The Gray Jedi Of Star Wars Explained
Star Wars, like most popular franchises, has inspired its share of fanon—a fan-created canon that serves to supplement the official canon. No element of fanon has been more prevalent than the concept of Gray Jedi. Despite Lucasfilm’s official stance that there is no such thing as Gray Jedi, Star Wars fans continue to keep the idea of neutral Force users alive. So, what exactly are these so-called Gray Jedi?
The concept of Gray Jedi originated from two non-canon sources: comic book series Star Wars: Republic: The Stark Hyperspace War and the video games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.
Ahsoka left the Jedi Order after being falsely accused of a crime and operated for many years as neither Jedi nor Sith but, much like SNL‘s David Pumpkins, her own thing.
In Star Wars: Republic, the term was first used to describe Qui-Gon Jinn due to his frequent clashes with the rest of the Jedi council and his penchant for doing things his own way. This is where the first definition of Gray Jedi comes from — a Jedi who rejects the order’s teachings but doesn’t think the Sith are so hot either.
The most prominent example of this kind of Gray Jedi is Ahsoka Tano, the character that most fans hold up as the poster child of the Gray Jedi concept. Ahsoka left the Jedi Order after being falsely accused of a crime and operated for many years as neither Jedi nor Sith but, much like SNL‘s David Pumpkins, her own thing.
The KOTOR games, however, brought a different approach to the idea of Gray Jedi. The game operates on a mechanic where the player’s actions determine whether their character is more attuned to the Dark Side or the Light Side.
Make too many evil choices, and your character becomes more Sith-like and gets a bonus when using “evil” Force powers like Force Lightning. Make a lot of noble choices, turn down easy money, spare an enemy, etc., and the same thing happens in the other direction.
It’s possible, however, for the player to walk a completely neutral path drawing on the light and dark sides of the Force equally. This version of a Gray Jedi, one where light and dark mix to literally create a shade of gray, is best exemplified by the character of Jolee Bindo, a potential companion that the player can pick up in 2003’s Knights of the Old Republic.
Bindo is an ex-Jedi obsessed with balance. While the character was an attempt by the game’s creators to introduce a companion that could go either way depending on the player’s alignment, his decidedly middle-ground approach to the Force greatly bolstered the Gray Jedi concept in the minds of certain fans.
While nothing can or should stop fans from embracing the concept of Gray Jedi as a fun head canon or for works of fanfiction, it should be reiterated that there is no such thing as Gray Jedi in the official Star Wars canon.
Both versions of Gray Jedi operate outside of the strict rules imposed upon Force users by the pious Jedi. The difference is characters that fit the first definition, like Qui-Gon Jinn and Ahsoka Tano, follow their own path but still adhere to the light side of the Force while they do it.
Think non-denominational Christians. They don’t subscribe to any particular sub-sect like Catholicism or Protestantism, but they still believe in the basic tenets of Christianity.
Characters like Jolee Bindo or The Jensaarai—an order of Clone Wars era Force users that follow a philosophy that blended Jedi and Sith teachings—on the other hand, dip into both the light side of the Force and the dark side as needed.
This ability to draw on both peace and conflict within oneself is also present in Mace Windu, leading some fans to bestow the Gray Jedi label on the beloved Jedi Master.
While nothing can or should stop fans from embracing the concept of Gray Jedi as a fun head canon or for works of fanfiction, it should be reiterated that there is no such thing as Gray Jedi in the official Star Wars canon.
To paraphrase ’80s comedian Yakov Smirnoff, in Imperial controlled space, dark side uses you.
There are a few reasons for this, the most prominent of which is that Gray Jedi go against George Lucas’s whole concept of Star Wars. Star Wars, when all is said and done, is a story about good vs. evil. Sure, there’s nuance involved, but even fringe characters like Han Solo, who try to stay out of the war and mind their own business, end up choosing a side eventually.
Another big reason is that there is no “dipping” into the dark side when it suits you and then just ignoring the temptation of more power. Force users don’t so much use the dark side as they give into it.
They give into the rage and sadness present in all living creatures and let the dark side consume them. To paraphrase ’80s comedian Yakov Smirnoff, in Imperial controlled space, dark side uses you.
Matt Martin of the Star Wars Story Group once said, “That sort of goes against what Star Wars is all about. The dark side corrupts,” when discussing Gray Jedi, and while that does a good job of explaining why they don’t now, nor will they ever work in canon perhaps the most passionate rant against the concept of Gray Jedi comes from a YouTube clip from the Jeff Dye Friendship Podcast featuring Freddie Prinze Jr. Be warned, the clip has a lot of adult language with Freddie calling Gray Jedi—among other things—”pretend fan fiction sh**”
While we think that might be a little harsh—fans should always have fun with their fandoms, and headcanon is often a part of that enjoyment—the clip is definitely worth a listen for both fans of Gray Jedi and those who oppose the concept.
