Jedi High Council

The Jedi High Council, simply known as the Jedi Council, was a body of twelve Jedi Masters that governed the Jedi Order. Headquartered in the Jedi Grand Temple on Coruscant, the High Council worked with the Galactic Senate to maintain peace and justice in the Galactic Republic. In addition, the High Council tracked the progress of the Jedi training of Padawans, deciding when the time was right for an apprentice to undergo the Jedi Trials in order to attain the rank of Jedi Knight, and from there, the rank of Master. The High Council also enforced the Jedi Code and traditionally selected its own members, including the Master of the Order who functioned as the body's elected leader. During the late Republic Era, legendary Jedi Masters, such as Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Grand Master Yoda comprised the High Council.
The High Council adopted a leadership role in the Grand Army of the Republic as a result of the Clone Wars, working with Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine and the Republic Military to defeat the Confederacy of Independent Systems in a pan-galactic conflict. However, relations between the High Council and Palpatine became strained during the war, especially after Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was appointed to the Council's ranks to represent the Office of the Chancellor. The revelation that Palpatine was actually Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith, caused several members of the High Council to move against him in a failed attempt to prevent the Sith from returning to power. Most of the Jedi were subsequently purged from the galaxy, allowing Sidious to declare himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY.
==Organization==
===Composition===
The Jedi High Council was the governing body of the Jedi Order. Its composition consisted of twelve Jedi Masters who were tasked with the responsibility of guiding the Order, including five members having life-long positions, who convened as a council to discuss matters of importance to the Jedi. The Council's activities included deliberating galactic events and discerning the will of the Force. If a Jedi elected to take a sabbatical from their Council duties, the member could select a Jedi to temporarily hold their seat on the Council.The High Republic: Light of the Jedi The High Council also has a historical precedent in not having factions and the times in history they did, it was not considered effective.The Living Force
In the last years of the Republic Era, the Council's ranks included two notable positions—the Grand Master and the Master of the Order. The Grand Master was an honorific bestowed on the oldest and wisest living Jedi,Ultimate Factivity Collection: Star Wars and the holder of the title served as leader of the Jedi Order.Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition However, the title could be shared amongst several Jedi, as it had been during the High Republic Era. The Master of the Order was elected by the High Council to serve as their presiding officer. During the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY, Yoda held the title of Grand Master while Mace Windu served as Master of the Order. Both of these titles were held by Yoda during the time of the Clone Wars.
===Roles and privileges===
As the governing members, Jedi who served on the High Council held authority to involve themselves in local political matters, whereas the rest of the Order could only officially engaged under the permission from either the Council or the Galactic Senate. Based on expertise, Council members also acted in specific governing capacities for the Jedi Order. Elected leaders of the Council often served as a key figure whom met with others to discuss dilemmas but important decisions were made in tandem with all twelve members. They also acted as an arbiter over matters regarding to special circumstances involving the potential inclusion of Jedi candidates, some which included Verosha Aniseya and Anakin Skywalker.
The High Council had an insignia of its own separate from the overall Jedi symbol, with that High Council emblem used on at least one starship, a Jedi High Council cruiser, to represent the vessel as carrying Jedi leadership.The High Republic: Path of Vengeance Council members often held the Jedi Code in the highest regard and required all Jedi to adhere to its principles. Members such as Yoda and Mace Windu were notable for staunchly adhering to the Order's ancient traditions. While the Council tolerated unconventional Jedi, certain tenets were enforced without question; when Qui-Gon Jinn attempted to take Anakin Skywalker as his Padawan and later circumvent the code by promoting Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda reminded him both it was forbidden to take more than one apprentice at a time and the Council held the ultimate authority in deciding when a Padawan undegoes the Jedi Trials.
Members of the High Council could also leave its ranks at their discretion,Ultimate Star Wars as Jedi Master Yaddle did when she chose to relinquish her seat on the Council. Individual members could be removed from the High Council by their colleagues. In the event of a councilmember's death, their seat could be offered to another Jedi Master of the High Council's choosing. Although it was known that some wayward Jedi used blasters, their use was never condoned by the Council. Kenobi, one of the last members of the Council, held a lifelong view that blasters were unreliable and uncivilized compared to the Jedi lightsaber.
===Headquarters===
The High Council resided in the Jedi Grand Temple, the most renowned Jedi temple in the galaxy. The Grand Temple was served as both a school and a monastery for the Jedi Order on Coruscant, the capital planet of the Galactic Republic, located in the Core Worlds. Before the Council was headquartered at Coruscant, the council was located at Alderaan and Ossus. The Temple ziggurat featured a "distinctive crown of five spires"—four Council Towers surrounding the main Temple Spire. One of the four spires was the High Council Tower which housed the Jedi Council Chamber. In addition, the Pinnacle Room, a chamber located at the top of the Temple Spire, served as a chamber of the High Council.
==History==
===Age of the Jedi===
====Old Republic-era====
The Jedi High Council existed during the days of the Old Republic-era, during which a rogue Jedi rejected the ways of the light side on the belief that only the dark side of the Force could unlock one's true potential. The rogue Jedi's beliefs disturbed the Council, which exiled the individual. However, the rogue Jedi gathered a following and created a rival Force order, the Sith, during the Hundred-Year Darkness.Star Wars (2015) 9 The Jedi and Sith warred for countless generationsStar Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi until the final defeat of the Sith, which a Sith Lord named Darth Bane helped facilitate and escaped. Bane reformed the Sith under the Rule of Two,Star Wars: The Dark Side enabling the Sith Order to survive in secret over the next thousand years.
====High Republic Era====
=====Conflict with the Path=====
The High Republic Era was marked by the expansion of the Jedi Order's reach across the galaxy,The Rise of Kylo Ren 2 in particular the Outer Rim Territories. In 382 BBY,Star Wars: Timelines the Jedi found themselves in conflict with the Path of the Open Hand cult, who believed the Force needed to be "freed" from use. After the Battle of Jedha, Jedi Master Creighton Sun reported to the Council, the membership of which permitted him and Knight Aida Forte a chance to investigate the Path homeworld of Dalna.The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha Afterward, the Council was met by Jedi Master Rinn and Knight Azlin Rell, who reported the mysterious demises of Master Zallah Macri and her Padawan, Kevmo Zink, on Dalna. Deciding that the Force was leading them to Dalna, Council members Ela Sutan and Gluth Andoi would lead their own mission to Dalna. The Jedi presence on Dalna from those missions and even yet more resulted in the Path launching the Battle of Dalna, in which they unleashed more of the creatures that had destroyed Macri and Zink: the Nameless.
During the battle, Andoi was caught off guard by a Nameless, leading to his death at the hands of Path blasterfire and one of the creatures. However, Path Guide Marda Ro ended up turning on her order during the battle, wiping out all of the Nameless aside from the Great Leveler in an action that ended up destroying the Path cave systems. At that time, Jedi reinforcements, among them Master Yoda, had arrived Dalna, helping to turn the tide of battle against the Path. The engagement was, in immediate hindsight, seen as a way in which work between the Republic and Jedi benefitted the galaxy,The High Republic: Cataclysm but, in the years after, another argument would emerge that the deaths on Dalna only occurred because of close Jedi-Republic partnership.The High Republic: Out of the Shadows After the battle, Yoda and Sun also agreed to cover up the existence of the Nameless so as to prevent knowledge of the anti-Force-wielder beings from getting out, both promising to research more into the beings on their own. In secret, Ro had also escaped from the battle with the Leveler and began a new campaign to "free" the Force in a plot that would carry on over the Ro family's generations.
=====Conflict with the Nihil=====
During the later of Supreme Chancellery of Lina Soh, the Republic commissioned Starlight Beacon at her request. During that time, the title of Grand Master was shared between three Jedi: Yoda,The High Republic (2021) 1 Pra-Tre Veter,The High Republic 1 Behind-the-Scenes Exclusive and Xo Lahru. All three Grand Masters served on the High Council, which included Jedi Masters Jora Malli and Stellan Gios, who took the seat on the Council once held by his master, Rana Kant. In 232 BBY, Yoda was on a sabbatical from the Council due to feeling the Force call him elsewhere. As such, Yoda stationed himself on the Padawan Academic Cruiser Star Hopper, where he helped train PadawansThe High Republic Adventures (2021) 1 and younglings. He selected the Mon Calamari Jedi Master Ephru Shinn to take his place on the Council for the duration of his sabbatical.
During the Emergences in the aftermath of the Great Hyperspace Disaster, the Council realized that the Jedi may be needed in the Outer Rim more than they normally were. The Republic's exploration into the Outer Rim brought them as well as the Jedi into conflict with a group of marauders known as the Nihil, a group that had been secretly formed by the Ro family.The High Republic: Eye of the Storm 1 Grand Master Lahru convened the High Council to discuss the threat that the Nihil posed to the Republic. The Council came to the conclusion that the Jedi would help the Republic in the coming Battle of Kur, during which Malli was killed. Without Malli to fulfill the position, Grand Masters Veter and Yoda traveled to Starlight Beacon to confirm Jedi Master Avar Kriss' appointment as the space station's new marshal. Ry Ki-Sakka took Malli's place on the Council and even became a Grand Master at some point. After discovering the connection between the Nihil and Dalna,The High Republic Adventures (2021) 5 where the Jedi had fought the Nameless and the Path over a hundred years prior,The High Republic: The Edge of Balance: Precedent Yoda went missing from the Order at large as he investigated the true nature of the threat the Republic and Jedi faced.The High Republic: Midnight Horizon
Despite the end of the Great Disaster crisis, the Nihil conflict would continue to drag out, which resulted in stronger ties between the Republic and Jedi Order. Soh and her aides grew increasingly willing to push themselves into Council meetings, which concerned Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus while he and various Jedi debated what ties their Order should have with the reigning government. In 230 BBY, Gios took Kriss's place as the Marshal of Starlight Beacon when she went off on an unsanctioned mission to the Great Hall of the Nihil. He gave his life during the destruction of Starlight Beacon at the hands of the Nihil to prevent the collapsing station from hitting the city of Barraza.The High Republic: The Fallen Star Meanwhile, Yoda returned to the Jedi with news. The Eye of the Nihil Marchion Ro, a descendant of Marda's who ruled over the Nihil, unleashed Nameless against the Jedi during the fall of Starlight, which convinced the Jedi to issue a recall of all Jedi back to Coruscant while they determined how to fight the Nameless.The High Republic: Eye of the Storm 2 In 229 BBY,Star Wars: The High Republic Character Encyclopedia establishes that Pra-Tre Veter was executed in 229 BBY. Grand Master Veter was executed by the Nihil on a broadcast shown to the galaxy.The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness The following year, Jedi Master Elzar Mann was offered to take Gios' empty seat on the Council. Mann ultimately declined the offer as he believed the role did not suit him and that it was not the right place for him when he considered where he was meant to be with the living Force, instead knowing it was with Kriss, after she had told him that she loved him.The High Republic: Temptation of the Force
=====The Brendok affair=====
In 148 BBY,Furthermore, the events of "Destiny" and "Choice" take place sixteen years before the present day events of The Acolyte, thereby dating the flashback events of The Acolyte to 148 BBY. the High Council was contacted by Jedi Master Indara to receive advice on taking in Mae-ho Aniseya and Verosha Aniseya as potential Jedi candidates. The High Council initially protested and did not sanction either separating the twins nor their involvement with the Brendok coven. After the coven was seemingly killed off in a fire created by Mae and presumed her dead, the Council reclined their decision and inducted Verosha into the Jedi Order.
Sixteen years later, the High Council would then learn much of the truth of what took place, with the coven killed in part due to the actions of the involved Jedi stationed on Brendok and the cover-up. However, high-ranking official and Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh would frame the murders committed by Mae upon Jedi Master Sol, who was denounced as a rogue Jedi who was found dead and believed to commit suicide. This cover-up would protect the Order's reputation from the Galactic Senate's probing for increased oversight. However, unbeknownst to the High Council and Rwoh, Sol's death and the new cover story also inadvertently hid the involvement of the Sith.
====Late Republic Era====
Early into the final decades of the Galactic Republic, the High Council was mired with several problems, in which included the growing corruption in the Republic, some, such as Jedi Master Dooku, believing the Jedi Order increasingly disconnected from citizens, and issues arising from policing the Outer Rim Territories.Dooku: Jedi Lost Sometime in 58 BBY following a attack during a Dragonfire Air RallyDooku: Jedi Lost establishes that the forty-eighth annual Dragonfire Air Rally took place shortly before Dooku accepted a seat on the Jedi High Council, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to around 58 BBY., the High Council learned of Council member Yula Braylon's usage of her position to protect her son from gambling debts, a revelation in which surprised the Council. While removed, she was not barred from the Order and Braylon sought to later atone for her crimes. That same year, Dooku is initially offered a seat on the Jedi Council shortly after being promoted to Jedi Master, a post he accepts with intent to helping change the Jedi Order. However, he would at some point in time leave the Council.Between 50 BBY and 42 BBY,In "Choices" Mace Windu gains a seat on the Jedi High Council. established that Anakin Skywalker was the youngest to ever serve on the Council. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates the film to 19 BBY, while Star Wars: On the Front Lines establishes that Skywalker was born in 41 BBY. Therefore, Windu must have been at least twenty-two years old when he joined the Council. According to the Star Wars Encyclopedia booklet "Mace Windu and Other Users of the Force," Windu was born 40 years before the Battle of Naboo, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places in 32 BBY. Therefore, Windu gained a seat on the Council not before 50 BBY. The episode takes place before Dooku left the Jedi Order. The Star Wars Book places Dooku's departure from the Jedi Order to forty-two years before the events of , which corresponds to 42 BBY according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. Therefore "Choices" takes place between these years.Windu joined the ranks of the High Council as a replacement to Jedi Master Katri, who was killed while on an assignment on the planet Raxus Secundus. The High Council had dispatched Jedi Masters Windu and Dooku to retrieve Katri's body. While Windu adhered to the protocols of their role as Jedi, Dooku insisted on investigating Katri's death and discovered that she had been killed by the bodyguards of Senator Larik, who was fatally shot in the ensuing skirmish between the Raxians and the Jedi. After the funeral of Katri, the High Council invited Windu to take Katri's seat.
In 42 BBY, Dooku gave a speech to the Senate against the Council's advisement to convince them of the Jedi's inability to police the Outer Rim. However, when he later learned of Serenno's invasion by the Abyssin raiders and asked for the Council's support shortly afterward, the Council sided with the Republic ruling on account of Serenno's expressed neutrality and how it undermined Dooku's speech given he opined they cannot police the Outer Rim but turns to support Serenno, his homeworld. Frustrated with the Council, this event later became a catalyst among several others for Dooku leaving the Order. 
Later into the final decades of the Republic the upper tier of the Jedi High Council consisted of legendary Jedi Masters, such as Yoda, the oldest and wisest of the Jedi; Ki-Adi-Mundi, a Cerean alien with a binary brain; and Mace Windu, a staunch traditionalist and champion of the Jedi Order who served as the elected leader of the Jedi Council. A senior member of the Council, Windu worked to maintain the Order's ancient traditions and guarded it's independence against the Galactic Senate, whom he believed was weak, corrupt, and incapable of defending galactic citizens from evil.Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!
By around 40 BBY,Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Master & Apprentice in 40 BBY. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was offered a seat on the High Council, an offer that was agreed upon by all of the Council members at the time but Yoda. Jinn's views had long been considered controversial and Jinn took the offer as a sign that perhaps the Council was becoming more open to new ideas. Following Jinn's rogue actions in regards to the coronation of Queen Fanry of Pijal, the Council considered withdrawing its offer, but decided that the offer would stand. Jinn, however, felt that the Force was leading him along a different path and chose to reject the offer, something which he suspected had not happened for hundreds of years.Master & Apprentice
Prior to the blockade of Naboo by the Trade Federation, Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas was removed from the High Council following several notable instances in breaching procedures in recruitment of Jedi candidates and for advocating the creation of an army for the Republic's protection, believing that the galaxy was on the brink of war. In spite of his removal from the Jedi Order's ruling body, Sifo-Dyas secretly commissioned the Ruling Council of Kamino to engineer an army of clone soldiers. The Kaminoans accepted the contract under the belief that the Jedi Master acted on behalf of the Republic. However, Sifo-Dyas' plans factored into the agenda of the Sith, who co-opted the clone trooper project after arranging the death of Sifo-Dyas by the Pyke Syndicate. In addition, the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious used Dooku's disillusionment with the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic to sway him to the Sith cause. Dooku used Sifo-Dyas' access code to erase all information about Kamino from the Jedi Archives and was instrumental in bringing the Kaminoan clone army under the Sith's influence.
====The Chosen One====
In 32 BBY, Jinn reported two revelations to the Council—the return of the Sith, who the Jedi had not encountered for over a millennium; and the discovery of Anakin Skywalker, a prodigy of the Force whom Jinn deemed the Chosen One of Jedi prophecy. The Council was skeptical of the maverick Jedi's claims, however. Nevertheless, they decided to commit their resources to discovering the identity of the dark warrior who attacked Jinn on Tatooine. Moreover, they agreed to meet with Skywalker in order to gauge his abilities in the Force. Though the former slave proved exceptionally powerful with the Force, Yoda sensed a considerable degree of fear within him, noting that fear was a path to the dark side of the Force. Windu also felt that Skywalker was too old to commit himself to the ways of the Jedi and the Force without being distracted by his emotional attachments. As a result, the Council turned down Jinn's request to train Skywalker.
The Council ultimately reversed their decision after Jinn perished in a duel against Darth Maul, the Sith Lord who attacked him on Tatooine. In addition, Skywalker's heroic actions at the Battle of Naboo convinced the Council to accept him into their ranks as the Padawan of the newly-promoted Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jinn's former apprentice. Despite this, Windu remained wary of Skywalker, as did Yoda who feared that Skywalker's training posed great danger to the future of the Jedi Order. Jedi Master Yaddle resigned her seat on the High Council following Jinn's death on Naboo. She later died at Dooku's own hands after informing him as such, unable to sway him back to the light despite her sympathies. By killing Yaddle, Dooku became Sidious' new Sith apprentice and adopted moniker "Darth Tyranus."
===Clone Wars===
====Road to war====
In the aftermath of the Battle of Naboo, the galaxy experienced increasing political turmoil and instability as thousands of star systems joined a growing secessionist movement in opposition to the rule of the Galactic Republic. As both sides drew inexorably towards war, the Jedi Council consulted with Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. Owing allegiance to the Galactic Senate, the Jedi were duty-bound to protect the citizens of the Republic.Dark Disciple However, Windu noted that the Jedi did not possess the adequate manpower to defend the entire Republic in a pan-galactic war. Around the same time, the life of Naboo Senator Padmé Amidala was threatened by an assassination plot, leading the Council to assign Kenobi and Skywalker to her protection detail at the chancellor's request.
Kenobi and Skywalker prevented Amidala's assassination and captured her attacker, Zam Wesell, but the bounty hunter was killed by her partner, Jango Fett, before she could reveal his identity to the Jedi. In light of the second attack on the Naboo senator, the High Council ordered Kenobi to personally investigate the bounty hunter who hired Wesell. Skywalker was instructed to escort Amidala back to her homeworld as her bodyguard throughout the investigation. As leader of the political opposition to the Military Creation Act, Amidala was reluctant to leave the galactic capital of Coruscant while the Senate debated the creation of a Republic Military. Skywalker requested Chancellor Palpatine's assistance on behalf of the High Council, to which the chancellor obliged by issuing an executive order compelling Amidala to return to Naboo for her safety.
====The clone army====
The search for Jango Fett led Kenobi to the extragalactic world of Kamino, where he discovered the clone army that had been bred over the last decade by Kaminoan scientists. Prime Minister Lama Su revealed that the late Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas commissioned the Kaminoan government to create the army approximately ten years before Kenobi's arrival in Tipoca City. Kenobi also learned that the bounty hunter he sought was the clone army's genetic template. He communicated his findings to Yoda and Windu, who confirmed that the High Council did not authorize the creation of clone troopers. They took Kenobi's discovery as evidence of that the Jedi's connection to the Force was diminished, having been unable to foresee the creation of a clone army. Although Windu considered informing the Senate, Yoda argued that it would only compound their situation further, forcing the High Council to contend with more adversaries in addition to the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Fett left Kamino with his cloned son, Boba Fett, after Kenobi tried to apprehend him. Kenobi pursued the Fetts to Geonosis and consequently discovered the Separatist Droid Army, an army of battle droids secretly built for the newly formed Confederacy of Independent Systems. The High Council and the Galactic Senate received Kenobi's report about the droid army's development on the Geonosian homeworld as well as the Confederacy's plans for war under the leadership of the former Jedi-turned-Separatist Head of State, the Count of Serenno Dooku.
====A galaxy at war====
After the Senate empowered Chancellor Palpatine to take control of the clone army, the High Council formed a plan to decapitate the Separatist movement before it could escalate into a pan-galactic war. Windu would lead a Jedi assault team to aid Kenobi on Geonosis while Yoda traveled to Kamino to see the clone army for himself. The newly formed Grand Army of the Republic launched a pre-emptive strike against the Separatist forces on Geonosis, where the clones achieved "air and ground supremacy against formidable odds under the skillful leadership of the Jedi Council." During the initial battle, Jedi Council member Coleman Trebor was killed by Jango Fett when he attempted to confront Dooku. Fett was killed, in turn, by Windu. The Republic ultimately succeeded in driving the Separatists into a full retreat, but the First Battle of Geonosis only marked the beginning of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY.
Following the death of Coleman Trebor, the High Council began to rotate different Jedi into his seat without confirming if the rotation method would be a permanent assignment for the new Council members, or simply something born out of the chaos of the quickly growing Clone Wars. By the time of the Cadesura disaster, Kenobi was given Trebor's seat, but he was unsure if the assignment would be temporary. While he was honored, he was unsure if he had the experience for such a position. Nevertheless, after his actions during the mission to Cato Neimoidia, it was decided his seat would be permanent.Brotherhood
Throughout the conflict, the Council led the war effort in their capacity as Jedi Generals of the Republic Military.Star Wars: The Clone Wars film Members of the Council, such as Windu, spent much of their time on Coruscant, directing the Jedi in their new role as military leaders while simultaneously coordinating strategy with the Office of the Chancellor. At times they also participated more directly by leading clone troopers into battle on various planets across the galaxy, including Christophsis, Ryloth, and again on Geonosis. Despite committing to their wartime responsibilities, the Council continued to serve as emissaries of the Republic; from bringing neutral worlds, such as Toydaria into the Republic's fold, to healing the ancient rift between Bardotta and the Jedi Order, the Council served as both diplomats and generals in their efforts to protect and preserve the Republic.
====Trial of Ahsoka Tano====
At the height of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Temple on Coruscant became the target of a terrorist attack that resulted in the bombing of the Temple hangar—an act which killed several Jedi, as well as civilians and clones. Alarmed by the assault on a sacred site of the Jedi Order, the Council assigned Skywalker and his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, to investigate the incident. However, Tano was soon framed for the death of Letta Turmond, a terrorist whom she captured during the initial investigation. After Tano was apprehended and brought back to the Temple, the Council was requested by the Senate to expel her from the Order, believing that an internal Jedi trial would lack impartiality. In addition to revoking her Jedi status, the Senate insisted on having Tano transferred to military custody so that she could be made to stand trial for acts of treason against the Republic.
Following a debate, the Council concluded that there was sufficient evidence to convict Tano as a traitor to the Republic. Additionally, Windu asserted that protecting Tano could be regarded as an act of opposition to the Senate. Though it was not a unanimous decision, the Council chose to comply with the Senate and expelled Tano from the Order, turning her over to a Republic military tribunal. During the trial, Tano was defended by Senator Padmé Amidala and prosecuted by Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin, who advocated the death penalty for Tano. Ultimately, Tano was cleared of all charges after Skywalker discovered the real traitor: Tano's friend and fellow Padawan Barriss Offee, a fallen Jedi who believed that the Order was too violent and that the Republic on the verge of becoming a failed state. In light of Tano's innocence, the Council apologized, with Plo Koon admitting that they were wrong to accuse her of disloyalty. Mundi, Tiin, and Windu observed that she had passed a great trial in her training, making her a greater Jedi in the process. The Council offered to welcome her back into the Jedi Order, but to their surprise and Skywalker's dismay, Tano rejected the offer and instead chose to search for a new path in life, damaged by the Council's collective lack of faith in her.
====Sith conspiracy====
Though preoccupied with the Clone War, the High Council conducted a secret investigation into Sifo-Dyas' death after his lightsaber was found by Jedi General Plo Koon. The Council was disturbed to discover that the Sith participated in the creation of Sifo-Dyas' clone army. While the Council did not understand why their enemy provided the Jedi with the means to defend the Republic, Windu noted with caution that such a revelation would undermine public confidence in the Jedi, the Republic, and the war effort. Citing the valiant service and loyalty of their clone soldiers, as well as the need to bring a swift and decisive end to the war, Yoda declared that the Council would not inform anyone, even the chancellor, of the Sith's involvement in the origin of the clone army.
====Voices from beyond====
As the Council investigated the Sith's role in the clone army's creation, Yoda revealed to his colleagues that the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn communicated with him from beyond death. However, everything the Jedi knew about the Force suggested that the ability to retain one's own identity after death was impossible. As such, their reactions ranged from concern to skepticism and suspicion. Kenobi believed that Yoda was simply under duress due to the war, but Mundi opined that the ancient Jedi Master was possibly falling to the influence of the dark side. With the Council unable to reach a consensus on Yoda's mental well-being, Windu ordered the Jedi Temple Guard to monitor his activities as a precaution. With Skywalker's assistance, Yoda escaped from the Jedi Temple, embarking on a quest that ultimately led to his discovery of the ability to preserve his identity after becoming one with the Force.
====Assassinate Dooku====
By 19 BBY, almost three standard years after the first battle of the Clone Wars, the Republic loyalist world of Mahranee was conquered by a Separatist invasion force. After claiming the planet and its resources for the Confederacy, Count Dooku ordered the deaths of all Mahran refugees before they could be evacuated from their fallen homeworld. Dismayed by the recent Mahran genocide, the Jedi Council resolved to the end the conflict once and for all by assassinating Dooku. Though Kenobi initially objected to the method of assassination, Windu stressed that it was the Council's obligation to utilize every option at their disposal for the sake of the Republic and its citizens. Windu's argument, combined with the Jedi's duty to the Republic, convinced the Council to sanction the mission. On Kenobi's recommendation, they assigned the task to the maverick Jedi Master Quinlan Vos due to his experience with covert assignments.
In addition to Vos, the Council determined that Dooku's former apprentice, Asajj Ventress, was also critical to the success of the mission. To that end, Kenobi tasked Vos with gaining Ventress' trust in order to ultimately secure her support against Dooku. However, despite earning her respect, Vos' relationship with Ventress became increasingly personal, leading the former to break his Jedi vows and move closer to the dark side of the Force.
After losing contact with Vos for a time, the Council learned from Ventress that not only had the mission failed, but Vos was also taken as a prisoner of Dooku. Though she was regarded with suspicion by the Jedi, particularly Windu and Skywalker, who blamed her for the failure of the mission, the Council offered to grant her amnesty in return for her cooperation in the rescue of Vos. Together with Dooku's former acolyte, the Jedi successfully retrieved Vos, although Ventress was convinced that he had fallen to the dark side by becoming the count's new disciple. The Council initially did not share Ventress' suspicions, but nonetheless pardoned her in accordance with their arrangement.
Vos's deception did not last long, however. Yoda, who began to suspect that Vos had indeed become a traitor, came to sense the dark side within him. At Windu's suggestion, the Council considered having him executed, but after pleas from Kenobi, they dispatched Vos to make a second attempt on Dooku's life as a test of loyalty. They also reluctantly agreed to allow Ventress to participate in the mission after she revealed that the count was scheduled to travel to the planet Christophsis. At the same time, Kenobi was instructed to execute Vos if he revealed himself as a traitor to the Jedi and the Republic.
While Dooku ultimately survived the Jedi's second assassination attempt, the Council learned that Vos had embraced the dark side and committed several acts of treason, including the murder of two Jedi—Akar-Deshu and Kav Bayons. However, Vos renounced the dark side and took responsibility for his actions after Ventress saved his life by sacrificing her own. With some persuasion from Kenobi, who argued that the decision to assassinate Dooku was morally wrong and the cause of Vos' fall, the Council forgave Vos by welcoming him back into the fold of the Jedi Order.
====Fall of the Republic====
=====The Chancellor's representative=====
During the Battle of Coruscant, Count Dooku was killed by Anakin Skywalker. With the death of the Confederate head of state, the remaining Separatist leaders fled into hiding while command of the battle droid army passed to General Grievous, making him the next high-profile target of both the Republic and the Jedi Order. Palpatine assured Windu that the Senate would vote to continue the war as long as the general remained alive and free, to which the Jedi Council responded by prioritizing the hunt for Grievous. By now, the relationship between the Council and the chancellor had grown increasingly strained; Palpatine's gradual accumulation of wartime powers only raised their suspicions. Though they initially accepted the chancellor's empowerment in order to quickly mobilize the clone army for war, the gradual expansion of his control over the Republic caused the Council to become wary of Palpatine's motives.
In addition to the supplementary powers given to the chancellor by the Senate, the Council was even more disturbed by Palpatine's decision to appoint Skywalker as his liaison to the ruling body of the Jedi Order. Skywalker's appointment to the Council's ranks at his age was unprecedented; he would be the youngest Jedi to serve on the Council, and although he was counted among the finest warriors of the Order, he had not yet achieved the rank of Jedi Master. Despite their disdain at this move by Palpatine, the Council grudgingly accepted his decision, but on a condition—Skywalker would have a seat on the Council, but not the rank of Master, making him the only Jedi to hold this distinction throughout the history of the Order. In truth, the Council only cooperated with the chancellor so that Skywalker would be in the ideal position to monitor Palpatine's activities. Skywalker, however, felt insulted at not being granted the rank of Master, and was unenthusiastic about his unofficial assignment, regarding espionage against the chancellor as an act of treason. Kenobi disagreed and asserted that the Council's loyalty was to the Senate rather than its leader, who managed to stay in office far beyond what his constitutional term limit would allow.
=====Conflict with the Chancellor=====
After Clone Intelligence traced Grievous' position to Utapau, Skywalker informed the Council that the chancellor wished to place him in command of the mission to kill Grievous. Windu sternly informed him that the Council would decide who among their ranks would confront Grievous, regardless of Palpatine's opinion. Believing that a more experienced Jedi was required to bring the war to a decisive conclusion, the Council dispatched Kenobi and the 212th Attack Battalion. Yet even as the end of the war drew near, the Council remained skeptical about Palpatine's post-war intentions. Windu could also feel the dark side surrounding the chancellor, which caused him to suspect that a plot to destroy the Jedi Order was close to fruition. Frustrated by the chancellor's accumulation of power and the consequent erosion of the democracy that the Republic stood far, the Council began to regard him as a threat to the Republic. It was at this time that the Council started contemplating the possible necessity of forcibly removing Palpatine from office, an act which would necessitate a Jedi takeover of the Senate in order to maintain political stability during the transition to a new government.
=====Showdown with the Dark Lord=====
Having groomed Skywalker as his future apprentice, Palpatine revealed his secret identity as Darth Sidious to the conflicted Jedi Knight who, in turn, reported Sidious to Windu. With his suspicions about the chancellor confirmed, Windu sought to save the Jedi Order from destruction by quickly removing Sidious from power. With the support of fellow Council members Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin, he marched into the chancellor's office and declared his intention to arrest Sidious in the name of the Senate, leading to a fierce lightsaber duel between the Dark Lord and the four members of the Jedi Council. Despite their own skills in lightsaber combat, the Jedi Masters Tiin, Kolar, and Fisto were slain by Sidious in quick succession. However, Windu was able to hold his own before ultimately emerging as the victor in the duel. By then, he believed that a trial would be useless as Sidious had gained control of the government, and therefore decided to put an end to his life in order to prevent the return of Sith oppression over the galaxy. Before he could deliver the killing strike, Skywalker, who had just arrived at the Senate Office Building, disarmed Windu, leaving him defenseless against the torrent of Force lightning that Sidious unleashed on him.
=====An order in ruins=====
With the death of the Jedi Order's champion and the subsequent fall of Anakin Skywalker, who became Darth Vader, Sidious issued Order 66—a secret protocol that compelled the clone troopers to betray and murder their Jedi leaders. Aside from Yoda, Coleman Kcaj, Oppo Rancisis, and Kenobi, the remaining members of the Council perished along with the majority of the Order during the initial phase of the purge. During the siege of the Jedi Temple by the 501st Legion, a group of younglings hid in the Jedi Council Chamber where they were discovered and killed by Vader. Yoda and Kenobi returned to the Temple in the aftermath of its fall; after killing a garrison of 501st clones, the two Council members discovered Skywalker's role in the attack and ultimately his new allegiance as a Sith.
Kenobi confronted his former apprentice on Mustafar while Yoda challenged Sidious to a duel in the Galactic Senate Building. Neither Jedi succeeded in their efforts to destroy the Sith, although Vader sustained severe burns and the loss of his limbs, necessitating cybernetic surgery and a suit of armor to ensure his survival. The Jedi Masters separated in the ensuing Imperial Era with Yoda exiling himself to Dagobah and Kenobi becoming a hermit on Skywalker's homeworld of Tatooine.
===Legacy===
Having purged the Jedi Order and its leadership, Sidious proclaimed the birth of a New Order, the First Galactic Empire that he would rule under the title of Galactic Emperor. The Jedi Temple was renamed as the Imperial Palace, becoming the personal residence of Emperor Palpatine, and the Jedi Council Chamber was repurposed to serve as his private office.Tarkin
The influence of the High Council's legacy echoed through the knighting ceremony; Cere Junda recited a ceremonial quote while knighting Padawan Cal Kestis, recalling the High Council's right to bestow the rank of Jedi Knight to apprentices who passed their trials. An apparition of the Grand Inquisitor, who was once a Jedi Temple Guard, conferred the status of Jedi Knight on former Padawan Kanan Jarrus in the name of the High Council.
In 0 BBY, the same year as the Battle of Yavin, Luke Skywalker—the son of Anakin Skywalker—began his training in the Jedi arts under Obi-Wan Kenobi. Although Kenobi was killed by Darth Vader during the rescue of Princess Leia Organa, Skywalker remained determined to follow in his father's example and become a Jedi Knight. Guided by the spirit of his first Jedi Master to the world of Dagobah, Skywalker sought out Grand Master Yoda who agreed to complete his training, despite harboring concerns about the similarities between Luke and Anakin. With Yoda's help, Skywalker honed his nascent powers in the Force and was deemed to be fully trained by the Grand Master on his deathbed. However, before Skywalker could be considered a true Jedi, Yoda declared that he had to defeat his father, Darth Vader.
Their final battle ended with Skywalker's victory over Vader. Resisting the dark side, Skywalker spared his father's life and refused to take his place as Sidious' apprentice. When the Emperor proceeded to torture Skywalker for his rejecting the Sith, Vader moved to save his son in an act of self-sacrifice that ended with the destruction of both master and apprentice, ending the Sith lineage that began with Darth BaneStar Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary and fulfilling the prophecy of the Chosen One.The Star Wars Book In the aftermath of the Battle of Endor, Luke Skywalker saw the spirits of his late father, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda—all members of the Jedi High Council—standing beside each other as the Alliance to Restore the Republic celebrated its victory on Endor.
==Members==
High Council Member	High Council Member 	Tenure 	Notes
 	Yoda 	By c. 382 BBY—19 BBYAccording to Leland Chee, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith takes place in 19 BBY. Within the movie, the Jedi Order, including the Jedi High Council, was dissolved entirely, meaning any member present on the Council at the time could not serve past 19 BBY. 	Trained later councilmembers Dooku, Mace Windu,Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition Ki-Adi-MundiStar Wars Workbook: 2nd Grade Reading and Obi-Wan Kenobi; Council was dissolved due to the Great Jedi Purge
 	Unidentified Mikkian Council memberThe High Republic — The Blade 4	By c. 382 BBY 	
 	Unidentified Pantoran Council member 	By c. 382 BBY 	
 	Unidentified Duros Council member 	By c. 382 BBY 	
 	Unidentified human Council member 1 	By c. 382 BBY 	
 	Unidentified human Council member 2The High Republic — The Blade 4	By c. 382 BBY 	
 	Char-Ryl-RoyThe High Republic: Convergence 	—382 BBYThe High Republic: Cataclysm establishes that Char-Ryl-Roy died during the Night of Sorrow, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 382 BBY. 	
 	Xinith TarlThe High Republic: The Battle of Jedha 	By c. 382 BBY 	
 	Ela SutanYoda 1 	By c. 382 BBY— 	
 	Dijuka 	By c. 382 BBY— 	
 	Xo Lahru 	By c. 382 BBY— 	
 	Gluth Andoi 	—382 BBYThe High Republic: Path of Vengeance establishes that Gluth Andoi died on Dalna during the Night of Sorrow, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 382 BBY. 	Killed by the Great Leveler whilst a councilmember
 	Pra-Tre Veter 	By 250 BBYStar Wars: The High Republic: Chronicles of the Jedi establishes that Pra-Tre Veter had served on the Jedi High Council for more than two decade by the time of the destruction of Starlight Beacon, which Star Wars: Timelines dates to 230 BBY. Therefore, Veter must have joined the Council by 250 BBY.—229 BBY 	Executed by Marchion Ro whilst a councilmember
 	Jora Malli 	—232 BBY states that the events of Star Wars: The High Republic took place 200 years prior to the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 32 BBY. 	Killed whilst a councilmember during the Battle of Kur
 	Yarael PoofUltimate Star Wars 	By 232 BBY–between 32 BBY and 22 BBYStar Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded 	Died whilst a councilmember
 	Oppo Rancisis 	By 232 BBY– 	Trained by fellow councilmember YaddleStar Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
 	Rana Kant 	—c. 232 BBY 	Trained later councilmember Stellan GiosStar Wars: The Lightsaber Collection and died whilst a councilmember
 	Soleil Agra 	By c. 232 BBY— 	
 	Ada-Li Carro 	By c. 232 BBY—228 BBY 	Killed by the Nameless on Palagosal whilst a councilmemberThe High Republic: Beware the Nameless
 	Adampo 	By c. 232 BBY— 	
 	Keaton Murag 	c. 232 BBY— 	
 	Teri RosasonThe High Republic: The Rising Storm 	By c. 232 BBY— 	
 	Ephru Shinn 	c. 232 BBY 	Temporary replacement for Yoda while he went on a sabbatical from Council matters
 	Ry Ki-Sakka 	c. 232 BBY— 	Replaced Jora Malli
 	Stellan Gios 	c. 232 BBY–230 BBYStar Wars: Timelines dates the events of The High Republic: The Fallen Star to 230 BBY. 	Trained by, and subsequently replaced, Rana Kant, and died whilst a councilmember on Eiram
 	Yula Braylon 	c. 68 BBY 	
 	Jor Aerith 	 	Trained later councilmember Gretz Droom
 	Poli DapatianMaster & Apprentice 	—40 BBY 	Retired from the Council
 	Jocasta NuJedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple 1 	Prior to c. 68 BBY–prior to 32 BBYMaster & Apprentice establishes Obi-Wan Kenobi as being 17 years old. According to Star Wars: Card Trader, Kenobi was born in 57 BBY, therefore placing the events of the novel in 40 BBY. Master & Apprentice also establishes that Qui-Gon Jinn is forty years old. From this it can be deduced that Jinn was born in 80 BBY. As Jinn became the Padawan of Jedi Master Dooku when he was twelve, it can be deduced that Jinn became Dooku's Padawan in 68 BBY, when Jocasta Nu was the newly appointed librarian. 	
 	Tera SinubeJedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple 5 	Prior to 85 BBY–prior to 32 BBYIn Dooku: Jedi Lost, Tera Sinube appears on the High Council when Dooku is 17 years old, making the year 85 BBY. Sinube was on the council prior to this, meaning he was on the council before 85 BBY. 	
 	Gretz Droom 	c. 40 BBY 	Padawan of former councilmember Jor Aerith
 	Alxa KressChoose Your Destiny: An Obi-Wan & Anakin Adventure 	 	
 	Katri 	—between 68 BBY and 42 BBYThe events of "Choices," including the death of Katri on Raxus Secundus, take place after Qui-Gon Jinn became Dooku's Padawan, but before Dooku left the Jedi Order. Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Master & Apprentice in 40 BBY. Qui-Gon Jinn is forty years old in Master & Apprentice, and also states he became Dooku's apprentice at twelve, which means he became an apprentice 28 years before 40 BBY, or 68 BBY. Also The Star Wars Book places Dooku's departure from the Jedi Order to forty-two years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which corresponds to 42 BBY according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. Therefore, the events "Choices" takes place between these years.	Killed whilst a councilmember on Raxus Secundus, replaced by Mace Windu
 	Tyvokka 	 	Trained later councilmember Plo Koon
 	Mace Windu 	—19 BBY 	Trained by fellow councilmember Yoda, trained fellow councilmember Depa Billaba, replaced Katri following her death, and killed by Darth Sidious on Coruscant whilst a councilmember
 	DookuDooku: Jedi Lost 	After 42 BBYThe Star Wars Book dates Dooku's departure from the Jedi Order to 42 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which is 42 BBY in the calendar system established by Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. 	Trained by councilmember Yoda, left the Jedi Order and turned to the dark side of the Force
 	Sifo-Dyas 	c. 39 BBYStar Wars: Timelines—c. 33 BBY states that Sifo-Dyas was removed from the Jedi High Council around thirty-three years prior to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 0 BBY. Therefore, Sifo-Dyas was removed from the Jedi High Council in around 33 BBY. 	Removed from the Jedi High Council
 	Yaddle 	Prior to 232 BBYStar Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded The encyclopedia states that Oppo Rancisis joined Yaddle on the council, and he is shown on the council by 232 BBY, thus making her a member by this point as well.—32 BBY 	Trained fellow councilmember Oppo Rancisis;Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded left the Council and subsequently killed by Dooku
 	Coleman Trebor 	32 BBY–22 BBY 	Replaced Yarael Poof, killed by Jango Fett on Geonosis whilst a councilmember
 	Even Piell 	—20 BBY 	Killed by anoobas on Lola Sayu whilst a councilmember
 	Adi Gallia 	—19 BBY 	Killed by Savage Opress on Florrum whilst a councilmember
 	Eeth Koth 	—19 BBYDarth Vader (2017) 19 	Forced to step down from the Jedi Council. Killed by Anakin Skywalker during the Great Jedi Purge
 	Depa Billaba 	—22 BBYKanan 720 BBY–19 BBYAt the time of getting put into a coma, Obi-Wan Kenobi was not on the Jedi High Council. Upon returning to the Council after coming out of the coma, Kenobi was on the council, and Kenobi was appointed in 22 BBY. The Council was full after Kenobi took Billaba's spot, however after Even Piell's death in 20 BBY, there was an open spot for her to return to.In Star
 Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, which takes place in 19 BBY, Billaba is not on the High Council. She was presumably replaced by Coleman Kcaj. 	Trained by fellow councilmember Mace Windu,The Secret Jedi: The Adventures of Kanan Jarrus: Rebel Leader left the Council but returned to replace Even Piell. Subsequently killed whilst a councilmember on Kaller during the Great Jedi Purge
 	Ki-Adi-Mundi 	—19 BBY 	Trained by fellow councilmember Yoda, killed whilst a councilmember on Mygeeto during the Great Jedi Purge
 	Tyvokka 	 	Trained Plo Koon, who would go onto join the Council
 	Plo Koon 	—19 BBY 	Killed whilst a councilmember on Cato Neimoidia during the Great Jedi Purge
 	Saesee Tiin 	—19 BBY 	Killed whilst a councilmember by Darth Sidious on Coruscant
 	Shaak Ti 	32 BBY—19 BBY 	Replaced Yaddle, killed whilst a councilmember by Darth Vader on Coruscant during the Great Jedi Purge
 	Kit Fisto 	22 BBY—19 BBY 	Killed whilst a councilmember by Darth Sidious on Coruscant
 	Obi-Wan Kenobi 	22 BBYBrotherhood is set between the beginning of the Clone Wars and the Battle of Christophsis, as the novel's plot involves Anakin Skywalker becoming a Jedi Knight, a rank he attained between those events. As Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates both events to 22 BBY, Brotherhood must be set in that year.–19 BBY 	Trained by fellow councilmember Yoda, trained fellow councilmember Anakin Skywalker, replaced Coleman Trebor
 	Coleman Kcaj 	19 BBYColeman Kcaj replaced Adi Gallia on the High Council. He and Rancicis were in The Clone Wars episode "Voices" and they and Billaba were on the Council during Dark Disciple. Billaba left the Council around 19 BBY to train Caleb Dume in Kanan 8, which takes place after Dark Disciple, meaning Kcaj could only have served in that year. 	Replaced Adi Gallia
 	Stass Allie 	19 BBY 	Killed whilst a councilmember on Saleucami during the Great Jedi Purge
 	Agen Kolar 	19 BBYKolar replaced Eeth Koth on the High Council. Koth left the Council in 19 BBY, meaning Kolar could only have served in that year. 	Replaced Eeth Koth, killed whilst a councilmember by Darth Sidious on Coruscant
 	Anakin Skywalker 	19 BBYAnakin Skywalker was made a member of the High Council a very short amount of time before the dissolving of the Council according to Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, meaning he only served in 19 BBY. 	Trained by fellow councilmember Obi-Wan Kenobi; replaced Oppo Rancisis; turned to the dark side and completed the Great Jedi Purge
==Behind the scenes==
According to Dave Filoni, supervising director of both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels animated television series, one of the reasons for Anakin Skywalker's turn to the dark side was the lack of compassion and care of the Jedi. Ezra Bridger, the central character of Star Wars Rebels, however, had a very strong family support system by the people around him even though he could be tempted by the dark side. The novel The Living Force was written to touch on how out of touch the Council was with the wider galaxy during the later years of the Republic, featuring Qui-Gon Jinn effectively demanding they "touch grass" by interacting with people off of Coruscant.
==Appearances==
===Non-canon appearances===
*William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace: Star Wars Part the First
* 
*William Shakespeare's The Clone Army Attacketh: Star Wars Part the Second
* 
*William Shakespeare's Tragedy of the Sith's Revenge: Star Wars Part the Third
*LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
==Sources==
===Non-canon sources===
*LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Side: Doodle Activity Book 
==Notes and references==
Category:Jedi Councils