The Jedi

The Jedi are older than nearly any other current faction in the galaxy. Spawned long, long ago from a group of philosophers and spiritualists dabbling in the powers of the mysterious Force, the Jedi Order grew to become the most distinguished figure of authority and learning in the galaxy. Centering their practices and philosophies around the ways of the Force - an ethereal power which manifests itself in the minds of certain Force-adept individuals and gives them greatly enhanced mental and physical abilities - the Jedi concentrated their energies on the positive aspects or "light side" of this Force and used it to do good and combat evil.

During the days of the Old Republic, more and more Force-adepts were gathered to the Jedi cause and the Order was established with a temple on Coruscant. Here Force-adepts from across the galaxy would come to train and become full-fledged Jedi Knights, who would then roam the galaxy enforcing peace and justice. The Jedi followed strict guidelines in their training, apprenticing under a Master and eventually passing trials which would prove their worthiness as a Knight and their loyalty to the Jedi Code.

This respected practice went on for many centuries as the Jedi were welcomed on every planet as icons of goodness, until the Empire rose up and replaced the Old Republic and all the ideals it stood for. Under the new regime, the Jedi's authority was disregarded and their philosophies became an object of persecution. The Emperor, a Force-adept himself, but one who was loyal to a darker aspect of the Force, meant to do away with the Jedi for good and instituted the Jedi Purges which essentially witnessed the destruction of every Force-sensitive not allied to the "dark side." This was a time of near annihilation for the Jedi and if not for a few lucky survivors, their kind would have been lost forever.

During the final stages of Imperial rule, a few Jedi who had managed to evade the Purges began to surface again. Among them were such Jedi Masters as Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who took it upon themselves to seek out new Force-adepts and make a last effort to raise the Jedi to their former glory and defeat the Empire. With their student, Luke Skywalker, they were thus successful and the Jedi are again rising to the forefront, through much hardship, to take their place as the galaxy's peacekeepers once again.

Skywalker founded a Jedi Academy which sought to train Jedi Knights as the old temple had done. Though the practices are less strict and the rules more pliable in order to build the Jedi ranks as quickly as possible, the Jedi are a formidable force once again. The new Jedi Temple on Yavin IV was set up in the confines of a rebel base from the war days and now houses many hopeful Jedi students and a small but choice group of Jedi Masters to teach them. The death of Skywalker and other Jedi leaders at the hands of the Empire was a tragic blow for the Order, however, Skywalker had given them hope and now with that hope on their own shoulders the new generation of Jedi are determined to regain their former prestige. Venturing into the galaxy again to enforce law and order, they are throwing their support behind the growing New Republic and hope to eventually see a galaxy that is once more in balance with the Force's ways of peace and harmony.