Star Wars: The High Republic Introduces Wayseeker Jedi

Star Wars: The High Republic takes fans back 200 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga, to a time where The Jedi Order was thriving and strong, as it aided the Republic in keep peace and order across the galaxy. However, the early previews of The High Republic and its debut books (Light of The Jedi, A Test of Courage, Into The Dark) also reveal some pretty interesting dimensions of the Jedi Order and its practices, which clearly faded out by the time of the Skywalker Saga. One big new shift is The High Republic introducing “Wayseeker Jedi” – a unique Jedi Knight that will have fans buzzing!

Star Wars: The High Republic – Into The Dark introduces a group of Jedi who all end up on the same perilous mission together. One of those Jedi Is Orla Jareni, who is introduced in the story at the time she’s just officially designated herself as a “Wayseeker” within the Jedi Order. So what, exactly, is a “Wayseeker” in Star Wars canon? Here’s what we learn from Into The Dark:

“Orla had recently declared herself a Wayseeker — a Jedi who would operate independently of the dictates of the Jedi Council. Some Jedi, from time to time, found themselves drawn to a period of solitary action, whether that meant meditation on a mountaintop, helping revolutionaries on a tyrant-ruled world, or even, in one legendary instance, becoming a minor singing sensation on Alderaan. All paths could lead to a deeper understanding of the Force.”

There’s long been a debate about the opposing poles of Jedi and The Sith when it comes to Star Wars‘ Force-sensitive warriors – specifically the wide gap of gray that exists between those two points of dark and light. “Gray Jedi” (a Jedi who neither follows the rigid code of the order, nor is an dark side user) is a term that pops up within the fandom every so often. However, Gray Jedi have also been knocked down time and again by fans, who point out that the concept doesn’t really make sense (light and dark represent balance and imbalance (respectively), they aren’t whit and black colors that can just be blended). However, “Wayseekers” are a whole new lane of Jedi that opens the door to entire new perceptions about what kind of role a Jedi plays in the galaxy.

More than the description of her identity as a Wayseeker, Orla Jareni’s costume (white robes, with a two-bladed white lightsaber) is another thing that will make the character uniquely distinguishable to fans – and get them buzzing with new ideas and connections.

Star Wars: The High Republic begins on January 5, 2021, with Light of the Jedi and A Test of Courage. Into the Darkness will follow in February. Pre-orders for the books are live on Amazon now.

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