If you spend any time on the official Star Wars: The Old Republic forums, you are sure to have seen his passion and prose regarding all things Jedi. You know him as Professor Walsh. Each week (or thereabouts,) Professor Walsh will answer a few reader-submitted questions in order to enlighten us all with the ways of the Jedi. You can submit your own question at the end of the article!
Welcome everyone to another week of Ask A Jedi! As always, I’m your host Professor Walsh and I’m here to answer your questions regarding all things Star Wars lore. Remember, if you have a question, no matter how big or small, please submit it! I may not get to it instantly, but I will get to it in time.
This week we have one question with two parts:
Dear Jedi,
What actually “defines” a Jedi to George Lucas? I mean, according to G-canon, are there such things as Dark Jedi? It would seem that there must be a minimum checklist somewhere that all persons carry the label “Jedi” should have/be.
Obviously I’d like to know this in the context of The Old Republic, but any general information would be appreciated!
- Rebel
Good question Rebel. Unfortunately I can’t really answer what George Lucas defines a Jedi as, and the reason of course is because I am not George Lucas. I can only state what he seems to have defined them as.
As to the second portion of your question, you want to know if there are such things as Dark Jedi in G-Canon? This is a little more complicated.
First you have to understand, unlike what some people believe, G-Canon is still part of canon and thus follows a strictly defined set of rules. So G-Canon is not separate from other canon. In fact, if G-Canon, since it is the highest level of canon, says that there is no Dark Jedi then, well, there are no Dark Jedi… anywhere. Until such a time as he specifically says that there is no Dark Jedi in G-Canon then due to how canon works there simply are Dark Jedi in G-Canon.
So, yes, there are indeed Dark Jedi in G-Canon. Though that is, of course, subject to change.
Now, from a canon standpoint a Dark Jedi is simply a Jedi who has been seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. Often people who were never Jedi are erroneously identified as Dark Jedi as well. In canon Dark Jedi are not part of, nor are they recognized by, the Jedi Order.
In order to be a Jedi one must meet one criterion only: the person must be a member of the Jedi Order in good standing.
By the words, “In Good Standing” I mean that the person must be not disavowed, as it were. So, for example, Revan was a Jedi even though he fought in the Mandalorian Wars until such a time as he fell to the Dark Side. The Exile was not a Jedi anymore because she had been, well, exiled. Jolee Bindo was a Jedi because the Order never exiled him, he left of his own free will but never officially was kicked out.
The Old Republic definition of Dark Jedi will likely be a Jedi who has accumulated more Dark Side points than Light Side points by a significant margin. I don’t think that TOR will make the distinction really between Light and Dark Jedi, and I personally think that is a shame.
I hope that answers your question, and until next time, remember: The Force will be with you… Always.
Dark Jedi Namman Cha