TheJedihave always been the main focal point of theStar Warsuniverse, as it’s through them that fans are first introduced to the ways of the Force. While it’s true thatDarth Vader, a Sith Lord, is the first person shown actually using the Force on-screen inA New Hope, the term ‘Sith’ wasn’t actually even made canon in the films untilThe Phantom Menace, when the word was actually used. However, the term ‘Jedi’ is used throughout the Original Trilogy, cementing the religion as the one fans originally associated with Force usage.
Why is this important? Well, the thing thatdefinesStar Warsas a Sci-Fi franchiseis the Force, as that cosmic mysticism is what differentiates it from other series likeStar Trek. And, since the Jedi were the first namedgroup inStar Warsto practice the Force, it’s important to look back at the history of the Jedi, especially those moments that really define Jedi lore. While it’s true a number ofStar Warsstoriesthat delve into the history of the Jedi aren’t strictly canon, they still offer fans a comprehensive guide tothe Jedi’s history inStar Wars, including and especially these 10 momentsin particular.
10The Creation of the Jedi Order
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi Reveals How the Jedi (& Sith) Came to Be
Arguably the most important moment in the history of any organization is how they came to be in the first place, and the same is true for the Jedi. ForStar Warsfans interested in that story, they need to readStar Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, which comes in three parts:Force Storm,The Prisoner of Bogan, andForce War. While each chapter adds its own integral piece of information aboutthe history of the Jedi,Force Stormis the one that shows it at the very beginning.
InForce Storm, it’s revealed that the Jedi were originally a clan of Force-sensitive galactic pilgrims known as the Je’daii on the planet Tython. The comic explains who they are, how they got there, and the fact thatthe earliest Jedi weren’t followers of just the light side of the Force (like more modern Jedi), but rather the true balance of both light and dark.
9The Creation of the First Lightsaber: the Forcesaber
Star Wars’ Original Lightsaber Required the Force to Use
Also found inDawn of the Jediisthe creation of the first-ever lightsaber: the Forcesaber. While the first Forcesaber was shown in Force Storm, it wouldn’t be until Force War that the Je’daii would use them. Why? Well, that’s because the Forcesaber’s require the use of the dark side of the Force, and only the dark side of the Force. Again, the Je’daii were all about cosmic balance in the Force, so to focus entirely on one was blasphemous.
What’s more interesting, however, is thatthese earliest ‘lightsabers’ required the Force to use. Modern lightsabers do not require the Force to use (something established all the way back inThe Empire Strikes Back). However, the original ‘lightsabers’ used by the first Jedi did require the Force, and ironically enough, they required the dark side.
8The First Schism of the Light and Dark Sides of the Force
Balance was Taught by the Earliest Force-Users Before the Rakata
While the original Jedi (the Je’daii) believed in true balance in the Force, not all Force-users felt the same way. Before the establishment of the Je’daii on Tython, the original teachers of the Force, the Kwa species, used Infinity Gates to travel the galaxy and teach Force-sensitive individuals the ways of true balance in the Force, creating Force-users on every planet they traveled to.One species, the Rakata, rejected the ways of balance, and instead focused solely on the dark side of the Forceonce they learned how to tap into it from the Kwa.
While not Sith, theRakata became a dark side species that forged a powerful empire, eventually becoming the main threat facing the galaxy at that point in time. The Rakata represented the first schism in the Force, which is as significant to the history of the Jedi as it is to that of the Sith.
7The Jedi’s Earliest War Against the Forces of the Dark Side
Dawn of the Jedi Details the Jedi’s First War in Star Wars
Not only did the Rakata turn their backs on the light side of the Force to create an empire rooted in the dark side, but they also became the first true enemies of the Jedi. InDawn of the Jedi’sForce War, the Je’daii are forced to wield Forcesabers to fight the Rakata and defend their corner of the galaxy from invasion. In other words,this is the first war the original Jedi ever fought inStar Wars.
Indeed,there’s always a war being waged in theStar Warsuniverse(hence the name), which makes this moment in the Jedi’s history especially significant.
6The True Establishment of the Jedi Order
Tales of the Jedi Shows the Origin of the More Modern Star Wars Jedi
Dawn of the Jeditook place at roughly 35,000 BBY, which is the furthest into the pastStar Warshas ever taken fans. The next phase of theStar Warschronology happens inTales of the Jedi, which starts in roughly 5,000 BBY. As one can imagine, much has changed in those 30,000 years, including and especiallythe true establishment of the Jedi Order, as well as the Sith.
Dawn of the Jediis certainly interesting, but it’s almost too far into the past, with versions of the Jedi thatStar Warsfans honestly wouldn’t even recognize. That’s what makesTales of the Jedijust as important, even without going into the specifics of the series. That series alone is significant in Jedi history because it’sthe earliest point that depicts the Jedi Order as fans know it.
5The Establishment of the Jedi’s Rivalry with the Mandalorians
Mandalorians and Jedi are Famously Enemies in Star Wars
While the Tales of the Jedi comic series is significant in its own right (as in, just for merely existing), it also contains moments that have even impacted the modern era ofStar Warscanon. One of the most notable is the origin of the rivalry between the Jedi and the Mandalorians. As noted in modernStar Wars(specifically, the Clone Wars),the Jedi are the ancient enemies of the Mandalorians, with only the Jedi Mandalorian, Tarre Vizsla, bringing peace between the two clans.
So, why were they such ancient enemies? Well, that’s explained inTales of the Jedi. Thousands of years before the events of the Skywalker Saga,the Mandalorians made a play for the entire galaxy. They challenged the Republic and sought to rule the entire galaxy themselves (even teaming up with the Sith to achieve this goal). The Jedi decided to align themselves with the Republic to stop the Mandalorians, and with that, the two clans started a rivalry that would last thousands of years.
4The Jedi’s Greatest Cautionary Tale is Born: Exar Kun
Exar Kun was a Jedi who Fell to the Dark Side
Interestingly, one of the mostsignificant moments in the Jedi’s history is the fall of one in particular: Exar Kun. Kun was a Jedi who sought forbidden Sith knowledge, initially as a way to become an even more powerful Jedi. However, the dark side quickly corrupted Exar Kun, and he eventually became an initiated Sith Lord (proclaimed worthy of the title by the spirit of a long-dead Sith of old).
Exar Kun is one of the earliest-known Jedi who fell to the dark sideand became a Sith Lord. In a way, it’s as if his existence is the ultimate cautionary tale told to Jedi Younglings by their masters to avoid similar instances of corruption. In fact, Exar Kun almost acts as a precursor to the fall of Anakin Skywalker, making his story all the more significant and impactful.
3The Jedi Form an Alliance with the Galactic Republic
Jedi are Widely Considered the Republic’s Personal ‘Army’ by the Time of the Clone Wars
Exar Kun’s attack on the Jedi Order (and, indeed, the entire galaxy) marked the greatest Sith threat since the Great Sith War. While Kun was ultimately defeated, his actions made it clear that the threat of the Sith was still lurking in the shadows, and the entire galaxy needed to be ready to strike against them in unison. That’s why the new leader of the Jedi, Master Nomi Sunrider, formed a morepermanent alliance with the Republic, which benefited both parties equally.
The Jedi had been fighting for the Republic for some time now (especially against the Mandalorians), but the threat of the Sith made it clear that their alliance needed to be cemented to ensure peace in the galaxy. Indeed,the Jedi and the Galactic Republic became almost synonymousby the events of the Clone Wars, and it all started inTales of the Jedi.
2The Fall of the Jedi Order
The Jedi Created a Galactic Imbalance in the Force that was Corrected with Order 66
As fans of modernStar Warsknow,the alliance the Jedi made with the Galactic Republic worked almost too well. Their symbiotic relationship hammered the Sith into obscurity while simultaneously growing the number of Jedi exponentially (since the Jedi were allowed Republic resources to find and recruit Force-sensitive individuals). In turn, the Jedi became something of a spec-ops police force for the Republic, traveling the galaxy enforcing the Republic’s laws in the name of keeping the peace.
The Jedi Order became corrupted by its centuries-long alliance with the Galactic Republic, which eventually led to a moment of cosmic balance in the Force that utterly decimated the Jedi Order: Order 66. The Great Jedi Purge may have been a tragedy, but it also brought balance to the Force.
1The Rise of the New Jedi Order
Luke Skywalker Built a New Jedi Order Even Stronger than the Original
While a great number of moments that define the Jedi happened inStar Wars’ ancient past, one of the most significant actually happens inStar Wars’ future (ie, post-Skywalker Saga). Following the events of the Original Trilogy,Luke Skywalker rebuilds the Jedi Order, and he makes sure to avoid the major mistakes of the previous incarnation. Firstly, Luke established his main Jedi Temple on Yavin, not Coruscant, to separate the Jedi from the Republic and avoid becoming the Republic’s ‘police force’. Plus, Luke built a Jedi Order destined to last.
The New Jedi Order made it through multiple ‘Jedi Purges’without crumbling like the original, and the Order’s fewer numbers helped ensure balance in the Force. Indeed, the establishment of Luke Skywalker’s New Jedi Order is a defining moment for the Jedi inStar Wars, just as these other moments are.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
