The moment we are born, we begin learning. It starts by simply learning our parents’ voices and how to adjust to life outside the womb. Then it evolves into us learning to walk, talk, dress, and more.
From there the things we learn to become more complex, such as learning to navigate emotions and feelings, as well as just growing up in general.
Certainly, Star Wars is no different. All species’ young go through the same general process as we do. The difference comes when they get a bit older and start gaining more skills.
At a certain stage of life, while still young, the Force-sensitivity of an individual is discovered. This is usually determined by them having a midi-chlorian count higher than 2,500 per cell.
These individuals are highly sought after, as they are usually the ones who go on to become Jedi or Sith. To beat the Sith to the punch, the Jedi take Force-sensitive children to the Jedi Temple.
There, they become Padawans and train in the ways of the Jedi and the light side of the Force. But how long do they stay Padawans?
Great question! Let’s dive into the answer.
Table of Contents
How Long is a Jedi a Padawan?
Padawans are Jedi apprentices taken under the wings of a Jedi Master. In some instances, they are paired with a Jedi Knight, however, that is a rarer occurrence.
When a youngin becomes a Padawan, they are trained in the way of the Jedi. This means they are taught the tricks of the trade.
They learn the Jedi Code, the hierarchy of the Jedi Order, and most importantly, how to become one with the Force.
Of course, because of the daily rigorous training and meditation, they must undergo, the Padawans move into the Jedi Temple.
This Temple is shared with the entire Jedi Order, guards, and the occasional ally of the Jedi. So, to show their rank in the Order, each Padawan sports a distinctive braid.
Given how intensive their training is, the Padawans have to dedicate several years to this craft.
Once they complete this training and pass the Jedi Trials, only then can a Padawan progress to the next phase of the Jedi Order. That is the rank of Jedi Knight.
How Long are Padawans Trained?
Jedi training is a tedious and demanding process. For that reason, it’s safe to say that it takes time for training to be completed.
Even though the length of training is mostly dependent on the Padawan, there is an average estimation of how long it takes to complete.
Padawans are trained for approximately ten years in Temple training and around seven years in training to be a Jedi Knight. This brings the total years of training to 17.
So, in general, the Padawans can train anywhere from 15 to 20 years.
Even so, this is by no means definitive. It can take a much shorter or longer time for a Jedi to move up the ranks.
For example, it’s known that the man himself, Anakin Skywalker, completed his entire training process in only ten years.
What Happens if a Padawan’s Master Dies?
Usually, Padawans are trained by a Jedi Master. Granted, one does not have to be a Jedi Master to have a Padawan–some Jedi Knights had Padawans as well.
Still, the Jedi Masters would take up the role of teacher more often than not.
Most of the Jedi Masters have lived through generations of galactic history. They are the ones who have fought for the Galactic Republic for decades.
In addition to that, the Masters are the ones who sit on the Jedi High Council. That is the peak of the Jedi Order and the place where all decisions are made.
Of course, having the opportunity to be trained by someone so well-versed in the Force would be a major perk for the Padawans.
Unfortunately, with every good, there’s also bad.
It goes without saying that the Jedi Masters are capable of teaching the Padawans things the Jedi Knights simply cannot. On the flip side, the Masters are the older folks of the Order.
Add to that their tendency to take on the more dangerous missions and the likelihood that they would pass away is much higher than that of the Knights.
The silver lining for the Padawans is they would never actually be without trainers.
If their Master were to meet an untimely demise whilst in the midst of training then the Padawan would simply be assigned another Master.
Can a Jedi Master Have Two Padawans?
Now, there’s no doubt that a Jedi Master could handle more than one Padawan at a time, but this is frowned upon. But it wasn’t always that way.
During the Old Republic Era, it was not uncommon for multiple Padawans to be trained by the same Jedi Master. This changed when the New Galactic Republic came into play.
When this happened, each Master was only allowed to train one Padawan at a time. This is because the Jedi Code itself had changed and become much stricter.
With the far more demanding rules, the Padawans had to adhere to, the Jedi Masters had a much more difficult task on their hands. Therefore, it makes sense that the Master would have only one Padawan at a time.
Conclusion
Padawans are the first stage of becoming Jedi. Only the most Force-sensitive of the children are plucked from their families to move to the Jedi Temple.
There, they train day in and day out in the ways of the Jedi and the light side. As you might expect, they aren’t training themselves.
Each Padawan is assigned to a Jedi Master who guides them through the entire process.
Yet, sometimes these Masters die, seemingly leaving their Padawans in the lurch.
When this disadvantageous circumstance occurs, the budding Jedi are assigned to another Master. This is usually someone close to their previous master.
This is only when they are training, however. If their Master passes away before they begin, then more often than not, they become a part of the Jedi Service Corps instead of the Jedi Knights.