When Does Luke Become a Jedi Master?

In Star Wars Legends, Luke Skywalker first became a Jedi Master in the book Jedi Search. However, in Star Wars Canon, fans debate whether Luke was really a Jedi Master given his failure to advance any of his Padawans like Grogu, Leia, and Ben Solo to Knighthood. 

Despite overall fan debate in the canon, it’s easy to point to the fact that Luke reached the Jedi Master rank in a non-traditional way, around the time he restored the New Jedi Order before going into exile in The Force Awakens. 

While Luke Skywalker rose to the rank of Jedi Knight upon atonement with Darth Vader, he first became a Jedi Master in Star Wars Legends. Luke also saw time as a Grand Master before embarking on another set of trials following turmoil within the Jedi Order. 

What Age did Luke Become a Jedi Master?

The Star Wars Book tells us a Jedi Master is someone who trains a Padawan to the rank of Jedi Knight. Therefore, when a Padawan refers to a Jedi Knight as “Master,” it doesn’t always mean the Jedi they are training under is a Jedi Master. 

In the canon, Luke never trained a Padawan to Knighthood. Some sources, like Screen Rant, refuse to consider Luke a Jedi Master. Screen Rant confirms this by citing The Rise of Kylo Ren. 

In Star Wars Legends, however, Leia urged him to take the title of Jedi Master in 11 ABY, and Kevin J. Anderson’s novel, Jedi Search, provides clarity on the topic via this quote:

“He wasn’t merely another Jedi Knight – he was the only remaining Jedi Master.”

Logistically, even if Luke never reached the title of Jedi Master as the Jedi Code defined it in the years before Order 66, Luke still led the New Jedi Order. And in Star Wars Legends, many of Luke’s students became both Jedi Knights and Jedi Masters. 

So, if you consider Star Wars Canon and Star Wars Legends as one and the same, 11 ABY is your answer, making him 30 years old. If you’re more into Canon, then you may not even consider Luke to be a Jedi Master given the information in The Rise of Kylo Ren. 

However, Luke achieved his rank of Jedi Knight under different circumstances because his “Jedi trial” involved confronting Darth Vader. Fans of the canon can point to him becoming a Jedi Master when he founded the Jedi Academy. 

When did Luke Complete His Jedi Training?

In Star Wars Canon, Luke underwent a non-typical form of Jedi training. Traditionally, Jedi trained under a Jedi Knight or a Jedi Master under the rank of Padawan. However, Luke did not have this luxury, as the Great Jedi Purge occurred 19 years before. 

Luke started his training under Obi-Wan Kenobi, who gave him his father Anakin’s old lightsaber. Following Princess Leia’s pleas for Obi-Wan’s assistance, the aging Jedi Master asked Luke to join him. 

After initially refusing, Luke discovered Stormtroopers overran his aunt and uncle’s farm before  joining Kenobi, which kicked off his Jedi training. However, Luke learned little under Kenobi, who sacrificed himself to allow Luke, Leia, and Han Solo to escape the Death Star. 

Luke then sought out the 900-year-old Yoda on Dagobah. However, there were no Jedi Trials for Luke to complete his training the traditional way. Therefore, Luke’s training was not complete until he confronted Darth Vader, who he knew was his father. 

Since Luke confronts Vader in Return of the Jedi’s climax, he completed his Jedi training in 4 ABY. 

When did Luke become a Jedi Grand Master?

In Star Wars Legends, Luke rose to the rank of Jedi Grand Master in 36 ABY during the Swarm War. 

However, his term as Jedi Grand Master was not a pleasant one, as his term as Grand Master coincided with a term in exile after the Galactic Alliance held him accountable for Jacen Solo’s actions. 

During his exile, he and his son, Ben, sought to find the motivation behind Jacen’s turn to the Dark Side. Together, they encountered the Lost Tribe of the Sith, with whom they formed a temporary alliance to kill Abeloth. 

Following these trials, Luke eventually returned to his post as Jedi Grand Master. 

Was Luke a Jedi Knight?

To become a Jedi Knight, one must pass through Jedi Trials, per Jedi Code. For all intents and purposes, the trials were still there; just in a non-traditional way. 

It turned out, Luke couldn’t just confront Vader, as Yoda implied; he had to forgive Vader for his crimes and turn to the Dark Side. And he accomplished this during the closing moments in Return of the Jedi when Anakin redeems himself. 

So, why does Luke become a Jedi Knight, not during, but following his confrontation with Darth Vader?

Simple: To forgive Darth Vader, Luke had to show, and he did show, compassion. The Dark Side, fueled by hate, rage, and anger, is where the Sith derive their power. 

The Jedi are the polar opposite, valuing peace and justice. They also value love, forgiveness, and truth. All of which in Star Wars, and in life, are tough to face. 

Upon confronting and forgiving Darth Vader, Luke became a Jedi Knight. During his time as a Jedi Knight he traveled the galaxy, looking to acquire knowledge about the Jedi and rebuild the Jedi Order.