Summary
Star Wars' Jedi heroes are undoubtedly the protagonists of most stories in the franchise, but each member has tendencies that make them sympathetic, complex, flawed individuals. Thestrongest and weakest Jedi inStar Warsare depicted as, first and foremost, people. Naturally, this is in reference to the major Jedi characters that have appeared acrossStar Wars' chronological timeline, as opposed to the background characters with minimal development.
Be it the Jedi of the three film trilogies or those that appear in the variousStar WarsTV shows, the guardians of justice and peace in the galaxy are often front and center of most stories. This will undoubtedly continue inupcomingStar Warsmovies, from the return of Rey Skywalker and her new generation of Jedi to the exploration of the Prime Jedi, 25,000 years before the saga began.One constant across each of the projects in the franchise is the depiction of the Jedi as flawed beings who make mistakes, making them inherently more compelling.
The following list depicts the individual Jedi’s worst aspects, which are not inherently bad, instead focusing on flawed issues that lead to darkness or conflict.
10Vernestra Rwoh
Her Dedication To Protecting The Jedi Order
Beginning withThe Acolyte’s Vernestra Rwoh, her biggest issue is her intense protection of the Jedi Order. Throughout much ofThe Acolyte, it was unclear what role Vernestra was playing in the story. However, by the time of the show’s final episode, she became integral to many questions, from how the Jedi Order was unaware of Sith involvement before the prequels to the fate of Master Sol. In the show’s finale, Vernestra blames Sol for the murders of Masters Indara, Kelnacca, and Torbin.
Rather than admit she had made mistakes via her connection to Qimir or admit the reality that the mistakes the other members of the Jedi Order made contributed toThe Acolyte’s events, Vernestra fabricated a cover story that incriminated Sol. Despite Sol’s inherent goodness and compassion,Vernestra used his death to cover up the mistakes of the Jedi, protecting the Order from outside scrutinyand the reality that the all-knowing space wizards can make errors. While versed in well-meaning, this is a bad trait to have on Vern’s part.
Vernestra Rwoh
A prodigy among the Jedi of the High Republic, Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh was one of the youngest Jedi ever to achieve the rank of Knight. She served at a time of crisis for the Republic, battling on the front lines against the Nihil, the Nameless, and the Drengir, and proving herself wise beyond her years. Vern will appear in live-action in The Acolyte, set over a hundred years after she became a Master, at the tail end of the High Republic Era.
9Sol
His Love & Compassion For Others
Another desirable trait for many that is equally undesirable for a Jedi is Master Sol’s unwavering love and compassion.The Acolytedepicted Sol in a way that most Jedi are not, with open feelings and emotionson the surface. Be it his connection to Osha and dedication to helping her to his outward anger against Qimir, Sol’s emotions are rarely kept in check as is expected of a Jedi. While again, this is something to be desired, it leads to the tragedies ofThe Acolyte.
Sol’s insistence on connecting with Osha led to many mistakes; Sol killed Aniseya to protect Osha and Mae - her children - before choosing to save Osha over Mae and leading the latter down a path of darkness and vengeance. In the end, Sol’s compassion saw Osha and Mae take equal dark steps against the Jedi that will likely lead to the Sith rising to dominance by the time of the prequel, should the teases ofThe Acolyte’s finale lead to future seasons.
Sol
Master Sol is a wise, highly respected, powerful Jedi Master, strong in the ways of the Force, who is going through emotional conflict.
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8Qui-Gon Jinn
His Defiance Of The Jedi Council
Moving into the prequel era, Qui-Gon Jinn’s worst tendency is his defiance of the Jedi Council.Qui-Gon is often described as somewhat of a maverick by the other Jedi, regularly going off on his own and disobeying direct ordersfrom the Council. Qui-Gon does this due to his commitment to the Living Force, living in the here and now, over the Cosmic Force, the bigger picture of what the Jedi stand for. Although this leads Qui-Gon to be a more approachable, compassionate, and well-rounded Jedi for the people, it also leads to difficult truths.
Had Qui-Gon found a balance between his own feelings and the will of the Council, much might have been different…
Perhaps the most difficult truth to face is that had Qui-Gon listened to the council inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Anakin Skywalker would never have become a Jedi. If Anakin had never become a Jedi, he would not have become Darth Vader, and the dark times of the Empire’s reign may have been avoided. Had Qui-Gon found a balance between his own feelings and the will of the Council, much might have been different.
Qui-Gon Jinn
Viewed as a maverick Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn was willing to learn from other Force traditions - and some of those lessons taught him how to retain his consciousness after death, becoming the first Force Ghost. Qui-Gon discovered Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine, recognizing him as the Chosen One, and swore to train the boy. This oath was passed to Qui-Gon’s apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, after Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul. He remained influential from beyond the veil, however, teaching others how to follow in his Force Ghost footsteps.
7Mace Windu
His Arrogance & Hubris
Above all others in the prequel trilogy, Mace Windu is depicted as an antagonistic Jedi. He regularly goes against Anakin Skywalker, who is written as the protagonist for the majority of the three prequel movies, painting Mace in a bad light. However, Mace’s strength is exactly that; he is an incredibly powerful Jedi who is strong-willed and willing to do what it takes to protect the Order. These, again, are desirable traits to have but are rooted in aspects that directly contribute to the downfall of the Jedi.
Mace’s issues are prevalent in the Clone Wars too, when he pushes Ahsoka Tano further from the light of the Jedi after her trial.
These traits are Mace’s hubris and arrogance.Mace, like many other Jedi during the prequels, is so convinced that his view is correct, that he will not even entertain other possibilities. His distrust of the likes of Anakin pushes the latter further toward the dark side, as Mace is convinced Anakin should not be granted the rank of Master. This arrogance directly factors into Anakin’s fall, proving it to be a trait Mace Windu could go without in order to fully realize his strength in the Force.
Mace Windu
One of the most prominent Jedi during the prequel era, Mace Windu served as a crucial member of the Jedi Council, considered second only to Yoda himself. Windu was a remarkable figure among the Jedi, having turned his own temptation toward the dark side to his advantage, even creating a new lightsaber form known as Vaapad. Mace ultimately failed in his mission to protect the Jedi, apparently killed by Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker at the end of the Clone Wars.
6Yoda
His Blind Faith In The Force
In many ways, Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn are polar opposites. The latter trusts too much in the Living Force and disobeys the Council, while the former believes so steadfastly in the will of the Force that he disregards important feelings. Yoda, as the Jedi Grandmaster, naturally has to feel this way. Yoda rightfully leans into the will of the Force, but there is no denying that his blind faith caused issues.
Yoda’s mistakes are most prevalent in the prequel trilogy. From his treatment of Anakin’s attachments to his dedication to the Force that is clouded by the dark side, Yoda - along with many other Jedi - missed the telltale signs of the Sith forming beneath his feet.If Yoda had trusted in his own feelings more and struck the same balance that Qui-Gon arguably should have, he could have sensed the dark side earlier, before it was too late. This issue was shown to have been learned from, however, inYoda’s fantasticStar Wars: The Last Jedisceneabout failure.
Yoda
The aged Jedi Master had trained Jedi for 800 years by the time he met Luke Skywalker on the planet Dagobah. One of the most famed and revered Jedi, Yoda served as Grand Master of the Jedi Order for centuries; he was powerful enough to duel Darth Sidious himself, although he was defeated. Yoda exiled himself to Dagobah, where he learned how to become a Force Ghost and offered guidance to Luke Skywalker.
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5Obi-Wan Kenobi
His Protection Of Loved Ones
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one ofStar Wars’quintessential Jedi. He fights for what is right, he does so with compassion, and he is overall one of the franchise’s best characters. One of the primary reasons for the latter is his mistakes, flaws, and errors, the most prominent being his need to protect loved ones. In the prequels, Obi-Wan Kenobi knew of Anakin’s relationship with Padmé. He knew it was frowned upon and not allowed by the Jedi, but kept his distance and turned a blind eye out of protection for his friends.
While this is admirable, it was undoubtedly a mistake. If Obi-Wan had taken more risks to talk to Anakin about Padmé, his apprentice might have had a healthy outlet and not fallen to the dark side. This need for protection was also highlighted inStar Wars: The Clone Wars. His desire to protect his former lover, Satine Kryze, directly resulted in Maul targeting her, leading to her death.Obi-Wan regularly tries to protect those he loves in many ways, though often with undesirable consequences.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
The Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi became a Jedi Knight after his master’s death. Obi-Wan trained Anakin Skywalker as a Jedi, with his own apprentice knighted after the Battle of Geonosis. The Jedi Master became a key player in the Jedi during the Clone Wars, and was heartbroken when Anakin turned to the dark side; Obi-Wan critically wounded Anakin before taking to the shadows, watching over the young Luke and Leia for years. He sacrificed himself for his two charges, becoming a Force Ghost and continuing to mentor them.
4Anakin Skywalker
His Fear Of Losing Those He Loves
Of all the Jedi inStar Wars, perhaps Anakin Skywalker’s issues are the most prevalent. These issues resulted in his dark turn, becoming Darth Vader, and the terrible atrocities he committed in the name of the Empire and the Sith. As will all of the mistakes by the Jedi though, Anakin’s turn came from a source of goodness that was an inherent mistake for a Jedi to feel: his fear of losing those he loves. From being a child,Anakin’s biggest fear was losing the people he loved, beginning with his mother.
Anakin gave into his fear of losing loved ones by believing the dark side could stop this from happening…
The Force would even show Anakin visions of his mother’s death, and later Padmé’s. This fear drove Anakin into the arms of Palpatine, who coldly reassured him before subtly implanting ideas of dark side powers in his head. Eventually, Anakin gave into his fear of losing loved ones by believing the dark side could stop this from happening. As far as bad Jedi traits go, this may be top of the list.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
3Luke Skywalker
His Fear Of The Dark Side
Like his father before him, Luke’s biggest issue stems from fear. Rather than the fear of losing those he loves,Luke’s fear is of the dark side itself. Throughout the original and sequel trilogies, this was positioned as Luke’s biggest obstacle to overcome. In the former set of films, his fear of the dark side led Luke directly to Bespin in order to save Han and Leia which resulted in Luke losing his arm, Han being frozen in carbonite, and the dark revelations about Luke and Leia’s heritage.
Luke almost kills Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi, again symbolizing how strong his fear is.
In the sequels, Luke again failed to overcome his fear of the dark side again through his relationship with Ben Solo. Luke sensed the darkness in Ben and considered ending it prematurely by killing him, to be left with shame and sorrow. This misunderstanding caused Ben to become Kylo Ren and resulted in the deaths of many. While fearing the dark side is natural, confronting that fear healthily is what Luke struggled with. Like Yoda, Luke learned the error of his ways, passing on to Rey that confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi.
Luke Skywalker
The son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, Luke was brought up on the desert planet Tatooine. Initially mentored by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke fired the fateful shot that destroyed the Death Star, and he became a rebel hero. Despite the fears of Obi-Wan and Yoda, Luke’s faith in his father was proved well-founded when Vader returned to the light. With the Emperor defeated, Luke dedicated himself to bringing back the Jedi; his first attempt ended in tragedy due to Palpatine’s manipulations, but Luke’s legacy lives on in Rey.
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2Ben Solo
His Inability To Process Emotions
The biggest issue Ben Solo had in theStar Warssequel trilogywas processing his emotions. As mentioned, the overwhelming emotions Ben felt when he awakened to find Luke standing over him with a lightsaber led him further down the path of darkness. This was also the same with his relationships with his parents. The familial connections to Han and Leia are integral to Ben’sStar Warsjourney, and only his acceptance of how he feels about his parents leads him back to the light side.
If Ben had been able to process his emotions healthily, his turn to Kylo Ren might have been avoided. Even Kylo’s connection with Rey is confusing to both characters. This inability to express and process emotions leads to a conflicted personality, which allows Snoke - or, more aptly, Palpatine - to manipulate him and force him down a dark road.
Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, Ben was manipulated by Palpatine through the Force for most of his life, influenced toward the dark side of the Force. A misstep by Luke Skywalker ultimately left Ben feeling he had no choice but to embrace the dark side, and he became Kylo Ren, a key figure in the First Order. Kylo Ren’s heart remained deeply divided, however, even after he ascended to become Supreme Leader of the First Order. He was ultimately redeemed by Rey, with whom he shared a remarkable Force bond, and by the love of his parents.
1Rey Skywalker
Her Fear Of Her Bloodline
Finally,Rey Skywalker’s biggest issue is the fear of her bloodline. In all three sequel trilogy movies, the issue of Rey’s parentage hangs over her. From their abandonment of her inThe Force Awakensand the fake-out reveal that they were nobodies inThe Last Jedito the reveal that she is a descendant of Palpatine inThe Rise of Skywalker, Rey’s heritage causes many of her issues. This is shown primarily inThe Rise of Skywalker, with her fear manifesting as Palpatine.
It is only through Luke and Leia that Rey realizes she is more than her blood suggests and overcomes this fear…
While Rey wanting to be someone special and finding out she was not inThe Last Jediis symbolic of her fear,The Rise of Skywalkercauses her to make several difficult choices. She fears the darkness in her blood and attempts to hide herself away on Ahch-To forever. It is only through Luke and Leia that Rey realizes she is more than her blood suggests and overcomes this fear, though Palpatine could have been defeated earlier if she had come to this conclusion early in herStar Warsjourney.
Rey Skywalker
Daughter of a “failed” Palpatine clone, Rey became part of a mysterious phenomenon known as the Force Dyad - a vergence in the Force that bound her to Kylo Ren. Trained by both Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, Rey fought against the First Order as an ally of the Resistance. She ultimately triumphed against Palpatine himself, channelling the full power of all Jedi.
