The Jedi Order has stood as a symbol of peace and justice in the Star Wars galaxy for over a thousand generations. As an ancient monastic order of protectors, the Jedi wield supernatural abilities like telekinesis, mind control, and foresight to defend the weak and maintain balance in the Force. However, the Jedi have also faced periods of intense turmoil and conflict throughout their long history, bringing them to the brink of extinction more than once. So do the Jedi ever truly go extinct? Or do they manage to survive even their darkest days?
The Jedi Order’s Vulnerable Beginnings
According to Star Wars lore, the Jedi Order was founded over 5,000 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga films. The Jedi religion grew out of various Force-based philosophies on the planet Tython in the galaxy’s Deep Core region. Early Jedi learned to harness the power of the Force through meditation and rigorous training under the guidance of the first Jedi Masters.
In these primitive times, the Jedi were few in number and vulnerable to any Force-wielders who wished to challenge their ideals. But as their ranks grew, the early Jedi formed a unified Order and established protocols for training new generations of Jedi Knights. They adopted the codes and disciplines needed to ensure the Jedi would survive and grow stronger over the millennia.
The Jedi Order’s First Brush with Extinction
The Jedi experienced their first major threat during the Hundred-Year Darkness around 7000 years before the Battle of Yavin. This conflict saw the emergence of dissident Jedi who practiced what the Order considered unnatural usages of the Force. A rogue Jedi leader named Ajunta Pall proclaimed himself the first Dark Lord of the Sith and led his followers against the Jedi in a catastrophic war. The Sith were defeated and driven into exile, but the Jedi were left severely depleted, with many lost to the conflict.
This first brush with extinction taught the Jedi Order about the existential threat posed by the Dark Side. After rebuilding their numbers, the Jedi revised their training programs and philosophies to ensure future generations would be vigilant against the Sith or other Dark Force users who could lead to the Jedi’s downfall.
The Fall of the Old Republic
Over the next few millennia, the Jedi become revered as guardians of peace and justice throughout the galaxy. Their powers awed and intimidated any who would spread tyranny or evil. During the golden age of the Old Republic, the Jedi stood as the most visible symbol of the Republic’s ideals.
But this period of strength bred arrogance and complacency within the Jedi Order. They became overly reliant on their special powers in the Force, abandoning their roots in humility and wisdom. The Sith had also endured in hiding, plotting their revenge and return.
Around 1000 years before the Skywalker Saga, the Sith revealed themselves, sparking the New Sith Wars against the Jedi and Republic. A thousand years of conflict bled the Jedi dry, until their numbers were reduced to a tiny fraction of their former strength. After the Ruusan Reformation ended the wars, only 100 Jedi remained. The Order was on the verge of extinction once more.
The Jedi Order’s Resurgence
In the wake of the New Sith Wars, the Jedi Order embarked on a period of deep reflection and renewal. New training and recruiting programs were initiated under the leadership of Jedi Masters such as Yoda.
Over the next millennium, the Jedi Order regained its strength and became a highly respected institution throughout the Republic again. Their numbers grew into the thousands, and they dedicated themselves to peacekeeping missions and the pursuit of justice. The Jedi enjoyed the popular support and gratitude of the Republic Senate and citizens.
But behind the scenes, the Sith plotted their final revenge. Dark Lords like Darth Sidious infiltrated the highest levels of the Republic government. The Jedi’s complacency and arrogance left them blind to the threat rising in their midst.
The Jedi Purge
The Jedi’s failure to detect the hidden menace of the Sith led to their complete decimation. After centuries of preparation, the Sith struck quickly and decisively. Darth Sidious enacted Order 66, using clone troopers to massacre the unsuspecting Jedi spread across the galaxy. In a single day, thousands of Jedi died by the weapons of their own troops.
Only a few survived the purge, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. The thousand-year lineage of the Jedi Order was reduced to a few isolated fugitives fleeing for their lives. It was the most successful attempt to wipe out the Jedi in galactic history.
The Empire Hunts Down Survivors
In the aftermath of Order 66 and the rise of the Empire, Darth Sidious and Darth Vader made eliminating the Jedi survivors a top priority. The Emperor sent his most elite agents, including the Inquisitors, to hunt down the remaining Jedi. Kenobi, Yoda, Quinlan Vos, and other survivors were constantly on the run trying to evade their pursuers.
With their numbers already decimated, the Jedi could hardly afford to lose a single additional member. Every death moved them closer to true extinction. For 19 years, the Jedi survivors painfully watched as their already infinitesimal ranks gradually dwindled further. It seemed like the Jedi flame was fated to be permanently extinguished.
Luke Skywalker’s Return
But hope survived in the form of Luke Skywalker. On Tatooine, Kenobi watched over the infant son of fallen Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, who had become Darth Vader. Kenobi and Yoda knew Luke represented the Jedi’s last hope of survival.
When Luke was old enough, Kenobi introduced him to the ways of the Force and his father’s lightsaber. After Kenobi’s death at Vader’s hand, Yoda completed Luke’s initial training. When Yoda also died, Luke was the only Jedi left alive. The Jedi legacy rested entirely upon Luke’s shoulders.
Despite his lack of experience, Luke achieved momentous victories for the nearly extinct Jedi Order. His redemption of Anakin Skywalker from the Dark Side dealt a major blow to the Sith. And Luke began training a new generation of Jedi apprentices, passing on his knowledge before he too became one with the Force.
Conclusion
The Jedi Order came perilously close to extinction on several occasions throughout its 25,000-year history. But despite the catastrophic devastation brought about by conflicts like the Jedi Purge, the Jedi legacy has always survived in one form or another.
The resilience of the Jedi ideology is largely due to the compassion and commitment of a few key individuals during crisis eras. Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Luke Skywalker made sure the Jedi flame was not permanently extinguished. By passing the torch, they guaranteed the Jedi would live on through a new generation.
As long as the righteous spirit of the Jedi thrives in even a single believer, the Order can rebuild and survive. This resilience convinces many that as long as the Force exists, its light side will endure in the hearts of the Jedi. Therefore, the Jedi will likely never permanently vanish from the galaxy, no matter the challenges they face. Their tradition is to survive and be reborn.
| Key Dates | Event |
|---|---|
| ~7000 BBY | Jedi vs Sith War, First brush with extinction |
| ~1000 BBY | New Sith Wars, Jedi numbers down to 100 |
| 32 BBY | Only ~10,000 Jedi remain before Clone Wars |
| 19 BBY | Order 66 and the Great Jedi Purge |
| 0 BBY | Less than a dozen Jedi survivors remain in exile |
| 4 ABY | Luke Skywalker restarts Jedi training |
Jedi Survivors of the Initial Purge
| Jedi | Status |
|---|---|
| Yoda | In exile on Dagobah until death in 4 ABY |
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | In exile on Tatooine until death in 0 BBY |
| Quinlan Vos | Survived Order 66, fate unknown |
| Kanan Jarrus | Went into hiding as a child until resurfaced as Rebel |
| Cal Kestis | Survived Order 66 in hiding until joining the Rebellion |
| A’Sharad Hett | Exiled on Tatooine, later turned Sith Lord |
| Eeth Koth | Survived Order 66, later killed by Vader’s Inquisitors |