‘Star Wars’ Released 5 New Jedi From the Upcoming ‘High Republic’ Era of the Franchise

Star Wars has always included Jedi. The Light Side Force users are a mainstay in the franchise and are often the good guys. While they’re a bit more complicated than that, they also changed from their original mission by the time the prequels rolled around and definitely by the original trilogy. They nearly went extinct several times and are barely holding on in the sequels. Rey is the last remaining one with training, that the audience knows of. 

But the newest portion of the franchise is the High Republic era coming out later this year. Project Luminous, a writing collective of authors behind the new stories, was announced in February and these new stories take place around 200 years before The Phantom Menace. The Jedi in these books and comics are going to be much different from the ones fans currently know. And the official Star Wars site just revealed more info on five of the new Jedi. 

The Jedi in the High Republic are closer to the Jedi’s original intentions 

Even though Episode I is the first movie in Star Wars chronologically, Jedi existed thousands of years before that. At the time of the prequels, the Jedi have sort of lost their way, at least when it comes to why they exist and what their purpose is. 

As viewers often hear throughout Episode I — III and The Clone Wars, Jedi are peacekeepers. However, their close ties to the Republic changed that. Especially when the Clone Wars started, they aligned themselves with one side and became generals and commanders of an army. They militarized themselves as opposed to being keepers of the peace. 

In the High Republic era that’s coming, the Jedi are truly within that job of keeping the peace. They are sheriffs, in a sort of way. “Readers will see a very wide variety of Jedi in this era,” Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain said in a statement on StarWars.com. “This is a hopeful, optimistic time when the Jedi are good and noble, and we want to reflect that in their characters while still giving them enough depth and dimension so that their individual personalities and idiosyncrasies shine through.” 

In the announcement video for this new series of stories, the Jedi were called “Jedi Knights of the Round Table” invoking a medieval feel to the Order. Siglain said they’re “aspirational and inspirational” and essentially “the good guys.”

The new Jedi have similar goals and individual struggles

Writer Cavan Scott who is involved with The High Republic stories said the Jedi are well-rounded and have a depth to them. 

“They are all different, approaching the Force in individual and unique ways and yet are united with a common goal,” he said. “They serve not out of unwavering dogma, but a deep passion to protect light and life.” 

That distinction is very interesting; the Jedi’s goals in Star Wars, so far, can be described as keeping the peace, or balancing the Force and fighting the Sith in later movies. But protecting light and life wasn’t always, explicitly, the goal. Although it’s kind of obvious they were doing both of those things, it just wasn’t always put in those terms. The fact that no Sith exist to the Jedi’s knowledge in The High Republic give them different objectives as well.

Scott also said they’re all at “different stages in their individual journeys.” Some are old, some younger; there are some that don’t work as well together and others that struggle in leadership roles. “Individually they are strong, together they are invincible, but like the best heroes they each have lessons to learn and challenges to overcome,” he said. “Exciting times lie ahead.”

Who are the new Jedi?

Starting off the list of new Jedi is Avar Kriss, a human who is “the brightest, most noble example of Jedi-hood” according to the site. She’s an optimist who sees the good in people and is an inspiration to those who work with her. She’s compassionate and simply “the best of the best.” Avar is a major inspiration for Keeve Trennis. 

Keeve is a “young firebrand” human Jedi who doesn’t always see the best in herself. She’s an impulsive, new Jedi Knight and “determined to prove herself” to Avar. She struggles to trust herself, which important for a Jedi

Next up is Twi’lek Loden Greatstorm who is one of the best instructors at the time. Loden has a “good sense of humor,” is intelligent, and loves learning from experience. He passes his lessons on to his Padawans, who are definitely lucky to have him. 

Stellan Gios is the final human on this list, and very well-respected. He is close with Avar, who he trained and went through the Jedi trials with. They don’t work together as often but when they do, they’re a “powerhouse team of two noble heroes in action.” When readers meet him, he’s stationed at the Jedi Temple outpost on the planet Caragon-Viner.

Lastly, there’s Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh, a Mirialan like Master Luminara Unduli and Padawan Barriss Offee. Vern is also a new Jedi Knight like Keeve and was Stellan’s Padawan. She’s a protege of sorts, being that she’s already a Jedi Knight at the age of 16. 

With this new crew of characters, The High Republic stories are going to be a great addition to the Star Wars franchise.