Can Jedi Have Friends?

From the time we are born, we learn to form bonds. Outside of our families, the first type of bond we learn to make is friendship. 

All throughout our lives we meet strangers, find connections with them, and boom: they become an integral part of our everyday routine. 

Of course, Star Wars is a pretty realistic, social replica of what occurs in our reality. This means that there are a plethora of friendships, no matter how unlikely, seen all throughout the franchise. 

This begs the question, are the Jedi allowed to have friends? 

The Jedi have been the center of many speculations within the fandom. With a rule book like the Jedi Code, it’s clear to see why. 

So, without further ado, the intriguing question of Jedi’s friendships, and much more, will be answered here. 

Were Jedi Allowed to have Friends? 

In simple terms, yes. The Jedi were, in fact, allowed to have friends. 

This may seem confusing, so, let me explain.

The Jedi have a strict set of rules that they must follow in order to avoid the dark side of the Force. These rules all have a central running theme: the prohibition of strong emotional attachments (or any attachments for that matter).

The code does not inherently say anything bout friendships being forbidden. So long as no attachment is formed that would shift the Jedi’s focus from the light side, they can do as they please. 

In fact, there are a couple of notable people in Star Wars who have even managed to achieve the status of best friends. Such as Han Solo and Chewbacca, as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. 

And there are many more that can be named. This just goes to show that friendship is an important part of Star Wars.

Can a Jedi and a Sith Be Friends? 

At face value, it does not seem like they could be friends at all. However, unlikely friendships happen all the time. 

People from both sides of the spectrum are able to come together in the most unlikely of situations. After all, opposites do attract, even in Star Wars.

There was one such event that arose in the case of Asajj Ventress. She was a Sith who served under Count Dooku. That was until Darth Sidious forced Dooku to terminate her servitude. 

As her life progressed beyond that point, she joined forces with Quinlan Vos, a Jedi, in order to eliminate Dooku. 

Naturally, Asajj wanted him killed because of what he did to her, and Quinlan was simply following his orders. 

Even though they were not technically friends, they did team up to achieve one common goal. This fact at least made them allies. 

What Are Jedi Not Allowed to Do?

As a general rule of thumb, Jedi are not allowed to do anything for their own selfish reasons. In addition to that, they are forbidden from forming any attachments. 

As per the Jedi Code, a Jedi must not act for personal wealth or power; they must never act out of hatred, anger, or out of fear. 

Furthermore, a Jedi must not use the Force or their own strength to attack anyone.

They must only use their powers for good, in the defense of others, and to protect all. This is regardless of the fact that these individuals may or may not outrightly need protection. 

The Jedi are called upon to be the “peace-guardians of the galaxy.” They are to be the voice of reason and ensure that the dark side, otherwise known as the Empire, does not poison all the various planets with their way of thinking. 

For that reason, they are essentially sacrificing their own lives and normally for the good of the galaxy. 

Conclusion

The Jedi in Star Wars are equivalent to soldiers, Navy SEALs, police, or anyone else who puts their lives on the line for us every day. 

Just like these heroes, the Jedi have a rulebook they must adhere to that may require them to make some sacrifices that regular individuals would not even dream of making. 

Because one of these rules is that the Jedi are not allowed to form emotional attachments, it’s safe to assume that, in a general sense, they are friendless. Luckily, this isn’t the case. 

The Jedi are allowed to have as many friends as they please. Just so long as it does not interfere with their peace and keeping of a clear mind. 

At the end of the day, we don’t want the Jedi to do anything that would lead them down the path to the dark side of the Force.