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. Afterward, the Order was more centrally regulated by the High Council.
Early Jedi were known to utilize shields and armor to protect themselves in battle, and used blaster pistols as well as lightsabers in combat. Later, as the lightsaber became a more self-contained weapon without an external power pack, the Jedi chose to carry it as their sole "tool" of defense and offense. The lightsaber was considered more a tool than a weapon. The lightsaber came to fulfill both a symbolic and pragmatic role for the Jedi; it identified the wielder, had a powerful visual impact, and given the availability of cybernetic replacement limbs might have been seen as a more 'clean' weapon than the blaster, which Obi-Wan regarded as "uncivilized," "clumsy" and "random."
The Jedi of the pre-Reformation era, (Old Jedi Order), 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 disposable. Indeed, possession itself was seen as forbidden as another form of attachment, and most Jedi lived out lives of material poverty, though the Order's infrastructure and the support of the Republic meant the Jedi did not lack for food, housing, or clothing.
Some time prior to the Great Sith War Jedi 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. Reess Kairn had an attachment, despite this being a violation of the Code. After finding his lover with another man, he killed them both in anger. This led him to the dark side. Anakin Skywalker would become a 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. Although Jedi were not required to be chaste as well, many Jedi were due to sex being considered self-indulgence and an unnecessary act. 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, Nejaa Halcyon and Scerra Halcyon, and Etain Tur-Mukan and Clone commando Darman Skirata; or within the Jedi Order itself-such as the relationships of Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura, Qui-Gon Jinn and Tahl, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi, and Tholme and T'ra Saa. Some were developed even as Padawans, such as Mak Lotor and Kass Tod, who died together, with Tod directly stating there was the Force, death and love. Many of these relationships did not lead to mishap. Further, Revan shared a romantic affection with Bastila Shan, who was redeemed by him after her fall.
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 Great Sith War, 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 gifted in the Force. Even later in the Order, such families existed-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.
However, it appears that some Jedi might have been granted the right to marry, not as a special case, but as a norm. Several Corellian Jedi (Keiran Halcyon during the Old Republic, and Corran Horn in the time of the New Republic) were allowed to marry and raise children without repercussion. Whether this was due to an agreement between the Jedi and the planetary government-Corellia is known for its family-centric culture-or purely personal choices made against the Jedi Code is not known, except in the case of Nejaa Halcyon, who married his wife secretly without the approval of the Council. Corellian Jedi often had many other noticeable differences from the traditional Jedi ways, such as in clothing and a reluctance to take on missions outside of their home system.
By the time of the New Jedi Order, the practice of forbidding or discouraging marriages had been discarded, as many of the Order's members had spouses and children, including the Order's Grand Master himself, whose wife was another Jedi Master.
The way of the Jedi was a life-long path, and a Jedi usually remained part of the Order their entire life-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 Master 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 referred to as the Lost Twenty, or simply "The Lost".
The Force Further information: Force powers "My ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. "―Yoda[src]
The Jedi were unified by their study of the Force: an "energy field" that emanated from every living thing.[1] The force is channeled by microscopic bacteria in the bloodstream, midichlorians, sometimes spelled midi-chlorians. They are in every living thing and communicate with the force. 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 universe 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-never in anger or fear. However, several members of the Jedi order throughout history disagreed with this view, believing that darker uses of the Force should be embraced because they offered a quick and easy path to power, while contemplation of the light side of the Force required patience and effort. This disagreement gave rise to the Sith, the constant enemy of the Jedi.
The Jedi focused their lives on understanding and strengthening their connection, or oneness, with the Force to allow them to manipulate it as an extension of themselves (by contrast, Sith merely exercise control over the Force). This connection was increased by rigorous training and meditation to achieve a state of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual harmony, a kind of inner peace. As the path required such great discipline and may have extended a Jedi's life, most Jedi never reach their true potential. Further attempts to achieve this potential may have met with failure and caused frustration in Jedi, resulting in a lesser connection and more frustration in turn. This is the main reason why the Sith considered themselves stronger than the Jedi, for whereas they were trained to use the dark side with maximum effectiveness and power, few Jedi had shown the true limits of the light side's power and those who have seldom used it.
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 became members of the Sith Order. Further, the pall of the dark side could diminish Jedi ability, clouding their insights into important matters. For these reasons, practice of dark Force powers was expressly forbidden by the Jedi Council. Those fallen to the dark side, however, the Jedi tried to save. To the Jedi, killing was a last resort. This quality was at once a strength and a weakness of the Order.
The lightsaber
A Jedi wielding his lightsaber "One of the ways the Jedi learn to know the Force, is to use the lightsaber as an instrument of meditation. The lightsaber is not only a weapon of defense-it is important for focusing the mind. A Jedi uses his lightsaber to assist his connection to the Force. "―Master Thon to Nomi Sunrider[src]
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 test of their skills.
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.
During the times of the Old Republic, it was a customary practice for a Jedi Master to present their own personal lightsaber as a gift to their most accomplished student. Jedi apprentice Nomi Sunrider was the recipient of one such lightsaber, receiving the weapon from Master Thon as a testament to the potential for greatness he recognized within her. Though the apprentice was indeed grateful for receiving such an honored gift, their Master would still stress the importance of knowing how to build one, requiring or even demanding that eventually the apprentice learns to construct their own, unique, lightsaber.
The Three Pillars of the Jedi 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[src] The strength of the Jedi Code and organization of the Order rested on the three core tenets of Force, Knowledge, and Self-Discipline. Built into a Jedi's everyday life, the Coruscant Jedi Temple's main entrance statuary was illustrative of the three pillars.[2]
Main corridor of the Jedi Archives
The first pillar was the Force, the constant between all things. Given purpose by the Force, Master Sabla-Mandibu described the Jedi as "swimming in the Force in our every moment--breathing it, tasting it, riding its currents to our unique destines." A symbiosis of midi-chlorians and sentient beings was the key needed to be able to touch the Force, but this biological necessity was not a main focus of Jedi study. Instead, Jedi contemplated the will of the Force and the differences between its two aspects: the Unifying and Living Force.[2]
The Pillar of Knowledge maintained that a Jedi's role in the galaxy could not be filled without intense study and accumulated wisdom. To assist in the pursuit of knowledge, the Temple was equipped with a deep well of knowledge known as the Jedi Archives. In addition to the Archives and supplementary library, the Temple contained several vaults which housed the holocrons of the Order. While an individual could never learn everything within the collection, the presiding Chief Librarian that maintained the collection would argue that it wouldn't hurt to try.[2]
Lastly, the Pillar of Self-Discipline was rightly known as the Third Pillar. Classes on combat and physical training were not given until mastery of the first two tenets was gained. Once ready to study the art of self-discipline, students were oftentimes disappointed to learn that they would not begin intense lightsaber training, but would be encouraged to take on more stringent forms of meditation. Only after mastering oneself could an Initiate proceed to take up a lightsaber for the first time.[2]
Jedi ranks What kind of nonsense is this?! Put me on the Council and not make me a Master? It's never been done in the history of the Jedi. It's insulting! "―Anakin Skywalker[src] 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 Youngling or "Jedi Hopeful") - The youngest members of the Order, these Force-sensitive children were given the rank of Initiate when they began their communal training in clans. Recruited from worlds throughout the galaxy where blood testing was required upon birth, Initiates were removed from their families and brought to a Jedi academy for formal training.[2]
A Padawan and a Master
Jedi Padawan Jedi Knight Jedi Master Specialization Jedi Guardian
Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi Guardian
Knights preferring to take a physically active stance against the dark side of the Force and all other threats to the Republic were known to pursue the title of Guardian. Brandishing their lightsabers proudly, Guardians focused much of their training on perfecting their sparring and athletic skills, as well as the art of unarmed combat. The Force skills studied by the Guardians were typically those used for quickly disabling an opponent and aiding in agility and stamina. The most profound masters of this specialization were known as Warrior Master .[2]
Jedi Ace Lightsaber instructors Jedi Peacekeeper Jedi Weapon Master Jedi Consular
Jedi Healer Barriss Offee during the Clone Wars.
Focusing not on physical force but on mastery of the Force and the sharpening of mental skills, the Jedi Knights who became Consulars worked closely with the Republic Diplomatic Corps and medical facilities. Overseen by the Council of Reconciliation, Consulars worked as healers, prophets, and researchers, wielding a lightsaber only for self defense. The most studied masters of this specialization were known as Sage Master .[2]
Jedi Ambassador Jedi Diplomat Jedi healer Rimsoos .[2]Jedi Lore Keeper Jedi Researcher Archaeology , geology, biology, mathematics, and astronomy.[2]Jedi Seer Jedi Sentinel
Kai Justiss was Jedi Watchman of Kashyyyk following the retirement of Master Yoda.
Knights that sought a balance between the intensive combat training of the Jedi Guardians and the wider philosophical views and teaching responsibilities of the Jedi Consulars. These Jedi ferreted out deceit and injustice, bringing it to light. They were generally employed in scouting missions and were skilled in security, computers, or stealth techniques, and also had diplomatic skills.[2]
Jedi investigator Jedi Shadow Jedi Watchman Military and warfare We're often called a militant Order, but do you know one of the principal differences between the military and the Jedi Order? The military are expected to follow orders, even when they feel those orders are not what's right. The Jedi are expected to do what's right, even when the course of action runs contrary to orders. "―Jedi Master Cilghal[src] 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. During the New Sith Wars, the Order created the Army of Light, a massive military branch that consisted of the majority of active Jedi.
Jedi Commander Jedi General Senior Jedi General , leading troops and designing tactics for the war effort. Out of the twelve High Council members, ten of them became High Jedi Generals not only commanding their own army, but also supervising all other ranking Jedi.Jedi Lord The Chosen One "… A Jedi will come, to destroy the Sith, and bring balance to the Force. "―Great Holocron[src]
Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One
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 and unique birth.
At first, many Jedi believed Anakin to be the Chosen One because of his seemingly incomparable power, greater than any Jedi in history. Later, though, it seemed that he 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 destroying the Sith Order in the process. This action proved Qui-Gon and various others correct at last in that he in fact was the Chosen One. With the deaths of both Sidious and Vader, the Force was brought into a certain "balance."
Behind the scenes Jedi do not carry blasters! "―Obi-Wan Kenobi[src] There is a likely association with the warrior titles "jed" and "jeddak" (meaning "lord" and "emperor", respectively) 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 counterfeit of "padwar", a low-ranking officer in these Science Fiction books. The term "Padawan" is also quite similar to thePersian word "pahlawan" appearing in Iranian languages and in Urdu meaning "hero".
It is also possible that the name refers to the Japanese term "Jidai" from "jidaigeki", which means a period drama. Usually, these are samurai films, and the Jedi resemble samurai.
The costuming choice of Jedi in the films appears a combination of eastern mysticism and western monasticism: the Jedi wear samurai-style garments, covered by a western monk's robe.
Wizards, Samurai, 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, including several persons, such as Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido martial art (translated as "the Way of unifying with life energy", similar to art of Jedi).
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 Roman Catholicism .
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.
The Jedi Temple, the traditional home of the Order
Luke Skywalker and members of the New Jedi Order
