The Jedi of the High Republic era have been partially explored in The Acolyte, which shows that Star Wars may never outgrow the Jedi Order’s portrayal in the prequels. Although the Jedi are among the most prominent heroic factions in the Star Wars franchise, the Jedi Order is infamous for its restrictive lifestyle, questionable role in the Galactic Republic, and other notable flaws in the prequel trilogy. In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the New Jedi Order corrected the issues of its predecessor, while the modern canon cannot move past the prequel era’s depiction of the Jedi.

The Star Wars prequel trilogy – which belongs to both the Legends continuity and the modern canon – depicts the Jedi Order as a rather complex entity. While clearly having the best intentions, the Jedi of the prequels were complacent, unbalanced, and out of touch with the beings they were sworn to protect. Jedi initiates were raised in the Jedi Temple as infants and Jedi were not allowed to form close attachments, including – infamously – romantic relationships. Viewers who may wish to see a healthier version of the Jedi Order would find one of their depictions in the Legends continuity more satisfying, however.

Star Wars Legends Showed A Much Healthier Approach To Attachments Than Canon

The customs, philosophies, and lifestyle of Jedi have undergone numerous changes throughout the Star Wars Legends continuity, which is fitting, considering that the Order existed for over 25,000 years. The overly restrictive and dogmatic ways of the prequel-era Jedi Order contributed to their inability to counter the machinations of the Sith, the fall of Anakin Skywalker, and the Order’s destruction. The Jedi Order was never truly revived following the Jedi Purge in the Legends continuity. Instead, it was succeeded by the New Jedi Order, which Luke Skywalker founded several years after Return of the Jedi.

To some degree, the New Jedi Order’s freedom for its members was due to Luke’s initial lack of knowledge of the old Jedi Order’s traditions, but the improvements were also partially intentional.

Luke Skywalker’s streamlined path to Jedi Knighthood, as seen in the Star Wars original trilogy, informed the philosophies of the New Jedi Order. Any being could join the Order at any age and, as long as attachments were healthy, they were not only allowed but even encouraged. Luke Skywalker remained close with his family members and friends from the Rebellion and he married fellow Jedi Mara Jade. To some degree, the New Jedi Order’s freedom for its members was due to Luke’s initial lack of knowledge of the old Jedi Order’s traditions, but the improvements were also partially intentional.

In Roger MacBride Allen’s 1995 novel Ambush at Corellia, Luke Skywalker and Mon Mothma discuss the future of the New Jedi Order as it continues to grow in numbers and strength. Mothma, having lived through the fall of the Republic and Galactic Empire, cautions Luke against repeating the mistakes of the old guard Jedi Order and staying in touch with the beings he is sworn to protect. Luke, who was a farmer and pilot before becoming a Jedi, agrees with Mothma’s sentiment, and pledges to ensure his Jedi retain ordinary lives alongside their duties, keeping the Order grounded and balanced.

The Acolyte Binds The Attachment Rule Into The Jedi Of The Past

The modern Star Wars canon’s sequel trilogy and The Book of Boba Fett establish that Luke Skywalker’s new generation of Jedi did not make any improvements to the Jedi Order, despite Luke Skywalker’s original trilogy arc positioning him not to repeat the mistakes of his predecessors, his discovery of the Jedi Order’s failings. While a disappointing direction for the new Star Wars timeline, the Jedi Order seemingly had a point in its history when it was closer to the New Jedi Order from the Legends continuity.

The Star Wars High Republic multimedia project established that the Jedi formed unique and personal connections and definitions of the Force and some materials even implied that attachments like romantic relationships were allowed. Sadly, the recent TV series The Acolyte, which is set in the High Republic era, has undone much of the good work of other High Republic era materials. The Acolyte portrays the Jedi as nearly identical to their prequel-era descendants, typically accepting initiates as infants, restricting attachments, and displaying other flaws presented in the prequel trilogy.

The High Republic, notably, lasts roughly 400 years, so The Acolyte’s portrayal of the Jedi Order is disappointing, but it does not necessarily prevent the Order from being depicted more like the Legends continuity’s New Jedi Order in another High Republic-era property. The Acolyte takes place in the High Republic era’s final century and thus may depict the Jedi Order in decline, gradually resembling the Order of the prequels. In any case, the show missed an opportunity to portray the Jedi Order in a healthier and more balanced light after the sequel trilogy’s failure to properly depict Luke’s new generation.

Daisy Ridley Has Implied Nothing’s Going To Change In The Future

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker put the Star Wars galaxy in a nearly identical position as it was at the end of Return of the Jedi. The Sith are gone – seemingly for good this time – and the trilogy’s Jedi hero is now perfectly positioned to rebuild the Jedi Order without repeating the mistakes of previous generations. Rey will seemingly establish this modern canon equivalent to the New Jedi Order in her forthcoming solo movie, but Daisy Ridley shot down the possibility of Rey having a biological family, given her Jedi status.

This would be a disappointing direction for the modern Star Wars canon’s Jedi, but it is not necessarily set in stone.

This all but confirms that Rey’s Jedi will have the same attitude toward attachment as the prequel-era Jedi Order, and might imply that her Jedi are changing little to nothing from previous eras. This would be a disappointing direction for the modern Star Wars canon’s Jedi, but it is not necessarily set in stone. Rey might undergo an arc in which she sees herself repeating the mistakes of Luke Skywalker and the prequel-era Jedi and finally allowing the Jedi Order to grow.

George Lucas’ Attachment Rule Distorts What It Means To Be A Jedi

George Lucas was correct to portray the Jedi as a flawed, complacent, and restrictive Order in the prequels, as the trilogy highlighted the failings of the old guard Jedi, strengthening the redemption of Anakin and the Knighting of Luke in the original trilogy. Unfortunately, current Star Wars creatives seemingly misunderstand that the older Jedi lost touch with the people of the galaxy and that one of the purposes of Legends’ New Jedi Order was to depict a Jedi Order that achieved balance. After The Acolyte, future Star Wars properties must allow the Jedi to grow out of their prequel-era depiction.

All episodes of The Acolyte are now streaming on Disney+.