The Jedi Order, later known as the Old Jedi Order, was an ancient monastic peacekeeping organization unified by its belief and observance of the Force, specifically the light side. The Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic, and became the most famous of the various groups that relied on the Force for their power. Led by a series of Jedi Councils, the Order grew over the millennia despite facing many trials, most often threats from the Sith, wielders of the dark side of the Force.
During several Great Schisms, Dark Jedi broke away from the order. These schisms led to several wars including the Hundred Year Darkness after which the Dark Jedi fled and founded the Sith Empire. The Sith were eventually found by the Republic and their discovery led to The Great Hyperspace War, and a Sith invasion of Coruscant. The Jedi on Coruscant, led by Jedi Guardian Anavus Svag and Jedi Master Memit Nadill, successfully defended the planet and defeated the Sith. But their dark brethren wouldn't stay defeated for long and during the next several thousand years many wars would be fought. A thousand years later, after The Great Sith War, the Mandalorians saw their chance and attacked the weakened Republic. After the war, the Jedi that had led the Republic's military, Revan and Malak, disappeared. When they returned it became clear they had turned to the Dark Side, and during the war that followed many Jedi died. During the aftermath the Order was left numbering less than one-hundred Jedi, until it was rebuilt by the Jedi Exile and the Lost Jedi.
Many years later the galaxy was again engulfed in a War between the Republic and the Sith. Led by Lord Hoth, the Jedi were able to regroup and push back the Sith, who eventually withdrew to the planet Ruusan. After seven long battles on Ruusan the Sith were defeated and presumed wiped out. One of them managed to survive and reorganize the Sith Order. Darth Bane and the Sith Lords that followed in his footsteps remained hidden, they were patient. Millennia later they revealed themselves, determined to have their revenge. After a crisis the Republic was split in two and a war once again engulfed the galaxy. During the Clone Wars the Republics army's were once ably again led by the Jedi. During the first battle of the war nearly two hundred Jedi died before Master Yoda and a Clone army arrived to assist them. During the Clone Wars many Jedi died on the battle fields, but nobody had expected that the Supreme Chancellor was in fact a Sith Lord. The Jedi eventually learned the truth, but it was already too late. The Order was virtually annihilated by the Sith and betrayed by the Republic they had served for millennia. Although only a few survived the Great Jedi Purge, the Order lived on, and eventually defeated the Sith and formed the New Jedi Order during the time of the New Republic.
- "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[src]
[edit] Founding of the Order and early Jedi
The earliest documentation of the existence of the Jedi Order seems to indicate that the organization was formally founded around the same time as the initial incarnation of the Galactic Republic, circa 25,000 BBY, although it may have existed before this point.
Many ancient and semi-legendary organizations have been proposed to be the forerunners of the Jedi Order, including the Order of Dai Bendu,[1] the Followers of Palawa,[2] and the Chatos Academy.[1] No conclusive links have ever been demonstrated, though. Likewise, the birth planet of the order is unknown. Several worlds have been put forth as candidates, including such known worlds as Coruscant, Ossus, Dantooine,Utapau, and Corellia, as well as mythic, lost planets such as Had Abbadon and Ondos.
According to a commonly accepted version, the dawn world of the Jedi was Tython. The galaxy's best philosophers, priests, scientists, and warriors came together here long ago to discuss their discoveries involving the enigmatic and mystical Ashla.[1] In the event historians now know as the First Great Schism, dissidents who used the Bogan eventually arose, sparking the Force Wars of Tython. The Dark Jedi General Xendor and his followers allied with the master of Teräs Käsi, Arden Lyn, and her Followers of Palawa from Bunduki. In a climactic battle, Xendor was slain, Jedi Master Awdrysta Pina stopped Arden's heart with morichro, and Lyn killed Pina with the Kashi Mer talisman.[2]
From the ashes of these wars arose the early Jedi, and their Jedi Forge initiation ceremony led to the invention of lightsabers after they faced threats from beyond Tython. Through the use of advanced off-world technology, the Jedi were able to "freeze" a laser beam, resulting in the birth of the lightsaber.[1] A proactive group left Tython to liberate other worlds, becoming the Jedi Knights. They founded a philosophical school on Ossus, defining the light side and dark side of the Force (equivalent, respectively, to the ancient Ashla and Bogan) as well as the Living Force and Unifying Force.
In 25,000 BBY, the Galactic Republic formed.[2] The Republic mapped the Perlemian Trade Route, which linked Coruscant with Ossus. The early Jedi learned morality from the Caamasi.
[edit] The Second Great Schism, the first Dark Jedi and the Hundred Year Darkness
The Republic and Jedi fortified Ossus, Falang Minor, and Haashimut to protect the Perlemian from the Tionese and Hutts.[1]
In 7,000 BBY the Jedi suffered the Second Great Schism, resulting in the Hundred-Year Darkness. This conflict ended with the Battle of Corbos 6,900 BBY. The surviving Dark Jedi fled to Ziost and founded the Sith Empire.[2]
[edit] The Great Hyperspace War
- "The Republic has grown and expanded for many generations, encountering no worse than a few interplanetary squabbles and civil wars…but if we should confront the fabled Sith Empire, we will experience a war so great, so devastating…it can cross the fabric of hyperspace, a conflagration spanning the Galaxy…"
- ―Ooroo[src]
In 5,000 BBY, the Republic discovered the Sith and the Great Hyperspace War began. Though the war ended with Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow in suspended animation on Yavin 4 and his great war fleets destroyed, the Sith Empire survived.[3]
On Koros, a Jedi named Odan-Urr had a nightmarish vision of the death of Sith Lord Marka Ragnos, and the war against the Republic that it would cause. He traveled to Coruscant with fellow Jedi Memit Nadill and Teta, the empress of Koros, to voice his concerns in front of the senate, though they did not take him seriously, and took no action.[4] Some time later back on Koros, Nadill, Odan-Urr and Urr's master Ooroo were present when a young convict named Jori Daragon burst into Teta's chambers, telling the Jedi that she had seen the great Sith Empire, and that they were on their way to attack the Republic. Nadill learned as much as he could about the Sith Empire, then traveled to Coruscant to rally the support of the Jedi Knights.[5]
The new Dark Lord of the Sith, Naga Sadow, deployed his fleets to invade numerous Republic worlds simultaneously while he left his eye-shaped meditation sphere near Primus Goluud and used Sith magic to create thousands of illusory soldiers, which made the Sith army seem far larger than it actually was. The Jedi Order played a huge role in the defense of Coruscant, with Memit Nadill leading a team of Jedi Knights, including Tuknatan and Sonam-Ha'ar. Another battle was raging on the planet of Kirrek, where Jedi Master Ooroo and his apprentice Odan-Urr were stationed. However, when Naga Sadow's concentration was broken, much of the Sith forces disappeared. On Coruscant, the Jedi realized what had happened and launched a massive counterattack, easily defeating the Sith. The Republic also emerged victorious on Kirrek, however only at the expense of the death of Ooroo, who sacrificed his life in defeating a large force of Massassi warriors.[5]
[edit] Freedon Nadd's reign
In 4,400 BBY, the ambitious Jedi Apprentice Freedon Nadd was denied Knighthood by his Jedi Masters. In an attempt to find out why this had happened, Freedon went to Jedi Master Matta Tremayne, who challenged him to prove to her that he was indeed a Jedi Knight. Freedon saw this as a threat and decided to attack and kill Tremayne. Furious at the Jedi Masters for making him kill Matta, Nadd went looking for the Sith, because he felt that they were the only ones who would readily accept his apprenticeship and teach him about the Force.[6]
Freedon Nadd discovered Sith Lord Naga Sadow on Yavin 4 and woke him. Sadow trained Freedon Nadd in the ways of the Dark Side. When his training was complete, Nadd killed his Sith Master and went to the planet of Onderon, located outside Republic space, with hopes of rebuilding a stronger Sith Empire. After Freedon Nadd had made himself the leader of Iziz he began to exile all criminals from the city. Some of the exiles survived and organized. Not even Freedon Nadd could stop them. The war continued even after Freedon's death.[2]
[edit] The Third Great Schism
In 4,250 BBY the Jedi experienced the Third Great Schism. After a Jedi civil war on Coruscant, a group of Dark Jedi retreated to the Vultar system, where they discovered that the planets of the system were artificial. The Dark Jedi could not control the huge machines and annihilated themselves and the entire system.[2]
[edit] The Old Sith Wars
[edit] The Freedon Nadd Uprising
The world of Onderon suffered through the legacy of Freedon Nadd as a cult devoted to his memory, known as the Naddists, wreaked havoc on the people of the planet. When Jedi Master Arca attempted to move Freedon Nadd's remains to Onderon's moon Dxun the Naddists, led by Onderonian King Ommin, attacked and managed to capture Nadd's remains as well as Master Arca. Ommin then fled to the city of Iziz. The Republic's army converged on the planet and attacked Iziz, but was too strong and devastated the city. After the battle, Freedon Nadd's remains where taken to Dxun and sealed in an armored tomb.[2]
[edit] The Great Sith War
- "Exar was a Jedi who was corrupted by ghosts of the old Sith, or so they say. He attempted to conquer the Republic and create a new Golden Age of the Sith."
- ―Jolee Bindo[src]
In 3,996 BBY, the talented and curious Jedi Exar Kun, having learned about the Golden Age of the Sith, traveled to Dxun. There he found the tomb of Freedon Nadd. The spirit of Freedon Nadd corrupted Kun and the young Jedi surrendered to the dark side. After first traveling to Korriban, Kun then went to Yavin's fourth moon and took over Naga Sadow's ancient fortresses, enslaving the Massassi race to further his ambitious plans. Destroying Nadd's spirit for the last time, Exar Kun staked his claim as the true heir to the ancient Sith legacy, which was thought to have been destroyed. The Jedi called a meeting to discuss the growing foothold of the Sith. During the meeting, the Jedi were attacked by the Krath, a secret dark side society led by Aleema and Satal Keto. Master Arca died while saving his student Ulic Qel-Droma's life. Ulic then infiltrated the Krath in an attempt to destroy them from within. The Krath, suspecting he was a spy, injected him with a Sith poison and eventually Ulic fell to the dark side and became a Krath general.[2]
Exar Kun traveled to Cinnagar to find and destroy Ulic Qel-Droma. However, their duel was interrupted by the spirit of Marka Ragnos, who commanded them to stop fighting each other and form an alliance. United, they waged war on the Republic, kidnapping young Jedi from Ossus and subverting them to the dark side. Exar Kun stole a Sith Holocron and killed the now legendary Master Odan-Urr. Qel-Droma defeated Lord Mandalore, the leader of the Mandalorians, and with their leader defeated the Mandalorian Crusaders agreed to join the Sith.[2]
Qel-Droma's Krath and Mandalorian forces laid siege to Coruscant, but the Jedi managed to defeat the invaders and capture Ulic. When Kun heard of his comrade's capture, he traveled to Coruscant to rescue Qel-Droma. Ulic was facing trial in the Senate Hall when Exar Kun arrived. Master Vodo Siosk-Baas attempted to stop his former apprentice, but Kun killed him as well as the Supreme Chancellor. Exar Kun then ordered every Sith disciple to find and assassinate their former Jedi Masters. Most of them succeeded. The Sith Lords then made the suns of the Cron Cluster go supernova using Naga Sadow's Sith flagship, which they had discovered on Yavin IV; the shock wave from the exploding stars would destroy Ossus. The Jedi desperately tried to save as many of the artifacts stored in Ossus's library. Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma arrived on the planet to take anything the Jedi had not removed already. Knowing he could not save every artifact, Master Ood Bnar buried several priceless artifacts just before the Sith arrived. Ulic dueled his brother Cay Qel-Droma and killed him. When Ulic stared at his brother's body, he collapsed, having realized what he had done. Nomi Sunrider then cut off Qel-Droma's connection to the Force. Broken, Ulic surrendered to the Republic and led the Jedi to Yavin IV.[2]
Knowing the Jedi were coming, Exar Kun committed a ritual which took the life from every Massassi on the planet to separate his spirit from his body and bind it to his temple. The Jedi forces in orbit bombed the planet, obliterating the temple complex below. The Mandalorian Crusaders were defeated on Onderon and fled; the Great Sith War had come to an end. After the destruction of Ossus, the Jedi relocated their headquarters to the Temple on Coruscant and started to rebuild what was lost during the war.[2]
[edit] The Mandalorian Wars
- "It was not your ships or your men or your vaunted 'fight for freedom' that won this, the final battle of the war. It was by the actions of one person–the Jedi Revan–that you prevailed. Revan's strategies and tactics defeated the best of us. Even Mandalore himself was taken aback by the ferocity of his attacks, the tenacity of his defenses, and the subtlety of his plans. Revan fought us to a standstill and then began pushing us back. We didn't really have a chance."
- ―Canderous Ordo[src]
To prevent the return of the Sith, Jedi Master Krynda Draay dedicated herself to training Jedi Seers who would be able to foresee any possible Sith threat and destroy it at the source. These Seers formed the bulk of her Jedi Covenant, a shadowy organization devoted to spotting and dealing with any shatterpoints that could cause the Sith to emerge again.[7]
The events of the Mandalorian Wars would begin the downfall of the Jedi Order. They coincided with a vision seen by four Jedi Masters—the Consular members of the First WatchCircle of the Jedi Covenant—who saw visions of chaos in the Jedi Order and the Republic as well as signs that the responsible party could be one of their Padawans. The Masters decided to strike, but only succeeded in murdering four of their own Padawans who were near Knighthood. Their actions also caused massive civil disorder on Taris—which later made the planet easy prey for the Mandalorians—alienated Padawan Zayne Carrick from the Order, and inadvertently dissolved even their own group, being split up by the Jedi High Council and assigned to different postings around the galaxy.
The Mandalorians, led by Mandalore the Ultimate, began to conquer planets that were left defenseless after the Sith War. By adding the weapons and technology of their victims to their own the Mandalorians soon built a large army, and their territory grew fast. The Republic's efforts to stop the Mandalorians were ineffective, and soon Mandalore took advantage of this weakness by directly attacking Republic space. The Jedi Council refused to help the Republic, believing that caution was necessary. But a number of young Jedi, including Revan and Malak, openly defied the Council by joining and leading the Republics forces in battle. Revan used Mandalorian tactics against his enemies: he was willing to sacrifice one planet if it meant securing victory at a more important one. Under the leadership of Revan and Malak the Republic liberated many planets, and the final battle of the war was fought at Malachor V.
During the battle, Revan killed Mandalore in hand-to-hand combat and obliterated the remaining Mandalorian forces. The war was over. The Mandalorians had been defeated by a worthy opponent, and destroyed their armor and weapons.[2]
Jedi Master Kreia was exiled as the Jedi Council felt her 'gray' stance on the Force had led her students, most notably Revan, down the path of the dark side.[8]
[edit] The Jedi Civil War
- "The reason the Jedi Civil War was named such was because few in the galaxy can recognize the difference between the Sith and the Jedi. To them, they are both Jedi—with different philosophies."
- ―Mical[src]
At the close of the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Revan and Malak mysteriously disappeared into the Unknown Regions, supposedly pursuing the last remnants of the Mandalorian fleet. When the two Jedi and their armies returned, they had changed dramatically. At some point during the journey, Revan had encountered the teachings of the Sith, and subsequently turned to the dark side to help strengthen the galaxy against what was to come. Revan assumed the title of Dark Lord of the Sith, and Malak became his Sith apprentice.[9]
Returning to the Republic, Darth Revan and Darth Malak began to wage a second war, preying on a Republic already weakened by the Mandalorians and taking full advantage of the immense number of Jedi who were still willing to follow the pair. This Jedi Civil War pitted masters against students, fathers against sons, and friends against best friends, making it one of the most emotionally powerful wars in galactic history. While the early stages of the war were indecisive, it soon became apparent that Revan's Sith armada was growing at a steady rate, and in a short time the Republic was overwhelmed with the seemingly limitless forces of the enemy. World after world fell to Revan's vast fleets and masterful strategies. Determined not to make the same mistakes they had in the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Council devised a plan to eliminate the enemy at its source: Revan.[9]
During one fateful battle, a small Jedi strike team led by Bastila Shan, a young Jedi Padawan with the remarkable gift of battle meditation, infiltrated Darth Revan's command ship to capture the Dark Lord. During the confrontation, Darth Malak, who was stationed aboard a different ship, realized that Revan could be easily defeated an that he could then assumed the title of Dark Lord of the Sith, so he fired upon his own master's vessel in the hope of killing both Revan and the Jedi fighting him. The Jedi managed to escape with Revan's body, but Malak had achieved a crucial victory, for he was now the Dark Lord of the Sith and commander of the entire Sith armada.[9]
Malak continued to wage war against the Republic, relying exclusively on brute force as opposed to subtle strategies. Following the Sith tradition, he had fancied his own apprentice: Darth Bandon. As the situation for the Republic and the Jedi became more desperate, they began to rely more and more on the battle meditation of Bastila Shan to gain an advantage over the ever-growing Sith Empire. Consequently, Darth Malak began to target Bastila specifically, hoping to crush the Republic's last chance of standing against his armies. During one battle in orbit above the world of Taris, Bastila's vessel, the Endar Spire, was crippled beyond recovery, and the young Jedi was forced to evacuate to the planet below. As fate would have it, two other survivors eventually caught up with Bastila on Taris: Carth Onasi, a decorated soldier and war hero of the Republic, and another lowly officer who Bastila recently had transferred to her command. The key to the rest of the war, however, lied in the identity of this single, seemingly insignificant foot soldier.[9]
Carth and Bastila continued to gain more companions, managed to escape the destruction of Taris, and fled to Dantooine, where in addition to learning that their third companion was Force sensitive, they discovered the existence of the Star Forge. The Jedi Council then commissioned their small band to seek out Star Maps from various planets in order to discover the location of the Star Forge, which they believed was the key to Malak's power. During their quest, the group encountered and defeated many Sith minions, including Darth Bandon. The biggest interruption was captured by one of the Sith fleet's command ships. After a frantic escape attempt, Carth, Bastila, and the new Jedi Padawan encountered Darth Malak himself. This confrontation revealed a startling truth: that Darth Revan had not been killed, but had instead been rendered comatose by Malak's attack and saved by the Jedi, specifically Bastila. The Jedi Council had inserted over his destroyed mind a new identity, that of a lowly officer who was now a Jedi Padawan. Darth Revan had been traveling with Carth and Bastila the entire time.[9]
Upon escaping Malak, Revan was determined to complete his mission and destroy his old apprentice. Eventually, he and his companions discovered the location of the Star Forge and launched an attack in collaboration with the Republic against it. Revan managed to infiltrate the giant factory, which was the source of the Sith's limitless armada, and defeated his old apprentice Malak once and for all. However, even with Malak's death, Revan soon disappeared for reasons unknown, and new Sith Lords rose to take his place. Thus, the war continued, even without Revan or Malak.[8]
[edit] First Jedi Purge and aftermath
The Jedi Civil War and other dramatic events to follow it, such as the Jedi Conclave of Katarr, would see the near-destruction and death of the order. Only about a hundred individual Jedi survived throughout the galaxy. Realizing that the threat was greater when Jedi gathered in numbers, the Jedi Council disbanded, with the remaining Jedi Masters going into hiding on planets across the galaxy in the hopes that this would allow them to discover the true origins of the new Sith threat without endangering everyone around them. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant was completely abandoned, and the badly damaged Jedi Enclave on Dantooine was left nothing but a hollow shell.[8]
A former Jedi known as the Jedi Exile, who had been cut off from the Force by the Jedi Council after joining Malak and Revan, sought out the remaining councilors who were in hiding, in an attempt to form a group to defeat the threat of the Sith Triumvirate, who were threatening to annihilate the Jedi completely. As she traveled the galaxy in search of the hidden Jedi, the Exile trained several of her companions in the ways of the Force. She found Vrook Lamar on Dantooine, Zez-Kai Ell on Nar Shaddaa and Kavar on Onderon. The three former Councilors the met with the Exile once again in the rebuilt Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. They decided to once again cut her off from the Force, as they felt she was a threat to all living beings around her. As they attempted to, Kreia, the Exile's mentor, killed them, and after revealing herself as the third Sith Lord, Darth Traya, she left the Exile on Dantooine. The Exile's revival corresponded with the Sith attack on the Republic, and she traveled to Telos IV to fight the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus. The Exile defeated Nihilus on his flagship above Telos, before traveling to Malachor V to kill Traya and Darth Sion, the two remaining Sith Lords.[8]
Eventually, the group of individuals the Exile trained, known as the Lost Jedi, would, as Darth Traya prophesied, come together to re-establish another Jedi Order. Apart from them, who were yet to become true Jedi, there were only two known Jedi left in the Republic space by the end of the Battle of Telos IV—Bastila Shan, and Atris.[8]
[edit] The New Sith Wars
The horrors of the Old Sith Wars and the near extinction of the Jedi Order that had resulted from the conflict were remembered in the Republic for generations. Few could have guessed, however, that a much larger conflict would soon engulf the galaxy. Phanius was one of the order's brightest members, a Jedi Master no less. He became entranced with the forbidden knowledge of the Sith and, defying the council, absconded into deep space with a Sith holocron stolen from the Jedi Archives.
Like Exar Kun and Darth Revan before him, Phanius was seduced by the Dark Side. He took up the long vacant title of Dark Lord of the Sith as well as a new name and identity: Darth Ruin. In the ensuing years, Ruin gathered together a large number of dark side followers and founded the New Sith Empire. With this army Ruin planned to bring the Republic, and the Jedi who served it, to their knees. The Brotherhood attacked the Republic, and conquered vast swathes of the galaxy. But when total victory was in their grasp, like so many of their Sith predecessors, the members of the Brotherhood turned against one another. The Brotherhood splintered, and various high-ranking Sith Lords claimed the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith and began to prosecute vast and cruel campaigns against each other, giving the beleaguered Republic and its Jedi protectors time to recover.
The Jedi regrouped and formed a vast army to oppose the Brotherhood—the Army of Light. Ably led by Lord Hoth, the Jedi took the fight to the Brotherhood's central systems in the Cloak of the Sith. As the decades ground on, the Jedi slowly gained the initiative over their foes—but the Sith would not give in. Eventually the surviving Sith, after several long and bitter campaigns, regrouped on the world of Ruusan under the leadership of Kaan. Hoth followed the Sith there, and the Army of Light and Brotherhood of Darkness engaged in seven fierce battles. At the conclusion of the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, Kaan—near defeat and driven insane by the power of the dark side—unleashed the thought bomb and killed every single Force user on the world.
The New Sith Wars were over. The Jedi Order had survived once again, and the Sith were presumed wiped out to the last individual. One, however, had survived: Darth Bane. He and his successors would hide from the Republic and the Jedi, planning revenge.[10] This revenge would take a thousand years to come to fruition, but the new Sith had patience.
[edit] Post-Ruusan Reformation
With the Sith presumed extinct, the Jedi believed that they had at last forged a long-lasting peace in the galaxy.[11] With the Ruusan Reformation, both the Jedi and the Republic renounced militarism, disbanding their vast armies and navies. From that point on, the Galaxy would rely on smaller Judicial forces to help the Jedi keep the peace.[2]
The Jedi were determined that the Sith would not be reborn. Mindful of their own history, the Jedi set about enforcing strict guidelines that the Council hoped would help in the avoidance of repeating the mistakes of the past. They would renounce all ties to the outside world—to wealth, material possessions, and even family. Training would now be undertaken on a strict one-to-one basis and centralized on Coruscant. With the far-flung academies of the past, the temptation of delving into forbidden knowledge was just too great for members of the order.
[edit] The Sith return
- "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last we will have revenge."
- ―Darth Maul[src]
In 32 BBY, the presence of the Sith once again became known to the Jedi. The Sith Lord, Darth Sidious had secretly contacted members of the Trade Federation, including Nute Gunray and Daultay Dofine, and saw to it that Gunray was made Viceroy of the Trade Federation by using a special battle droid to kill the members of the Federation Ruling Council. He then suggested that Gunray show the Republic that they could not bully him with trade embargoes by blockading the remote planet of Naboo. The Supreme Chancellor dispatched Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate a Trade Federation withdrawal.[11]
However, the Neimoidians attempted to murder the Jedi, and so the pair was forced to hide on an invasion craft which carried them down to the planet. There Qui-Gon met and rescued a Gungan by the name of Jar Jar Binks. Jar Jar led Jinn and Kenobi to the Gungan city of Otoh Gunga. The Gungan High Council, while rather difficult at first, at last allowed Jedi to take a Bongo to the capital city of Naboo, Theed. There the Jedi rescued Queen Padmé Amidala from a droid escort. The group then fled to Tatooine, where they repaired the Queen's ship, and from there to Coruscant. When Amidala realized that the Senate could not solve her problem, she returned to Naboo. There, with the help of the Gungan Grand Army and a young boy named Anakin Skywalker the Queen and her Jedi protectors defeated the Federation's Droid Army; however, in a climactic lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Sidious's apprentice, Darth Maul, Qui-Gon was killed. Stung by his master's death, Obi-Wan threw himself at the Sith, killing him quickly. After Darth Maul was killed, the Jedi knew that there was still at least one member of the Sith active, but they were unaware of the identity of Sidious.[11]
[edit] The Clone Wars
- "Victory? Victory, you say? Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has."
- ―Master Yoda after the Battle of Geonosis[src]
During the ten years following the Invasion of Naboo, Jedi Master Dooku, the Count of Serenno, left the Jedi Order and became the leader of a group of corporations, such as the Trade Federation and the Commerce Guild, known as the Confederacy of Independent Systems. However, unknown to the Jedi, Dooku had been recruited by Darth Sidious and had become his apprentice, renamed Darth Tyranus.[12]
In 22 BBY, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, his Padawan Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, a young Senator from Naboo, were captured by Dooku on Geonosis in the Outer Rim. The trio were scheduled for execution; however, they were saved when a group of over two hundred Jedi arrived, led by Mace Windu. In the Petranaki Arena most of the Jedi perished, and the few remaining formed a circle in the center of the arena, surrounded by hundreds of Confederacy droids. However, before they could be killed, Grand Master Yoda arrived with thousands of clone troopers,[12] who had secretly been ordered by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas.[13] The clones rescued the remaining Jedi, and so the Battle of Geonosis, and thus the Clone Wars, began. The Jedi attempted to stop Count Dooku from leaving Geonosis. Obi-Wan Kenobi was injured in a duel with Dooku, and Kenobi's apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, lost his arm. Master Yoda led the clones and the Jedi to victory, and when the battle was all but won he traveled to meet Dooku. After a short duel with Dooku, Yoda was forced to let the Separatist leader escape in order to save Obi-Wan and Anakin. Of the hundreds of Jedi in the rescue team, less than fifty survived, and many Jedi Masters died, including Jedi Council members Coleman Trebor[12] and Eeth Koth.[14]
The Clone Wars escalated into one of the largest wars in galactic history. The members of the Jedi Order played a pivotal part in the war, acting as generals to the vast Army of the Republic, though thousands of Jedi perished during the war.[2] To combat the Force abilities of the Jedi, Dooku enlisted the help of several Dark Jedi, as well as Gen'dai bounty hunter Durge. Dooku had many Force-using subordinates, though the most feared of them were Sora Bulq,[15] Aurra Sing,[16] Asajj Ventress, as well as Quinlan Vos, who served as a double-agent.[17]
Four months after Geonosis, the Jedi Order faced their biggest threat in the war against the Confederacy: General Grievous. On Hypori, Grievous killed Jedi Tarr Seirr, Daakman Barrek and Sha'a Gi, and injured K'Kruhk, Aayla Secura and Shaak Ti. A group of ARC Troopers, aided by Ki-Adi-Mundi, managed to drive Grievous away and rescue the injured Jedi.[18] Her seat on the Council was taken by Obi-Wan Kenobi. On Jabiim, the Jedi suffered heavy losses, and although they managed to evacuate the planet, all except one of the Padawan Pack, a group of Padawans orphaned when their Masters either were killed or disappeared, perished. The sole survivor was Anakin Skywalker, who was slowly becoming more famous.[19]
Towards the end of the war, the Separatists retreated from many of their bases in the Core Worlds and the Colonies, to Fortress worlds in the Mid and Outer Rim, after being defeated by the Republic in a series of battles. This boosted the morale of the Republic, and Chancellor Palpatine and the Jedi deployed almost every fleet available to CIS worlds in the Outer Rim, laying siege to the Separatist strongholds in an attempt to force the Confederacy to surrender; however, the Sieges left many senior Jedi dead.[2] On Boz Pity, Jedi Masters Adi Gallia and Soon Baytes were killed by Grievous,[20] and Oppo Rancisis was killed by Sora Bulq on Saleucami.[21] The citizens of the Core were led to believe that the end of the war was near, and that the Confederacy would be brought to justice in the near future. In truth, the Sieges were the work of Darth Sidious, intended to lure forces away from Coruscant[13]
In 19 BBY, with most of the Republic's army and the Jedi fighting in the Outer Rim Sieges, the Separatist fleet, led by Grievous and Dooku, launched a week-long siege against Coruscant.[2] Thousands of Vulture droids and Droid Tri-fighters rained down on the capital, and Confederacy C-9979 landing craft unleashed hundreds of millions of battle droids and tank droids on the capital's streets, causing much damage to lives and property. In response, the Republic deployed its clone forces against the CIS droids.[13]
With the battle raging on in space, Grievous and his MagnaGuards kidnapped the Supreme Chancellor, after defeating several Jedi, including Foul Moudama and Roron Corobb, and wounding council member Shaak Ti. Grievous then transported Palpatine to his flagship, the Invisible Hand. Several Jedi, piloting starfighters, attempted to intercept Grievous on his way to the flagship, but they failed.[13] Two of them, Pablo-Jill and L'lacielo Sageon,[22] were tractor-beamed onto the ship and murdered by the Separatist General. Their bodies were jettisoned into space for the Republic forces to see.[13]
After realizing that they had been lured away from Coruscant, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi returned from Tythe to join in the attempt to rescue Palpatine, who was being held aboard Grievous' flagship, the Invisible Hand.[13] Although Dooku injured Kenobi, Skywalker disarmed him, and at the Chancellor's command, the young Jedi Knight ruthlessly beheaded the Dark Lord, and released Palpatine, dealing a tremendous blow to the Confederacy.[23]
Obi-Wan was soon revived, and the Jedi headed for their fighters with Palpatine. As they headed back to the hangar, they were confronted by a group of battle droids, and were captured, taken to the Invisible Hand's bridge, and brought before General Grievous. Grievous took their lightsabers; however, Kenobi retrieved them when the ship suddenly lurched to one side. The two Jedi defeated Grievous' guards, but the cyborg commander escaped. Skywalker then successfully crash-landed the damaged vessel into Coruscant's surface, and their mission was successful.[23]
[edit] Last stand of the Jedi Order
- "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you're under arrest, Chancellor."
"Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?" - ―Mace Windu and Palpatine[src]
After the Battle of Coruscant, the Jedi learned from Anakin Skywalker that Palpatine was in fact Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith, and had been responsible for the war to begin with. Mace Windu led a group of Jedi Masters to arrest Sidious, but Sidious managed to kill all four with the help of Anakin Skywalker, who fell to the dark side and became Darth Vader. This was later propagandized by Palpatine as an attempted coup by the Jedi and provided the reason for the start of the Great Jedi Purge in which most of the Jedi were killed.[23]
Just after Order 66 was issued, telling all clones to kill their Jedi commanders, Darth Vader went to the Jedi Temple to kill the remaining Jedi situated there. Accompanied by the 501st Legion, Vader killed all of the Jedi, including the younglings, and changed the signal given off by the Temple's emergency beacon to tell Jedi to return to the Temple. Order 66 claimed the lives of most of the remaining Jedi, including Council members Stass Allie, who was killed on Saleucami, Plo Koon, who was shot down over Cato Neimoidia, and Ki-Adi-Mundi, who died on Mygeeto. Aayla Secura[23] and Barriss Offee were killed on Felucia, while Jedi Master Luminara Unduli was gunned down on Kashyyyk.[24]
Jedi Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, two of the most notable survivors of Order 66, then embarked on a desperate attempt to destroy the Sith and save the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan went to fight Anakin while Yoda went after Darth Sidious. Anakin was defeated, losing much of his power after suffering grievous injuries, necessitating the majority of Anakin's body being kept in a mobile life support system to keep him alive. The battle between Yoda and Sidious moved into the Senate Rotunda; however, it ended in a stalemate: Yoda was forced to flee, as clone troopers were on the way. Palpatine declared himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire, and the Sith had risen to galactic dominance again.[23]
[edit] Great Jedi Purge
- "The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated. Any collaborators will suffer the same fate."
- ―Palpatine[src]
Despite the fact that many of the most senior Jedi had been killed, many Jedi survived Order 66. Sidious, now the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, used Darth Vader and other agents of the Empire to hunt down and kill the remaining Jedi. Some decided to fight the Empire, such as Roan Shryne[25] and those at the Conclave on Kessel.[26] Some hid, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.[23] Many Jedi fell to Vader,[26][25] Inquisitors,[27] Emperor's Hands,[28] and even bounty hunters.[29]
A group of Jedi, led by Shadday Potkin, decided to try and lure Darth Vader to the spice mines of Kessel, where they planned to kill him. Potkin had learned of Vader's strange obsession with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and had spread rumors that Obi-Wan would be present. Vader, with the help of some stormtroopers, killed all the Jedi present, the last of which to die being Tsui Choi, Jastus Farr, and Roblio Darté.[26]
Palpatine used the rumors of what had occurred at Kessel to cement the image of Vader as a symbol of the Empire to fear, and a further warning to all who stood in his way.[26] The official report by Sate Pestage stated that some of the Jedi had killed each other in a power struggle and the others were executed for numerous crimes.[30]
The Jedi on Kessel were not the only ones to group together—a band of Jedi, led by Roan Shryne and Olee Starstone, arrived on Kashyyyk, and had been offered safe harbor from the Empire by the native Wookiees. Imperial forces, led by Darth Vader and Wilhuff Tarkin, arrived on the Mid-Rim planet shortly thereafter—Vader was interested in hunting down and destroying the fugitive Jedi, while Tarkin was interested in enslaving the Wookiees for use in the construction of the first Death Star.[25]
When the Imperials demanded that the Wookiees hand over the fugitive Jedi, the Wookiees refused, preferring to do battle with the vast Imperial presence on Kashyyyk. As more Imperial forces landed, the Wookiee warriors and the Jedi covered the evacuation of Kachirho, as countless Wookiees fled the Imperial troops, fleeing from enslavement. Some time after the battle had begun, Darth Vader arrived at Kachirho, intending to hunt down the Jedi himself.[25]
Vader found and engaged the Jedi, killing two and injuring a further three. Vader then engaged Roan Shryne in a duel, managing to fatally wound the human male Jedi. As Shryne passed away, Victory-class Star Destroyers began to descend into the atmosphere, finishing the conquest of Kashyyyk. As a result, the Empire gained control of Kashyyyk, and gained thousands of Wookiee slaves for use on the Death Star.[25]
In 18 BBY, Queen Apailana of Naboo felt that military action, as opposed to Naboo's traditional diplomatic action, was the only way to deal with the Empire. Apailana began harboring fugitive Jedi that were on the run from the Empire. The 501st Legion was sent to Theed to deal with the Queen and the Jedi. They drove TX-130T fighter tanks through the streets, and killed the Jedi as well as Apailana.[31]
During the Purge, Vader raised a secret apprentice in a hope to overthrow Palpatine. The apprentice was sent to find and kill surviving Jedi such as Shaak Ti, Kota, Maris Brood, and Force-sensitives on Felucia.[32]
In 1 BBY, Emperor's Hand Mara Jade discovered An'ya Kuro, also known as the Dark Woman, hiding on the planet Cophrigin 5. Darth Vader arrived on the planet to kill Kuro personally.[28]
The most prominent survivors of the Great Jedi Purge were Yoda,[33] Obi-Wan Kenobi,[34] A'Sharad Hett,[35] Empatojayos Brand,[36] K'Kruhk[37] and Ood Bnar.[36]
After the Purge Jedi masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda trained Luke Skywalker, the son of Anakin Skywalker, in the ways of the Jedi. Skywalker later defeated his father and the Emperor, and eventually founded the New Jedi Order.[2]
[edit] Political organization
- "Once you embrace the Republic, the power of all Jedi is ready to serve you."
- ―Ulic Qel-Droma[src]
At some point in the Order's early history, the Jedi formed a central political entity called the Jedi High 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 have a maximum of twelve members at a time.[38]
By 32 BBY, the High Council consisted of five lifetime members, four members who stayed on the Council until they chose to step down, and three short term members, who changed regularly and sat on the Council for a relatively short period of time.[38]
Most members of the Jedi High Council were Jedi Masters. However, in some cases, knights were appointed to the council. A notable example was Anakin Skywalker, who was appointed by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The council refused to make Skywalker a Master upon his appointment, which, in part, lead to Anakin's fall to the dark side of the Force.[23]
Around the time of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Temple housed three other councils, who undertook various roles. The Council of First Knowledge took care of matters which required the wisdom of past Jedi Masters or Councilors, and gave advice to the High Council and any Jedi that requested it.[1][39] The Reconciliation Council tried to resolve political disputes with peaceful solutions—and regularly assigned Jedi on missions to implement these solutions. This Council was made up of five members, who changed as was seen fit to each conflict.[40] The Reassignment Council organized work for Younglings and other Jedi students who had not yet been chosen as Padawans. This Council probably worked closely with the Jedi Service Corps, assigning students to various development organizations maintained by the Order. The Reassignment Council also dealt with the reassignment of Jedi to different positions and responsibilities.[41][1]
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 that the "threat had been assessed", taking a more passive stance on the issue.[9] Later, perhaps due to the Order's near extinction as a result of that decision, the Jedi that rebuilt the order 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 advisers in the conflict.
[edit] Jedi Code
- "If you would only follow the Code, you would be on the Council."
- ―Obi-Wan Kenobi to Qui-Gon Jinn[src]
Members of the Jedi Order, from Jedi Masters to Padawans, were encouraged to follow a set of guidelines, including self-discipline, responsibility, and public service. These principles were put simply yet effectively in the Jedi Code, a mantra that had existed for some time before Master Odan-Urr refined it into the following passage:[1]
- "''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.''"
- ―Odan-Urr's Jedi Code[src]
The Code was not necessarily a strict set of rules, but a general set of guidelines that Jedi were encouraged to keep in mind as they went about the business of the Order. Numerous Jedi teachings interpreted and expounded on the Code in subsequent millennia. These rules, created and embraced by the Jedi Masters, were essential tools in a Jedi's growth. In them, Jedi were encouraged to overcome personal obstacles such as pride and materialism, to understand their small yet important place in the galaxy, and to give every being and point of view equal consideration.[1]
[edit] Jedi ranks
- "Confer on you, the level of Jedi Knight, the Council does. But agree with your taking this boy as your Padawan learner, I do not!"
- ―Yoda to Obi-Wan Kenobi[src]
As the Jedi were instructed in the ways of the Order and of the Force, each member progressed through several different ranks.
[edit] Hierarchy
Grand Master – The highest rank of the Jedi Order was that of Grand Master. Yoda and Nomi Sunrider were both Grand Masters. Luke Skywalker became the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order.
Councilor (or Council Member) – 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. However, 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). Another Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker was appointed to the Council by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, although he was not granted the rank of Master simply because of this. The Council was made up of twelve masters, five of them with lifelong terms (two of them designated as "senior"), four as long-term, and three limited-term.
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.[38]
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 Padawan –a young Jedi who was apprenticed to a single Jedi Knight or Master. Padawans were chosen by their masters at a young age, and wore a long braid of hair (if their species was capable of growing cranial hair) behind their right ear (if they had ears) to signify their rank.[38]
Jedi Initiate (Youngling or "Jedi Hopeful") –a force-sensitive child who was removed from their family at a very young age to be taught by older Jedi in groups called clans.
[edit] Locations
- "Don't the Jedi have this reputation for, well, austerity?"
"They like you to think that, yes! But have big honking Temple on Coruscant! Not come cheap!" - ―Gar Gastinin and Vilmarh Grahrk[src]
Although the main Jedi Temple was situated on Coruscant, the Jedi Order had outposts on many worlds, and possibly even controlled a few planets throughout its history. Other chief locations of the Jedi Order were the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, the Great Jedi Library on Ossus and the Chu'unthor, although they were not the only Jedi training centers.
[edit] Coruscant
The Jedi Temple on Coruscant was the main Jedi headquarters from the end of the Great Sith War in 3,996 BBY until the beginning of the Great Jedi Purge in 19 BBY. Despite its impressive appearance, the Jedi Temple was a relatively modern building in comparison to some of Coruscant's others—the temple was built on a plot of land which had been awarded to the Jedi Order by the Senate after Naga Sadow's attempted invasion of the capital in 5,000 BBY. The Senate hoped that having such a large Jedi presence on the capital would leave the planet less susceptible to invasions. From this site, the four Jedi Councils took care of the administrative, strategic, and spiritual needs of the Jedi Order, ensuring that it met the needs of the Republic and its vast multitudes of citizens.[1]
When the land was awarded to the Order by the Senate, the Jedi were at first reluctant to build a citadel there—they held the belief that the Order was not a military organization, and that a military-oriented building would be a contradiction to their code. Instead of taking the Senate's proposition, the Council authorized the construction of a meditative and training center instead, some of which helped preserve the rapidly diminishing nature of Coruscant.[1]
Eventually, the original meditative and training center grew vastly in size and complexity, until it began to resemble the sprawling world on which it was located.[1] New chambers within the Jedi Temple included the Room of a Thousand Fountains, which contained a huge greenhouse, flowing waters and cascades. Also included in the expansive temple were lightsaber training areas as well as areas which provided views of vast holographic star maps.[42]
The Jedi Temple had five spires; one for each of its four councils, and a larger spire which contained the sacred manuscripts of the founding Jedi.[42] The Jedi High Council chambers were located in the southwest tower, while the Council of Reconciliation chambers were located in the southeast tower. The northeast and northwest towers were occupied by the Reassignment Council and the Council of First Knowledge.[1]
During Operation: Knightfall, as part of the execution of Order 66, Darth Vader led the 501st Legion into the Jedi Temple, intent on destroying the Jedi. Although the Jedi Temple was not destroyed, it was badly damaged, with smoke billowing out for all to see.[23]
[edit] Dantooine
The Jedi Enclave on Dantooine was a secret Jedi training center located on Dantooine prior to the Jedi Civil War.[9] The Enclave consisted of several levels, the first of which included a council chamber, sparring rooms, and dormitories,[9] while the sublevel consisted of common rooms, classrooms, and a medical bay, as well as an archive room only accessible by Jedi Masters.[8] The Enclave was built upon a courtyard, which led out into Dantooine's plains. At the center of the building was a circular open-air room, with several trees at the center of a walkway.[9]
The Dantooine Jedi Council held its meetings in a small council chamber, similar to the one on Coruscant. This room remained the meeting place of the council until at least 3,964 BBY, when the council had moved to a low-ceilinged larger round room on the ground level with no windows.[9]
Before the Great Sith War, the Enclave was presided over by Master Vodo-Siosk Baas, who was murdered by his former pupil, Exar Kun.[43] During the Great Hunt, the Enclave governed by a four-member council similar to the High Council on Coruscant. At the time of the Great Hunt, the members were Vrook Lamar, Bala Nisi, Qual and Aleco Stusea.[44] This Council had jurisdiction over the Jedi in the part of the Outer Rim that included Dantooine and Taris.[45]
Around the time of the Jedi Civil War, the council consisted of Masters Vrook Lamar, Zhar Lestin, Vandar Tokare and Dorak. The fact that both Vrook Lamar and Vandar Tokare were also members of the Jedi High Council may indicate the Dantooine Enclave Council was a subset of the High Council. This council was responsible for healing Darth Revan's destroyed mind and inserting a new identity into his brain, and after the destruction of Taris, retraining him in the ways of the Jedi. The council was dissolved after Darth Malak's bombardment of the Jedi Enclave during the Jedi Civil War. Masters Dorak, Vandar, and Zhar escaped only to find death a few years later on Katarr.[9]
[edit] Ossus
The Great Jedi Library on Ossus was an immense library for Jedi students. Constructed under the direction of Odan-Urr around 5,000 BBY, the library was a repository for knowledge of all kinds, and a training center for many Jedi students. The vast amounts of information the library contained were sorted in various different ways, depending on age and importance. Most of the data was contained on reader tapes and holographic media, although some of the more ancient knowledge was stored on traditional paper scrolls and books. Although the ancient books and scrolls was eventually translated onto electronic forms, the Chamber of Antiquities preserved the ancient writing for historical purposes.[1]
The library also held knowledge forbidden to the Jedi, such as ancient Sith holocrons, which Odan-Urr had decided to keep. The Draethos Jedi Master's reasoning was that all knowledge—even knowledge of evil—would be useful in the defense of justice. Only those who had been approved by the Jedi Council, as well as Odan-Urr (as the Keeper of Antiquities), were allowed access to these holocrons, and even then they were only permitted to do so under strict supervision.[1]
During the height of the Great Sith War in 3,996 BBY, fallen Jedi Exar Kun visited Ossus to recruit new members to his cause. While there, he entered the Chamber of Antiquities, slaying Odan-Urr to get to one of the Sith holocrons. Afterwards, Ossus became a battlefield for the Jedi/Republic army, which eventually defeated the Sith Empire. Meanwhile, a supernova was threatening to devastate the planet. After Ossus had been evacuated, Exar Kun and his apprentice, Ulic Qel-Droma, arrived at the Great Jedi Library, looking to plunder the remaining artifacts before the supernova's shockwave destroyed them. However, Neti Jedi Master Ood Bnar managed to foil the two dark siders, metamorphosing into a powerful tree; he sacrificed his life to protect a vault of lightsabers from Kun and his apprentice.[1]
[edit] Chu'unthor
The Chu'unthor was a massive Jedi training ship commissioned by the Jedi Council around 400 BBY. Named after the Cerean word for academy, the Chu'unthor was constructed by Republic Fleet Systems in orbit around Abhean in the Mid Rim.[1] One thousand meters long, and twice as wide.[46] the Chu'unthor could hold up to fourteen thousand students, teachers and other accompanying staff.[1]
The main driving force behind the Chu'unthor were Jedi Masters Fin-So-Rowan and Ivixa Delbaeth, who viewed it as both a training center and an exploratory vessel, intending it to travel through and beyond the Republic on a mission of peace. The Chu'unthor was an experiment of sorts—if it proved successful, the High Council intended to build many more training vessels.[1]
For its first century of existence, the Chu'unthor was highly successful, with thousands of students learning the Jedi Code, as well as gaining firsthand experience of the worlds and creatures of the Republic. The Chu'unthor also found many previously undiscovered planets on its travels,[1] helping to end conflicts wherever possible.[46] Despite the Chu'unthor's obvious success, other training vessels were never constructed. Due to the falling numbers of force sensitives joining the Order, the Council considered it unnecessary to build additional training ships. Although its founders were disappointed, the Chu'unthor continued on its mission of education and embassy.[1]
About two centuries after its construction,[46] the Chu'unthor made contact with the remote world of Dathomir. Some of the planet's inhabitants, known as Witches of Dathomir, had mastered a unique alignment to the Force. When the Chu'unthor sustained catastrophic malfunctions, it crashed into a tar pit on Dathomir. The fierce Force witches, riding vicious rancors, surrounded the fallen ship, threatening to hurt the passengers. A team of Jedi, led by Master Yoda, arrived to rescue the captives and negotiate with the hostile Dathomiri. Eventually, the Force witches agreed to release the prisoners, but only if the ship, and its contents, stayed on Dathomir. The Jedi reluctantly agreed; however, they secretly hid an amount of reader tapes, which contained vast amount of information about the Jedi Order that Yoda didn't want falling into Dathomiri hands, as the Force witches despised the Jedi Order, from which their ancestors were banished.[1]
[edit] Jedi Service Corps
The Jedi Service Corps was a group of organizations for Jedi students who were never selected by a Master to become a Padawan. Younglings would enter one of the Corps if they had not been chosen by a Master by age 13.[41]
Agricultural Corps
The Agricultural Corps was one of these organizations. The members of the AgriCorps would use their Force powers to care for crops. The function of the Corps was to aid in tending to and harvesting crops for the Republic. It is possible that Jedi geologists served under the AgriCorps.[2]
Medical Corps
In the Medical Corps, young Jedi learners who were not chosen as Padawans used their healing powers to tend for sick beings in the galaxy. Unlike the AgriCorps, the MedCorps maintained only a few dozen students and their instructors at any given time.[1]
Educational Corps
This group of Jedi consisted of students who were still in training. Their mission was to provide educational needs to the underprivileged children of the galaxy.[47]
Exploration Corps
The Exploration Corps was responsible for exploring the Unknown Regions as well as the study the history of the Jedi and the galaxy. Members were usually former younglings that had not been chosen as Padawans, though ExplorCorps also included Jedi such as Jocasta Nu.[1]
[edit] Behind the scenes
The Jedi Order originated in the rough draft as the Galactic Emperor's bodyguard.[38] They became affiliated with the Republica Galactica in the second draft.[48] Later, when composing background information for licensees in 1977, George Lucas described the Jedi Order as being "several hundred thousand" strong before the Purge.[49]
