In the universe, the Jedi have a number of roles, and are often seen as monks, warriors, handcrafters and philosophers. They live in a temple on the capital world of the Republic, Coruscant. Recruited at a very young age, the Jedi are devoted to a life of service. Their early life involves training in the use of The Force; this training's purpose is to allow the Jedi to understand the special link each of them has with The Force. This collection of Jedi is known as the Jedi Order.

Among other tasks, the Jedi were eventually responsible for law enforcement and peacekeeping in the Galactic Republic. They have also acted as generals, soldiers and advisers in various conflicts, such as the Clone Wars.

Chronology

In the time of Episodes I-III there is a central political entity called the Jedi Council, a gathering of great minds which acts as a governing body for the order and an advisory board for the Old Republic Senate. The Jedi Council could only have twelve members at a time.

The Star Wars films chronicle the Jedi Order during a time when its existence is gravely threatened. The Jedi are a near-extinct entity in the original trilogy, while the prequel trilogy depicts the Order's downfall at the hands of its nemesis, the Sith.

In the novels set after the Star Wars films, Luke Skywalker re-establishes the Jedi Order by training a new generation of Jedi Knights. Due to Luke's lack of knowledge with the old ways of the Jedi Order, the new generation of Jedi develops in new ways. He established an academy in order to teach the way of the Jedi to others. Luke eventually turned the academy into a centre that would provide basic training for potential Jedi. He began pairing Jedi who had gone through that training with a more experienced Jedi, much like the master/apprentice system used in the old order.

In recent novels, and to counter the behavior of the Council in his absence, Luke attempted to unite the Masters against him by saying he was taking direct control of the Order. This tactic later backfired and Skywalker was then forced to actually take control. Luke decreed that the Jedi Order had to come before any other commitments.

Enemy

The Jedi Order has a nemesis in the Sith Order, an order much more simple in structure but just as old and just as rich in traditions as the Jedi Order. They are also "Force-driven beings", like the Jedi; however, the Sith are able to call on both the Light and Dark Sides of the Force, rendering them potentially more dangerous than the Jedi. They are characterized by their single-minded lust for power and disdain for sentient life. The Sith once ruled the Galaxy but were thrown out of power and exiled from the Galaxy by the Jedi Order.

Equipment

main: Lightsaber