It’s fascinating, isn't it, how stories can shape our understanding of entire universes? When we talk about the Force, about the eternal struggle between light and dark, we're often drawn to the iconic figures of the Jedi and the Sith. But their origins, as depicted in the vast tapestry of Star Wars Legends, are far more ancient and complex than many realize.
Imagine, if you will, a time so distant it dwarfs recorded history – around 36,453 years before the Battle of Yavin. Nine colossal, pyramid-shaped ships, known as the 'Sojou,' traversed the galaxy. Their purpose? To gather Force-sensitive individuals from countless worlds – humans, Twi'leks, Wookiees, and more – and bring them to a single, enigmatic planet: Tython, nestled deep within the galaxy's core.
This event, the 'Sojou Arrival,' remains shrouded in mystery. Who built these ships? Who commanded them? Why gather these sensitive souls? The very design of the Sojou ships hints at a connection to a prehistoric, hyper-advanced civilization known as the 'Celestials,' who, according to ancient Jedi lore, eventually transformed into the enigmatic beings of Mortis – the Father, the Son, and the Daughter. Their appearance, remarkably similar to the Sojou vessels, adds another layer to this ancient puzzle.
These gathered individuals, diverse in species and background, formed the 'Jedi Order.' Among them, the Twi'leks played a crucial role. Before arriving on Tython, they had their own Force-sensitive organization, the 'Order of the Dai Bendu.' They adopted the gear-like symbol from the Sojou ships, a symbol that would become intrinsically linked to the Jedi, known as the 'Bendū symbol.' The very name 'Jedi' itself, derived from the Dai Bendu language, means 'mysterious center.'
Tython's twin moons, Ashla and Bogan, became instrumental in shaping the early Jedi philosophy. By observing their celestial dance, the Jedi learned the crucial lesson of balance between the light and dark sides of the Force, a principle that would later diverge into the strict adherence to the light by the Jedi and the embrace of the dark by the Sith. Those who leaned too heavily towards one side were exiled to Ashla (light) or Bogan (dark), giving these moons their symbolic meaning.
The nine Sojou ships remained, stationary, at different points on Tython. Around them, the Jedi established nine temples, each dedicated to a specific aspect of Force study and development: balance, science, art, healing, knowledge, training, combat, Force abilities, and weaponry. The temple for training, 'Padawan Kes,' is where the term 'Padawan' for Jedi apprentices originates. Another, 'Qi Gong Kes,' is notably the only instance in Star Wars lore where a direct Chinese term is used.
As Tython's population grew, so did the number of non-Force-sensitive individuals. Life on the harsh Tythonian surface proved challenging for them, leading to a gradual expansion across the Tython system. Despite the limitations of early hyperspace technology, the Tythonians, guided by the Jedi Order, established a vibrant civilization across eleven planets, each with its unique character – from the industrial domes of Nox to the forest-dwelling Wookiees on Skagor.
Then came a seismic shift. Around 25,793 years before the Battle of Yavin, the Tython system was invaded by the Rakata, the architects of the Infinite Empire. Their hyperspace technology, powered by the dark side, led them to Tython. Though the Tythonians ultimately repelled the invasion after less than a year, the conflict irrevocably altered the Jedi. The philosophy of balance fractured, splitting into the Ashla followers (Jedi) and the Bogan followers (Sith). This internal conflict, the 'Force Wars,' lasted a decade, culminating in a devastating cataclysm on Tython itself.
Forced to abandon their ravaged homeworld, the Jedi embarked on a millennia-long journey, eventually settling on Ossus around 25,053 years before the Battle of Yavin.
Meanwhile, on the Outer Rim world of Korriban, a different story was unfolding. The Sith, originally just a species, were unified under the legendary King Adas, who became the first 'Sith' – meaning 'lord' or 'overlord' in their tongue. After repelling a Rakata invasion, the Sith, now equipped with Rakata starships, began their own interstellar expansion, forming the first Sith Empire.
As the Jedi found a new home on Ossus, the Galactic Republic, with its capital on Coruscant, was established. Their relationship was initially distant, but the 'First Great Schism' would soon draw them together. Around 24,500 years before the Battle of Yavin, Jedi Xendor and his lover Arden Lyn, disillusioned with the Jedi's focus on the light side, broke away to form their own academy, teaching the dark side. Their followers, the 'Legion of Lettow,' clashed with the Jedi, eventually drawing the Republic into the conflict. The Republic, siding with the Jedi, helped defeat the Legion, but the seeds of division were sown.
For nearly twenty thousand years, the Jedi largely remained on Ossus, intervening only twice to save the Republic: first, during the century-long 'Tion Hegemony War' (around 24,000 years BBY), and later, by quelling the fanatical 'Sisterhood of the Holy Light' cult that had seized control of the Republic government for a millennium (around 11,965 years BBY).
The galaxy, however, was never truly at peace. Around 7,000 years before the Battle of Yavin, another group of Jedi fell to the dark side, leading to the 'Second Great Schism' and the 'Hundred-Year Darkness.' The defeated dark Jedi, including Ajunta Pall and Sorzus Syn, fled to Korriban, conquering the native Sith and establishing the 'Old Sith Empire.' They interbred with the locals, their descendants becoming the ruling class, and the term 'Sith' evolved from a species to an ideology.
The 'Sith Golden Age' saw the Old Sith Empire flourish, but their isolation ended when Republic explorers stumbled upon their space. Naga Sadow, a powerful Sith Lord, launched the 'Great Hyperspace War' against the Republic. Though the Sith were ultimately defeated, their empire fractured. Naga Sadow exiled himself to Yavin 4, while Exar Kun, a dark Jedi, and his followers established a new Sith Empire, their symbol a variation of the Bendū symbol. Another faction, the 'Lost Tribe of the Sith,' was stranded on the planet Kesh.
These lingering threats would continue to shape the galaxy's destiny. And the cycle of conflict and ideology continued, with the Jedi facing a 'Third Great Schism' on Coruscant around 4,250 years before the Battle of Yavin, as some Jedi succumbed to Sith philosophy, igniting another civil war.
