Summary
TheJedi, or the Jedi Order, is a religion focused solely on connecting with and channeling the light side of the Force inStar Warscanon. While the Sith are focused only on the dark side, the Jedi are servants of the light, and their cosmic purpose speaks to their dedication. The Jedi are, and have always been, peacekeepers in the galaxy that work closely with whichever galactic government is in power at that time to ensure interplanetary conflicts are resolved as quickly and definitively as possible.
ThroughoutStar Warshistory,the Jedi have been galactic peacekeepersfor the vast majority of the Order’s existence. While there are certainly a number of fantastic stories that center around that mission duringwildly different eras ofStar Warscanon, there are others that take a more personal look at the life of a Jedi, which is especially exciting during times of turmoil for the Order - including times when the Order doesn’t exist at all. Here are the10 best Jedi stories inStar Warscomics history, ranked!
Star Wars: 10 Best Luke Skywalker Stories in Comic History, Ranked
Luke Skywalker is the ultimate hero in Star Wars canon (and Legends), and his comic book storylines reflect that. Here are Luke’s 10 best, ranked!
10The Origin of the Jedi is a High Fantasy Epic that Kicks-Off the Star Wars Universe
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi - Force Stormby John Ostrander and Jan Duursema
Before hyperspace travel, before any Galactic Empire, there was the original Order of Force-sensitive people called to study the ways of the Force as Je’daii. The Je’daii operated in a system called Tython after willingly boarding strange pyramid-like space vessels that visited worlds with Force-sensitive individuals, and taking them to Tython, where they learned how to tap into the Force. Unlike what the Jedi would become, the Je’daii practiced true balance in the Force. There were no ‘light side’ or ‘dark side’ wielders during this time, only those who could wield the Force, and those who could not.
Dawn of the Jedisets the stage for the entireStar Warsuniverse, as everything fans have seen from the beloved series began with this high fantasy epic. However, while integral to Jedi lore,Dawn of the Jedipre-dates how the Jedi operate on a fundamental level, making it less of a ‘Jedi adventure’ story when compared to otherStar Warscomics.
9Star Wars Hilariously Subverts Post-Order 66 Jedi Expectations
Star Wars#8 by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin
When Han Solo is looking to add more members to his iconic Rebel squad, one candidate unarguably stands out from the rest: Don-Wan Kihotay. Don-Wan is an old man who claims to be a Jedi Master, one of the last remaining since the Jedi Purge of Order 66 - and he’s certainly convincing. Don-Wan wields a lightsaber, he dresses in Jedi robes, and he seems to know a lot about the Force. However, come to find out,Don-Wan isn’t a Jedi, just a delusional fanaticwho’s convinced himself - and others - that he’s a real Jedi.
The inspiration for this character comes from the Spanish classicDon Quijote, and while this is one of the more goofy chapters inStar Warshistory (rightfully relegated to ‘Legends’), it’s also a fantastic Jedi story when considering one of the most tired tropes in the current canon. It seems Jedi are popping up left and right inStar Warsthese days, even after Order 66 and Darth Vader’s subsequent crusade to murder all who survived the initial purge. With Don-Wan Kihotay, fans get a much-needed reprieve, with a hilarious subversion of their expectations.
8Star Wars Gives Fans the Most Badass Jedi Outlaw in History with Cade Skywalker
Star Wars LegacyVol. 1 by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema
Star Wars Legacytakes place more than a century after the Original Trilogy, and follows Luke Skywalker’s descendant, Cade Skywalker.Cade is not like any other Skywalker in his family, as he’s a punky, tatted-up space outlawwho plays by his own rules. It’s only after he realizes that he’s Force-sensitive that Cade has to decide whether he will let the darkness inside himself take over completely and join the One Sith, or if he’ll commit himself to the ancient ways of the Jedi. Thankfully for the galaxy, Cade opts for the latter (though he intimately dabbled in the former).
Star Wars Legacyis a brutal, grungy take on the otherwise fantasticalStar Warsuniverse, and Cade Skywalker embodies that perfectly. When he does finally become a Jedi, Cade goes down in history as perhaps the most badass inStar Warscanon.
7Star Wars Fleshes Out the Story of the Iconic Rebels Jedi: Kanan Jarrus
Star Wars: Kanan - The Last Padawanby Greg Weisman and Pepe Larraz
Kanan Jarrus was introduced in the animated seriesStar Wars: Rebelsas the de facto leader of the Ghost crew, as well as being the Jedi who trains Ezra Bridger (and, to some extent, Sabine Wren). However, before he became the iconicRebelsJedi, Kanan was a Padawan during the Clone Wars, and he was nearly killed during Order 66. While Kanan’s backstory was touched on inThe Bad Batchseries, it wouldn’t be totally fleshed out until the 2015 comicKanan - The Last Padawan.
Kanan’s comic book storyline not only fleshes out his own story, but also offers a more personal point of view of what it meant to be a Padawan during a time of war, as well as the horrors of what became of the conflict, all told through the eyes of a Jedi modern fans already have a connection with.
6Star Wars Allows Luke Skywalker to Shine as a Jedi Master Post-Original Trilogy
Star Wars: Dark Empireby Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy
Luke Skywalker’s storyline came to a beautiful end inReturn of the Jedi, as the rest of his life was committed to modestly shaping the future of the galaxy. But, in Legends continuity, that’s not exactly the case. In fact, the bulk of Luke’s adventures happen after the events of the Original Trilogy, including his best one to date:Dark Empire.Dark Empiresaw the return of Palpatine in a younger clone body, which not only finally gave fans an epic lightsaber duel between Luke and Sidious, but also allowed Luke to defeat this galactic threat himself.
Dark Empirewas the closure Luke Skywalker needed, as well as acting as the ultimate test of his own strength in the Force. After this story, Luke could confidently charge head-first into shaping the galaxy for the better, makingDark Empireperhaps Luke’s most significant storyline as a Jedi.
5Star Wars Fans See the New Jedi Order Under Luke Skywalker in Action
Star Wars: Jedi Academy - Leviathanby Kevin J. Anderson and Dario Carrasco, Jr.
It’s not often thatStar Warsfans get to see the fruits of Luke Skywalker’s labors as a Jedi Master when it comes to training younger Jedi (aside from his failures), which is whyStar Wars: Jedi Academy - Leviathanis such an exciting comic series. Not only dofans finally get to see what Luke Skywalker has been working toward since the fall of the Empire, but they’re also introduced to the next generation of Jedi themselves in a truly epic fashion, as Luke sends his best students to battle a Leviathan and save an entire village.
This is the only comic that puts a spotlight on Luke’s Jedi Academy (as it’s something that exists primarily in the Legends novels), which gives this story heightened significance. This is the New Jedi Order, the legacy of what was seemingly destroyed during Order 66 after persevering for thousands of years, making it an immensely important addition to Jedi lore.
4Star Wars Gives Fans a Grim Look at the Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic#1-6 by John Jackson Miller and Brian Ching
Star Warsfans are more than a little familiar with the age of the Old Republic, as it’s probably one of the most hardcore ages inStar Warshistory due to the prominence of the Sith and the seemingly uncharacteristically ruthlessness of the Jedi. During one particular storyline set during this era, fans see first-hand how villainous the otherwise heroic Jedi can be through the eyes of a Padawan who was betrayed by his master.
This storyline features a group of Jedi Masters killing their Padawans during their graduation ceremony, and only one Padawan makes it out alive: Zayne Carrick. The story that follows is a grim look into the age of the Old Republic that utterly matches the hardcore nature of this time period inStar Warshistory, while alsoshining a much darker light on the Jedi as a whole.
3Star Wars Allows Fans to Witness the Golden Age of the Jedi in the High Republic
Star Wars: The High Republic#1 by Cavan Scott and Ario Anindito
The High Republic is an age that has just recently been brought to the screen inThe Acolyte, though it’s a chapter inStar Warshistory that has been around for quite some time, and is perhaps the most significant in Jedi lore. This is an era of peace, as the Sith have long-been eradicated, and the Jedi are working in unison with the Galactic Republic. In fact, there are efforts to expand the reach of the Republic with projects like Starlight Beacon, offering resources to Outer Rim worlds that weren’t available before.
The High Republic is the gold standard for what the Jedi Order continuously strives for, even if the reality isn’t always as glamorous as the appearance. If there was ever a ‘perfect’ time to be a Jedi, it was during the High Republic, which is important for fans to see, as it puts in perspective how far the Jedi had fallen during the Prequels, and how much work Jedi like Luke and Rey have in front of them while trying to rebuild the Jedi Order from scratch - and it all starts with this comic.
2Star Wars Gives Fans a Gritty Alternative to the Clone Wars Era
Star Wars: Republicby John Ostrander and C.P. Smith
Before the animated series, the Clone Wars was detailed in the pages of the (now Legends) comic seriesStar Wars: Republic, and aside from a few standout episodes of the animated series, it’s a much darker telling.Star Wars: Republicwas the first series to connect the events ofEpisode IIandEpisode III, and it didn’t hold back when it came to the horrific reality of war - and it did so through the eyes of the Jedi that were fighting it.
It’s difficult to find a Jedi story more grabbing than one that takes place during the Clone Wars era, not just because of the baked-in conflict associated with this time period, but because it features Jedi fans are perhaps the most familiar with. Not just Anakin and Obi-Wan (though they are prominent) but the likes of Aayla Secura, Quinlan Vos, and Ki-Adi Mundi.This is the Jedi Order fans know and love, and it’s arguably never been more perfectly captured than in this comic series.
1Star Wars Sets the Stage for the Jedi Order’s Entire History in Tales of the Jedi
Star Wars: Tales of the Jediby Tom Veitch and Chris Gossett
Tales of the Jediis the earliest version of the Jedi OrderasStar Warsfans know it today. After the age of the Je’daii and the firmly-established separation of the Jedi and the Sith,Tales of the Jedifeatures the Jedi Order in its infancy. The Jedi are establishing connections with the newly-formed Galactic Republic following the discovery of hyperspace travel, and they’re doing their best to be peacekeepers with the limited resources they have. It’s exciting to see such an advanced and widespread organization like the Jedi Order find its footing in a galaxy that doesn’t even know what a Jedi is yet.
Not only is this series the perfect history lesson for anyStar Warsfan (while also featuring some amazing action/adventure storylines), it’s also incredibly relevant in the current canon. While not exactly the same,Tales of the Jedishows what Luke had to go through while forming his Jedi Academy, as well as what’s in store for Rey in theStar Warsfilms. The world-building is phenomenal, and the significance is unparalleled, makingTales of the Jedithe bestJedistory inStar Warscomics history.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
