If the Jedi are forbidden to Marry, where do new bloodlines come from?

I was hangin' out the other day watching Seinfeld (of all things LOL) and I drifted off and began to daydream of Star Wars and all that that entails.

I began to reflect on how Jedi are recruited at a very young age due to Midi-chlorian count or "force sensitivity" as the traditional concept suggests.

Then it dawned on me that if strength of the force is determined by bloodline (since midi-chlorians reside in living cells) then how are new bloodlines brought about?

If the Jedi are not permitted to marry or procreate, then wouldn't all the most powerful bloodlines eventually fade? Also if those strong in the force (those with high midi-chlorian count) procreate with non-force sensitives then wouldn't the bloodlines also weaken over time?

I'm led to think this based on the fact that Qui-Gon asked Shmi who Anakin's father was. The answer is irrelevent, the fact that "he asked" suggests that the bloodline affects the potentcy. This is also reinforced by the strong force sensitivity in Luke (and perhaps Leia if it was developed).

If the Republic has been around for over a thousand generations, wouldn't most of the known bloodlines be recorded in the Jedi archives?

When I first saw Star Wars back in 1977, I always assumed the force was merely something that anyone could attain if they worked hard enough to learn about it and had faith in something they couldn't see. This made the dialogue between Han and Luke valid since Han didn't believe in the force.

Perhaps that was just a mistake on George's part, not having fully realised the potential in the film or it's future and considering the huge amount of pressure to finnish the film he was under. Seeing how in the next film Luke (and Leia) had to be characterised as the "Last hope" for the galaxy. Also a reason that the force was "stong in my family" as Luke said had to be worked out.

All that aside, when TPM came out, the nature of the force was revealed to be tied to the Midi-chlorian count of those who carried them. Since this is the case (being in the film it is now canon) it seems that the Jedi would encourage marriage. It's almost as if the Jedi order in protecting the force inadvertently is destroying it.

Although it may just be that select DNA combinations allow midi-chlorians to thrive; kinda like our Earth thrives because of just the right conditions like distance from the sun and rotation etc. Perhaps it's a combination of random new force sensitives being born and bloodlines losing small increments of force sensitivity over time.

Perhaps this is why the Sith seek unatural methods of increasing their force strength. Perhaps they seek to unlock some random DNA combination within themselves to maximise their potential power.

(These last paragraphs are what i picked up based on EU and other Lucas endorsed stories etc.)

This would explain things like the ritualistic blood rites and procreation with the early Sith race as well as the enhancements of magic and science imbibed into their sabers which is why the blades are red.

I may have misread many of those sources, but I was led to believe that the reason Sith have yellow eyes and withered skin is due to blood rites with ancient Sith DNA, which is what makes them essentially different from mere Dark Jedi, as well as far more deadly.

 

Yes, Force-sensitivity is passed down through DNA - but it doesn't have to be. It can come from anywhere, at any time, it just appears in a family. That's why it doesn't make a difference that Jedi don't have kids - there will always be people Force-sensitive in the galaxy, as that's the way of the Force. I'm guessing another reason for Jedi not having kids is that it could create dynasties within the Order, and that's not a good thing in an Order such as the Jedi, where the service is to the community and the Force, rather than themselves.

 

hehe that sounds a bit "dark side" to me lol

 

Maybe it's a Jedi power... Force Impregnate.

 

I always wondered why the Jedi were against marriage when they were open to allow for a diversity of the sexes. If they were a patriarchal group, like the Catholic Church, I can see it being a little more possible to enforce such things, but in mixing males and females they should know that there would eventually be attraction and such. It just makes me wonder.

 

Stepping into the EU, in Star Wars - Tales of the Jedi (comic) Nomi Sunrider picks up her husband's lightsaber when attacked by bandits. So, 4000 years before the films, jedi could marry. I wonder what happened (and when) to change that.

Then, of course, there's Master Ki and his wives.

-Joe

 

but in mixing males and females they should know that there would eventually be attraction and such. It just makes me wonder.

One wouldn't be a very good Jedi if one couldn't control one's own actions. Do people really have such little self-control that they think attraction necessarily means copulation?

 

<i>Maybe it's a Jedi power... Force Impregnate.</i>

LOL....very good!

 

One wouldn't be a very good Jedi if one couldn't control one's own actions. Do people really have such little self-control that they think attraction necessarily means copulation?

I don't think it means copulation, it could have a lot to do with attachment.

"Attachment is forbidden"

Why? Take Anakin's reaction when Padme falls out of the gunship in AOTC. Take Luke's reaction when Vader says he'll turn Leia to the dark side in ROTJ.

Imagine if Anakin and Padme were able to marry and make it public, they have the twins and Palpatine says he'll turn them to the dark side.

Ask any parent what they would do if someone tried to hurt their children.

But Force-sensitivity is not 100% genetic

 

LOL yea it's def a pickle LOL

 

I don't understand how Plo Koon's family can be Jedi and very strog in the Force and have a kid named Plo Koon. How can he be a Jedi if his family are all Jedi? If they are Jedi, there shouldn't be a Plo Koon at all. There shouldn't be a Mrs. Koon, either.

 

Hmmm, very interesting topic! Sorry if I derail it with my curly thought processes.

If we're looking at examples of films, then Shmi being impregnated by the Force could indicate that if a Force-sensitive child is needed, then the Force will create one. The comment "The Force runs strong in my family" can't really be backed up more than a few generations, seeing as we know nothing about Shmi's lineage nor Padme's.

Anakin's family is 'illegal'...how many other 'illegal' relationships do you think might be going on between fellow Jedi, or Jedi and their charges? The Jedi might be strong willed and not the marrying type, but doesn't mean they were popping out the rug rats on the sly

From what I know, Corellian Jedis married and had families. That was supposedly 'allowed', even celebrated. They had their own culture within the Jedi system, so that doesn't mean that they were alone in their wants to settle down, have kids and do their Jedi thing on their home turf.

'Attachment is forbidden' is interesting. Perhaps this was a law put in place to stop Jedis making the mistakes that others like Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider made. The theme that caring about your brother/sister/wife/husband/child/best friend will lead you to the Dark Side. Look at how Vader tried to use it against Luke, how the Emperor tried to use it against Vader.

With the Jedi you couldn't afford to have attachments because they would lead you to take risks and be a bit emotional about things, leading you to the darkside. This much is pretty clear.

With the Sith you weren't supposed to have attachments...they made you weak, easy to manipulate. This leads to death. Hmmm...

Wait, sorry, we're talking about continuing bloodlines. Maybe, the Jedi did have 'breeding' programs, within the order, maybe outside of the order.

It might be that they had people tracing bloodlines between families that had Jedi in the past, maybe trying to matchmake the decendants a few generations down the line to produce a child that would have the genetic code of two Jedi in their DNA, hence upping their midiclorian count and chances of becoming a Jedi.

What about that idea?

 

The whole process is pretty sick if you ask me. How would you like your child to be taken from you FOREVER because he or she is force-sensitive.

It's really something that could have been handled better.

 

Actually, the EU has a whole novel about the sperm donation room of the Jedi Temple.

 

"The whole process is pretty sick if you ask me. How would you like your child to be taken from you FOREVER because he or she is force-sensitive."

It's better then the alternative (if the child isn't trained, he/she will most likely end up falling to the Dark Side & then killing many people).

 

I don't think it means copulation, it could have a lot to do with attachment.

I agree - though I think they are related, as romantic attachments are easily derived from sexual impulses.

But the original claim, to which I was responding, was that if you put male and female Jedi together, there will inevitably be copulation. Surely that isn't true - a Jedi would not be controlled by emotional impulses.

 

Force ability is like any other talent - it can be passed down genetically, but sometimes it comes out of nowhere.

 

i was just wondering this.

 

Jedi are forbidden to marry, but that doesn't mean they can't do the hanky panky, they breed, but they dont marry.

 

I am glad that I am not the only one to wonder this, talk about a major plot hole

 

Mutation. Sure if you have 2 force sensitive types that have a baby, their baby will probably also be force sensitive. But there has to be a percentage of kids born that have parents that are not force sensitive. By force sensitive I mean are able to feel the force and not just have midichlorians (it's safe to assume that all beings have midichlorians).
My understanding has always been that those not conceived by 2 force sensitive beings have some sort of mutated cell(s) that is able to let midichlorians inhabit it better, thus giving them force powers.
Good topic

 

i bet they can do some kinky things with all that force sensitivity.