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With the Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) theories going around, isn't Jedi more or less a certification or title granted by the Jedi order (analogous to being knighted)?

If so then isn't Luke technically not a Jedi since the Jedi order didn't official proclaim him as a Jedi?

One could just assume Jedi means "light side force users". If that's the case then certainly a "master" requires some sort of certification. Perhaps Luke is a Jedi but is he not a Jedi Master? Anakin was pissed about being on the council without being recognized as a Master.

As for the title Return of the Jedi (1983) it could simply be Anakin rejoining the light side.

Giacomo1968
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Adam Gent
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  • Related; https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/24548/in-star-wars-legends-when-did-luke-officially-recognize-himself-as-a-jedi-maste – Valorum Oct 11 '17 at 17:57
  • This semi-dupe deals with the question of how a Jedi becomes a "Master"; https://scifi.stackexchange.com/a/70591/20774. Luke certainly fulfills the requirements of having undertaken a great service to the Jedi order, killing the Emperor and restarting the Jedi school – Valorum Oct 11 '17 at 18:10
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    The last jedi in international versions is a pluralised jedi http://www.slashfilm.com/the-last-jedi-plural-title/ – Mauro Oct 11 '17 at 21:24
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    The Last Jedi is Luke, according to Word Of God: https://twitter.com/rianjohnson/status/917611834181431296 – Plutor Oct 12 '17 at 02:03
  • Related question about who the "Jedi" is in "Return of the Jedi": https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/63906/who-is-the-eponymous-jedi-in-return-of-the-jedi – Plutor Oct 12 '17 at 11:01
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – Null Oct 12 '17 at 14:18
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    Luke IS the Jedi Order now. He gave the title to himself. – tilley31 Oct 12 '17 at 17:01
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    If obsessed with formalism you be, get far, you will not. Mmm. – einpoklum Oct 14 '17 at 18:21
  • According to Luke himself, yes. And so was Anakin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSGgODCqpFQ – user13267 Oct 15 '17 at 12:54
  • Bro does Luke even Jedi – Paul D. Waite Feb 19 '24 at 20:58
  • This reminds me of how my wife and I were recently watching The Mandalorean, including the episode where Grogu gets knighted. and I quipped to her that "Unlike Anakin, Grogu is a Jedi Knight". – FuzzyBoots Feb 19 '24 at 22:50

4 Answers4

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Yoda (the sole remaining Jedi Master) sets one very specific precondition on Luke being able to call himself a Jedi, that he has to confront Vader.

“No more training do you require,” Yoda assured him. “Already know you that which you need.”

“Then I am a Jedi?” Luke pressed. No. He knew he was not, quite. Something still lacked.

Yoda wrinkled up his wizened features. “Not yet. One thing remains. Vader … Vader you must confront. Then, only then, a full Jedi you’ll be. And confront him you will, sooner or later.”

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Official Novelisation

Since he accomplishes this later in the film, it's fair to say that he's a Jedi.

Various other authorities on the subject also state that he's a Jedi.

Vader thinks Luke is a Jedi.

Vader seemed almost to smile through his mask at his son’s use of Jedi voice-manipulation. He looked down at the lightsaber the captain had given him—Luke’s lightsaber. So the boy was truly a Jedi now. A man grown. He held the lightsaber up. “You have constructed another.”

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Official Novelisation

The Emperor thinks Luke is a Jedi

The Emperor’s glee turned to a sullen rage. “So be it, Jedi. If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed.”

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Official Novelisation

Luke thinks he's a Jedi.

He hurled his lightsaber away. “Never! Never will I turn to the dark side! You have failed, Palpatine. I am a Jedi, as my father was before me.”

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Official Novelisation

The film's official novelisation explicitly calls him a Jedi Knight pretty consistently throughout the book.

The monster then turned and started for Luke. But the Jedi Knight leaped eight meters straight up and grabbed onto the overhead grate. The crowd began to boo. Hand over hand, Luke traversed the grating toward the corner of the cave, struggling to maintain his grip as the audience jeered his efforts. One hand slipped on the oily grid, and he dangled precariously over the baying mutant.

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Official Novelisation

The (fully canon) Ultimate Star Wars reference book calls him a Jedi in the timeline on Luke's page.

Jedi Luke Skywalker demands Jabba release Han Solo

The (fully canon) Star Wars in 100 Scenes factbook agrees.

Desperate, the young Jedi [Luke] calls out to his gravely wounded father for help.

and so does the official StarWars.com Databank article on Luke.

Luke Skywalker was a Tatooine farmboy who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest Jedi the galaxy has ever known.

Interestingly, the (canon) Star Wars Made Easy: A Beginner's Guide to a Galaxy Far, Far Away factbook pinpoints the precise moment that Luke becomes a fully fledged Jedi, when he casts aside his lightsaber during his duel with Vader.

SO HE IS A JEDI?

No. Luke does call himself a Jedi Knight when he goes to Jabba’s palace, but it is not until later that he truly becomes one by renouncing the dark side, even though it will likely cost him his life.

Valorum
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  • I guess he is a Jedi but how can he be a "Jedi Master" which seems to be the requirement to train others? – Adam Gent Oct 11 '17 at 17:52
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    @AdamGent - A Jedi "Master" is simply a Jedi Knight who's trained another Jedi to knighthood. – Valorum Oct 11 '17 at 17:54
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    @AdamGent I wonder if you could make the argument that Luke "trained" Vader in the last few minutes of his life. – Cort Ammon Oct 11 '17 at 20:13
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    @CortAmmon well in my opinion "Return of the Jedi" could also be interpreted the returning of Anakin to the light side (regardless of whether Luke is a Jedi or not since Jedi can be the plural form). – Adam Gent Oct 11 '17 at 20:41
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    @AdamGent - "Who is the eponymous Jedi in Return of the Jedi?" – Valorum Oct 11 '17 at 20:42
  • @CortAmmon it is plural as far as I know. The german translation is "Rückkehr der Jedi Ritter", a plural expression – Matthias Nicklisch Oct 12 '17 at 13:40
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – Null Oct 12 '17 at 17:08
  • Not because everyone thinks hes a Jedi, he is, as the OP stated in his question, if he was not certified by the council, is he really a Jedi or just not Master?. – montelof Oct 12 '17 at 20:51
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    @montelof -He's certainly a Jedi. Yoda says he is (or at least that he will be if he does x). As to his mastery, the title itself is simply a title. Being the head of a revived order makes him a de-facto Master – Valorum Oct 12 '17 at 21:14
  • @Valorum That creates an interesting chicken-egg problem. If you have to be a Jedi Master to train other Jedi, but don't become a Jedi Master until you've trained another Jedi... – Cronax Oct 13 '17 at 11:26
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    @Cronax - A Jedi Knight can train a Padawan (which we see happen in Star Wars: The Clones Wars with Knight Anakin Skywalker and Padawan Ahsoka Tano). When the Padawan takes the Trials and becomes a fully fledged Jedi Knight, the Knight who did the training is usually then given the title of Master. – Valorum Oct 13 '17 at 11:28
  • If I'm the only blacksmith in the world, I am the Blacksmith Master, seeing as how I am the only one who can teach blacksmithing. – PiousVenom Oct 13 '17 at 16:49
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    This answer would be well-described as "Definitive" :) – Fattie Oct 15 '17 at 15:50
  • @Fattie - It's getting there. – Valorum Oct 15 '17 at 16:04
  • @Valorum - heh, have a good one – Fattie Oct 15 '17 at 16:12
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He is a Jedi

In the absence of the Jedi council, the only surviving member was Grand Master Yoda, after Obi-Wan Kenobi died in the duel with Darth Vader. So Yoda could have announced Luke as Jedi, but did not have time, as he died prematurely.

However,

  • Luke has nearly completed his training with Yoda, so he had a proper Jedi training, although incomplete.
  • Yoda assigned him a quest (to confront and defeat Vader) which he successfully accomplished.

This makes him a Jedi. Continuing your analogy: in the old Knight novels, when a Squire is successful on a quest assigned by a King, and the King does not live to formally announce him a Knight, he is knighted by Quest.

Community
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TimSparrow
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This is a interesting question, because, nobody really gives Luke the title, because there is no order to grant it. However, Luke is the return of the Jedi, and he has the training and capabilities, to be a Jedi master, after he has defeated Vader.

There is some theories, that he established the Old Jedi Council again, and was training younglings, until his nephew turned to the dark side, and killed the order and the younglings. Perhaps we will see this in The Last Jedi as a flashback..

Edlothiad
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Anders Pedersen
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    CAn you expand on how you come to the conculsion that Luke is the return of the Jedi and not Anakin? – Thomas Oct 12 '17 at 11:06
  • Practical, he is, Because the Jedi is destinct, when we get to episode 4. That is why nobody believes in that stuff anymore (the force). After the fall of the republic, I gues the Empire destroyed every historic evidence, of the time "before".

    Luke is the return of the jedi, because he is the last hope for the Jedi order and the Jedi's in general to return. However, Anakin was the Padawon, and turned sith apprentice, before reaching the rank of jedi, because the Order wouldn grand him that title, being aware that something was comming up the given time.

     – Anders Pedersen Oct 12 '17 at 13:47
  • Luke is not the "return of the Jedi", Anakin is. – Scott Whitlock Oct 13 '17 at 16:22
  • Luke isnt a Jedi before episode 6, that is why he is "the return of the jedi", because he got his training and have now become the last jedi, and "the new hope". I atleast think so, I think that darth vader to be the jedi, is just a fan theory. He has been lost in the dark side for far too long, to ever become a jedi again. He has been sucked into the dark side, and now only have the powers of the sith. You can't become a Jedi after what his been doing.. – Anders Pedersen Oct 18 '17 at 07:10
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No, he isn't.

But you could make arguments depending on your understanding of what is "a jedi".

Training

Jedis trained since very young to the end of their teenage years in order to master all skills and techniques. Then training for a year or so with Yoda doesn't qualify as true training. He got a crash course on the skills he needed to fulfill his task (defeat Vader). It would be very unlikely that he covered all basics that would make him a Jedi.

Comparison

How does Luke compares to fellow padawans in the verge of becoming Jedi's? Do you think Luke would have held his ground force/sword/knowledge? You can see some padawans in their last years in the form of Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ashoka. I would say he isn't even close. (But he is the most powerful force being ever... ok).

Graduation

With no Jedi council there is no one to give him the title. So he isn't a formal Jedi. Yoda then gave him his final trial in the form of Vader. You could argue that Yoda being the last member of the council (as of now) granting him the title would make him "a Jedi". OK.

Profession

But ultimately did Luke behave like a Jedi? Luke used his training for personal uses (saving his father, helping his friends) and constantly showed non-Jedi behaviour like showing attachment, showing emotions, holding to the past. He may hold the title, but he didn't stand by it.

I read Valorum's answer and it has good points. Nonetheless I find them too literal:

  • He/Sidious/Vader/everyone thinks he is a Jedi: most probably used as "good guy using the force". Take a look at how everyone refers to Ezra/Kanan as "Jedi" whenever they see them either holding a lightsaber or using the force. It is just a shortcut for that concept (without Jedi order implications at all).
  • EU thinks he is: EU is based on the belief he's a Jedi, so no much argument here. Is there in the EU any resource that challenges his status? (EU is wrong thinking SW is about Luke).

(From a the real world Ep IV - VI were filmed prior to EP I-III where all the basics for what actually is Jedi was exposed, so yes "thinks he is" is outdated at best).

Then who is the last Jedi? Yoda most probably.

If you think Luke is a Jedi, then you would have to prove (at least) that neither Ezra (same case) nor Ashoka (training not finished) aren't around to compete for the title.

Did you ever hear the tragedy of the EU? That is why I don't discuss it.

Jalex23
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    "training for a year or so with Yoda doesn't qualify as true training". Really? – Valorum May 07 '20 at 20:44
  • IMO compared to being several years as a kid under Yoda's training (as shown all younglings have), and then even more years with a Jedi in field. No, it is not even 1/10 of what real training looks like. – Jalex23 May 07 '20 at 22:02
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    All of those little kids had to share Yoda between them. Luke got the 1-2-1 good stuff – Valorum May 07 '20 at 22:39