Jedi
Since the birth of the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Knights
upheld the peace. From system to
system, grand Jedi Praxeums were established to train potential Jedi in the ways
of the Force. For twenty-five thousand
years, the Knighthood functioned as explorers, educators, and enforcers of
justice. Through their strong
connection to the Force, they were capable of amazing feats of mind and body. This section is a collection of various
works by numerous people.
No reader is going to agree completely with everything that
this area has to say, but stick with the Golden Rule: “If you don’t like the
rule, don’t use it.”
Ways of the Jedi:
The mysterious energy field known as the Force permeates the
galaxy. It is created by life, found
everywhere, a part of everything. It
lies beyond that which can normally be perceived, yet a few beings-such as the
Jedi-know how to feel its ebb and flow. With practice and study, Jedi learn to manipulate that energy,
gaining control over life, thought and matter.
The Nature of the Force:
The Force is an essential part of nature-like energy or
matter-but it has yet to be qualified and analyzed. The Force is not to be understood in the manner as the physical
qualities of the universe. The laws of
physics are observable; technology is predictable and readily controlled. The Force is neither controlled nor
controlling-it is a part of life itself; asking if it controls or can be
controlled is like asking if a person controls his component cells, or the
cells control him.
It is not known whether the Force has always been, if it came
about as life evolved into intelligence, or if it coerced the evolution of
intelligence. To the Jedi, it does not
matter. It is enough to know what the
Force is.
History of the Jedi:
Long ago, those who studied and practiced manipulating the Force
gathered together to establish the Jedi Knights, an order dedicated to
protecting the galaxy from evil. The
Jedi helped bring order and strength to a galaxy plagued far too long by
conflict and fear.
Their deeds became famous.
Aided by the Force and armed with their unique Lightsabers, they came to
be respected and honored throughout the galaxy. They were known as scholars, warriors, and philosophers. They were all those things-and more. The Jedi spread across the galaxy,
protecting the Republic and watching over its many systems.
However, within their knowledge lay the seeds of their
destruction. Early on, the Jedi
realized the differences between the Light Side and the Dark Side; they
emphasized the importance of following the path of Light. For some, the warnings were not enough and
temptation was too great: inevitably, some Jedi embraced the Dark Side and used
their powers to bring great evil upon the galaxy.
Such tragic events endured in Jedi lore. One of these infamous incidents occurred
four millennia prior to the rise of the Empire: the fall of the Jedi Exar Kun
and Ulic Qel-Droma helped bring about the Great Sith War.
In recent times, great evil arose again. The darkness engulfed the Republic,
replacing it with the corrupt and evil Galactic Empire. The Empire’s New Order seized control. Palpatine and his servant, Darth Vader, Dark
Lord of the Sith, virtually exterminated the Jedi. The august order that had protected the galaxy for 25,000 years,
that had seemed invincible, was struck down in a heartbeat.
However, the destruction of Jedi was not complete. Few had survived. After Luke Skywalker, son of Darth Vader, defeated Vader, turning
to back to the Light, Vader himself destroyed Emperor Palpatine. Skywalker then had to destroy the clones of
the Emperor.
The Jedi have returned…
See the full Jedi Code: Click Here
The
Responsible Use of Power:
A Jedi acts from wisdom, using persuasion and counsel over
violence and Force powers. Force powers
are to be used to serve the interest of the Light. Using the Force for personal aggrandizement, for personal power
or wealth, for convenience when other means would be more prudent-all of these
traits are of the Dark Side.
A Call to Action:
A Jedi cannot allow evil to occur by inaction-a Jedi
who voluntarily stands by and allows evil to be committed is encouraging the
forces of darkness.
Jedi are also bound by the actions of those around them. It is not acceptable for a Jedi to associate
with those who willfully choose to commit evil.
When a Jedi is confronted by a situation where evil is being
committed, the Jedi must act to prevent that evil. There is a variety of means at the Jedi’s disposal-persuasion,
creating a distraction, armed action, or simple mind tricks-but intervention is
necessary.
Tremors in the Force:
The Jedi lives in harmony with the Force, sensing its flow,
drawing upon its energies…and sometimes perceiving “disturbances” and
“presences” in that flow.
The actions of others can cause disturbances in the
Force. A lone individual’s impression
might be like a candle flickering in the wind, while a great tragedy or act of
great good may be like a sudden burst of lightning. Those who manipulate the Force often and with great power shine
like the light of a sun.
Each time a Jedi draws upon the Force, there is a slight
tremor as the Force is subtly altered.
If the Force is used sparingly and with harmony in the natural order of
things, such tremors are slight and barely detectable even at close ranges.
Those who frequently use the Force cause many, many
tremors. When the Force is relied
upon-used constantly to bend the universe to fit the will of the user-such
tremors may be great enough that Jedi on distant planets may detect the
user. Those who use the Force as a
crude instrument of power are very likely to catch the attention of others.
New Jedi students are particularly likely to be detected. In their desire to master their powers, they
often manipulate the Force…yet their dabblings, if too frequent, draw the
attention of other nearby Force-users.
The purge of the Jedi was facilitated by servants of the Emperor who
detected, tracked, and exterminated novice Jedi.
Premonitions and Visions:
Some Jedi may experience premonitions, dreams, and
visions. Sometimes these events seem to
be little more than random, impressionistic images, but at other times, they are
crystal clear glimpses of past, present, or possible future events. There is much debate as to the cause of
these phenomena-perhaps it’s the Jedi’s subconscious at work, or perhaps it’s
simply a different way of sensing tremors in the Force-but these occurrences
have been known to warn Jedi of impending danger or to summon them to “crisis
areas” where their unique abilities are needed.
Beware the Dark Side:
The Force is like any element in nature-it has both positive
and negative aspects: the Light Side and the Dark Side.
The Light teaches peace and harmony. It is the constructive side of the Force from which love,
understanding, and knowledge originate-it is the essence of life. Those who are at peace with themselves can
learn to harness the amazing powers of the Force.
The Dark Side is the counterweight of the Light. Many young students falsely believe that the
Dark Side is stronger than the Light-in truth, it is only easier. The Dark Side springs from the negative and
destructive impulses of all living beings-anger, fear, and hatred are
symptoms. Death and war are the
byproducts of the Dark Side. It is
dangerously seductive to those who lack the ability to control their emotions
and passions. Those who give in to the
Dark Side find their abilities greatly enhanced at first, but as time passes,
the Dark Side does not respond so readily.
The Dark Side demands more and more of those in its power.
Those who are sensitive to the Force soon learn that there is
no middle ground between the Dark and the Light. For most beings-unaware of the power of the Force-the struggle
between good and evil is not as powerful, not as compelling. Force those sensitive to the Force, the
struggle of good versus evil, life versus death, is of utmost importance.
Those who learn the ways of the Force must be careful to
remember their own inner peace or they will surrender themselves to the Dark
Side, as Anakin Skywalker did many, many years ago. They must be careful not to start down the path of the Dark Side,
for its self-destructive ways are difficult to leave once embraced.
Back to Factions
Go to The Jedi Praxeum
Go to Jedi Combat
Go to Jedi Training
Go to the Dark Side
