8 Most Important Clone Wars Jedi Masters in the Star Wars Canon

Some Jedi Masters proved to be instrumental during Star Wars: The Clone Warsserving with distinction or infamy – and here are the ten most important. Not every Jedi achieves the rank of Master, regardless of what Anakin Skywalker may have thought; the title is only awarded to a Jedi who has successfully trained a Padawan to the rank of Knight. Anakin may have been a key figure during the Clone Wars, one of the galaxy’s greatest heroes, but his Padawan Ahsoka left the Jedi – meaning he never achieved the rank.

The Masters are among some of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy. This naturally means that many of them ended up on the front lines during the Clone Wars, and many served with distinction. Unfortunately, some were also notable for very different reasons. Here are the ten most important Jedi Masters during the Clone Wars.

8

Obi Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan the Negotiator

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker became legends during the Clone Wars, partners whose heroism inspired young people across the galaxy. Obi-Wan was the one who discovered the clones in the first place and would lead many of the galaxy’s most important military campaigns. His greatest moment came when he was assigned to overthrow General Grievous at the Battle of Utapau. Obi-Wan fired the shot that ended the Clone Warsforcing Palpatine to move forward with his plans and move to Order 66.

The Clone Wars transformed Obi-Wan, turning him into one of the most revered Jedi of all, nicknamed Obi-Wan the Negotiator for his ability to persuade others to work together. Interestingly, this was even useful to the Jedi Council, because the Councilors often disagreed on the best course of action. It’s impossible to measure how important Obi-Wan really was to the Jedi during the Clone Wars; If he had been killed in battle, the Jedi would have suffered a devastating blow.

7

Yoda

The Grand Master served with distinction

Yoda was the Jedi Grand Master during the Clone Wars, a post he held for centuries. The Grand Master was considered the wisest among the Jedi, and his guidance and wisdom were sought throughout the conflict. Yoda spent much of his time in the Jedi Temple, meditating on the will of the Force, although he ended up taking an important role in contacting senators and also the chancellor.

Yoda fought with distinction during the Clone Wars, leading many military campaigns – and delighting the clones with his willingness to treat them as individualssomething that is unfortunately not true of all other Jedi. Tragically, Yoda’s final battle during the Clone Wars took him to Kashyyyk, where he ended up killing some of those same clones when he felt their betrayal after Palpatine issued Order 66. Yoda would always regret this need.

6

Mace Windu

The Master of the Order

The Grand Master may be considered the wisest of the Jedi, but he also has another crucial role; Master of the Order. The Master of the Order is essentially responsible for overseeing Jedi operations across the galaxy, and Mace Windu held the role during the Clone Wars – which meant he was the one who commanded the entire Jedi war strategyalbeit after accepting guidance from the Jedi Council. Fortunately, Steven Barnes’ recent novel The Glass Abyss confirmed that Mace was forged in conflict and he proved himself up to the task of commanding the Clone Wars.

The Clone Wars were a vast conflict that spanned the entire galaxy – but they lasted just three years. In large part, this is a testament to Mace Windu’s skill as a war leader and strategist; his natural abilities were augmented by a rare Force power called “Shatterpoint,” which allowed him to detect weaknesses in his enemies and take advantage of them. His unique Force sensitivity even seemed to give him a chance when he faced Palpatine in the end.

5

Pong Krell

A traitor to the Jedi

The three previous Jedi Masters served with distinction. Pong Krell, a Besalisk Jedi Master who sensed the approaching darkness, was something very different; wishing to prove himself to the Sith, he betrayed the Jedi and the clones. “A new power is rising,” Pong Krell warned, with a vision that can only come from the Force. “I predicted this. The Jedi will lose this war. And the Republic will be destroyed from within.“It’s chilling to see how right he was – predicting the downfall of the Jedi and Palpatine’s betrayal of the Republic.

The Clone Wars were the Jedi’s ultimate trap, not least because they forced the Jedi to become something they were never meant to be; generals who led armies into battle. The dark side is an inherent part of war, because conflict is all about dominance, while the light side is about submission. Pong Krell’s fall serves as the perfect symbol of this, and it’s frightening to speculate that the Jedi Knights he taught over the years may have also betrayed the Order.

4

Shaak Ti

A highly respected Jedi warrior

Shaak Ti was brought into the Jedi Council after Yaddle’s disappearance a decade before the start of the Clone Wars, and she gained a reputation for her wisdom and proficiency in combat. Shaak Ti served on the front lines of many major conflicts, including battles on Kamino, Geonosis, and even Coruscant. Unlike most Jedi, however, she was stationed on Kamino; There, she worked to train the clones and help them understand how to coordinate with the Jedi. The efficiency of the Grand Army of the Republic depended largely on Shaak Ti.

Tragically, Shaak Ti was tricked by the Kaminoans; she never suspected the importance of the inhibitor chips implanted in the clones. This was true even when a clone’s chip malfunctioned and he obeyed Order 66 prematurely, killing a Jedi in the heat of battle. Shaak Ti died at the hands of Anakin Skywalker when he led an attack on the Jedi Temple during the Jedi Purge.

3

Plo Koon

A Jedi Master who took on some of the most dangerous missions

Jedi Master Kel Dor, Plo Koon and their 104th Battalion tended to take on some of the most dangerous missions during the Clone Wars. This meant he faced death perhaps more often than any other Jedi Master, even leading the mission to neutralize the Separatist superweapon called Malevolence – and almost falling victim to it. Koon was notably much more spontaneous than some other Jedi Masters, which meant he was difficult to predict in battle.

Koon was willing to play fast and loose with the rulessometimes even launching the kind of semi-sanctioned missions that Anakin Skywalker was most famous for. He covered for Ahsoka Tano when she disobeyed her master and sneaked aboard a ship bound for the Citadel to help free prisoners; Plo Koon stated that he assigned Ahsoka there without Anakin’s knowledge. Unfortunately, the close bond between Plo Koon and Ahsoka doesn’t mean he helped defend her when she was accused of perpetrating a terrorist attack on the Jedi Temple, and Plo Koon would deeply regret that.

2

Adi Gallia

A skilled intelligence agent and strategist

A Tholothian member of the Jedi Council, Adi Gallia was known for her skills as a political consultant in the years before the Clone Wars. She built a vast intelligence network that spanned Coruscant, and her knowledge and experience with this network would make her invaluable during the galactic conflict. Gallia played a unique role, alternating between leading the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Group and liaising with pirates and criminals who were willing to support the Republic.

Delilah S. Dawson Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade suggests that Adi Gallia served as a sort of liaison between the Jedi and Republic Intelligence. This role would mean that she would be responsible for planning many important operations and explain her role in certain unusual tasks; she was part of a small group of Jedi assigned to capture Darth Maul, for example. Adi Gallia certainly focused much of his network on trying to identify the Sith Lords, but he was unsuccessful in this task.

1

Luminara Unduli

The dark side pursued this Jedi Master

A powerful Mirialan Jedi, Luminara Unduli served on the front lines in the First Battle of Geonosis and was quickly placed in command of a legion of clones after the start of the Clone Wars. Luminara was one of the first Jedi to face Dooku’s Sith assassin, Asajj Ventress, and she barely survived the encounter. They would clash many times during the Clone Wars, with Luminara putting Ventress to the test.

The dark side would strike close to home for Luminarahowever. His former Padawan, Barriss Offee, lost faith in the Jedi and committed a major terrorist attack on the Jedi Temple itself. She framed Ahsoka Tano for the crime, but ended up being exposed. There is no doubt that this shook Luminara deeply, making her one of the most tragic characters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Luminara appears to have survived Order 66, only to be killed by the Imperial Inquisitors shortly afterwards; his body was used as bait for other Jedi.