What Is The Structure Of The Jedi Order During The High Republic & 'The Acolyte'?

Yoda looking out the grand window of the Jedi High Council meeting room at the bustling city of Coruscant.

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Viewers of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy-era films are well aware of the Jedi High Council, or simply the “Jedi Council” as it is more commonly known, which was responsible for the major decisions made by the Jedi Order during the Prequel Trilogy era, including during the Clone Wars leading up to Order 66. However, the Jedi Order is actually more layered than how it was presented during the Prequel Trilogy Era.

According to the fandom lore, there are a total of four Councils within the Jedi Order leadership hierarchy serving different purposes, including The Council of First Knowledge, The Council of Reconciliation, The Council of Reassignment, and, of course, the Jedi High Council. The Council of First Knowledge focuses on ancient Jedi wisdom and curates the Jedi Archives. One might imagine that Jocustu Nu from the Prequel Trilogy films, specifically Attack of the Clones, could have been part of this council, given her management of the Jedi Archives in the film. The Council of Reconciliation focuses on diplomacy and settling disputes between planets. The Council of Reassignment processes younglings not deemed fit to become Padawans. They are typically assigned civilian roles within the Jedi Order.

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The Jedi High Council is the supreme council of the Jedi Order, whose members make the most important decisions in the Jedi Order and the one Star Wars fans are most familiar with, including overseeing peacekeeping missions and Jedi training and promotion. However, in The Acolyte, the Jedi High Council is not shown at all. It is referred to by characters such as Vernestra Rwoh and Master Sol, however, both characters, as well as other Jedi such as Ki-Adi Mundi, who would later go on to sit on the Jedi High Council, were observed clandestinely meeting throughout the series, seemingly within a much smaller council. The apparent purpose of this council was to investigate the murders of Jedi Masters Indara and Torbin by an unknown assassin. The investigation later became a deeper and darker probe into what happened on the planet Brendok involving Masters Indara, Torbin, Sol, and Kelnacca sixteen years earlier, as well as the possible re-emergence of the Sith with the appearance of Qimir (aka “The Stranger”) on Khofar and Brendok.

The “smaller council” that Vernestra, Sol, et. al are operating is not specifically named in The Acolyte and, as such, remains a mystery. However, that council does not appear to match the description of any of the aforementioned councils. Vernestra's council appeared to be focused on maintaining secrecy and withholding information from the Jedi High Council and the Senate. This was due to their concerns about the potential repercussions of disclosing the Brendock incident and the return of the Sith. They feared that revealing this information could harm the Jedi Order and undermine the Senate's trust in the Order. In the closing moments, Vernestra is seen apparently approaching Master Yoda, a member of the Jedi High Council even at that time period. However, the series ends without further revealing the nature of their conversation, something that a continuation of the series, should it happen, would presumably help to explain. As things stand currently, all we know for sure is that Vernestra ended their clandestine investigation with yet another cover-up, with the blame for the Brendok incident, as well as all the other deaths, having been laid squarely at Master Sol’s feet.

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