The Jedi Order was an ancient monastic peacekeeping organization unified by its belief in and observance of the Force. The Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic for over a thousand generations. As an order of Force-sensitive beings, mainly consisting of those capable of manipulating the Force, the Jedi Order dedicated themselves to studying, training, and using the light side of the Force for the benefit of the Republic and the galaxy at large.
Throughout their long history, the Jedi faced many challenges that tested their values and resolve. One of the most difficult trials came in the years leading up to the Clone Wars, when their numbers dwindled and more Jedi began to question their role in the Republic. This mounting discontent led some Jedi to leave the order voluntarily, while others were forced out or fell to the dark side.
The Lost Twenty
In the last decades of the Republic, a group of Jedi came to be known as the “Lost Twenty.” These were Jedi Masters and members of the Jedi High Council who voluntarily resigned from the order. Each had their own reasons for leaving, but they shared a disconnectedness from the Jedi Order and its direction. Their departures were a warning sign of instability within the Jedi ranks.
The Lost Twenty included Jedi such as Dooku, Sora Bulq, Phanius, and Count Dooku. Some of them later emerged as enemies of the Jedi after falling to the dark side. Dooku became Darth Tyranus, apprentice to Darth Sidious, while Sora Bulq secretly allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. Others like Phanius simply renounced their Jedi ways to live solitary lives.
The full list of the Lost Twenty is unknown, but at least several seats on the Jedi High Council were vacated in the decades leading up to the purge. Their defections revealed cracks forming in the Jedi Order’s foundation.
The Prophets of the Dark Side
The Prophets of the Dark Side were a splinter group of dissident Jedi who voluntarily left the order over philosophical differences. They believed that denying emotions like anger and hate was foolishness that blinded the Jedi to the true nature of the Force. The rogue prophets embraced the darkness within themselves and revered ancient Sith teachings.
The Prophets established a secretive cult based on the planet Dromund Kaas in the Outer Rim Territories. At its peak, the cult may have had a few dozen members. They manipulated galactic events from the shadows for centuries, aimed at weakening the Jedi Order and the Republic it served. The prophets trained dark side adepts and were skilled in arcane arts like Sith alchemy and divination.
When the Clone Wars erupted, many Prophets of the Dark Side supported Count Dooku and the Confederacy as part of Darth Sidious’ plan. They continued practicing their dark arts, which the Jedi could not easily detect or understand.
Jedi who Fell to the Dark Side
In addition to the Jedi who willingly resigned, there were some who fell to the dark side and were either expelled or fled from the order. Seduced by the promise of power, anger, fear or other emotions, these fallen Jedi became enemies of their former brothers and sisters.
One prominent Jedi who fell was Count Dooku. As a respected Master, Dooku became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and the corruption he saw in the Republic. After voluntarily leaving the order, he was recruited by Darth Sidious and became Darth Tyranus. Dooku then founded the Confederacy of Independent Systems and led it against the Republic in the Clone Wars.
Other Jedi fell to the dark side during the Clone Wars, including Pong Krell, Barriss Offee, Quinlan Vos, and Depa Billaba. Some were later redeemed and rejoined the light. But their falls reflected the Jedi Order’s struggle to maintain its ideals and identity during wartime.
The most devastating betrayal came from Anakin Skywalker. Seduced by the promise of saving his wife from death, Anakin became Darth Vader and led the assault on the Jedi Temple. His fall doomed the Jedi Order.
Jedi Purged by Order 66
The final wave of Jedi leaving the order came with Order 66 and the Great Jedi Purge, when the Republic fell and was reformed into the Galactic Empire. Across the galaxy, clone troopers assassinated the Jedi commanders of their units in accordance with Chancellor Palpatine’s executive order.
The initial purge wiped out most Jedi spread across the galaxy. Out of an estimated 10,000 Jedi before the Clone Wars, barely 100 survived the slaughter. Some perished fighting against hopeless odds, others were ambushed and betrayed by their own troops.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda were among the few Jedi who survived the purge. They went into hiding and worked to preserve Jedi knowledge and train a new generation. Other survivors included Kanan Jarrus and Cal Kestis, who were still Padawans when their masters died in Order 66. Ahsoka Tano also survived after leaving the Jedi Order before its fall.
In the two decades that followed, Darth Vader and the Empire’s Inquisitors continued hunting down and killing any Jedi who emerged from hiding. By the time of Luke Skywalker, barely a handful of Jedi remained.
Estimated Numbers of Jedi Lost
Though incomplete records make it difficult to determine exact figures, some estimates can be made about how many Jedi voluntarily left or were purged from the order in the decades before its destruction:
- Lost Twenty: At least 20 Jedi Masters resigned in the decades before the Clone Wars
- Prophets of the Dark Side: Possibly several dozen Jedi joined this dark side cult over the centuries
- Jedi who fell: Up to a few hundred may have turned to the dark side during the Clone Wars
- Order 66 purge: Around 10,000 Jedi killed by clone troopers across the galaxy
- Post-purge losses: A few thousand more killed over the next two decades while in hiding
In total, approximately 10,000-12,000 or more Jedi left the order through resignation, falls to the dark side, or execution in the Jedi purge. From an estimated 10,000 Jedi before the Clone Wars, barely a hundred were left by the time Luke Skywalker sought to rebuild the order a generation later.
Reasons for the Declining Jedi Order
Scholars have proposed numerous reasons for the decline and collapse of the once powerful Jedi Order in the final decades of the Republic, including:
- Complacency – The long peace of the Republic led to an overconfidence in traditions.
- Stagnation – Rigid doctrines failed to adapt to changing times.
- Disillusionment – Some Jedi grew dissatisfied with the Republic and the Council.
- Arrogance – Attachment to wartime powers clouded judgement.
- Confusion – Uncertainty about the prophecy of the Chosen One.
- SIDIOUS – The Sith Lord’s intricate scheming exploited all of the above.
It’s debatable whether the Jedi Order could have averted its own destruction if it overcame these weaknesses earlier. But those systemic failures left the Jedi vulnerable when the scheming Emperor finally made his move to wipe them out and take over the galaxy.
The Legacy of the Fallen Order
The Great Jedi Purge appeared to accomplish Darth Sidious’ goal of eliminating the Jedi Order, but it failed to destroy the Jedi completely. Some survivors continued to uphold the Jedi way, and the examples of great Masters like Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and others lived on. Their sacrifice inspired new hope.
Luke Skywalker used the training of Obi-Wan and Yoda to become a Jedi Knight. Later, with their guidance, he began training a new generation of Jedi to rebuild the fallen order. The Jedi legacy survived through Luke’s New Jedi Order and others who carried the torch, including Kyle Katarn and the students at Master Skywalker’s academy.
Though much knowledge and history was lost, the spirit of the Jedi endured. Their light still shone against the darkness of the Emperor and inspired the Rebel Alliance’s fight to restore freedom to the galaxy. The Jedi Order rose again through the struggles and sacrifices of survivors and new heroes who refused to let their flame burn out. The story of the Jedi continues…
Conclusion
The decline of the Jedi Order in the final decades of the Republic remains one of the great tragedies in galactic history. A monastic peacekeeping group that upheld justice for over a thousand generations was undone by complacency, confusion and the sinister plotting of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
While records are incomplete, it is estimated some 12,000 or more Jedi resigned, fell to the dark side, or were killed in the Great Jedi Purge. This mass exodus from the Jedi ranks, voluntary or forced, crippled the Jedi beyond recovery. But hope endured as Luke Skywalker and other survivors passed on their training until the Jedi Order could rise again.
The collapse of the Jedi Order teaches important lessons about the dangers of complacency, arrogance and unchecked evil. By learning from this painful history, we can strive to uphold the Jedi ideals of peace, knowledge, serenity, harmony, and wisdom in our own age.