In Star Wars Canon and Legends, we meet several Jedi Masters, one of the rarest ranks in the Jedi Order. Despite the rarity of the Jedi Master, they could rise even higher in the Order, to ranks even fewer Jedi achieved.
Seven ranks existed in the Jedi hierarchy, with the Council Member, Grand Master, and Master of the Order serving as higher ranks than Jedi Master.
To achieve the rank of Jedi Master, one must have successfully trained Padawans to Knighthood or provided special contributions to the Jedi Order.
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What are the Seven Ranks of Jedi?
The actual number of Jedi ranks varies, with some fans stating four ranks (Youngling, Padawan, Knight, Master), and others claiming six (Initiate, Youngling, Padawan, Knight, Master, Grand Master).
However, seven ranks of Jedi existed, with a few more obscure ranks in the Jedi Order. These ranks were as follows:
Youngling
Also known as Jedi Initiates or Hopefuls, Jedi Younglings were Force-sensitives taken to the Jedi Temple between infancy and age five, with most arriving toward the younger end of the age spectrum, before they forged emotional bonds.
They were broken into clans, each of which contained 20 Younglings. Younglings trained with their clan under a single Jedi Master or Grand Master, like Yoda. They learned the basics of meditation, lightsaber wielding, and living by the Jedi Code.
Younglings also lived a sheltered lifestyle within the Jedi Temple’s walls. To advance to the Padawan rank, a Youngling would be selected to train with a Jedi Knight or Master upon reaching adolescence.
Padawan
Also known as Jedi Apprentices, Padawans often referred to their superiors as ‘Masters,’ but they also trained under Knights. Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano served as an example of a Jedi Knight training a Padawan.
And unlike their days as a Youngling, a Padawan would train one-on-one with their Master. Therefore, they left their clans and the Jedi Temple behind to gain hands-on experience in the galaxy.
Although they were technically “in-training” under their Master, Padawans were allowed to serve in combat. We saw this with Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace when he engaged in a duel with Darth Maul, and earlier during his escapades among the Trade Federation.
In The Clone Wars, Padawans like Ahsoka Tano commanded clone troopers.
It’s also important to note that during times of conflict, the One Padawan Rule was repealed, allowing Jedi Masters and Knights to take on as many Padawans as necessary. Also, the Jedi Council assigned Padawans to Masters they deemed good fits when conflict arose in the galaxy.
Once the Master deemed the Padawan ready, they underwent the Jedi Trials. The Trials varied between Canon and Legends, with nine steps in Canon and five in Legends. It also wasn’t uncommon to see the trials take over a decade, given their complexity.
Also, the Trials could be organized and held at the Jedi Temple, or unorganized. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s trial involved him losing his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, who Darth Maul mortally wounded. Obi-Wan overpowered and defeated Maul, thereby attaining the rank of Knight.
The Jedi Order also offered Ahsoka Tano a promotion to Knight after they acquitted her of any wrongdoing following her trial regarding the Jedi Temple Bombing, considering the ordeal of her trial. However, Ahsoka elected to leave the Order.
Knight
Most Jedi Initiates never became Padawans, since Jedi Masters and Knights selected only the top Younglings to train as Padawans. Even fewer Padawans became Jedi Knights.
Those who achieved Knighthood became eligible to train a Padawan, although training one was not a requirement. With or without a Padawan, a Knight had the authority to operate on their own throughout the galaxy without oversight.
They were also divided into one of three sub-ranks:
- Guardian: Guardians, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, were often seen in combat roles.
- Consular: They looked to deepen their connection to the Force and engaged in diplomatic roles. Yoda was an example.
- Sentinel: Some sentinels guarded the Jedi Temple, while others walked among the masses.
Master
Once a Jedi Knight trained a Padawan, or several Padawans, to Knighthood, they became Jedi Masters. While Jedi Masters could promote their Padawan to Jedi Knight, only the Jedi Council promoted Knights to Masters, except in rare cases.
Masters were also the only members within the Jedi Order eligible to hold a seat on the Council. However, Star Wars Legends has a few outliers. Anakin Skywalker served as the exception in Star Wars Canon since Palpatine appointed him to the Council.
If a Jedi Knight did not train Padawans to Knighthood, they could still become a Jedi Master if they made significant contributions to the Jedi Order. While Jedi Masters comprised a tiny percentage of the Order, they could ascend to three higher ranks.
What is Higher Than a Jedi Master?
Council Member
Unlike previous ranks, Council Member was not as set in stone since Council seats could change at any time. Only Grand Masters served as permanent Council Members.
While it was a higher rank than Jedi Master, fellow Council Members and others in the Jedi Order often still referred to them as Masters.
However, unlike Masters, Council Members held the authority to govern the entire Jedi Order, and they would send both Jedi Knights and Masters, plus their Padawans, on missions.
Grand Master and Master of the Order
While Grand Master and Master of the Order shared equal status, if the two ranks engaged in a dispute, the Grand Master had the final say.
One could only achieve the Grand Master rank if they spent years on the Jedi Council. They oversaw and led the Jedi Order, and only one member could achieve the rank. During the Prequel Trilogy, Mace Windu served as the Grand Master before surrendering the rank to Yoda.
The Master of the Order led the Jedi Council. Unlike the Grand Master, the Master of the Order was more combat-oriented.
Who is the Most Powerful Jedi Master?
Yoda was one of the most mysterious characters in both Star Wars Canon and Legends.
However, it’s no mystery regarding his power. Even well into his 800s, he proved to be an exceptional fighter during his duel with Darth Sidious. He was so good, only Mace Windu rivaled him in combat.
But he was more than a skilled lightsaber-wielder; Yoda deepened his connection with the Force perhaps more than any other Jedi. He also taught generations of Youngling clans at the Jedi Temple, and perhaps no other Jedi made such significant contributions to the Order.
How Does a Jedi Become a Jedi Master?
Training several Padawans was the most common way to ascend to Jedi Master.
But this wasn’t always the case. In Star Wars Canon, Kenobi only trained one Padawan to the rank of Knighthood and he achieved the rank of Jedi Master. But, it’s also fair to say Kenobi made other significant contributions during Attack of the Clones.
Jedi Knights could also undergo a modified version of the Jedi Trials, similar to what they underwent before their previous promotion to Knighthood. They could also volunteer to embark on missions that would grant them special recognition when completed.
In Star Wars Legends, under the New Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker promoted his Knights when they achieved a specific connection to the Force.
One could appoint themselves to Jedi Master, but this was often frowned upon since the Order disputed whether the appointee earned the title.