Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depicted as a religious, academic, meritocratic, and military-auxiliary (peacekeeping) organization whose origin dates back thousands of years before the events of the first film released in the franchise.

As Star Wars creator George Lucas explains, the Jedi are "warrior-monks who keep peace in the universe", avoiding the use of violence except as a last resort, with a mission to "use their power to keep the governments of all the planets in line, so that they don't do terrible things".

The Jedi are depicted, in the franchise's Old Republic era, as a monastic organization well-trained in the martial arts, who cooperate intimately with the galactic government and work towards bringing "peace into the galaxy by being ambassadors and troubleshooters", according to Lucas.

The works of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and mythologist Joseph Campbell, especially his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), directly influenced Lucas, and was what drove him to create the 'modern myth' of Star Wars.

[a] At the end of The Phantom Menace, following Qui-Gon's death at the hands of Darth Maul, Anakin is paired with his apprentice, the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), who promises to train him.

The sequel, Episode II: Attack of the Clones, establishes that the Jedi forswear attachments, being in the same category of possession and striving to cultivate compassion, unconditional love instead.

Before the dark times, before the Empire.The Jedi are first introduced in the 1977 motion picture Star Wars as an order of warrior monks who serve as "the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy" and embrace the mystical Force.

[...] At the height of their powers, they allowed Darth Sidious to rise, create the Empire, and wipe them out.In The Force Awakens, the first film in the sequel trilogy, it is revealed that Luke had attempted to rebuild the Jedi Order, but failed when his nephew Ben Solo (Adam Driver) fell to the dark side, lured by the mysterious Snoke (Andy Serkis).

[21] In The Rise of Skywalker, the final film of the sequel trilogy, it is discovered that Darth Sidious created Snoke and has returned from death and has been secretly manipulating events from the Sith world Exegol.

The animated television series Star Wars Rebels reveals that Ahsoka and a Jedi named Kanan Jarrus survived the purge; the latter trains a new apprentice, Ezra Bridger.

The canon video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order introduces Cal Kestis, a former Padawan hiding from the Empire who accidentally exposes his Force abilities to aid someone, putting him on the Inquisitors' radar.

In the limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Great Jedi Purge is depicted in a flashback in which Reva Sevander, future Inquisitor called Third Sister, escapes from the clones during the night of Order 66.

Count Dooku was a human Jedi Master who was trained by Yoda and mentored Qui-Gon Jinn, who later fell to the dark side and became the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus.

[25] Jinn was both the Jedi to discover the Sith's return after a millennium, upon being attacked by Darth Maul during a mission to protect Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo, and the one to find the ability to become a Force spirit after death, though he wasn't capable of having a physical body.

In Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, he appears as a disembodied voice alongside other past Jedi, empowering Rey to face a rejuvenated Darth Sidious.

In Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Obi-Wan appears as a disembodied voice alongside other past Jedi, empowering Rey to face a rejuvenated Darth Sidious.

Vader was eventually redeemed by his son in Return of the Jedi and gave his own life to save Luke, killing Sidious and bringing balance to the Force, thus fulfilling the prophecy of the Chosen One.

In Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Anakin appears as a disembodied voice alongside other past Jedi, empowering Rey to face a rejuvenated Sidious.

In Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Ahsoka appears as only a voice alongside other past Jedi, empowering Rey to face a rejuvenated Darth Sidious.

In Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, he appears as a disembodied voice alongside other past Jedi, empowering Rey to face a rejuvenated Darth Sidious.

Luke was heir to a family deeply rooted in the Force, being the twin brother of Rebellion leader Princess Leia Organa of the planet Alderaan, the son of former Queen of Naboo and Republic Senator Padmé Amidala and Jedi turned Sith Lord Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker), and the maternal uncle of Ben Solo.

He was the son of smuggler and Rebel Alliance General Han Solo and Rebellion leader Princess Leia Organa, and the nephew of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, having been born shortly after the Galactic Empire's defeat.

Rey eventually learned of her lineage and, with the help of a redeemed Kylo Ren and the spirits of past Jedi, faced a revived Sidious, finally killing him and ending the Sith once and for all, thus bringing balance back to the Force.

In Master & Apprentice, set seven years before The Phantom Menace, the council includes Yoda, Mace Windu, Depa Billaba, Poli Dapatian (who is in the process of retiring), Eeth Koth, and Saesee Tiin.

The first ten years of a youngling's training demands segregation from outside distractions and is deliberately designed to reinforce detachment from earthly emotions, including loyalty or love for their parents.

Disciplined and experienced, Jedi Knights become so only when they have completed "the trials" (final tests), they officially graduate, being eligible for specialized advance courses, and may continue to pursue a third-class education (see below) to obtain the equivalent of a habilitation or post-doctoral degree.

Occasionally, performing an extraordinary (usually heroic) act can earn a Padawan learner Jedi status, such as when Obi-Wan Kenobi defeats the Sith Lord, Darth Maul.

Masters are regarded as among the most accomplished and recognized polymaths in the Star Wars galaxy; generally, they have resigned from wanderlust ways of knighthood and instead apply their acquired years of wisdom and experience to meditative, administrative and educational pursuits.

Their philosophical lifestyles mirror those of real-world religious vows and evangelical counsels, as their personal possessions are provided exclusively by the Jedi Order, and are only meant to allow self-sufficiency.

[35] Later, Plo Koon (Matt Sloan) flies a Revenge of the Sith-era starfighter when he is shot down by clone troopers carrying out Darth Sidious' (Ian McDiarmid) Order 66.