There are still so many unanswered questions about the Jedi in Star Wars, but here are some mysteries we suspect will never be explained. The Jedi Order was born 25,000 years before the Skywalker saga, and its origins remain shrouded in mystery. That may not last much longer, though; James Mangold is known to be working on a “Dawn of the Jedi” movie, one that will show the first Force-users and will presumably feature the precursors of the Jedi, the Dai Bendu.

Mangold’s movie almost certainly means a lot of unanswered questions about the Jedi Order will finally be settled. For all that’s the case, there are others that will surely remain enigmas – and to which we’ll probably never get an answer. Here are ten of the most frustrating, enigmatic questions we have about the Jedi.

8

Who Are Yoda’s Species & Are They All Force-Sensitive

And why aren’t there more of them?

So far, Star Wars canon has only ever introduced three members of Yoda’s species – Yoda, Yaddle, and Grogu. Even in-universe reference books have hinted the Jedi themselves don’t know what Yoda’s race are called, or where they come from; what is notable, though, is that so far they’ve all had the Force. This fits with an old Lucas idea, that certain races naturally have higher Midi-chlorian counts.

But if all members of Yoda’s race are powerful Force-sensitives, why aren’t there more of them among the Jedi? It seems as though the Jedi recruit a youngling of this species once every few hundred years; is it possible that’s because they have a low reproductive rate? Regardless of this, why wouldn’t the Jedi choose to induct every single member of Yoda’s race into the Order? At the moment it just seems rather odd.

7

Why Did The Jedi Prohibit Families?

The fear of attachments just isn’t enough to explain this

It’s clear there’s a genetic component to Force-sesitivity; after all, there’s no appreciable diminishing of power between Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke. Given that’s the case, the Jedi prohibition against relationships seems rather excessive – especially given there have been many times when the Jedi Order was on the brink of extinction. Jedi families would mean there was a next generation who could carry the torch, without Jedi having to wander the galaxy looking for younglings.

In Legends, the Jedi didn’t enforce this restriction in quite the same way. In fact, the (currently controversial) Ki-Adi-Mundi came from a race with a low reproductive rate, and he was allowed to marry to sustain his species. In fact, he had both a bond-wife and four honor-wives. This idea seems to have been completely dropped in Star Wars canon, though.

6

Where Does The Chosen One Prophecy Really Come From?

It just doesn’t fit with the Jedi Code

George Lucas introduced the Chosen One prophecy back in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but it wasn’t until 20 years later that Star Wars even revealed the words of the prophecy. According to Claudia Gray’s Master & Apprentice, it reads:

“A Chosen One shall come, born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored.”

It’s pretty clear this is Anakin Skywalker, of course, but that doesn’t mean the Chosen One prophecy makes sense. For one thing, what exactly is meant by “ultimate balance?” It’s no wonder the Jedi struggled to interpret this prophecy, and indeed discouraged thinking too much about it; it hints at a philosophy very different to their own, where light and dark coexist rather than where light dominates.

One possibility is that the Chose One prophecy dates back to the earliest days of the Jedi Order, who are believed to have been servants of balance rather than of the light side. If that’s the case, the prophecy is a remnant of another era, one that has mostly been forgotten. Alternatively, it could well have found its way into the Jedi from another Force cult.

5

Why Did The Jedi Leave Jedha For Coruscant?

Jedha was once a Jedi planet

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story introduced viewers to Jedha, a moon that served as a place of pilgrimage for countless Force cults. Jedha was unusually rich in kyber, making it also sought-after by the Empire when Palpatine realized he could use kyber to power the Death Star. But recent Star Wars tie-ins have revealed Jedha’s history is tied to the Jedi Order – who once ruled the sacred “kyber heart of the galaxy.” This retcon transforms Jedha’s sacking into a heartbreaking act of sacrilege against the Jedi.

But why did the Jedi leave Jedha, where they ruled, and relocate to Coruscant? This was undoubtedly a huge mistake, because it ultimately led the Order to compromise with Republic politics. It would be fascinating to learn more about this part of Jedi history, and to understand why they left their home.

4

Did The Mortis Gods Cause The Sith Schism?

The Sith Code is on Mortis

Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduced viewers to the Mortis gods, cosmic beings who serve as avatars of the Force. The Daughter stands for the light side, the Son represents the dark side, and the Father briings balance between the two – serving the Chosen One role. The origin of the Mortis gods is even more mysterious than the Jedi themselves, although Ahsoka season 1’s ending suggested there will be explanations down the line.

The sacred Jedi texts referred to the Mortis gods, so they were certainly known in long-forgotten times. The curious question is whether the Mortis gods were somehow involved in the Jedi schism that created the Sith, because the Sith Code can be seen on Mortis. It’s possible the Sith were born when some of the Jedi visited Mortis, encounteriing the Son, and becoming corrupted by his influence.

3

What Influence Did The Sith Have On The Jedi Reformation?

There’s something very strange about the Jedi Reformation

Palpatine’s office was decorated with Sith relics in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Oddly, though, they were accompanied by statues of the Four Sages of Dwartii – notably Sistros, known to have played a key role in reforming the Republic a thousand years before the Skywalker saga. According to Kristin Braver’s 100 Objects, Sistros’ philosophy was very similar to the Sith.

“In life, Sistros was a Nouanese minister and lawmaker who was known to be an emotionless ruler. Cold and calculating, she was often accused of using her position during the formation of the original Galactic Republic for selfish ends.”

This raises the chilling possibility Sistros was a secret Sith Lord, and that the Sith actually played a key role in re-establishing the Republic. If this is the case, then the entire reformation of the Republic was a trap for the Jedi. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence Lucasfilm is interested in ever telling this particular story.

2

How Did Huyang Survive Order 66 And The Dark Times?

The Jedi Order’s lightsaber droid survived the Empire

Viewers who only check out the live-action Star Wars TV shows were introduced to the lightsaber droid Huyang in Ahsoka, but he’s actually a more important character than they ever imagined. According to Star Wars: Timelines, Huyang was powered up just a ew decades after the first Jedi founded the Order. He’s been training younglings and Jedi in the construction of their lightsabers for just short of 25,000 years.

Huyang must have survived many Jedi Purges over the millennia, but how did he pull it off? That question’s particularly intriguing given Palpatine surely knew about Huyang – he believed in doing his homework, and he did his level best to erase all knowledge of the Jedi, meaning he wouldn’t miss Huyang. Somehow he did, though, because Huyang outlived the Empire. How?

1

Why Don’t The Jedi Council Have Term Limits?

This was a massive weakness in the Jedi Council

Finally, one of the strangest questions of all – why didn’t the Jedi Council have term limits? Star Wars: The High Republic is set centuries before the Skywalker saga, and it’s revealed several of the older members of the Council served on it for over 200 years. The Jedi seem to have mistaken age for wisdom, when in reality the Council became increasingly obsessed with their own traditions and judgments. They prevented the Jedi from evolving over time.

Why didn’t at least one member of the Jedi Council notice the problem? The most obvious solution would have been the simplest, the imposition of a term limit. This would have ensured fresh ideas were added into the miix, preventing the Order becoming static and stagnant. It may even have been enough to mean the flaws in the Jedi were spotted long before the Sith took advantage of them, changing the Star Wars saga completely.