How Large Was The Jedi Order?

Armies march by the hundreds and thousands, all to protect their country. Regardless of the size, one can be just as effective as the other. 

Just take the movie, The 300. Leonidas only had an army of 300 people to stand up against thousands, not to mention men with supernatural abilities. He absolutely bodied the enemy and held his own until his demise, proving that no matter the size, once there is togetherness they can put up a good fight.

In any event, the Star Wars world is relatively the same as the spartan world and our world for that matter.

With that said, there have been questions buzzing around about the size of the Jedi Order. Don’t worry, the answer will be explained as clearly as possible.

Keep reading as we delve deeper into this topic. 

How Large Was the Jedi Order?

The Star Wars universe is massive and houses trillions of various species, young and old. Presumably being split equally between the light side and the dark side of the Force, it’s fair to assume that the Jedi Order is extraordinarily expansive. 

However, this might not be the case.

The actual size of the Jedi Order has never been specified. This left Star Wars fans to come up with their speculations in regard to the number of Jedi roaming the galaxy. 

It was not until Star Wars Rebels season one, episode ten, entitled, “Path of the Jedi,” that a number was finally given.

Kanan Jarrus claimed that there were approximately ten thousand Jedi Knights serving the light side. 

Add to that the Padawans, as well as Jedi Masters, and that number will be far larger than anticipated.

How Many Jedi Were There at Its Peak?

The Jedi Order had always been inclusive and welcoming of anyone who showed Force-sensitivity from a young age.

Because of this, it’s safe to say that the amalgamation of Jedi would have only grown. Right? 

Well, that isn’t exactly true. After the Clone Wars, particularly Order 66, the Jedi Order took a major hit. 

For a brief overview, Order 66 was a secret mission that deemed all Jedi to be traitors to the Galactic Republic. Once the command was given, and this Order was set into motion, the mass execution of Jedi was set on its way. 

After Order 66, it is presumed that less than one hundred Jedi survived the attack. That means that the peak of the Jedi Order would have been the ten thousand Jedi, mentioned before. 

What Was the Height Of the Jedi Order?

In an unfortunate twist of events, the Jedi were never really able to bounce back after their near extinction. No matter how much they tried to get their footing, they failed.

It seemed as though the dark side of the Force had them bested. 

Of course, this is never the case, as good usually triumphs over evil and, by extension, the light side over the dark side, even if it doesn’t seem like that’s the case at the beginning. 

For the time being, however, the Jedi Order did not recuperate from the immense attack they experienced. Thus, the highest height the Jedi Order has ever had would be the aforementioned ten thousand Jedi. 

How Wealthy Is the Jedi Order?

The Jedi Code states that Jedi are to refrain from seeking out wealth and power for themselves. But what does this mean for the Jedi Order as a whole? 

The Jedi order is the figurehead that is responsible for taking care of the Jedi until the day they die righteously for the light side of the Force. 

They must provide food, shelter, first aid, garments, and anything else that everyone, from the Padawan to Jedi Masters, may need to aid them on their journey. To do so, they have to have some form of funding. 

Because the Jedi are so adamant about not having any attachments, especially to material possessions, the Jedi Order is not inherently wealthy, but they do receive money for necessities. 

Originally they were self-sufficient, however, as they grew the need for funding did as well. That was when they began receiving monetary support from the government. 

How Big Is the Jedi Council?

Just like any governmental body, the Jedi Council is filled with only the most powerful and influential of the group. With that said, just how many members are there on the Jedi Council? 

The Jedi High Council, also simply called the Jedi Council, is composed of just twelve Jedi Masters. These twelve are in charge of governing the everyday movements of the Jedi Order. 

This is a relatively small number and is done purposefully. To paraphrase, the famous saying goes, “Too many cooks in the kitchen can spoil the dish.” 

Meaning that if there are too many strong decision-makers in one place, essentially nothing would get done. They would always be butting heads, which could be detrimental. 

This method is even seen in our world, where the Supreme Court only has nine justices. 

Conclusion

The Jedi Order is the Star Wars equivalent to the navy, army, or any other strong collective body. Just like these bodies, the Jedi Order showed that there is, in fact, strength in numbers. 

After the Order 66 purge of the Jedi Order, their numbers significantly depleted.

Even so, they did not lie down and admit defeat. The remaining Jedi banded together and proudly fought the dark side. 

Of course, in order to be successful, funds would need to be allocated to training and the overall health of the Jedi.

However, because of their code, the Jedi Order only uses what they need, so as to not be greedy and wasteful. No more, no less. 

All these decisions regarding how to recover after the blow of Order 66, as well as where to get funding and what to use it on, has to be made by someone.

Those people are the twelve Jedi Masters that make up the Jedi High Council.