SLotH4's Note: Honestly, I should just have Xabiar write the main story too. The word count on these Addenda has already exceeded the size of the main fic. :/

Just a heads-up on this, some of this involves things that happened in the Prequel era. However, the Slothverse is based on Belated Media's "What if Episode I/II/III was Good?" video series. Go watch them, it will help make this chapter make more sense AND they are sooooooo good.

As usual, anything in these Addenda pieces is fair-use, so long as credit is given to the piece as well as the author of it, you are more than welcome to use this lore for your own story.

Xabiar's Note: Now this was a fun one to write. Turned out to be so big that it had to be split into multiple parts, but I think it was for the best since now some things are much better fleshed out. I took the opportunity to try to think of what the Jedi Order could end up being in 400 years, because, to be honest, having the Jedi stay as they've always been, with little to no changes, is just really odd.

The Jedi Order itself has always been very abstractly structured as well, which is something I decided to go to some lengths to correct. This isn't the same Jedi Order you'll be familiar with, but it's not completely alien either. It's an evolution of the Order, one which was a lot of fun to put together.

But do watch the Belated Media videos (they are really good) and then be sad that such potential was lost.

SotP Addenda - Jedi Order, Guardians of Peace and Justice

THE FELLAN IMPERIUM

IMPERIAL INTELLIGENCE | IMPERIAL KNIGHTS

AUTHORIZED AND APPROVED BY SOVEREIGN PELLAEON

AUTHORIZATION COLOR: RED-5

ORGANIZATIONAL REPORT: F-O-JO-0023

THE JEDI ORDER

DOCUMENTATION INFORMATION

REPORT ID: F-O-JO-0023

REPORT AUTHOR(S):

- Intelligence Compiler Maddox Quinn

- Intelligence Compiler Jude Dorne

- Technical Reviewer Elizer Corellis

- Inquisitor Callum Gallaghar, Hand of the Empire

DOCUMENT TYPE(S):

- Historical

- Organization Overview

- Threat Analysis

DOCUMENT SUBJECT: The Jedi Order

DETAIL LEVEL: Comprehensive

SUPPLEMENTARY ATTACHMENTS:

- F-O-JO-0023M [Methodology Document]

- F-D-JO-0033 [Undien Dossier]

- F-D-JO-0045 [Saresh Palavola Dossier]

- IR-GA-1547 [Saresh Palavola Incident Report]

- H-O-JOR-0016 [Historical Overview – Jedi Order – Old Republic]

- F-D-JO-0042 [Si-Wara-Yaden Dossier]

- F-O-JO-0023S1 [Jedi Order Political Activism and Donations Report]

- F-O-JO-0023S2 [Compiled List of Order Bases]

- F-O-JO-0023S3 [Compiled Reports on the Jedi Council]

- F-O-JO-0023S4 [Sphere of Conciliation and Reflection (Conciliators of Tython) Comprehensive Report]

- F-O-JO-0023S5 [Sphere of the Militant Order Comprehensive Report]

- F-O-JO-0023S6 [Sphere of Vigilance and Farsight Comprehensive Report]

- Historical Document [The True Story of the Clone Wars]

- Historical Document [Averted Catastrophe: The Kuat Secession]

- Historical Document [The Kamino Uprising: An Autopsy of the Near-Collapse of the Alliance]

- Compilation [The Skywalker Legacy]

EXECUTED BY IMPERIAL INSTITUTIONS:

- Imperial Intelligence

- The Imperial Knights – Inquisitor Division

ITERATION NUMBER: 45

METHODOLOGY DOCUMENT ID: F-O-JO-0023M

APPROVED FOR SUBMISSION:

- Fabian Dromond, Director of Imperial Intelligence [APPROVED]

- Losr'avaria'nathas. Grand Inquisitor of the Imperial Knights [APPROVED]

RECEIVED BY SOVEREIGN PELLAEON: RECEIVED AND READ

THE JEDI ORDER : HISTORY

OVERVIEW: The Jedi Order is one of the oldest organizations in galactic history, managing to predate and outlast the Old Republic, Galactic Empire of Palpatine, and New Republic, not including the hundreds of other organizations and governments which have existed throughout history. They have participated in nearly all major galactic conflicts including the Mandalorian Wars, Jedi Civil War, the Clone Wars, and the Yuuzhan Vong War. Despite being nearly extinct, Jedi were also instrumental in the ultimate collapse of the Empire of Palpatine in the Galactic Civil War.

Much like the Sith, the Jedi have nearly been wiped out several times throughout history, most notably during the First Jedi Purge during the Sith Civil War, the Battle of Mustafar at the end of the Clone Wars and the Second Jedi Purge following its conclusion, and to a lesser extent, the Massacre at Ossus which inaugurated the Third Jedi Purge – of the three, this was the least successful. In these cases, it didn't prove to be the ultimate demise of the Order, it simply forced the majority of survivors into hiding.

The Jedi Order that exists today is arguably its most powerful incarnation in terms of organization, military strength, and political influence. However, while united they achieve this, the structure by which they are organized shows a notable weakness – if the Order ever fractured or otherwise lost one or more of the Spheres, they would be instantly crippled. While the chances of this happening are unlikely at this point, it is something to keep in mind when considering the overall threat level the Order poses, which will be further detailed in a later section of this report.

This section of the document will provide a brief overview of Jedi history. From the time of the Old Republic and their downfall in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, to their subsequent rise after Endor and beyond to the Second Imperial Civil War, where their continued influence led to the formation of the Galactic Federation Triumvirate.

JEDI ORDER OF THE OLD REPUBLIC – PRE-RUUSAN REFORMATIONS

Records on the first of the Jedi are, at this point, long forgotten, or possibly stored by the Sphere of History and Knowledge. What is known, is that the first Jedi emerged on Tython, and were followers of the light side of the Force, existing to resist and fight against the darker components of the Force and those who wielded it. Over time, this led to them expanding beyond Tython. Over a period of centuries, they established themselves throughout the galaxy, leading to a symbiotic relationship with the Old Republic.

The Jedi Order during this time was, if one is generous, not especially well-structured. There were at least three different Jedi Councils on different planets whose complete authority over the Jedi was unclear. The Jedi Council of Coruscant was considered the 'main' council of the Jedi Order, but the Jedi Council of Dantooine was one of the most active in operating within the Republic. The vast majority of Jedi moved between them, and oversight over individual Knights was limited at best.

The Jedi had very passive management, and this was acceptable until the Sith – descendants of the original Dark Jedi outcasts who first fled to Korriban – emerged and began attacking the Republic. The Jedi unified at that point completely, and assisted the Republic several times in pushing back the Sith and killing their leadership. However, it's generally considered that the Mandalorian Wars showed the significant flaws within the Jedi Order when the Jedi Knight Revan – furious that the Jedi refused to officially sanction operations against the Mandalorians – led an exodus of Knights who assisted the Republic in pushing back the Mandalorians, resulting in their final defeat at Malachor V. Revan himself fought and killed Mandalore the Ultimate in single combat during that climactic battle.

As history records, Revan disappeared and later returned as a Sith Lord who likely would have defeated the Republic and annihilated the Jedi had he not been kidnapped by a Jedi strike team – together with the timely betrayal of his apprentice, Darth Malak. Revan – whose memories and personality were significantly altered by the Jedi Council – was eventually redeemed and assisted the Republic in ending Malak's Sith Empire. The Jedi Civil War came to an end, but at the cost of a significant portion of the Jedi Order.

Scattered and weakened, the Jedi were unprepared for a resurgent Sith faction which emerged shortly after Malak's defeat. This new sect began systematically assassinating the surviving Jedi in what is known as the First Jedi Purge. The most significant and devastating event of this time was the Katarr Purge. Seeking to learn more of this hidden enemy, the greatest Jedi Masters and Knights of the time called for a conclave on Planet Katarr and sought help from the native miraluka to pierce the fog of dark shadows in the Force that blinded them to the threat. This gathering of Force-sensitives drew the attention of the Sith Lord Darth Nihilus, whose power was so great, he drained the planet of life – so completely even the bacteria perished, so that the corpses remained for decades without any sign of rot.

As the Jedi neared extinction, the major Sith Lords began to squabble with each other. The Sith Civil War raged in the shadows until the Triumvirate that led this faction was cast down by the Jedi Exile, Dacen Vorsut. Following the end of the war, Vorsut fled known space in search of Revan. In their absence, the Jedi Order was resurrected by the few survivors such as Masters Tokare, Bindo, and Atris, as well as those Vorsut trained himself during the conflict.

The Sith Empire eventually returned under the command of Emperor Vitiate, one of the most powerful Sith to ever exist, and wasted no time in waging war which was briefly halted by the Treaty of Coruscant, with both sides entering into a cold war until they reengaged on Corellia and continued fighting for several years until the appearance of the Eternal Empire which attacked both sides and soundly defeated them.

Both Jedi and Sith were devastated and scattered, and, ironically, it was through the actions of Darth Nox, a former member of the Dark Council, that the Eternal Empire was defeated and the Sith Empire – as well as the Republic – was saved. This came at an extremely heavy price as the Eternal Fleet – after the Zakuul System was destroyed by Nox – activated an unknown contingency which caused the automated ships to rampage throughout the galaxy, devastating millions of planets in their wake. It took decades for the fleet to be beaten back by the combined efforts of the last remnant of the Republic and Empire.

The galaxy entered a dark age at this point, but the Republic was eventually able to rebuild after nearly half a millennium. The Sith Empire was not so fortunate, and through a combination of infighting, starvation, technological limitations, and disease, were removed from the galaxy as a galactic power, with many believing that the Sith were now extinct – while this was true for the sith species, it later became apparent this was not the case for the Sith Order.

The rebuilt Jedi Order by that point had established a more organized structure. No outside councils, only one dominant Council, which resided on Coruscant, was responsible for the entirety of the Jedi Order. Their relationship with the Republic itself fluctuated throughout the centuries, but the Jedi Order soon became extremely connected to the Republic up until the New Sith Wars.

Their most significant contribution was how, at this point, they were fully integrated into the Republic military and regularly engaged in operations with Republic soldiers and many times held commanding positions. It is notable that prior to the Ruusan Reformations, many individuals considered the Jedi and Republic to be the same thing. Considering that every Chancellor between 1400 and 1000 BBY was a Jedi, there was concern over how much influence the Jedi held within the Republic itself.

However, once the Sith were (presumably) defeated on Ruusan, Chancellor Valorum enacted the Ruusan Reformations which drastically changed the Jedi Order and more formally divested the two organizations. The Jedi Order demilitarized and divested itself from the Republic. All Knights and Masters resigned from any command positions they held and would no longer be eligible to run for any kind of public office. While the influence of the Jedi was certainly not gone, it was significantly reduced and allowed the Jedi to adjust themselves to a long period of peace.

JEDI ORDER OF THE OLD REPUBLIC – POST-RUUSAN REFORMATIONS

The Jedi Order that existed throughout the majority of the Old Republic after the Ruusan Reformations was likely a large part of why the institution lasted for nearly a thousand years after the formal defeat of the Brotherhood of Darkness. The Jedi Order at this time served the interests of the Republic in a much-reduced role, undertaking missions of diplomacy, aid, and law enforcement in service to the Republic.

The Jedi were responsible for stopping countless petty crimes, civil wars, assassinations, and other events which would have been detrimental to the Republic as a whole. While also performing these tasks, they spent the rest of their time on internal matters ranging from training new Jedi, to hunting ancient Jedi (and Sith) artifacts and relics, and strengthening ties between the Order and the Republic.

During this period the Jedi underwent some internal changes which resulted from the Reformations. The first of which was the exclusive training of children, believing that raising children from infancy would reduce their chances of falling to the dark side. They emphasized greater non-attachment and adopted a far more pacifistic mindset compared to previous incarnations.

With the lens of history to look back on, it is not unreasonable to say that during this time, the Jedi Order became complacent and stagnant. With the Sith falsely believed dead, they let their guard down and were no longer vigilant for the dark side. They had few challenges and were a respected institution within the Republic with little need to reflect, learn, or grow.

Of course, we now know the Sith were around during this time, and they took advantage of the complacency of the Jedi. After so long serving the Republic they had become confused as to what it meant to be Jedi. Desensitized to the corruption and infighting within the Senate. While not all Jedi succumbed to complacency, it ultimately led to their downfall, most notably towards the end with their unknowing support of Defense Secretary of the Republic – and later Supreme Chancellor – Palpatine, now known to be the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

THE CLONE WARS AND THE SIEGE OF MUSTAFAR

Prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, the Jedi were heavily involved in negotiations between the Republic and the Separatists, led by Count Dooku, hoping to serve as a neutral party to ensure that war wouldn't break out. The assault on Alderaan by the assumed-dead Darth Maul nearly succeeded in killing all of those involved, though the Jedi – in particular Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker – were instrumental in preventing a wholesale massacre in conjunction with Chancellor Palpatine arriving with the newly authorized clone army the Senate had commissioned from the kaminoans.

While this is considered by some to be the true start of the Clone Wars, the catalyst for the galactic conflict was the Razing of Geonosis and the death of Count Dooku. With the death of their leader, the Separatists declared war on the Republic and the Jedi similarly prepared for the conflict with the knowledge that the Sith were back in their minds.

Once the Clone Wars fully began, the Separatists themselves, after seeing the initial clone army developed by the kaminoans, reached out to the Spaarti Clone Masters and commissioned an army of their own. The Republic likewise came to arrangements with various tech unions and droid production organizations to supplement the clone soldiers with a droid army of their own – as the numbers of the clones were hampered by how long they took to produce.

Towards the end of the war, both sides were reaching their limits. The Spaarti Clone Masters were destroyed by the Republic, forcing the Separatists to rely far more heavily on droids and, in a desperate attempt to supplement their own forces, they reached out and hired warlords and armies of mercenaries and bounty hunters.

The Republic had also significantly reduced the role clones played, turning them from frontline soldiers into elite squads deployed only to critical battles. The rest of the army was made up of droids and steady streams of volunteers. The kaminoans had expanded their cloning operations beyond Kamino, but it was still taking too long to replace clones lost in battle.

The Jedi involved themselves heavily in the conflict, with millions of Jedi fighting, supporting, and dying for the Republic. They sustained heavy losses throughout the conflict on hundreds of worlds – many losses were suffered at the hand of the cyborg military leader General Grievous. The final days of the Clone Wars were almost certain to result in a Republic victory; however, the Jedi underwent some internal infighting regarding Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker.

What happened between the Jedi Council and Skywalker is unknown, but what followed was Skywalker unofficially leaving the Order and being immediately promoted to the rank of General within the Grand Army of the Republic – just in time to oversee the final assault on Mustafar, where the Jedi were ordered to lead the charge against the Separatist stronghold.

This action, likely influence by Palpatine, resulted in the few remaining Jedi falling in battle. Jedi Master Mace Windu led the charge against the entrenched positions of the droid army and was killed, along with all of the Jedi who accompanied him, which allowed the clones to easily mop up behind them. This, combined with the disappearance of Grand Master Yoda and Master Obi-Wan, as well as the supposed battle death of Anakin Skywalker, fatally crippled the Jedi Order.

Following the end of the war, Chancellor Palpatine (soon to be Emperor) instigated the Second Jedi Purge. Those Jedi who survived the war – numbering in the dozens by that point – were systematically hunted down by Imperial soldiers, bounty hunters, Inquisitors, and Darth Vader until the Jedi had become more legend than reality. Despite numbering in the tens of millions mere decades before, few had ever seen a Jedi in-person.

JEDI ORDER OF THE NEW REPUBLIC

In the years following the collapse of the Empire of Palpatine, Grand Master Luke Skywalker established the New Jedi Order with the express goal to emulate the Order of the Old Republic. In the early years, they were few in number and faced significant threats and challenges, but largely retained the same goals as the old Order – particularly those of supporting the New Republic and 'Serving the Force.'

Initially, it appeared that Skywalker was unsure if he would even create a new Jedi Order, but he eventually found individuals strong in the Force and felt an obligation to train them, if for no other reason than to prevent them from becoming corrupted. The first generation of Knights of the New Republic were a collection of rugged individuals from all walks of life who would then go on to train the following generations.

However, his attempt to resurrect the Jedi did not come without issues of its own. Around 14 ABY, when the Order was just starting to exceed one hundred Jedi in total, there was a series of incidents involving a Sith cult known as the 'Disciples of Ragnos.' As the Order combatted the cultists, two students were corrupted and turned to the dark side, a human Padawan named Rosh Penin, and a kel dor Knight named Jaden Korr. Korr joined the Battle of Korriban as an independent actor, killing both Jedi and cultists in his quest to steal a Sith artifact known as the 'Scepter of Ragnos.' Korr was responsible for killing two dozen Jedi, including two trainers. Korr's fall led to a restructuring of the Order, restrictions were placed on where inexperienced Padawans and Knights could travel, a restriction that is largely followed to this day. It also led to the self-imposed exile of Master Kyle Katarn, who blamed himself for Penin and Korr's fall, as they were both his students.

Skywalker's Jedi Order did have some social and philosophical differences from the old Order, namely that romantic relationships and families were permitted, and that any Force-sensitive could be trained as a Jedi, regardless of age. This may have initially been done as a means to quickly increase the member count of his Order, but it is also possible it was a direct response by Skywalker to address a notable failing of the old Jedi Order.

But in structure and function, the New Jedi Order was extremely similar to the Order of the Old Republic. They undertook missions on behalf of the New Republic, established working relationships with the Senate and military, and were managed by a Jedi Council.

The Jedi, as usual, were involved in the major wars which took place during this period, particularly the Yuuzhan Vong War where they proved instrumental in the ultimate defeat of the vong. They continued to prove instrumental in various smaller conflicts following the war, until the fall of Jacen Solo and the Second Galactic Civil War.

Having one of the most prominent Jedi Knights attempt such an action proved to be extremely damaging to their public image, despite their actions to also end his threat. What followed showcases a problem which particularly plagued the New Jedi Order – namely, that they were political novices at best, largely remaining independent and relying on history and goodwill to achieve their goals. How former Imperial Natasi Daala (who was inexplicably elected Chief of State) managed to convinced Luke Skywalker to go into exile is still unknown, as public opinion was nowhere near requiring such drastic action.

However, it fortunately proved beneficial as it led to Skywalker learning of, and subsequently stopping, a resurgent Sith tribe as well as an anomalous Force entity which, although this is not confirmed, may have managed to escape from an old Palpatine-Era Imperial installation in the Maw (see archival records pertaining to Imperial Installation 678-O5). The aftermath of this event resulted in the Jedi working to reform the office of the Chief of State into a Triumvirate – an institution that would eventually one day also include the Fellan Imperium.

MASSACRE AT OSSUS AND AFTERMATH

The Jedi Order changed very little in the centuries that followed, seeming to mirror the complacency that ended up being the downfall of the Order of the Old Republic. This culminated in the surprise attack of Darth Krayt on Coruscant, with him conquering the planet and seizing the Jedi Temple, slaughtering those who did not escape. Two days later, Darth Krayt followed this attack with another on the prominent Jedi Praxeum of Ossus – striking another crippling blow to the Jedi Order.

Fortunately for the Jedi, Krayt's impatience proved to hinder him, as he only managed to kill about half of the Order, while the remainder still roamed the galaxy, going into hiding and eventually regrouping. The various Jedi would eventually make contact with the Imperial Knights of that time, with both sects proving instrumental in the eventual death of Krayt and the collapse of the One Sith.

The Jedi were heavily involved in the reconstruction of the Galactic Alliance, as well as the formation of the Galactic Federation Triumvirate which included both Alliance and Imperial members – with the Jedi serving alongside in a more neutral role… in theory.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE JEDI ORDER

The Second Imperial Civil War, despite the ultimate victory of the Alliance, Jedi, and Empire, cost the Jedi significantly. Thousands of the remaining Knights died to Sith forces across the galaxy, and the Order was a shell of its former self. As such, much of the initial effort to rebuild the Order by Jedi Master K'Kruhk consisted of restoring bastions of the Order on worlds such as Coruscant, Ossus, and Tython, as well as prioritizing recruitment of new Jedi. The Jedi under K'Kruhk were extremely vigilant for any Sith threats or infiltration, and were instrumental in stopping several rogue Sith plots from the survivors of the One Sith – such as Darth Wredd's failed crusade in 139 ABY.

THE KUAT SECESSION

The first true test of the restored Jedi Order was the infamous Kuat Secession, which is one of the minor civil wars within the Alliance that the Jedi were personally involved in. For those unaware, around 167 ABY Kuat Drive Yards was in continuing disputes with the Galactic Alliance over contracts and profits – both of which were being restructured due to the Alliance wanting to look for alternative manufacturers – which was caused in part by extensive lobbying by the mon calamari.

In response to the Alliance considering an alternate source of shipyards and production, Kuat Drive Yards ceased all production for the Alliance, recalled their Senators, contacted all their suppliers warning them to not do business with the Alliance unless they wanted to be put out of business, hired three of the best private armies in the galaxy along with four of the most expensive bounty hunters on-call, and stated their intention to secede from the Alliance due to breach of contracts.

They took over the neighboring star systems even as they made their initial declaration, well before the Alliance could fully mobilize a response – capturing or destroying several hundred Alliance spacecraft in the opening exchange. Executives at rival companies including Sorosuub and the Mon Calamari Shipyards were killed by bounty hunters and their shipyards and places of industry were sabotaged by the armies they'd hired. They followed up by threatening to publish classified schematics of experimental and public ships utilized by the Alliance – which could have been easily exploited by the Mandalorians, hutts, and the Empire (alliances do not negate rivalries). Their parent company, the Techno Union, did nothing to rein in the Drive Yards or offer any support to the Alliance – indicating that this had proceeded with the full blessing of the Techno Union's Board of Directors.

At this point, the Jedi offered to serve as mediators while the Alliance prepared to smash this uprising. The Jedi – rightfully – suspected that even a minor conflict with Kuat would result in millions dead, especially if the Techno Union itself became formally involved, and wanted to avoid that outcome. They approached both sides, offering to help work out a new agreement to avoid war.

No one knows how either side was convinced, but the Alliance withdrew their fleets, and Kuat Drive Yards pulled back their armies. The meeting took place at the Jedi Praxeum of Ossus, neutral ground, between a mixture of the Alliance officials – including the President, AIS Director, Supreme Commander, and several senators – and the Board of Directors for Kuat Drive Yards as well as several Techno Union representatives.

The exact contents of the Kuat-Alliance Treaty are, to this day, kept secret, but Kuat agreed to return all territory to its previous owners, rejoined the Alliance, and paid reparations for the losses inflicted on the Alliance military and families who had lost loved ones in the short-lived conflict. In return, Kuat had at least one executive placed on all senatorial economic boards, developed a majority-development contract with the Alliance which would let them be primary developers for all contracted work, and Kuat was given permission to maintain an independent army and fleet – at its own expense.

The Jedi Order was praised for their work averting a potentially disastrous conflict and this is considered one of the most notable achievements of the New Jedi Order.

THE THIRD IMPERIAL CIVIL WAR

Eventually, a new generation of Jedi took control of the Order – just in time to face the newly emergent First Order. While, as the name implies, the Third Imperial Civil War primarily took place between the Fellan Imperium and the First Order, the Galactic Alliance by no means emerged unscathed, although, were it not for the Jedi, they might not have engaged at all.

While Supreme Leader Snoke was leading the assault on the Imperium, the Jedi Order was targeted by the 'Knights of Ren,' who managed to kill off the members of the Jedi Council (while suffering casualties of their own), with the exception of Alivia Skywalker and Javian Shartan.

With the majority of the Council gone, and three of the seven Knights of Ren dead, both Jedi went before the Galactic Senate and insisted that the First Order was a threat that needed to be eradicated before it came for them.

Prior to this, the Galactic Alliance and Jedi had, unsurprisingly, been dragging their heels in assisting us, despite supposedly being our allies. It is likely that the Alliance would have eventually assisted us, but the Jedi forced them to act before we were completely decimated.

Both Jedi Masters rallied the remainder of the young and inexperienced members of the Order, and together with the much healthier Alliance military, led crippling counterstrikes on the First Order war machine, crippling their logistics and allowing the Empire to eventually gain the upper hand in the war. The Knights of Ren were targeted by Skywalker and Shartan, the latter personally striking down the Master of the Knights and taking his weapon, which he would then use when the Jedi assisted the final assault on Supreme Leader Snoke.

Following the defeat of Snoke, both the Empire and Jedi Order were once more left weakened and crippled, with the Alliance emerging the healthiest of the conflict. But as the Imperial Knights used the lessons in the Third Imperial Civil War to reform and adapt, the Jedi performed their own internal autopsy and with their Order shattered, took steps to ensure that they would not fall to the same mistakes and oversights that had plagued their previous iterations.

THE REFORMATION OF THE JEDI ORDER

Significantly weakened and numbering only in the thousands, Alivia Skywalker and Javian Shartan – the last of the Jedi Masters – performed an extensive audit of the Jedi Order through the lens of their own experiences, its history, and comparisons to other organizations. Both Masters felt that very little had been learned from history, and they set out to reform the Order into one which would be prepared to face any threat, be it Sith, Dark Jedi, Alliance, or Empire.

A Jedi Order worthy of holding a third of galactic power.

Over the course of several decades, they transformed the Jedi into an organization which dwarfed the Imperial Knights and other similar Force sects and established them as legitimately having the authority to hold a third of the power in the Triumvirate. The reforms instituted by Alivia and Javian were primarily revolutionary on an organizational, political, and structural level, and not necessarily in regards to social policies the Order had accepted.

This has resulted in the most powerful incarnation of the Jedi Order in galactic history, whose first true test didn't come until nearly a century later.

THE KAMINO UPRISING

The most devastating civil war in Alliance history centered around the world of Kamino and the echoes of this conflict are felt to this day. It was also the conflict which cemented the Jedi Order as a legitimate galactic power. To provide a brief recap for those unaware, the kaminoans had currently been leading a movement in the Senate, particularly complaining that they did not receive Alliance military protection, and neither did many other bordering and Outer Rim worlds.

The movement was especially popular among Outer Rim colonies who were at risk for pirates, and thousands of other smaller worlds which held very little actual political power. The kaminoans proposed legislation multiple times, requesting permission for the development of an Outer Rim clone army to supplement Alliance protection of outlying worlds.

The measures were opposed by the military and AIS for obvious reasons, as an army could quite possibly pose a threat and the kaminoans were insistent that the clones would not go under hypnotic or genetic conditioning to make them loyal to the Alliance, which killed any chance of military support. It was also soundly defeated in the Senate, especially after being reminded of the machinations of the kaminoans during the Clone Wars and many seeing it as a power grab for Kamino to become more influential than it was – something the Core Worlds wished to prevent.

The Jedi Order was actually consulted by the kaminoans several years before (specifically, contacting the Sphere of Science and Research) regarding cloning Force-sensitives. It was under the guise of possibly augmenting the Jedi Order with cloned soldiers – a measure that was swiftly refused – but the Order did reach an agreement with the kaminoans to assist in cloned body parts for Jedi and possible genetic modification to increase Force-sensitivity.

After the political humiliation Kamino faced, they quite calmly went silent for several years and then suddenly emerged with an army of clones numbering in the tens of millions. The Kamino Ruling Council immediately recalled their Senators and seceded from the Galactic Alliance with the clones now guarding their world.

There were significant differences between the kaminoan clone army soldiers and the clones that were part of the Grand Army of the Republic centuries earlier. The first was that it wasn't exclusively human – the kaminoans had cloned iktotchi, falleen, humans, chiss, and cereans – and all of them were Force-sensitive. Not especially strong in the Force, but strong enough that they could utilize it to be far more dangerous and effective than regular soldiers.

While the risks of cloning Force-sensitives are well-documented, the kaminoans had accounted for this, and found a way to subvert the issue. They knew the general time frame of mental deterioration of Force-sensitive clones, and simply planned it so that when a clone was reaching that threshold, they would be decommissioned and replaced. The clones were also fitted with strict mental conditioning and invasive neural implants, preventing early psychotic breakdowns from hampering the kaminoan war effort. The average shelf-life of one of these clones was between twelve and eighteen months – without the conditioning and implants, that time would be halved.

Alarmed, the Galactic Alliance and Jedi moved to negotiate with the Kaminoan Union (as they now identified themselves), and the kaminoans – now with some leverage – agreed to meet on a place of neutral ground. High Mediator Rin'zallo and Grand Master Halie Skywalker accompanied the Galactic Alliance President and his military advisors.

In a curiously brazen move, the kaminoan clone army struck without warning against Coruscant, Kuat, Dac, Fondor, and Ord Mantell in an attempt to hold those worlds hostage to achieve a better negotiating position. When this failed, they assaulted both the Alliance and Jedi who had been sent to negotiate, killing everyone involved.

Why the kaminoans decided to antagonize the Jedi Order to this extent is extremely questionable. While they might not have been aware of the true capabilities of the Order, killing the Grand Master was a particularly egregious move that galvanized the entire Order to act. We can only presume that they believed their army of Force-sensitive clones would equal the Jedi, as they had rained significant devastation on Coruscant, Kuat, Fondor, and Dac.

The attack on Ord Mantell was completely repelled, not only because it was one of the most fortified planets in the galaxy (thanks to a concerted effort by the Alliance to turn it into their primary military training grounds following the Third Imperial Civil War), but because it also held the Jedi High Command, headquarters of the Sphere of the Militant Order.

Battlemaster Irfon Ghaull was elected Grand Master of the Jedi Order, and mobilized the Jedi to war as the Kaminoan Union began expanding inward as Coruscant lay in ruins and the major shipyards were heavily damaged. It soon became very apparent that however the kaminoans had trained their army to use the Force – likely relying on primitive users such as Nightsisters, or from other Jedi sects (the Kamino Uprising is the source of why many Jedi despise unaligned Force-user sects, who they believe are partially responsible for this) – they were no match for trained Jedi.

The clone army couldn't stand against the combined assaults of the Wardens and Sentinels, they fell into disorganized masses as the Sages cracked their minds and reduced their ships to crumpled wrecks. Kaminoans and prominent members of the Union disappeared or were found assassinated – whether this was the result of the Jedi Shadows or AIS is unknown, but the Jedi were at war, and the kaminoans had made the mistake of awakening them.

As all of us are aware, it was during the latter end of the Uprising when the clone army, in a desperate move to acquire more territory, attempted to invade the Imperium, giving the Sovereigns no other choice but to engage in what had previously been deemed "An internal Alliance matter" – and, much like the Third Imperial Civil War, I suspect we would have acted had the Alliance come close to defeat. But the kaminoans forced our hand, and with the involvement of the Imperium, the war was brought to a swift end.

The final battle of the Uprising – after the Alliance had moderately recovered and was pushing back the clone armies utilizing ysalamiri and vornskr units – was handled almost exclusively by the Jedi as they stormed Kamino itself. The best of the clones couldn't protect against the million Jedi who descended upon the stormy world.

While the Jedi took losses that day, the entire clone army was destroyed, the cloning facilities targeted and sunk into the oceans, ensuring that no kaminoans could rebuild on their planet, as the Jedi arrested the kaminoan leaders and brought them to the Chamber of the Arbiters for trial. The Order turned over several of the major leaders of the Union to stand trial before an Alliance tribunal, but the kaminoans who had orchestrated the entire event were put on trial by the Jedi. Considering the Jedi had saved the Alliance, this was permitted without complaint.

The kaminoans were put before the High Tribunal. Six hundred and two were found guilty and turned over to the Alliance for punishment. Two hundred and thirty-seven were found guilty and executed. None who were put on trial were found innocent, and the Uprising has resulted in – partly due to the harshness of the Jedi – the kaminoans being scattered, unable to return to Kamino, and hunted down by vengeful planets who hired bounty hunters against the last remaining kaminoans.

There may yet be another clone army in the future, but when it comes, the kaminoans will not be behind it.

POST-UPRISING AND THE MODERN JEDI ORDER

The Alliance was left devastated in the aftermath of the Kamino Uprising. Their fleets were almost completely decimated, barely five percent of their original strength, their armies unable to properly compete against the clones. Even with the Jedi supporting them, it still wasn't enough to offset such devastating losses.

The Jedi were considered heroes after the conflict and were heavily involved in the restoration of the Galactic Alliance. There were some immediate changes in leadership, as Battlemaster Ghaull stepped down and the Order worked to recoup their own losses, but by far, the Jedi had emerged from the conflict in a far better position than the Alliance.

The resulting decades have seen the Jedi become extremely intertwined with the Alliance on a political level, most of which is still the result of the goodwill earned from their role in the Uprising. As of the writing of this report, the Jedi have managed to completely restore their numbers and actually exceed them from before the Uprising, while the Alliance is still recovering and nowhere near its full strength.

While the Order has always held influence within the Alliance, the Uprising in particular is the reason they are so deeply involved, and this point has been taken advantage of by many in the Order. The Order's participation and demonstration of their skill and power and resolve is also quite possibly why there have not been any major conflicts since then – and the reason why conflicts tend to suddenly resolve themselves when Jedi become involved.

If the Jedi ever face internal strife, it will not come from an outside force. It will come from within.

ADDITIONAL NOTE – THE SKYWALKER DYNASTY

'Skywalker' is a galactic household name at this point in history. While the first – Anakin Skywalker – joined the Order in the waning days of the Old Republic, not since the Shan Dynasty has there been a family more instrumental in the fate of the Jedi. Anakin Skywalker was a hero of the Clone Wars and one of the most powerful Jedi to exist, and despite his transformation into Darth Vader, was responsible for fathering two children – Luke and Leia – both of whom would prove instrumental in the fall of the Empire and death of Emperor Palpatine.

Luke in particular is regarded as the most instrumental Jedi to exist in galactic history. No matter how the Order looks today, it exists because of him. Ever since Luke, a Skywalker has played an important role in the galaxy as a Jedi. Cade Skywalker helped rally the Jedi and kill Darth Krayt, Alivia Skywalker helped bring down Supreme Leader Snoke and reformed the Jedi into a galactic power. Even the other Skywalkers throughout the Order – who are not as well-known – are among the most powerful Force-users in the galaxy.

The influence of the Skywalker line is felt even within the Imperium, as the Royal Family can be traced back to the first Empress, Jaina Solo-Fel, daughter of Leia Organa-Solo.

It is notable that a Skywalker has always sat on the Jedi Council, and in many cases acted as the Grand Master. This is not, to our understanding, a hereditary position or one given because of their lineage. Each Skywalker earns their seat on the Council and has an important part to play in shaping the Jedi Order.

The reason I highlight this is because a Jedi Order without a Skywalker is an alien concept, and further serves to highlight just how jarring Daniel Skywalker's resignation from the Council is in this context. A Skywalker has never willingly done such a thing, and that this is causing division in the Order at all means that things are changing significantly.

Refer to the section on Jedi politics and infighting for more details. Daniel Skywalker's situation is a symptom of bigger concerns within the Order.

THE JEDI ORDER : STRUCTURE – BASIC RANKS

OVERVIEW: Throughout the Jedi Order, one constant is that no matter which Sphere the Jedi belong to, there are always the same basic ranks, which, in turn, affect seniority and options for advancement within the Order. It would be more accurate to say that these are universal ranks, even if they aren't necessarily called the same within the different Spheres. It should be noted that it is possible for exceptionally skilled Jedi to skip ranks or be promoted multiple ranks at a time; it is rare, but it has happened.

INITIATE: This is the entry level for all applicants to the Order, regardless of if they are an infant, child, or adult. The training regimes obviously differ in function and are managed by the 'Sphere of Recruitment and Training,' but every single Jedi starts out as an 'Initiate.' Every single individual chosen as an Initiate will be involved with the Order in some capacity. The only hard requirement is that the individual must be a Tier 5 Force-sensitive on the Gndaa Scale. But unlike the Imperial Knights, the spectrum of Force-sensitivity ranges from extremely weak to exceptionally strong, leading to a strength which is difficult to fully determine in times of peace.

This period of training – typically lasting eight to twelve years for infants, four to six years for children, and two to four years for adults – usually focuses on training to use and sense the Force, and preliminary lightsaber combat. The degree of traditional schooling received depends on the age of the Initiate in question. The Initiates will be occasionally observed by multiple Jedi Knights and Masters who will use their own observations, combined with data gathered on the students, to decide who they should choose as a Padawan.

The modern Order also does not expel students after a certain amount of time. Initiates can hold this position indefinitely until they are chosen by a Knight or Master, or if they wish, they can exit the Order. Usually, after a period beyond the expected window of selection, the unchosen Initiates will be moved to work within the civilian arms of the Jedi Order. The Order is focused on ensuring that the individuals they have put years of effort into are retained and utilized for the good of the Order, even if it is not as full Jedi.

But usually, most Initiates are chosen to be Padawans within the expected windows of selection. Initiates can express interest in specific Spheres when the time for recruitment begins, and this is passed along to respective Knights and Masters, even if their selection to their Sphere of choice is not always a guarantee.

PADAWAN: When an Initiate is chosen by a Knight or Master, they are granted the rank of Padawan. Typically, as a Padawan, they are expected to follow in the footsteps of their Master and fulfill the same role he or she holds. It is usually expected, for example, that the Padawan of a Jedi Sentinel will also be a Sentinel, though this is not always what happens. The Jedi are careful with their selections, and such divergence is not common within the Order.

Padawans, early in their role, construct their lightsaber(s), though the method they use to achieve this varies depending on the Master. Some are provided to Padawans, others are made to construct their own, still more have their Padawans undertake trials to construct their lightsabers, such as on Ilum, Dagobah, or, in rare cases, the Imperial world of Dathomir. The intensity and difficulty of constructing the lightsaber seems largely tied to how important it is to the Sphere the Padawan belongs to. The more often a lightsaber may be used, the more difficult its creation tends to become. While rare, there are cases of Padawans dying in pursuit of completing these trials.

Once their lightsaber is constructed, their period of apprenticeship will more formally begin. Depending on the age of the Padawan, additional schooling will be a regular part of their studies, and they will receive direct training from their Master in skills relating to their Sphere. They will typically travel the galaxy and participate in various activities – some dangerous, some diplomatic, some peaceful. What they experience depends on the Sphere they operate within and the regime their Master sets.

Occasionally, senior Padawans will be given solo assignments and more complex tasks to complete. The length a Padawan will remain such depends on the Master, but typically lasts no longer than eight years for children, and four to six for adults. When a Master believes that his Padawan is ready to be promoted to Knight, they submit a request to the Sphere Councilor recommending promotion, and, if it is granted, are allowed to Knight the Padawan as they choose.

Some Masters and Spheres themselves have specific trials they have the Padawans undertake before being accepted as a Knight, but others don't see the need and can promote them immediately (typically for non-combat Spheres). The complexity and creativity of any possible trial(s) is largely at the discretion of the Master themselves, so long as it is approved by the Sphere Councilor.

Trials can consist of the Master giving an assignment (some of which are lethal) the Padawan must carry out. Others consist of being exposed to dark side artifacts or temptations to determine if the Padawan can resist. The Padawan may be told of the importance of the task, or they may not. In times of strife and war, trials of these types are foregone as the Padawans have likely been exposed to multiple life-or-death situations and further trials are redundant.

Upon the promotion of Padawan to Knight, they are prepared to assume responsibilities as full members of the Jedi Order.

KNIGHT: Knights make up the majority of Jedi ranks, and they are the standard 'rank' throughout the Order. Regardless of Sphere, most will acknowledge the title of 'Knight of the Jedi Order' even if they hold roles not typically assumed for Jedi, such as scientists or archeologists. Knights typically have years of experience as a result of their time as a Padawan, and go into their new roles with little trouble or transition.

Knights take additional time to further refine their own skills and knowledge, usually when they are no longer performing their regular duties, be that in lightsaber combat, flight training, or academia. A Knight is expected to eventually master his role within the Order, and it is a necessity if they wish to be promoted again. Most members of the Order stay Knights, as it is a preferred middle ground for most, as the higher ranks involve far more administrative activity and internal politics. Knights have been known to turn down promotions because they feel it would be too restrictive, and, with that in mind, most offers are only given to those who are interested in them.

Knights can take a Padawan one year after their promotion, when they have had time to become familiar with their new role. Depending on the Sphere, Knights may take more than one Padawan though this is typically discouraged and only common in the Sphere of the Militant Order, where military cohesion and squad-based combat/communication is essential. However, most Spheres and Knights take a single Padawan at a time, though taking multiple Padawans throughout their careers is common and encouraged.

Should a Knight prove exceptionally talented and demonstrate a high success rate in their Sphere, they will be considered for promotion to the rank of Master.

MASTER: The Masters of the Jedi Order are rare and limited, with less than five thousand existing in total throughout the entire galaxy. They are usually responsible for overseeing the most important locations, artifacts, and missions within the Jedi Order. All Masters in their fields of expertise, they are an invaluable resource to call upon, one which the Order uses frequently.

Since their roles tend to become more administrative, few Masters travel extensively from their primary homes or headquarters, and instead, focus on their projects or – if they have reached a high rank within their Sphere – managing their own councils, Knights, and resources. This is also the rank where the politics of certain Spheres begin to become apparent, as some Masters exhibit a humorously un-Jedi-like competitive spirit to advance their own agendas and influence (most primarily in the Sphere of Diplomacy and Mediation, ironically enough).

Like Knights, Masters can choose Padawans, which is considered one of the greatest honors one can achieve. However, it's notable that outside a few exceptions, the majority of Padawans chosen are adults and not children. There are exceptions, of course, but this is a general rule that Masters follow. It is likely because their roles require more patience, maturity, and administrative skill than many younger Padawans may possess. But those who become Knights through these Masters have significant connections and influence should they wish to follow that path.

The only rank higher is that of Councilor.

COUNCILOR: A Councilor is the Jedi who represents a Sphere of the Order and sits on the Jedi High Council of Ossus – it should be noted that throughout the rest of this report, any mention of the 'Jedi Council,' unless explicitly stated otherwise, refers to the High Council of Ossus. There are only twelve which exist at a time, and they are the best the Jedi have, be it in terms of intellect, strategy, espionage, science, engineering, and Force usage. How each one is chosen largely depends on the Sphere in question, as well as approval by the current Jedi Council. However, the procedure is essentially as follows:

The leading Council/administration of the Sphere will internally choose to nominate someone to the Jedi Council, who could theoretically be anyone within the Sphere, but almost always is a senior member of the Sphere and usually from the leadership itself. Once the nominee is chosen, the nomination will be presented to the Jedi Council who will deliberate amongst themselves and usually speak one-on-one to the nominee in question.

This period can take anywhere from between two weeks to months. The latter is extremely rare, as the Council (and Spheres) keep a short list of possible candidates and thorough, up-to-date dossiers, reducing the possibility of nominating an unfit Master – this is further reduced by the fact that most Councilors will be at least familiar with the candidates in question. Candidates are usually not nominated unless it's a near guarantee that the Council will approve them.

It is also rare for the nomination to be anything other than unanimous. The Councilors talk to each other, and there are what could be considered 'swing votes' which influence which Councilor will vote which way. These tend to be those who hold the position of Grand Master, the Councilor of the Sphere of Vigilance and Farsight, and the Councilor of the Sphere of Law and Justice, as these Councilors typically perform more thorough checks on those who are nominated. While not required, no one is interested in confirming someone who cannot get along with one or more members of the Council – unity of purpose is often the most prized quality in a nominee.

A vote still takes place, and a supermajority (nine votes) must vote 'yes' for the nominee to be confirmed to the Jedi Council. Prior to this, the nominee or the Sphere itself can pull the nomination, though this has almost never happened to our knowledge.

As with Masters and Knights, Councilors can choose Padawans. This is not typically common, even if it is technically allowed, which likely has to do with the fact that Councilors simply do not have time to train Padawans in a satisfactory manner. Exceptions exist, of course, such as the current Padawan (Swrialian Rexus) of Councilor Saresh Palavola and the Padawans of Councilor Zevro Shartan – see their respective entries for more details.

GRAND MASTER: The highest rank and one of the most unique positions within the Jedi Order. Only one Jedi can hold this title at a time, and the Grand Master is appointed by and from the Jedi Council, and confirmed by the other members of the Jedi Council – only Councilors may stand for appointment.

Their nominations come from one member of the Council, who will put forth their name as a candidate. This happens on a predetermined date, and Councilors will have a period of three to six weeks (depending on the number of names put forth) to deliberate and discuss with the various nominees and they will all agree on a final confirmation date.

Unlike other confirmations, the candidate with the most votes is confirmed as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. Nominees are forbidden to vote for themselves, and each Councilor has the opportunity to abstain (usually only done by nominees). Due to the odd number of Jedi at this time (11) it is unlikely to be a tie unless there are more than two nominees. In the event of a tie, the nominees who receive the least number of votes will be removed and a second vote will take place. This will continue until there is an undisputed result.

Once the Grand Master is chosen, they will assume control over the Sphere of the Jedi Order and act as chairman of the Jedi Council and are usually referred to as the 'leader' of the Jedi Order. While the power the Grand Master wields is not as extensive as some believe, they are, without a doubt, one of the most influential within the Order and always among the most respected.

Historically, Grand Masters have usually been elected from the Sphere of Diplomacy and Mediation, Sphere of Outreach and Aid, and Sphere of History and Knowledge, all of whom require connections, communication, discussion, and cooperation. There are exceptions, especially following the Kamino Uprising when Councilor Irfon Ghaull was nominated from the Sphere of the Militant Order who mobilized the Jedi to end the kaminoian threat. Notably though, following the Uprising, he stepped down, stating that: "An Order no longer at war does not require a general to lead it."

As another point of trivia, there have been no members of the Sphere of Vigilance and Farsight, the Sphere of Exploration and Discovery, or the Sphere of the Living Force who have ever held the title of Grand Master. It is also one of the five permanent seats on the Council not subject to term-limits, but Grand Masters rarely remain on the Council for longer than thirty or forty years.