance in its war against the First Order, much less training another generation of Jedi. Rey's persistence eventually wore Skywalker down, however. Condensing Jedi training into three lessons, he agreed to teach Rey the ways of the Force. After Skywalker gave his life defending the Resistance during the Battle of Crait,[32] Rey resumed her training under Organa.[28]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- Star Wars Epic Yarns: A New Hope
- Star Wars Epic Yarns: The Empire Strikes Back
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Duel of Destiny" (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Visions — "The Elder"
- "The Elder" — Big Gangan Vol.06
- "Splash Landing!" — LEGO Star Wars 96 (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Side: Doodle Activity Book
- 20 Eerie Easter Eggs from LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales on StarWars.com (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Wookiee Hunt"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- ↑ Qui-Gon Jinn in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Anakin Skywalker in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Mace Windu in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Yoda in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Cat and Mouse"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- ↑ Tera Sinube in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 The High Republic: Into the Dark
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Voices"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Rebel Resolve"
- ↑ Order 66 on Electronic Arts' official website (backup link)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- ↑ Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- ↑ Jedi Youngling in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Kanan 7
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Rise of the Old Masters"
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Gathering Forces"
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- ↑ Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi
- ↑ Luke Skywalker in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger"
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Shadow of the Sith
- ↑ The Mandalorian — "Chapter 20: The Foundling"
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Supreme Leader Snoke in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ The Rise of Kylo Ren 2
- ↑ The Rise of Kylo Ren 4