On Jedi

What would you say if I said that none of the current Jedi orders are actually made up of Jedi?

I know what you say. You say I am a fool for saying such, that they are definitely Jedi and that they fight for the good of the galaxy. But who is the fool here? The one who believes they are not Jedi, or the one who believes those orders are Jedi? You see, in the very thought you had you have proven that those orders are not orders of Jedi, but soldiers, seen fit only to do battle in the name of one government or another.

I am a Jedi, you see. I was trained by one of the greatest grandmasters in recent times: Grandmaster Corvus Raaf. I would argue she was the last true grandmaster of the Jedi, for everything that happened after her ruined what she had built.

To begin with I must outline the Jedi code with an explanation of what it means, or else you could never understand my argument.

There is no emotion, there is peace.

This first line of the code does not mean that Jedi are to deny their emotions. We are living beings and we feel. Denial of that leads to repression which can lead one down a dark path. The point of this line is, in fact, that we should not allow emotion to control our actions, but maintain peace within ourselves when acting in the capacity of Jedi.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

A jedi is meant not to ignore learning, but to embrace it and always be seeking new knowledge of the Force and the goings on around us. We do not rush into situations without first assessing them and gaining as much first hand knowledge of the situation as we can. In so doing, we may best sort out the outcome that a situation deserves, rather than the one we initially feel is best. Initial thoughts are often clouded by prejudice.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

Very similar to emotion and peace, this line articulates our need not to let our passions drive us, but to be content in what we have and where we are in life. We should not strive for more than our place in this galaxy. We should be calm in all things we do, not letting our desires control our actions.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

We should not allow what is going on around us to influence our state of being for the negative. No matter what is happening, we must maintain our state of balance within ourselves so that we react to situations in a manner that is beneficial to the goals or situation at hand. We must maintain internal harmony in order to do our job.

There is no death, there is the Force.

The most straightforward of all of these. Death is not the end for us. We go to the Force when our body dies and we may still be of benefit to the galaxy then. The Force is everything. We must not fear death, but when the time comes, embrace it, go to the Force.

So why do I say that the majority of those who call themselves Jedi are not Jedi? Because they fail to follow this code. They will tell you that the code guides them, but then defy it at any time. Now, that’s not to say that we don’t all have moments where we slip. This is inevitable. We are not perfect beings. No, what I speak of are those who consistently ignore the meaning of the Code.

If you were to ask, for example, a member of the New Jedi Order when the last time they engaged in a diplomatic solution to a problem, they will likely struggle to answer. Conversely, if you were to ask them when the last time they fought on the battlefield was, they would be able to answer almost immediately. Openly engaging in warfare, fighting on the battlefield, is to completely ignore the mandate to be peaceful and serene, and sows chaos. This is unacceptable for the Jedi, and is precisely why the Jedi were so easily destroyed by the Galactic Empire.

The people who go about today calling themselves Jedi would be more accurately described as Force Soldiers. They make little to no effort to seek peace, engage as soldiers of galactic governments on the battlefield, and relish more their time with their lovers than they do their role as Jedi. Love has its role in life but so many of them relish their love more than they do their role.

And what is a Jedi’s role? To be an arbiter of peace, a mediator, a healer, a force for good in the galaxy. We are not to be soldiers, seeking to live lives of passion and ignorance. Willful ignorance is as evil as anything. You have the ability to do good, choosing to do nothing is nigh the same as choosing to do harm.

It is shameful what the Jedi of this galaxy have become. You are all a disgrace upon the name of Jedi, just as shameful as those who committed genocide in the past, or served as generals in the Republic. You know why so many people are killing under your watch? Why so many wars are fought? Because you allow yourselves to be something you should not be. You’re a lightside version of the Sith, embracing the desire for battle and adventure rather than the desire to do good.

I will not be a part of it. If anyone wants to truly be a Jedi, wants to really understand what it means to be Jedi, then seek me out. I will carry on the traditions of my master and help to fix what the rest of you have undone.