In Legends, the Jedi Order was formed by Cala Brin, Rajivari, Garon Jard, and Ters Sendon. These four Jedi created the Jedi Code and established the Order on Tython. In Disney’s Star Wars canon, the Jedi Order was created by one Jedi, a character known as Prime Jedi. Not much is known about the Prime Jedi, meaning that Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi film will have a lot of creative freedom regarding the origins of the Jedi Order. Interestingly, while The Mandalorian brought Tython into the new canon, the first Jedi Temple was built on Ahch-To in Disney’s Star Wars timeline.
The First Jedi Served Balance, Not Light Or Dark
After Ben Solo became Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker went on to search for the first Jedi Temple. Luke’s studies, as well as other key events in Skywalker’s life, were narrated by the character in the Star Wars tie-in book Secrets of the Jedi. When discussing the very nature of the Force and what it means to be Force-sensitive, Luke mentioned how those who are born Force-sensitive “must make a difficult choice.” Luke noted the dichotomy surrounding the Force, and that everyone who can harness its power eventually has to pick between using it for “the greater good or for personal gain.” The dichotomy of the Force is nothing new in Star Wars, as those themes have been discussed since The Empire Strikes Back. However, what is most interesting about Luke Skyalker’s notes on the Force is that he chose to attach an illustration of the Prime Jedi mural. The Prime Jedi mural first appeared as a mosaic on Ahch-To in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, during which Luke Skywalker specifically addressed the two sides of the Force when teaching Rey. All of those elements suggest that the Prime Jedi served the balance of the Force, not light or dark.
Balance May Be Another Aspect Of The Force
More than a philosophical concept, the balance may be an actual aspect of the Force. Doku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott revealed an old mantra that described the Force as something formed by light, dark, and balance. The mantra notes that none of those three aspects is greater than the others, and that, together, they make the Force strong. Whereas the balance of the Force can sometimes be interpreted as the middle point between light and dark, this mantra referenced in Jedi Lost sees balance as its own state of the Force."We call upon the three — light, dark, and balance true. One is no greater than the others. Together, they unite, restore, center, and renew. We walk into the light, acknowledge the dark, and find balance within ourselves. The Force is strong."
Light, dark, balance, and the dichotomy of the Force may also have to do with Star Wars' Force dyad concept. Perhaps what makes a Force dyad so powerful is that it finds the balance that makes the Force strong, a third state that is neither the dark side nor the light. Rey and Kylo Ren were a Force dyad even before Ben Solo was redeemed, which supports this idea. Curiously, the Sith presumably tried to create a Force dyad among themselves – Darth Plagueis with Darth Sidious, for example – yet they did not succeed.
Why Did The Jedi Eventually Abandon Balance?
If the Prime Jedi sought balance, the Jedi Order should have turned out quite different from what Star Wars has shown. It seems contradictory that the Order created by someone who tried to understand the balance of the Force would close itself to other aspects of the Force only to follow a strict set of rules for 25000 years. However, the fate of the Jedi Order and the galaxy as a whole was bound to change following the birth of the Sith. The Sith originate from a schism between those who followed the Jedi Code and those who believed that the dark side of the Force could offer greater power.
