The historic Jedi Order prior to its destruction
by Order 66 had a clear hierarchy of ranks among its members, from the lowest titled
as initiates, to the highest titled as Grand Master. But beyond these linear designations, there
were dozens of unique specializations that Jedi fell into which they devoted their entire
lives into mastering and applying in the service of the Force. This video will first go over all the ranks
based on the traditional hierarchy of the Jedi Order, then jump into all the various
different types and classes Jedi were allowed to specialize in once they reached the rank
of Knight, along with the unique, rare ranks some held as well. First are the Jedi Initiates, commonly referred
to simply as Younglings. This title was given to all that were brought
into the Order during their infancy and kept until they reached proper maturity to become
apprentices under an assigned Knight or Master as a padawan. The cut off date to when an Initiate were
to become a padawan differed depending on the species, as some matured far quicker or
longer than the typical Human. However, typically Human initiates were expected
to pass their respective trials to be accepted as padawans around the age of twelve or thirteen. Initiates were given minimal training in the
force by their caregivers, which included opening up their minds to the mystical element
and familiarizing them with the ideals of the Jedi Code. Once they were old enough, Initiates were
placed into clans of 10, in which they would come to live, study, and socialize with their
grouped peers until they reached padawanship. Learning to draw upon the force in a natural
manner, the basics of lightsaber forms, and the history of the Order were the common focuses
they studied. Upon the nearing of their adolescence, Initiates
were overviewed during a tournament of their talents by fellow Knights and Masters, who
sought padawans for either their natural Force connections between the two or simply due
to their outstanding skills in lightsaber combat. Once chosen by a senior member of the Order,
the Initiate would officially become a Padawan and given the traditional braid as a symbol
of their ascension. Those who were not chosen, due to their lack
of talent in the Force or maturity, were given the option to join the Jedi Service Corps,
where they used their limited abilities of the Force to help plants grow and flourish
on impoverished worlds. Initiates that refused to join the less savory
positions offered by the Service Corps, were made to leave the Jedi Order. Second are the Padawans. They were members specifically chosen by either
a Knight or Master for the hopes of being directly mentored by an experienced Jedi. At this stage, padawans were known for being
put into situations that could result in death, as any mission they were sent alongside their
Master could result in violent chaos as they no longer were training within stimulated
events within the safety of the Temple, but were thrown into the realistic unpredictable
galaxy. Their abilities to hold their own were essential,
and those that became padawans had proven themselves capable of survival using both
their talents in the Force and if required, their skill in lightsaber combat. Padawans could find themselves under mentorship
for as little as 3 years, to as long as 10 years. This depended on their achievements as an
apprentice as well as the time period of the galaxy. For example, during war time, Padawans were
known for being knighted at a far quicker pace than traditionally, as the Order was
desperate in replacing their upper ranks of those who had died in battle. In most cases however, the Padawan was required
to pass the Jedi Trials before they could be considered for Knightship. They were known as the Trails of Skill, Courage,
of the Flesh, of the Spirit, and of Insight. Skill required a Padawan’s ability to master
all forms of Lightsaber combat including some advanced technique, as well as their mastery
of the Force. Courage tested their ability to face down
even the most fearsome foes and commit to their vow of doing anything to prevent evil,
even if it meant sacrificing one's life to save another’s. Flesh tested one's determination to keep fighting
and stay in line with their taught ideals, even if they were inflicted great physical
pain. Spirit was done for them to overcome their
greatest inner fears and potential darkness, and being able to still maintain a lightside
view of their actions afterwards. Insight tested their ability to see through
common illusions and that they were experienced enough to open their minds up to the larger
picture at hand and not irresponsibly jumping to simple conclusions when faced with a complex
problem. Although most of these trails were tested
within the Jedi Temple through simulations, some were passed by Padawans on the field. For example, Anakin passed the Trail of Flesh
due to losing his arm with his fight against Count Dooku. Third are Knights. Achieving Knightship was when a member of
the Order was officially considered a Jedi and not simply as a Force user in training. As a Knight, they were given far more freedom
to serve the Force as they saw fit, whether it be going out into the galaxy and solving
problems, or specializing back in the Temple and serving the Order in a supportive occupation. However, during times of war, Knights were
pressured to take up arms in the conflict as generals by the Council, forcing some to
abandon their desired paths on the Force. To become a Jedi Master, a Knight was required
to either successfully train multiple padawans or to demonstrate grand achievements in their
respective fields. Most Knights never achieved this rank and
thus never rose up the hierarchy of the Jedi Order, even by the time of old age. Fourth are Jedi Masters. This was the highest rank achievable within
the Order and one that came with additional privileges that those below them had no access
to. For one, Masters were the only ones allowed
to sit upon the Council, though there were cases across its long history were this wasn’t
always the case. Masters were also allowed to access nearly
all the knowledge of the Temple’s vast archives, even peering into the few Sith artifacts locked
up within guarded chambers for their studies. Fourth are Jedi Council Members. As stated earlier, nearly all members of this
special rank were required to be a Master before they could be considered to be given
a seat. Those chosen were done so due to their remarkable
achievements in specialized fields, including foresight in strategy, diplomacy, and lightsaber
combat. Once on the Council, they were given great
power to set the agenda of the Jedi Order along with their peers as well as giving orders
to Knights and Masters under their respective area of expertise. They also were involved with the political
offices of the Galactic Republic. Within the Council, members were divided into
two groups: permanent and temporary. Permanent members remained on the Council
for a lifetime, only leaving upon their deaths or resignation. Temporary members were also divided among
long term and limited-term. There are no exact dates for how long either
of the two were expected to remain on the Council, but we can assume long term members
remained for around a decade, while limited-term remained for a few years. This constant cycle of select council members
was to ensure new perspectives were always heard, while the permanent members served
to cement the traditional views of the Order that were not to be flexible regardless of
the affairs happening in the galaxy at the time. Fifth are the Masters of the Order. This position was held only by a single individual
at a time and served as the leader of the Council. They were commonly tasked in meeting with
heads of states and Supreme Chancellors, while also setting the topics of conversation within
Council Meetings. While they held considerable power as head
of the Council, they were only second in command when compared to the last rank of the Jedi
hierarchy on this list. Sixth are the Jedi Grand Masters. This was the highest rank within the Order
and held by only a single member at a time. Grand Masters were elected by the Council
and served as the figureheads of the entire organization. Those chosen were done so for their wisdom
and knowledge in the Force, as well as their ability of traversing the political spheres
of the Republic. While Masters of the Order were head of the
Council, the Grand Masters were head of the entire Jedi Order, giving them responsibilities
that extended beyond the Council and its respective duties. Now we’ll be getting into the various specializations
that Jedi Knights often committed their entire lives to mastering. These specializations were grouped among the
three schools of Guardians, Consulars, and Sentinels. Guardians focused their abilities around combat. As warriors, they were tasked in using their
strength to defend the weak from injustice and uphold the laws of the Galactic Republic
against criminals. They often wielded blue bladed lightsabers. Consulars on the other hand used their knowledge
of the Force to aid them in diplomacy as well as using its mystical elements to study medicine,
make scientific advancements, and expand knowledge within the Jedi archives. They commonly owned green bladed lightsabers. Sentinels focused on honing their skills of
the Force around subtly, by using its power to influence others to achieve their goals
and in other practical uses. Tracking, intelligence gathering, infiltration,
and political manipulation were among the tasks undertaken by this group. They were also the fewest in number of the
three schools. Their preferred lightsaber color was yellow,
though they were also known to wield either blue and green bladed lightsabers, as well
as other less common colors. Under the Jedi Guardians school were four
main branches. First are the Jedi Weapon Masters. They spent their time studying the art of
combat and implementing exotic weapons as effective tools with the force beyond the
traditional lightsaber. These included lightwhips, quarterstaffs,
and various other weapons found across the galaxy. Those known as Weapon Masters were known for
being among the best and most creative fighters of the Order. Second are the Jedi Instructors, who were
tasked in teaching the new generations of the Order by overseeing the learning of Initiates
and Padawans when they weren’t with their Masters. While this role went beyond the combative
aspects of the Force, some Instructors became Jedi Battlemasters, whose sole duty was to
study the youngest members of the Order in the basics of lightsaber combat. Third are the Jedi Aces. Those of this class specialized in mastering
their skills in the cockpit of a starfighter, using the Force to enhance their piloting
abilities for both combative and maneuvering purposes. Aces were usually the first sent in dealing
with threats dealing with space conflict or during evacuations where defensive escorts
were required. Lastly under the Jedi Guardian school was
the Jedi Peacekeeper. As the name suggests, those under this class
spent much of their time aiding local police enforcement on worlds that were experiencing
social unrest. They would also help on investigations to
catching criminals across the galaxy and busting nefarious crime syndicate operations. Jedi Peacekeepers also aided the Jedi Temple’s
security forces as well as Coruscant’s upper level law enforcement agencies. Those of the Temple’s security forces were
also divided as Jedi Gate Masters, Jedi Snipers, and Jedi Brutes. Gate Masters guarded the four main entrances
of the temple, Snipers were stationed on the outer area of the Temple, apprehending potential
trouble makers before they could reach the main entrances of the Temple, and Brutes were
stationed near the walls, taking down intruders that have made their way near the main building
of the Temple. Under the Jedi Consular school existed six
main branches. First are the Jedi Ambassadors. They served as representatives for the Republic’s
Senate, with their responsibilities including aiding members of the legislative body on
their duties and serving as spokesman on behalf of the Senate when contact was made on new
worlds that wished to join the Galactic Government. Second are Jedi Diplomats. Unlike their Jedi Ambassador counterparts,
those in the Diplomat class focused primarily on interplanetary conflict rather than dealing
directly with the Republic Senate’s actions. For example, Jedi Diplomats were sent to worlds
where a civil war was brewing among rival clans in hopes of settling their differences
through peaceful means; while Jedi Ambassadors would be sent to worlds on behalf of the Senate
to discuss terms of the native people who wished to join the Republic or had tension
with their recent actions. Third are Jedi Healers. They specialized in mastering the Force for
healing purposes, which included using special crystals that amplified the remedy effects. While their primary cases took place within
the Temple to heal injured fellow Jedi, they were also employed on war torn worlds and
planets that were devastated by natural disasters to provide aid with their abilities. Fourth are the Lore Keepers. Their overall goal was to update and maintain
the vast knowledge of the Jedi Order, typically falling into three specializations as archivists,
historians, and liberians. Archivists were tasked in storing and organizing
the various texts within the Jedi Archives, as well as uncovering lost translations of
ancient civilizations and translating them into Galactic Basic. Librarians on the other hand served mainly
as guides within the Temple’s Archives, aiding Jedi that came through and helping
them find the specific texts or holos they were searching for. Historians in contrast updated the archives
through their research into collected texts and data, providing easier understanding through
their analyses. They also studied the ancient histories of
the Jedi Order and Republic, uncovering events that may have been lost to time and detailing
them to their best abilities to provide accurate insight to what happened during those historic
times. Fifth are Jedi Researchers. They served a similar purpose to Lore Keepers,
but instead of updating the Jedi Archives with historical knowledge, Researchers instead
provided scientific research and discoveries into the Temple’s vast information pool. Their contributions ranged from biology, archaeology,
astronomy and geology. Many conducted scientific experiments and
gathered data within their respective research fields from outlying systems to be put into
the Archives. Researchers were also grouped into separate
specializations, which included: archaeologists, astronomers, liturgists, biologists, and geologists. Archaeologists spent their time exploring
and retrieving useful artifacts from ancient temples, even those that were once used by
the Sith Order. Astronomers took the task of studying the
aspects of the galaxy, specifically when it concerned space travel, investing much of
their time and resources in discovering usable hyperspace routes that could be used to secretly
connect the central Jedi Temple to its various important worlds such as Ilum. Liturgists were largely responsible for learning
and translating ancient languages of destroyed civilizations and adding their newfound knowledge
to the archives. Biologists spent their time discovering and
studying new species across the galaxy, noting those that were uniquely connected to the
Force, either to be used as possible assets for the Jedi Order, or to label them as potential
threats. Geologists dedicated their lives to uncovering
and studying unique materials from unexplored planets, usually searching for fertile soils
that could be used as farming grounds for the Agricultural Corps to grow plentiful food
to be transported to needy worlds. Lastly for the Consular school are the Jedi
Seers. Seers spent a majority of their time meditating
and opening their minds to the Force, seeking visions from the Force and rallying their
discoveries to the archives, as well as trying to connect them to any relevant documented
texts or findings made from the other classes. While generally inactive in peacetime, during
periods of great unrest and galactic conflict, some Consulars took up the role of Jedi Sage;
essentially changing their focus from knowledge gathering to becoming on the ground sorcerers,
as Sage’s were known for favoring the direct use of the Force in combat over lightsabers. These combative applications ranged from using
the Force to distort enemy armies with illusions to using its power to directly rip apart enemy
combatants. Under the Jedi Sentinel school existed five
specialized classes. First are the Jedi investigators. Using the Force to track beings across the
grand space of the galaxy, investigators worked alongside the Republic’s law enforcement
in tracking down high profile criminals. They also were known for infiltrating criminal
organizations and spying on crime lords. Second are the Jedi Recruiters. They were tasked in locating infant force
sensitives across the galaxy in hopes of recruiting them for the Jedi Order to be trained in their
ways. Often retired members of the investigator
branch previously were known to join as recruiters, using their abilities of locating beings with
the Force on potential new Jedi rather than criminals. Jedi Recruiters were the most unpopular type
of Jedi in the public's eye, often falling in heavy criticism from activist groups that
viewed their methods of acquiring Force sensitive babies as immoral and at times manipulative. Third are the Jedi Shadows. While their numbers and usefulness decreased
overtime the longer the Republic remained in its state of peace, the Shadows were once
essential following the fall of the historic Sith Empire, as they were tasked in hunting
down dangerous Sith and other dark side embedded artifacts and either destroying them or containing
their evil powers. As the time period got closer to the Clone
Wars, Shadows were also used in reporting to the Council on fellow Jedi that were suspected
of falling to the dark side, making them in a way the secret police of the Jedi Order. Fourth are the Jedi Temple Guards. Their main duties involved protecting the
Temple and its most valuable assets from all enemies of the Order, whether they be dark
siders or common thieves. They also were the first line of defense against
large scale attacks on the Temple. Lastly for the Jedi Sentinel school were the
Jedi Watchman. They were stationed to ensure peace over specific
words and planetary systems. Their duties involved guarding the planets
from potential intruders as well as maintaining order on the planets they oversaw, which sometimes
involved them to subtly manipulate the political nature of said planets to ensure no conflicts
broke out among rival political groups. As a bonus, we also have Jedi Artisans. While not a main class under the Sentinel
school, most of its members came from it. Artisans were quite rare, but played a pivotal
role in constructing and decorating the Jedi Temple, using the force to craft magnificent
statues and other symbols of the Jedi Order engraved on their sacred temple. Outside of the three main schools, were a
few other specializations. Within the Jedi Exploration Corps, were Jedi
Scouts and Seekers. Scouts were tasked in exploring uncharted
regions of the galaxy and the planets they contained. Seekers traveled the galaxy, typically guided
by the Force itself, to aid those in need and counter emerging dark side threats, usually
cults or other minor factions influenced by its power. Then we have the Jedi Temple quartermaster,
who oversaw maintenance of all field equipment used by Jedi during missions. The title of Jedi BeastMaster was given to
those who used their abilities to influence the minds of creatures for a range of purposes,
including to study and control them. In some cases they also experimented on the
creatures and created new species. Caretaker of First Knowledge was another title
held by those who oversaw the Jedi academies on both Coruscant and their satellite facilities
found on other worlds. They also protected the Archives and its Holocron
Vaults. Keeper of Antiquities was a position given
to a member for the primary duty of safeguarding dangerous texts within the Jedi Temple, specifically
Sith artifacts and holocrons. We also have the military titles given to
Jedi during times of war. The title of Jedi Commander was given to padawans
during the Clone Wars, where they were given some authority over their respective clone
platoons. The title of Jedi General was given to knights
and masters, where they oversaw entire armies. Senior Jedi Generals were given to a selective
few Masters that controlled one of the twenty clone sector armies. Finally, High Jedi Generals were given to
Council Members, who not only controlled one of ten systems armies, but also held authority
over all Jedi under their military command. There were a few other titles held by members
of the Order across its long history, such as Jedi Lords, but they were either given
to them by local planets as honorary titles or were self proclaimed without recognition
from the Jedi Order itself. Those are all the known Jedi ranks and types
across the Order. Let us know which one you would specialize
in if you were a Jedi and what you would hope to achieve in your chosen class. We also have a video going over all the Ranks
within the Sith Order, so be sure to check it out too!
