Fanclub **The New Jedi Trials Version 3.0**

THE GREY

An Essay By Padawan Rabs

The term Grey Jedi, or The Grey, has two meanings. First, it is used universally by both Jedi and Sith to describe Force users that walk the line between light and dark, but without surrendering to the Dark Side. Second, it is used to describe maverick Jedi, such as Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn, who distance themselves from the Jedi High Council, and achieve their goals in ways not traditional to the Jedi Code. Though such Jedi are unorthodox, they still follow the Code. There are also those that break away from the Jedi Order and belong to no particular Force using organization, but still use the Jedi Code for guidance. One such famous Grey Jedi was Jolee Bindo, a former Padawan and self proclaimed Grey Jedi of the Old Republic era, that helped the reformed Jedi Knight Revan defeat Darth Malak's Sith Empire and the Star Forge.

Although the term Grey Jedi is normally used to describe unorthodox Jedi, it is also sometimes used when referring to any Force user walking the middle path. The Voss Mystics, the totalitarian rulers of the Voss species, gifted in both Force sight and Force healing, are one example of such a non Jedi Order that are referred to as Grey Jedi. Other examples of the term being used for non Jedi affiliated organizations are the Grey Paladins, Imperial Knights, and the Jensaarai, an order of Force users that sprang into life during the Clone Wars and combined both the Jedi teaching and those of the Sith into one.

The term Grey Jedi dates back to the time of the Old Sith Wars, when the Jedi High Council consolidated their power and centralized the Order. During this time the Jedi Code was reinterpreted. Many Jedi felt the Council did not have the authority to do this. These early Grey Jedi clashed with the High Council over the new strictures of the Code, specifically those barring attachment and restricting training. These Jedi eventually left the Order and wandered the galaxy as nomads. Later, during the New Jedi Order era, the term Grey Jedi was used to refer to any Force traditions that held views different than those held by the Jedi, but did not embrace the Dark Side.

It is rumored that a Grey Jedi Order exists, and was founded by a member of Yoda's species by the name of Leor Danal. But nothing of them other than their Code is known.

THE GREY JEDI CODE


There is no Dark Side, nor Light Side; There is only the Force
I will do what I must to keep the balance; The balance is what keeps me together
There is no good without evil, but evil must not be allowed to flourish
There is passion, Yet Peace
Serenity, Yet Emotion
chaos, Yet Order
I am the Wielder of the Flame, The protector of Balance
I am the Holder of the Torch, Lighting the Way
I am the Keeper of the Flame, Soldier of Balance
I am a Guardian of Balance
I am A Grey Jedi
The Meaning of the Code

• There is no Dark Side, nor a Light Side; There is only the Force
  Grey Jedi believed that the Force did not have separate sides. To them, abilities were neutral, and it was how you used them that made the difference between Jedi or Sith. Different people used different methods to unlock their full potential. Some needed anger, some needed peace. Just because Jedi harnessed peace or Sith exploited anger, did not make either inherently good or evil. The Force had no alignment, that was solely an attribute of the user. This part of the code also applies to the Gray Jedi philosophy of the soul. They believe that everyone has equal potential for good and evil, and that it is the choices a person makes that defines their path.

• I will do what I must to keep the balance; the balance is what keeps me together
  Balance was central to a Grey Jedi's life. They believed that without balance, the galaxy would fall apart, Thus, they were the champions, and guardians of balance. Although there were certain rules against destroying everything that disrupted any sort of balance, for the most part, The Grey Jedi would do everything and anything in their power to maintain the balance. For them, the ends justified the means. If they needed to destroy a planet to promote balance, then that's what they would do.

• There is no good without evil, but evil must not be allowed to flourish
  The Grey Jedi held a firm belief that while there was good and evil in everything, there was no good without evil, and no evil without good. Just as there is no dark without light and no light without dark. however, if one side is allowed power over the other, catastrophe can happen. Also, the Grey Jedi realized that evil was necessary for the balance, but this didn't mean that they had to condone it. Evil was condemned in the Grey Jedi and only given sufferance because of its necessity to balance. However, they would keep evil in check. They believed that for a balance to be made, the amount of good in the galaxy must always cancel out the evil. Thus they still attacked those doing evil acts to keep this balance in check.

• There is Passion, Yet Peace
  For a Grey Jedi, you needed passion to survive. What was life without passion? It was nothing. Yet, you needed peace in order to temper the passion so as not to be consumed by it..

• Serenity, Yet Emotion
  It was the same principle. A Grey Jedi needed emotion to fuel his power, yet he needed to remain serene to allow himself to be able to turn the emotion on and off.

• Chaos, Yet Order
  In order for life to exist, there must be chaos and order at an equal level. Such is the same with the Grey Jedi. A Grey Jedi must be orderly and chaotic both to a point. Sometimes laws need to be broken and sometimes chaos must be brought to order, however neither should be ended permanently.

• I am the Wielder of the Flame, The Protector of Balance
  The first role of a Grey Jedi was to protect the balance through any means necessary. They wielded what they called the spiritual flame. It would burn to dust those who disrupted the balance of life.

• I am the Holder of the Torch, Lighting the Way
  The next role of a Grey Jedi was to show the way for others. If there was a way to show those who disrupted the balance the way to balancing their lives, then life would be better for all. Also, a Grey Jedi must light the way for himself, as imbalance could easily take hold without constant vigilance.

• I am the Keeper of the Flame, Soldier of Balance
  The Grey Jedi would be the army of balance, waging wars against all who would threaten the natural balance of the universe.

• I am a Guardian of Balance
  The Grey Jedi was first and foremost, a Guardian of Balance in every way possible.

• I am A Grey Jedi
  This shows that the reciter of the Grey Jedi code understands that to be a true Grey Jedi, he must embody every single one of these traits.

 

Hello all,
My appearance is very much overdue, and I apologize to my fresh padawan, Rabs. I know how impatient one can become while waiting on someone.
I have not decided on a padawan name for you yet, instead I am going to assign you a task, and depending on how you answer will determine your name.
Please write just a couple paragraphs about something that you are absolutely passionate about. Explain why and how it became your passion. Pictures and graphics are always welcome.

 

Gosh, that'd be much easier as a task to write compared to what you gave me!

I kid Master, I kid! I'm just worried that whether what I wrote is too short...

 

Nadia-Oomia


This was more difficult than one would assume. Pick a passion and write about it. What could be so hard about that? Right? But I'm passionate about several things and deciding on which one to pick actually proved somewhat difficult. Do I pick a thing? A place? A hobby? How much do I want to reveal about myself? How much do I want to reveal about the passion I choose? Do I go light with my choice? Do I go heavy? Several options that lead down a multitude of paths. Which to choose? A lighter tone I think would be best.

I'm very passionate about the outdoors and hunting. While I enjoy many of the fruits of society I also enjoy those given by the land. Being half Native American I grew up with respect for the land and how to hunt and live off of what the wilderness provides. I spend quite a bit of time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, or simply relaxing. The wilderness is a good place to clear one's mind of unneeded wants and stress. It's a perfect place to spend time with family or a lover. To stop and simply be when lost in the tranquility of nature opens one up to a level of beauty most people never really see. It's at these moments that the world truly feels big. It is something I will definitely miss when this life fades.

And when it comes to hunting, for food not sport or trophies which I'm against, there is nothing quite like eating a meal that you are responsible for putting on your plate. When you respect the animal, stalk it through the trees, admire it's beauty and spirit, and then claim it as your own, a deep feeling of pride, satisfaction, and oneness comes over you. It's a feeling hard to explain to someone that has never hunted for survival. Many people think of killing an animal as something cold and heartless, and certain kinds of hunting are. But when it's done with respect and love for what creation has brought into being, it is a beautiful and spiritual experience. For my Wife and I it is how we get almost all of our meat. We only buy seafood from the store. But if I lived by the ocean I would get that myself as well. While I understand that many modern people can't bring themselves to kill their own food, I can't see myself living any other way. I've blended modern life with the old ways and find that it has brought me a life of happiness and contentment.

Padawan Rabs

 

Rabs, what tribe, may I ask?

My task is almost done, I swear It's hard to type with one hand and having to go on campus for internet limits my time.

 

Cherokee. Irish on my mother's side.

 

Very nice. Do you know where in Ireland?

 

Dublin and Galway are the only two I know right off the top of my head, and that's because they're big cities. There are some small townships and villages with odd sounding names that I never can quite remember. They're all written down in a family book that my mother has.

 

Nice. I've always wanted to visit Dublin

 

Very good, Rabs. I thoroughly enjoyed your post.
It has taken much consideration, but I think I'm going to pass on the name that I was given when I was a padawan. You will now be known as padawan Artemis.
As for your next task, it is going to be a bit different from anything I've given anyone.
I would like for you to create a fictitious scene in which you are battling a follower of the dark side. This follower is someone you used to know (who that may be is up to you). They are bound and determined to exterminate you. Please write your reaction, feelings, and order of action you will take with this dark side user. I would like to see how you would diffuse the situation as a Jedi.

 

Artemis the Goddess of the Hunt. Very nice. But may make a very small suggestion? Greeks that named male children after Artemis spelled the name Artemas. It is the male version of the name and means Follower of the Goddess Artemis. The task you've given me is a very good one, Master Nadia-Oomia. I shall give it some thought, and then write a scene I hope is worthy of reading.

 

Perhaps I am mistaken Master Nadia-Oomia...but it sounds like Paddy might be asking for a double task.

 

Nadia-Oomia

I decided to write this as a series of personal log entries. I hope this is satisfactory.


I was born on a remote world on the very fringes of the galaxy, far removed from the glory of the Republic and the peace brought to them by the near mythical Jedi. I was doomed to live a short brutal life on that world. But then something wonderful happened. One afternoon an angle walked out of the dark jungle and rescued me from such a life. She was beautiful that angel. She had dark blue skin and hair as dark as the night sky. I remember her warm yellow eyes gazing down on me, and when she smiled I felt my heart fill with wonder. I was very young but I remember thinking that this must be how it felt to have a mother. Then the angel spoke. Her name was Akeela and she was no angel at all. She was a Jedi Knight! And she had sensed a strong presence in the Force. That presence she had said was me. I asked if that meant I was to become a Jedi, and Akeela had smiled and asked if I had parents. When I said no she held out her hand and I took it. She then took me aboard her ship and brought me before the Jedi High Council and it was decided that I was to be trained as a Jedi. Years later when it was time for my paring with a Master, Akeela already had an apprentice, and this broke my heart. It was always she that I wanted to train me. But it was not to be and the Master I was given was an old wise Jedi, and he trained me well and I grew to love and respect him as a friend and mentor. But I always remembered Akeela. Akeela who always took assignments that took her to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, keeping her from the Jedi Temple for months at a time. Akeela who I would forever think of as my savior; as my mother.


In the interest of time several log entries have been skipped.


I have gone on several missions as a Jedi Knight over the last couple of years and have found the life of a Jedi not only fulfilling but quite exciting. But I must admit that this assignment is the first to fill me with a little worry. There have been many rumors of late that a practitioner of the dark arts has been sighted in the outer rim territories, and already two other Knights have gone missing investigating these rumors. If there is indeed a darksider out here I hope that I am up to the task the council has entrusted me with. I am to redeem this lost soul if at all possible and end this dark threat if redemption is not within reach. I have only had to use my lightsaber a handful of times for defensive purposes, and never have I yet been forced to take another's life. By the Force, redemption of this individual is the path I hope to walk. For their sake as well as mine.


My task is finished and I am shaken. For the first time my life as a Jedi has led me down a twisted path that has filled me with dark emotions and a bitter memory. I can only hope I handled myself honorably, and that my actions were those of a Jedi. The following is my personal account of what transpired between the darksider and myself. The audio logs from my astromech droid who recorded the entire thing, as well as the holographic logs, have been sent to the High Council for judgement. From there they will be sent to the Jedi Archives for historical filing.


It hit me as soon as I stepped off my ship. It was a presence that I had felt before and could never forget. Not even the twisted darkness that had threaded its way through the core of that once beautiful light could mask it. The darksider I had come to redeem or kill was my old savior. It was Akeela! For a moment I faltered and actually missed a step. My hands began to sweat and I could feel they wanted to tremble. I'm ashamed to say that for just a second I contemplated abandoning my duty. How could I confront Akeela? The angel I had secretly held in my heart as my mother. It took much but I let the warmth of the Force flow though me and calmed my nerves. I had to confront Akeela. I told myself that I would redeem her, bring her back to the light. I would save her from a doomed life just as she had once saved me.

As I drew closer I felt anticipation of our meeting grow within her, and I realized that not only did she know I was coming but she new who I was. And again I almost faltered because I felt no warmth in her anticipation. Nor did I feel hate or malice. What I felt was a detached coldness and an all consuming desire for power. Before even seeing her I realized that Akeela would kill me and feel nothing at all afterwards. She would feel no remorse or joy at my death by her own hand or otherwise. This empty indifference was somehow worse than the most vile hatred. We are taught that the dark side is fear, anger, and hate. That it's passion twisted into something ugly and unrecognizable. And in many cases this is true. But on this day I learned another lesson. Sometimes the darkest of us are empty and feel nothing at all.

When I finally stood before Akeela and my eyes took in what she had become I actually gasped, as if the wind had been knocked from my lungs, and for the third and last time I faltered. The shriveled, haggard thing standing before me broke my heart and nearly destroyed me. Akeela's once warm yellow eyes, now bloodshot, dull, and rimed with red, gazed at me. They were full of that empty indifference that now occupied her soul. Her once beautiful blue skin was now pale, nearly void of all color, and the skin of her face was taut, an emaciation imitated by her bony fingers. Her hair, still as dark as the night sky, was a wispy tangle, and her once proud robes hung limply around her slight shoulders. Then she spoke, and her voice was as empty as her soul.

"Have you come to die like the other Jedi?"

Her words cut me. They ran through me as cleanly as would her lightsaber's azure colored blade. But I steeled myself, as I have said I did not falter again, and in a powerful and confident voice tempered slightly with compassion, I declared to her that I had come to redeem her and guide her back to the light. At that she laughed, and I was momentarily hopeful that redemption was indeed possible, for her laugh was unchanged. It was still beautiful and pleasant. But that hope was short lived. Continuing to laugh, and never taking her empty eyes from mine, Akeela drew her saber. The snap-hiss of the blade coming to life caused my flesh to prickle, and even now as I write this I can feel the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. But she did not attack, choosing to again speak, this time slowly circling me as she did so.

"Oh, you foolish Jedi. Why would I wish to be redeemed? Why return to the light when I've never experienced anything like the dark side in all my wasted years with the Order? You have no idea of the glory of what I have found. But you can. Join me, Jedi. Join me and I'll be the mother you secretly have always wanted me to be."

I glanced to the left and then the right, trying to decide which way I'd jump should Akeela charge, something I was positive she would do once I gave her the answer to her offer. I'm not ashamed at this time to admit that I felt a fool and a sense of profound loss. I now knew that I was no going to be able to redeem her. She was too far gone or I was not nearly wise enough. A Master Jedi should have been sent. Someone more capable than I. As I circled away from her I drew my saber and, bringing my own argent blade to life, gave her her answer. A simple no. To this Akeela bowed and spoke one final time. Her final words will forever haunt me.

"I thought not, Jedi. I should have ran you through that day I found you. It would have been a mercy. Instead I condemned you to a life of Jedi servility. It was a mistake I now shall remedy."

Akeela floated upward with no sign that it caused her any effort to do so. It was a brazen use of the Force meant to intimidate that no Jedi would use. And I admit that it worked. It raised hackles on the back of my neck. I pleaded with her. Told her that it wasn't too late to come back. It was the Jedi way to forgive, I said. I told her that the Jedi Knight Akeela could still walk as one with the light side of the Force. But it did no good. Akeela was gone. All that remained was an empty thing that wanted empty power. She never answered and her glassy eyes no longer even appeared to truly see me. She lifted her hand and Force lightening arced from her bony finger tips. I dove to my right and the lightening scorched a path in the dirt. Akeela, still silent came for me then, her lightsaber sweeping toward me with blinding speed.

For a time our duel was evenly matched. We countered one another's strikes, both of us evading blows that by rights should have found their mark. But then I began to tire, and was forced to draw more and more on the Force to sustain myself. Akeela, however, seemed to have a fathomless reservoir of dark energy. She seemed to spin like the wind, slipping away at the last instant, right before I could land a blow. I must say that I have never seen someone move as she did, and I even wondered if perhaps I was fighting some sort of dark side phantom. I could not match her grace nor could I match her any longer blow for blow. Like the two Jedi before me I was going to die at the hands of this fallen Jedi. A strong feeling of sadness and regret, not for myself, but for Akeela came over me as I accepted my fate. Then, as best as I can recall, Akeela hit me with a blast of the Force. Then I was on my back with Akeela standing over me, peering down at me with cold detachment.

Looking up at her, I told Akeela that I forgave her, and that should she ever want to return to the light the Jedi would always be waiting. Deep in my heart I meant it, and hoped that somehow my words would get through. But emptiness within her remained, and her lightsaber flashed as she brought it down. At that very moment I used the last of my energy to deflect the oncoming blade with a slight push of the Force and called my fallen lightsader to me. The snap-hiss of my lightsaber coming to life filled my ears, and I drove the hissing silver-white blade into Akeela. That cold emptiness never left her eyes, and for the briefest of moments I felt sadness coming from her. I would like to think that sadness was remorse, that at the end she was a Jedi again. But I do not believe that. I got the sense that her sadness was for the power she was losing in death.

Did I act as a noble Knight of the Jedi Order? Did I fail to redeem a redeemable Jedi that had fallen into darkness? Can someone be saved that no longer feels? Could a wiser Jedi than I have redeemed her as I at first thought? I do not have definitive answers to these questions. All I know is that I am a Jedi that killed a friend in the name of duty, and have come away from the experience saddened, humbled, and with the suspicion that one does not fall to the dark side but chooses it.

Padawan Artemas

 

*Shuttle descends and crashes in the gardens. Landing pad opens and a Jedi in tattered robes and tattoos (scars from lightsaber cuts) appears*

I have returned..

To the Grand Master, please pardon my absence of late. The Galaxy is rife with threats and I have spent my time combating them in the name of the Light.

 

Wonderful task, Artemas. I apologize for my long absence, and I cannot guarantee that my attendance will get any better. I am heading into midterms and I'm getting married in a little more than 2 weeks. I ask for your patience and I will get on as often as I can.

As for your task, it was quite excellent and worked out better than I had hoped. It was a wonderful read and I like how you portrayed yourself as still human though you have been blessed with force powers. Not many understand that we are still beings even if we are beings of the light. We are not perfect and we will falter. The best we can do is take a situation, choose the best option, and hope for the best in the end, something that you captured perfectly. Doubt is normal, though unmonitored, unhealthy. Be careful. But overall I am pleased with your task. Excellent work.

 

Thank you Master Nadia-Oomia. I enjoyed this task and am pleased that you liked how I went about it. You're a very wise and kind teacher. I look forward to the next task.

And do not worry if life keeps you away for long periods. I completely understand. Patience is something I have, though sometimes it does fail me. And congratulations on your upcoming marriage. May love and the Force bless your union.

 

Thank you very much.
I have to rush off of here, but I think I can type up your assignment real quick.
Artemas, I would like for you to write about a young jedi who has come to you for advice. Disregard the fact that you are a padawan, talk to this person as a jedi would to another. They are coming to you to seek council about when is it ever okay to end another person's life. Is there a moral to it? Is it always wrong, sometimes good, necessary? Is the act of killing other people a necessary evil that we must endure, or is there always an alternative to death, no matter the situation?
It can be as long or as short as you want it to be. Be as creative as you want, and I look forward to reading it.

 

Rabs, I qutie enjoyed your task on the Grey Jedi. I found it most enlightening.

 

By Jedi Knight Kato Sai

The term Jedi Outcast is not official, nor recognized in the Jedi Archives. It is a mark of shame, placed upon Jedi who depart the Order for various reasons. Becoming an Jedi Outcast can be voluntary or involuntary. Some members of the Order find the regulations and rules to be too stringent and decide to break their oath and roam the galaxy as Force Users with not accountability to a Council or anyone else for that matter. Others who become Outcasts are put on trial for their unorthodox ways and if deemed too dissident to reform their ways, are outcasted from the Jedi Order.

An immediate justification for expelling a Jedi from the Order would be defecting or dabbling in the Dark Side. But often the case for expulsion from the Order has to do with differences in doctrine. Forbidding attachments and relationships of a romantic nature can be a burden too difficult for some Jedi. Not every sentient has the capacity or patience to purge emotion and focus on the Jedi Path. As a result these Jedi often disobey the Jedi Code and if discovered can be outcasted.

Two notable Jedi Outcasts are Kyle Katarn and Ahsoka Tano. Another, Anakin Skywalker would have joined the ranks of Jedi Outcasts had his secret marriage to Senator Padme been discovered. But alas, Anakin went beyond being disgruntled with Jedi Regulations and crossed over to the Dark Side. Anakin's apprentice, Ahsoka left the Jedi Order over betrayal. Her experience of being distrusted by the Jedi Council and having many of her brothers and sisters of the Order follow the Jedi Path to the letter over giving her the benefit of the doubt shook her resolve as a Jedi. Ahsoka left the Jedi Order, becoming an Outcast by choice.

Often after becoming a Jedi Outcast, refuge is found in other Force organizations like the Grey Jedi. However, some Outcasts never recover from their disillusionment and decide to remain accountable to themselves. This is dangerous because it can lead to the Dark Side. If there is not a brotherhood and sisterhood of Force Users to sharpen one another and refine each other through correction, then pride can easily enter the isolated soul of the Outcast. That pride eventually leads to justification of ones actions which inevitably permits the most atrocious behavior.

There are some Jedi Outcasts who never wavered from the tenets of the Order. In fact, they neither were expelled or voluntarily departed the Order. Examples being Master Yoda and Master Kenobi, who spent their exile on the marshes of Dagobah and the desolate desert of Tatooine. Yoda and Kenobi were both senior members of the Jedi Council, their transition to becoming Jedi Outcasts was for the survival of the Jedi Order and its teachings during the Jedi Purge. Master Yoda and Master Kenobi kept the Light alive in their seclusion, tell one day when the next generation of Jedi would come to learn the "ways of the Force."

Thus being a Jedi Outcast can vary in meaning. It can be a label for unorthodox Jedi who have departed the Order, for Dark Side dabblers, and for Orthodox Jedi who have fled persecution and seek to keep the Jedi Path preserved in their exile.

Edit: My Apologises about the double post. Was not intentional. Would amend if I could.

 

**bow**

Greetings, fellow Jedi.

I am very sorry for my long absence, but life has become extremely busy for me lately. This order is doing so well in spite of my being gone. I am also pleased with every essay I have read. Excellent work. Keep it up. The assignments and responses are awesome.

I am learning a great deal here at school, and making lots of new friends. I have found a new family of brothers and sisters who are "in the same boat" as me. There are only a few sighted people here. The rest are either low vision, or totally blind.

Last month we went on a field trip were we rode horses, zip lined, did some mountain climbing and rock climbing.
Horseback riding was my favorite. mountain and rock climbing were my least favorite. I've never worked so hard in all of my life to do anything as I did working to climb those steep rocks to reach the mountain's top. However, I learned a lot from the experience, and I am so glad I went on the trip.


Announcement:

Due to DarthMaul208's failure to submit a task, as well as remain in contact with me, I am hereby releasing him from my tutelage.

I hope the Force is serving all of you very well.

Nadia-Oomia and Jedi Gunny Please report to the NJT Coulncil Chambers.A message will be posted there for you soon.

Nadia, congrats on your upcoming marriage.
The groom is a rich man, because he has found a very valuable treasure; you.

:bighugs:

 

Sounds like fun. More fun than my past week has been.

 

Grandmaster,

*bows*

Glad to have you back.

 

Just checking in. Life has been busy. Master Nadia-Oomia I haven't forgotten my task. I will complete it sometime this coming week when time permits.

 

Kato Sai Thank you. I will answer your PM soon.

JediMaster1511 You can climb the rocks and mountains, and I'll ride horses.

[facelaugh]

 

We Need Each Other

By Jedi Knight Kato Sai

Being a Jedi can often require isolation from the cultures and worlds we explore. For some asceticism is the path, they choose to become insular and keep like hermits in remote places. But for most Jedi the community of the Order is a life line. Jedi can find comfort in their comrades and companions who tred the Jedi Path. More importantly, when we are together we are strengthen. This can be practical ways such as sheer numbers for combating the Dark Side with Lightsabers or the Living Force. However, we draw strength in another way; through each other. Ashla is among all Jedi and when we gather the Light grows.

Seclusion may be a source of strength for some Jedi, but it can also be a serious stumbling stone that leads to the Dark Side. Jedi who spend too much time away from the Order and refuse to commune with their fellow Light Siders can become arrogant and adversarial which hinder our mission. As Jedi our mission is to be peace keepers and to do that we need to be in the Galaxy but not of it. We reject the diversions and devastating passions of the Galaxy, but in return we become a source of tranquility for those who have been through trials and tribulations. Our charge is to carry that peace to those places most bereft of it. However, being exposed to those outside the Jedi Order can in time taint us and rob us of the purity and peace we seek to impart. That is why we need to gather together and refresh one another in the Living Force.

Incredible intellect and power can be found in isolation, but along with it can come insanity. Even the Sith, our great enemy are always in twos. They dare not stay to them selves for long because of known dangers of seclusion. Granted exceptions must be made for survival. Master Yoda and Obi-Wan did live a long duration in isolation to survive, although they did have contact with the Netherworld of Jedi who have gone to become one with the Living Force. So even they had correspondence with Jedi, albeit those who are not among the living.

There is a moment in the Annuls of Anakin Skywalker where the Chosen One is saying fair well to his friend and former master Obi-Wan. In that moment Anakin confesses his weakness and his goodly master encourages him. One must wonder what would have happened if Kenobi had stayed with Skywalker during the events that led to the attempted arrest of Darth Sidious. Perhaps Kenobi could have convinced his former pupil to not be seduced by the Power of the Dark Side or provided a solution that could have kept Skywalker out of the situation. We shall never know, but the point being that connection and companionship in the Jedi Order is vital.

I dedicate this post to The Grand Master and to every member of *The New Jedi Trials 3.0*

It is because of each and everyone of you that I remain on The Jedi Council Forums.