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The Flaws of the Jedi

The Jedi Order is a broken system. This is my list of proof. Like Luke, I don’t truly want the Jedi to end, but they do need to mend, to change – and to be willing to evolve as required going forward.

General Issues

  • They are elitist.
  • They believe that anyone who is Force Sensitive should become a Jedi and anyone who uses the Force in a different way is wrong and likely evil.
  • They remove small children from their family and indoctrinate them to trust only the Jedi. They replace family with order.
  • The use Jedi Mind Tricks to achieve their goals, and consider it acceptable because “they only work on the weak minded”.
  • They misdefine attachment and then forbid it.
  • They never question their stance against attachment/relationships even though it’s an oft broken rule.
  • If Force sensitivity is inherited but Jedi aren’t allowed to have families. . .?
  • They spend 75% of their time in their actual ivory tower theorizing.
  • But the other 25% of the time they meddle in society because they believe they know better.
  • The Jedi Council “round table” hides a strict class system.
  • They are kings and queens of not taking a side or a stand.
  • Their role in the government is ill-defined.
  • They ignore corruption in the Senate.
  • They hide corruption in the Order.
  • They do not address or even admit the systemic failures in the Order even after it is destroyed. Twice.

Specific Examples

  • Qui-Gon argues with Jar Jar about Jar Jar’s intelligence.
  • Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan manipulate and bully Jar Jar into risking his freedom and his life to help them.
  • Obi-Wan argues to leave Jar Jar in custody of the Gungans despite it being the Jedi’s fault he was taken.
  • Qui-Gon argues to take Jar Jar along because he might be useful, not because it’s their fault he’s in trouble.
  • The Jedi interfere to help the Queen get off the planet but do not interfere to help anyone on the planet.
  • Qui-Gon dismisses Padmé’s objections on Tatooine.
  • Qui-Gon threatens Jar Jar when the Gungan eats in a manner he doesn’t approve of.
  • Qui-Gon gambles with other people’s property.
  • Qui-Gon tells Shmi, a slave, he’s not there to help slaves.
  • Qui-Gon doesn’t trust the Force, but instead uses it to get his way.
  • Obi-Wan describes Jar Jar as a “pathetic lifeform”.
  • Yoda classifies normal, healthy emotions as the basis of “the Dark Side” and the direct cause of suffering.
  • The Jedi Council tell a little boy he’s a coward because he misses his mother.
  • The Jedi Council tell a nine year old he’s too old to achieve his dreams.
  • Yoda and his peers keep Qui-Gon off the council because he has different ideas.
  • The Jedi Council and Qui-Gon argue about rejecting a child in front of the child.
  • The Jedi Council and Qui-Gon argue about Qui-Gon replacing Obi-Wan with Anakin in front of Obi-Wan and Anakin.
  • The Order make a big deal about Anakin maybe probably being The Chosen One but no one seems to agree what that means.
  • The Jedi Council make Anakin believe he is a problem and are then surprised when he leans into it for the rest of his life.
  • The Jedi Order underestimate the Sith.
  • Obi-Wan uses sorrow, anger, and hatred to defeat Darth Maul and the Jedi Council rewards him for it.
  • When the only person who wants to teach the kid dies, the Council change their mind and decide to teach the kid.
  • The Council entrust the training of the too-dangerous child to their most recent graduate who has exactly zero experience training anyone, and is equally traumatized by recent events.
  • The Order don’t care that the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic attaches himself to Anakin even though it’s creepy, they don’t trust politicians, and they frown on attachment.
  • Yoda speaks in riddles for fun.
  • Yoda and Mace Windu hide intel that the Sith have reappeared from the Senate.
  • No Jedi ever helps Shmi Skywalker.
  • Despite evidence that Anakin has difficulty following their Code, Obi-Wan and the Order make no adjustments to their teaching methods, expecting the child (who has none of the foundation Jedi are normally provided as small children) to make the adjustment.
  • Other padawans bully Anakin for being different.
  • Obi-Wan is not worried that Anakin is having recurrent, escalating, nightmares about his mother ten years after he last saw her.
  • Obi-Wan tells Anakin “this lightsaber is your life”, what kind of life is that?
  • Obi-Wan likes lightsabers more than people?
  • Knowing Anakin has the bare minimum of self-control and is already super attached to Padmé, Obi-Wan cautions the Council not to send them off on a romantic getaway mission where staying with her at all times is literally the mandate. They do not listen.
  • Anakin uses sorrow, anger, and hatred to murder an entire village of people. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to assign his training to the person who was promoted to knighthood for avenging his slain Master.
  • The Jedi, on Yoda’s orders, tell no one that their powers are diminishing.
  • Obi-Wan uncovers a plot to create an army of clones, with alleged Jedi collusion, but the Council decide to ignore any implication of wrongdoing and only follow up as an afterthought.
  • Yoda and the Council do not follow up on Count Dooku’s allegations about a Sith controlling the Republic even though they already consider the Chancellor shady.
  • The Jedi are blind to the fact there is a Sith controlling the Republic.
  • The Jedi have no problem with using clones to fight their battles.
  • A clone describes himself as a slave and the Jedi don’t care.
  • The Order choose to help slaver Jabba the Hutt but not his slaves.
  • Yoda and the Order use a teenage girl to test Anakin’s ability to let go, expecting him to fail.
  • A fourteen year old girl with no military training whatsoever is put in charge of an army.
  • The Order use younglings (children) and padawans (teenagers) as soldiers in the war.
  • When the Jedi children and teenagers are MIA the Jedi don’t search for them because it is the Jedi way to trust their training, even though these younglings and padawans have by definition not completed their training.
  • Mace Windu sends Boba Fett to a maximum security prison for adults despite his contrition and the fact they know he was manipulated by Aurra Sing. Obi-wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka say nothing.
  • When Ahsoka has nightmarish visions of an attack on Padmé, Yoda tells her the future is unwritten and helps her work through it. This suggests he is biased against Skywalkers.
  • Anakin and the Council never follow up on Order 66 despite Fives telling them about it.
  • Obi-Wan ignores Anakin and Padmé’s relationship.
  • Obi-Wan doesn’t tell Anakin about his prior relationship with Satine until she is literally standing in front of them even though he knows Anakin struggles with attachment.
  • Obi-Wan fakes his death and doesn’t tell Anakin even though he knows Anakin struggles with attachment.
  • The Council denies Satine’s request for help citing noninterference though they are literally the Republic’s military at the time.
  • The Order sets up training camps for future terrorists.
  • Barriss blows up the Jedi Temple and frames Ahsoka for it.
  • The Council cuts Ahsoka loose to avoid political complications.
  • Obi-Wan orders clones to keep going when clones die but stops and holds a funeral when a Jedi dies.
  • Anakin kills Count Dooku while he is unarmed.
  • Anakin comes to Yoda for help and Yoda does not help, tells no one, never follows up.
  • Anakin tells Yoda he is having nightmares about death and Yoda tells Anakin death is something to celebrate.
  • The Council refuse to promote Anakin to Master, but do not make it clear why.
  • The Order refuses to respect Anakin no matter what he does.
  • The Order also refuses to reject Anakin no matter what he does.
  • The Council orders Anakin to spy on one of his closest friends — order him to use the relationship they’ve fostered even though they don’t believe in relationships and don’t trust Palpatine or politicians — and they don’t see (or they ignore) the hypocrisy of it all.
  • The Order (attempts to) assert control over every aspect of Anakin’s life, all his feelings, his thoughts, and his choices, and they never explain WHY.
  • Obi-wan goes along with the Council and the Code even when he disagrees. And it gets multiple people killed.
  • When Anakin discovers the truth about Palpatine and immediately tells Mace Windu, Mace admits he doesn’t trust him, and sends him to his room.
  • Mace leaves Anakin behind despite knowing he is a) the most talented and powerful Jedi and b) the loose end most likely to break.
  • Mace takes no clone troopers or Republic representatives with him to arrest the Chancellor.
  • Mace and the Jedi do not even inform any Republic representatives of the allegations.
  • Mace attempts to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic.
  • In response to “he should be put on trial” Mace answers “he’s too dangerous to be kept alive”.
  • After witnessing Mace Windu’s death Anakin aligns himself with Palpatine and the Sith.
  • Anakin’s deeds after this point are undertaken as a Sith, however, he was the best and brightest of the Jedi and while he is responsible, they share some accountability.
  • Yoda orders Obi-Wan to kill Anakin.
  • Yoda’s plan to fix things is for the last remaining Jedi to assassinate the Chancellor and the poster boy of the Republic in order to prove the Jedi aren’t treasonous.
  • Obi-Wan betrays and uses Padmé to betray Anakin.
  • Obi-Wan interferes in Padmé’s attempt to talk Anakin down, promising its failure.
  • Obi-Wan draws first.
  • Obi-Wan stops just short of killing Anakin, choosing instead to leave him to burn and/or bleed to death on the side of a volcano (seriously wtf).
  • Obi-Wan steals Anakin’s lightsaber so he can later use it to convince Luke to leave his family, as is the Jedi way.
  • Yoda decides the twins should be raised separately but in plain sight by non Jedis for reasons.
  • Yoda reveals he’s learned the ability to be a Force Ghost from Qui-Gon days after every other Jedi has died and are now unable to learn the technique.
  • Yoda and Obi-Wan go into hiding and mostly ignore the Rebellion.
  • Obi-Wan ignores suffering and direct requests for aid, while simultaneously ignoring Owen’s requests to leave him and Luke alone.
  • Without the Jedi Order, Obi-Wan builds a healthy attachment to Leia and learns that Owen is right to let Luke have a childhood free from all that mess.
  • Without the Jedi Order, Kanan builds healthy attachments to Hera, Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra.
  • Neither Kanan nor Ezra eschew attachments and yet both still sacrifice themselves to save their friends and their cause. It’s almost as if loving an individual is not inherently selfish.
  • Yoda’s interactions with Ezra prove he is biased against Skywalkers.
  • Obi-Wan straight up lies to Luke.
  • Obi-Wan makes certain Luke sees Vader kill him so Luke will want to take revenge on his father (Obi-Wan ilu but WTF).
  • Yoda straight up lies to Luke, when he’s not speaking in riddles for fun.
  • “I’m not afraid.” / “You will be.” | Yoda decides to use fear with Skywalker 2.0, I can’t tell if this is growth.
  • Yoda tells Luke “There is no try.” which is bullshit.
  • Obi-Wan and Yoda beg Luke to abandon his friends and instead complete his training but refuse to tell him WHY.
  • Obi-Wan forgets that Leia exists.
  • Yoda is ready to use Leia if Luke dies.
    • Leia is the reason Luke left so if Luke dies I doubt she’s okay?
  • Neither Obi-Wan nor Yoda ever actually apologize for straight up lying to Luke.
  • Yoda tells Luke he’ll never be a Jedi until he kills his father (……).
  • Yoda tells Luke to pass on what he’s learned but does not tell him who the other is.
  • Obi-Wan tells Luke his feelings — that he’s not supposed to have — serve him well . . . so he should bury them (……………….).
  • But does not explain WHY.
  • Obi-Wan tells Luke “the Empire has already won” if he refuses to kill his father and does not admit or explain he was unable to bring himself to kill Anakin either (!!!!!!!!!).
  • Obi-Wan forgets that Padmé exists.
  • Luke’s attachment to his father and trust in his friends allows the Rebellion to win the battle of the second Death Star.
  • Luke and Leia tell no one other than Han (including and most importantly Ben Solo) the truth about Vader-Anakin. Therefore, no one learns from Anakin’s or the Order’s mistakes.
  • Leia gives up her Jedi training because she has a vision of her son falling to the Dark Side. When it happens anyway she still doesn’t become a Jedi. But when Luke dies and Rey needs a teacher she steps back into the role only now she’s a Master I guess? Literally none of this makes sense.
  • Luke takes Grogu away from his family to train him, as is the Jedi way.
  • Grogu uses the Force to clumsily levitate one frog because he is hungry. Luke uses the Force to levitate a pondful of frogs to clumsily teach Grogu about . . . levitation? All of those frogs are traumatized and at least one had a heart attack and died.
  • Luke Forces Grogu to relive the attack on the Jedi temple. Luke has no mental health training and this is wildly irresponsible and harmful.
  • Luke and Ahsoka conspire to keep Din away from Grogu.
  • Ahsoka tells Din his attachment to Grogu is selfish and will get in the way of Grogu’s Jedi training. Even if Jedi doctrine was healthy (it’s not) it is inappropriate to hold non-Jedi to these rigid standards.
  • Luke uses Din’s gift and Yoda’s lightsaber to test Grogu’s commitment to his family versus his education. This is called emotional manipulation.
  • Luke doesn’t notice Snoke is manipulating Ben from childhood. It’s not clear what Leia notices.
  • Luke takes nine year old Ben away from his parents to train him, as is the Jedi way. Han doesn’t see his son again for twenty years. Leia never sees her son again.
  • Hidden, the Dark Side of the Skywalker Legacy looms large in Luke’s imagination and he starts to fear his nephew.
  • Luke considers murdering his nephew for the greater good, as is the Jedi way.
  • When Luke wakes up to the burnt remains of his school, he assumes Ben is responsible and does not investigate it at all.
  • Ben, like Anakin, turns away from the Jedi, but, like Anakin, while Ben is responsible for the terrible things he does, Luke, like Obi-Wan and the rest, made mistakes that led him there.
  • When things go dark Luke runs away to mope on an island and ignore his responsibilities . . . as is the Jedi way.
  • Luke ignores his twin sister for years.
  • Luke refuses to help Rey and Leia because of his guilt.
  • Luke doesn’t trust the Force.
  • Luke starts to fear Rey and cuts her off, but doesn’t tell her why. As is the Jedi way!
  • Luke straight up lies to Rey.
  • Luke blames the Jedi for these lifetimes of war and strife, but continues to perpetuate them.
  • Yoda taunts Luke with some more riddles and half-truths because he can.
  • Luke gives Rey and Leia mixed messages about whether or not Ben can be redeemed.
  • Luke tells Ben he’ll see him around but . . . doesn’t.
  • Leia hides the truth of Rey’s heritage from Rey even though hiding her own heritage from Ben contributed to his fall.
  • Just months into training with Leia and the Jedi texts, Rey thinks she’s not worthy of wielding Luke’s (Anakin’s) lightsaber — the same lightsaber she’s already been using and won two battles with.
  • No Jedi, or Force Sensitive Proto-Jedi/Former Stormtrooper, stops to think that maybe they should try to save the stolen children turned Stormtroopers instead of blasting them and blowing them up.
  • Ben throws his lightsaber away instead of trying to heal it. Feels symbolic.
  • The Jedi ancestors ignore Rey’s entreaties to help her until she’s nearly dead and then they use her as a vessel to kill all the Sith and it results in her death.
  • No Jedi helps Ben heal Rey.
  • Rey doesn’t mourn Ben. The Jedi are proud.

Updated 06.18.22

Individual Jedi

I explore how individual exemplify the problematic traits of the Jedi Order in my Flaws of the Jedi series. These posts expand on the reasons listed above, and describe how these characters prop up, work around, or attempt to dismantle the system.

The only individual Jedi I actively dislike is Yoda, and that’s personal preference. Many of the Jedi are among my favorite characters and from my certain point of view their flaws add welcome nuance. I encourage discussion, so if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me here, on social media, or mail anika@manicpixiedust.com.