THE JEDI ORDER
Founded: Ossus
Based: Jedi Temple, Coruscant
Leaders: Jedi Council
Members: Younglings, padawans, Jedi Knights, Jedi Council
Debut: The Phantom Menace
The guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy for over a thousand generations, the Jedi came to serve the Galactic Republic, offering their skills and powers for the greater good...yet it was the decaying Republic that brought down the noble order of Jedi Knights.
It takes a lot to become a Jedi, and even if you suceed, a hard life will follow. Potential Jedi are located and brought to Coruscant for training at a very early age - as a being grows, so will their hate, anger and fear; Jedi strive to rid themselves of these dark side traits. Many Jedi initiates are taught by Yoda, though after their basic training they will be paired off with another Jedi for more personal training. Once Jedi prove themselves in the Trials, they achieve the mantle of Jedi Knight, whereupon they can take their own apprentice to train. All Jedi are required to construct their own lightsaber, usually in the style of their Master's saber, until they are ready to adopt their own. Jedi are also required to leave behind possessions and emotional attatchments, as such things could cloud their judgement, forcing them to choose between what they must do, and what they want to do. These rules have been passed down from generation to generation of Jedi in order to defend the Republic as best they can.
The ancient Dai Bendu were one of the first sects to learn of the Force, and begin studying it, some 25,000 years before the rise of the Empire. Soon, the Jedi Order was formed, devoted to teaching and learning about the Force, and protecting those in need. The Jedi were thought to have originated on Ossus - a prime location for the Adegan crystals used in lightsabers - though they later set up their main Temple on Coruscant. Yet for all their power, the Jedi were blinded by the Dark Side; after centuries of battling the evil Sith Lords, the Jedi presumed their enemies to be extinct, though the Dark Lords were actually working in secret to topple the Jedi and the Republic. This they accomplished though the Sith Master, Darth Sidious, who engineered a masterplan to wipe out the Jedi. He almost suceeded; only two of the ten thousand Jedi in the galaxy during the Battle of Naboo survived the Clone Wars and the Jedi Purges set up by Sidious. These two, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, waited for a new hope to rise up against the tyranny of the Sith, and return the Jedi Order to its former glory. |
