The Jedi Order was nearly wiped out by Order 66, which called for the execution of all Jedi. But how many Jedi existed in the galaxy before this devastating event? Getting an accurate count is challenging, but by examining information from Star Wars films, books, games, and other sources, we can estimate the Jedi population leading up to Order 66.
The Jedi Order
The Jedi Order was an ancient monastic peacekeeping organization unified by its belief in and observance of the Force. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic. They studied and used the Force to benefit and protect the people of the galaxy.
The Jedi Code formed the core beliefs and rules of the Order. It called on Jedi to train themselves to let go of emotions like fear, anger, and hate. Jedi were not allowed to form attachments or possess material objects. They served the Force itself and used their powers to help others. The Jedi Council oversaw the Order and guided the Jedi on missions throughout the galaxy.
The Jedi Census
In the decades leading up to the Clone Wars, the Jedi Order consisted of several hundred Jedi Knights and Masters. The exact numbers are uncertain. According to the Star Wars: Attack of the Clones movie, there were 200 Jedi Knights and “thousands of Jedi” overall in that time. Many sources cite around 10,000 as a reasonable estimate for the total Jedi population before the Clone Wars started.
During the Clone Wars, the Jedi ranks expanded dramatically. Many new Jedi were promoted to Knighthood early, including Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi also led the Republic’s new clone army against the Separatist forces. So the Jedi Order grew substantially during the 3-year galactic conflict.
Estimating the Jedi Population
Various Star Wars Legends sources provide figures that allow us to estimate the size of the Jedi Order at the end of the Clone Wars and the start of Order 66:
- 100 Jedi Knights and Masters on the Jedi High Council
- 50 Jedi Sentinels guarding the Jedi Temple
- 100 Jedi Consulars overseeing Republic politics
- 300 Jedi instructors training younglings and padawans
- 5,000 Jedi Knights and Masters throughout the galaxy
Adding up these groups equals around 5,550 Jedi. But the totals were likely higher, since there were additional Jedi in roles likeAgricorps workers, accountants, explorers, and others. Estimates generally fall between 8,000-10,000 Jedi at the end of the Clone Wars.
Group | Estimated Number |
---|---|
Jedi High Council | 100 |
Jedi Temple Guards | 50 |
Jedi Consulars | 100 |
Jedi Instructors | 300 |
Jedi Knights/Masters | 5,000 |
Total Estimated Jedi | 5,550 |
Younglings and Padawans
In addition to fully trained Jedi Knights and Masters, there were thousands of Jedi apprentices and younglings housed at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and other Jedi training facilities. These Force-sensitive children and adolescents also counted as members of the Jedi Order.
Younglings (ages 5-13) numbered in the thousands. There could have been around 10,000 Jedi younglings spread across different clans and classes. Padawans who were selected by Jedi Masters as apprentices likely numbered between 1,000-5,000 galaxy-wide.
Adding younglings and padawans to the Jedi Knight and Master totals, a reasonable grand total for the Jedi Order before Order 66 would be around 20,000 individuals. That factors in the expansion from 10,000 Jedi pre-Clone Wars to the additional Force sensitives identified and trained during the conflict.
Survivors of Order 66
When Order 66 was initiated, most Jedi were killed by their own clone troopers who had secret protocols compelling them to turn against the Jedi. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant was sacked, with even younglings slaughtered by Anakin Skywalker and the 501st Legion.
But some Jedi managed to survive the initial execution of Order 66. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda both escaped and went into exile. Over a hundred other Jedi scattered across the galaxy also found ways to elude the Empire’s attempts to wipe them out. The Inquisitors and Darth Vader kept hunting down surviving Jedi in the following decades.
By the time of A New Hope, very few Jedi remained, perhaps only a dozen or so fugitives. Obi-Wan and Yoda were two of the last fully trained Jedi Masters. The Jedi Order itself was left in ruins after Order 66, no longer able to train new generations of Jedi Knights and Masters.
Notable Jedi Survivors
- Yoda
- Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Kanan Jarrus
- Caleb Dume
- Naq Med
- Luminara Unduli
- Quinlan Vos
- Ahsoka Tano
Conclusion
Evaluating information from various Star Wars stories allows us to make educated guesses about the size of the Jedi Order before its attempted extermination. There were likely around 10,000 Jedi before the Clone Wars. The ranks then swelled to approximately 20,000 Jedi Knights, Masters, padawans, and younglings by the end of the war.
Order 66 caught nearly all active Jedi across the galaxy off guard. Thousands were killed instantly by clone troopers. Only a small percentage survived by fleeing into exile. The Empire and Inquisitors kept pursuing the few Jedi who escaped the initial purge. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, barely a dozen Jedi remained.
The Jedi Order was left devastated and unable to train new members. But Luke Skywalker later began trying to rebuild the Jedi in the years after the Empire’s defeat. The legacy of the ancient Jedi lived on through training a new generation and keeping the memory of the thousands of Jedi who perished in Order 66 alive through storytelling.