Star Wars Inside Intel continues to explore obscure facts about Star Wars lore and continuity. In this installment, Lucasfilm Story Group member Emily Shkoukani looks at the Jedi of The High Republic era.
In 1977, Star Wars introduced audiences to the concept of Jedi: laser-sword wielding guardians of peace and justice who called upon an energy field for unbelievable power. Although the original trilogy featured few of these fabled warriors, it teased of a time when the Jedi were plentiful. While the prequel trilogy showed audiences the Jedi Order and its downfall, the Star Wars: The High Republic initiative, set centuries prior to the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, has shown Jedi at their peak and most pure.
The political climate of the High Republic era was defined by relative peace throughout the galaxy, and the Jedi’s practices reflected that. Privileged to live in an era without war, although not without conflict, the Jedi of the High Republic often chose to de-escalate disputes and use defensive measures over igniting their lightsabers and rushing into battle. Any person that could be saved would be saved, even if that person was morally corrupt or aligned with the antagonistic group of the era known as the Nihil.
The Jedi worked hand-in-hand with Chancellor Lina Soh to expand the Republic to the Outer Rim, and offer and include frontier worlds the same luxuries that the Core and inner regions were afforded. As such, the Jedi created outpost temples throughout the galaxy so that they could provide more immediate and local support. Detailed in Charles Soule’s Star Wars: Light of the Jedi, the Outer Rim outpost temple on Elphrona housed Jedi Masters Porter Engle and Loden Greatstorm, Jedi Knight Indeera Stokes, and Padawan Bell Zettifar (and, of course, his trustee charhound Ember). When the Nihil abducted a local family, these Jedi sprang to action to save them.
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