The first Jedi ever in Star Wars history is generally considered to be a figure from the very ancient past of the galaxy, long before the events of the movies and most stories. This earliest Jedi is not a single named individual widely known in the main Star Wars canon but rather a concept tied to the origins of the Jedi Order itself, which began thousands of years before the Skywalker saga.
The Jedi Order originated on the planet Tython, located in the Deep Core of the galaxy. According to Star Wars lore, particularly from the “Dawn of the Jedi” era explored in expanded universe materials and some canon sources, the first Force-sensitive beings who sought to understand and use the Force in a disciplined way were the earliest Jedi. These ancient Force users discovered the Force and began to study it, developing philosophies and techniques that would evolve into the Jedi Order.
The earliest known Jedi are often linked to the Je’daii Order, a precursor to the Jedi, who lived on Tython around 25,000 years before the Galactic Republic era. The Je’daii sought balance between the light and dark sides of the Force, unlike the later Jedi who focused primarily on the light side. The transition from Je’daii to Jedi marked the beginning of the Jedi as a distinct group dedicated to peace, justice, and the light side of the Force.
One of the earliest named figures associated with the origins of the Jedi is the character known as “The Stranger,” who appears in the High Republic era stories. The Stranger is a mysterious Force user who predates the Jedi Order and is sometimes considered a link to the earliest Force practitioners. However, The Stranger is not definitively the first Jedi but rather an example of early Force sensitivity.
In the broader Star Wars mythos, the concept of the first Jedi is more symbolic than tied to a single individual. The Jedi Order’s foundation is rooted in the discovery and understanding of the Force itself, which is an energy field created by all living things. The first Jedi were those who first learned to sense and manipulate this energy, setting the stage for the thousands of years of Jedi history that followed.
The Jedi Order’s history is complex and spans millennia, with many stories in both canon and Legends (the expanded universe) exploring different aspects of its origins. The earliest Jedi were explorers of the Force, seeking harmony and knowledge, and their legacy shaped the galaxy’s history profoundly.
In summary, the first Jedi ever were the ancient Force-sensitive beings on Tython who formed the Je’daii Order, the direct ancestors of the Jedi Order known from the Star Wars saga. While no single individual is universally recognized as the “first Jedi,” these early practitioners laid the foundation for all Jedi who came after them.
