SPECULATION There WERE more Jedi.

Well, I think you’re right. -And there’s a lot of story that could be based from that.

I strongly feel that (after episode IX), we’ll see a *mass* expansion of perspective within the SWU. And while it’s not going to be *all about* the Jedi/Sith/ForceUser schtick, the folks who are attempting to generate an industry on this gig will certainly acknowledge that such stuff is definitely one of the major draws to the overall market. (And) There’s SO many variations of media to incorporate in this...

In short, -yep- definitely more survivors of the order 66 purge. ...But not so much to ruin the magic for the lion’s share of fans and viewers. These folks are smart, and (I believe) they’re in it for the “long game”- they’re gonna be cautious regarding their creative choices.

It’s going to be a great time for the fans of the Star Wars Universe.

 

Ok - but were there? I definitely think there were more Jedi that survived Order 66 - but Vader and the inquisitors hunted them down as we are seeing unfold in the current Darth Vader comics. I mean Tarkin and Vader basically mutually agreed that Vader was the last of their religion as seen on the Death Star in ANH.

Sure Ezra was a padawan - but he was never officially granted the rank of Jedi Knight by Yoda like Kanan was back in Season 2. Because he was never officially knighted, Yoda's quote from ROTJ "the last of the jedi will you be" makes sense. And even if Yoda did consider Ezra to be a Jedi Knight. He has no clue where he might or might not be. Safe to say that Yoda assumed Ezra was one with the force.

Ahsoka wasn't a Jedi - she said that herself in the Season 2 Finale when she was fighting Vader.

Kanan/Hera's Son may be force sensitive but unless Luke started training him he wasn't a Jedi.

 

Very true and any other survivor could have cut themself off from the force like Luke did on Ach-To.

I just think it takes away from the story to have all of these Jedi coming out of hiding upon the defeat of the Emperor and the Empire. It's too convenient. It would be too much of a Deus Ex Machina.

How would that conversation go?

Random Jedi: "Oh hey! Luke Skywalker! Was Anakin Skywalker your Dad? He was awesome. So me and like 20 of my Jedi buddies have been hiding doing nothing, while you and a bunch of non-Jedi fought and defeated the Empire. We are here to help rebuild the Jedi since big bad Vader can't hurt us now."

Luke: "Didn't need your help to defeat Vader and the Emperor, don't need it now..."

 

I just finished watching Rebels, literally 20 mins ago.

I'm really trying to make sense of it all.

Don't get me wrong I truly enjoyed it, and I know Lucasfilm SG have something planned, but I was not expecting Ezra to live, even less Ashoka.

The narration does take place after Endor and the battle of Jakku is 1 year away...SO.........no mention, nor even a hint of Ashoka, Ezra nor Thrawn in any of the canon books that take place during that year.

Luke is also meant to be the last Jedi.

So is it safe to assume everyone is dead?

I imagine so....I just can't see what type of introduction they can redo with those characters in the frame of a few months, unless Favreau's live action brings them back to life, but somehow I doubt that.

 

I don't think all the jedi died either.....Ahsoka managed to stay hidden as she did not use the force for a year after order 66....similarly, other jedi could have done the same and escaped Vader and the inquisitors.

Yoda and Obi-wan are considered the last of the jedi order when Luke was being trained- but they are not the last force users...so if some survivors order 66 gave up being jedi and lived regular lives (maybe even married and had children), then Yoda's statement about Luke being the last jedi would still hold true.

That being said, I can imagine only a small handful surviving anyway.

 

Ok, so how do you re-introduce them in the new canon time-frame? Keep in mind we are fans and don't normally dictate the narratives chosen for the general public...

 

Hera: have her show up with the rest of the Resistance that didn't originally make contact with Leia. Instead having a random person, just have Hera be the person. It would have the same effect as a random joe schmo showing up to join the resistanc to the causals.
Thrawn: It can still work, not sure how is aging for this species is. Have Hux die or get demoted and bring in an older more seasoned Thrawn to replace him and make some story saying that he was busy in the unknown regions or something.
Ashoka: She would be tricky but could make it work. Have Rey finding a note or something in one of those books that she took from Luke saying that Luke interacted with her in the past during the early days of Luke's failed academy. technically she's not a Jedi, so Luke being the Last Jedi can still be true.

Have both Ashoka and Ezra instructors under Rey's new Jedi academy. It would be no different to the casual crowd if they just had random people being instructors.

 

Haha, I'd love to see a group of Jedi that were just off the grid from the end of the Clone Wars through the GCW return and see Luke.

"Skywalker, you say? Any relation to that Anakin guy? He sure was a great dude. Always had the funniest quips. Hated sand, too.

Hey, where are the rest of the Jedi, by the way?"


Seriously, though, totally agreed with @Trevor. It's frankly absurd to believe anything can truly be 100% accounted for like that with an entire galaxy. As humans, something of that scale can be difficult to imagine. I know that FTL travel obviously makes that scale seem a lot smaller, but it also seriously aids in the proliferation of potential survivors. Think about how big our planet alone is. Heck, Jedi probably could've survived on Earth by hiding for 20 years.

The galaxy apparently has 3.2 million habitable systems. Systems, not planets! Not all of them are earth sized, but still.

When you get down to it, I think it's not only possible that some Jedi survived, nor is it only likely, but I'd say it's extremely probable. The genius of Order 66 was that it used Clone Troopers paired with Jedi- when the order was passed, the executioners were right next to their prey. But if a Jedi wasn't near clones, they could fall off the grid really fast (particularly if they find Kenobi's warning).

As to whether it diminished Luke's story: again, we have to consider scale. The Rebel Alliance was still a relatively small faction when you consider the scale of the galaxy- their best strategy was to rely on planets to rise up themselves (not unlike Lothal) rather than try and occupy each planet they liberated like the Empire could afford to do. Also, they typically struck from hidden bases, constantly on the move. I think it's possible that even if a Jedi had survived, even if they wanted to join the Alliance, and even if they wanted to reveal their status as a Jedi survivor- it's possible they simply couldn't find the Alliance. Or, perhaps some Jedi wanted to use their identities to help in other ways, such as secretly performing missions alone against the Empire. And, of course, some were probably jaded against the loss of so many of their companions.

 

They don't have to be introduced in the Skywalker saga or for that matter a movie (though an anthology movie can't completely be omitted). The story of former jedi and/or their descendants could appear in a comic series, novels or even in one of the upcoming live action TV shows. These mediums still cater to the fans rather than the general public.

This generational story telling of a non-Skywalker family has been already done in canon with a family of explorers in wild space...the Graf sibling's adventures were explored in a book series, and now another comic book tells the story of one sibling's grandson.

Similarly, I can see something being done with a former jedi or their child, having adventures in some remote part of the galaxy. (and their only connection to the existing timeline could be their following holonews about the emperor, Vader, the first order etc so we know which era the story is based)

I don't see an issue if the survivor(s) no longer sees himself/herself as a jedi, does not participate in the rebellion and decides to live in some remote part of the galaxy or even the unknown regions. It does not mess with the movie timeline and only contributes to the world building.

 

That could work, and you can have her come back with 'Snap' Wexley, ( for which as an important part of the Resistance and Poe's crew, there was no explanation for his absence in VIII.) Maybe from a secret mission to the unknown regions...

I imagine that's a no go. Thrawn's importance to the Empire and his stature within it would have given him just as much in The First Order. In the Aftermath books, which are all canon, Gallius Rax made no mention of him whatsoever when he needed tacticians and important heads to run the First Order, he was no where to be introduced anywhere either. So Thrawn is definitely a no.

Ashoka just in general would be an extremely weird introduction at this point in the Jedi lore and order remaining. Too confusing for the general public, and for fans alike. Don't think JJ would have written her in, there is just no smart play LSG could come up with or would have already in TFA.

Again Ashoka...no...but Ezra? There is still a slight, albeit very improbable chance, that a surprise Jedi shows up. A.K.A DJ, but the betrayal in TLJ that endangered the lives of Finn and Rose is not a choice DJ would have made being Ezra and that betrayal could prove too big to overcome.

--- Double Post Merged, Mar 10, 2018, Original Post Date: Mar 10, 2018 ---

I agree, comic book form, novel is fine..films? not so much, live action TV show perhaps with Favreau at the helm. Got to be real careful to close the door after opening it though because unanswered questions would not be welcome in this canon.

 

Obi Wan also said that Vader hunted down and exterminated Jedi so we have seen the Inquisitors who would hunt for Jedi (and even for Maul) on behalf of the Empire.

Order 66 was to take out as many as possible to mean that the Jedi Order's leadership and majority numbers were taken on in a swift and simultaneous decapitation strike and then the rest taken care of over time.

I do not believe that Palpatine believed Order 66 would be a fait accompli.

 

As far as Yoda is concerned, the true Jedi died in the Prequels, so from a certain point of view, he is still right. Regarding Ahsoka, she left the Jedi Order during The Clone Wars. As far as Yoda is concerned, she is no longer Jedi. She has the powers of a Jedi, but she no longer follows the philosophy/tenants of a Jedi. Where as Luke did.

 

@The Futurition

I agree.....bringing jedi survivors into films, especially something linked in any way to the Skywalkers would be a mess. I personally would love a TV show by Jon Favreau or Benioff and Weiss set in the criminal Underworld with someone like Quinlan Vos (or some equally cool character) working as a bounty hunter.