Star Wars has always existed beyond the movies, and there have been some incredibly powerful Jedi in stories told through comics, books, video games, and more. Before 2014, the old Star Wars Expanded Universe storytelling contained all of these tales, and is now branded as Legends. While canon now takes precedence over Legends, those stories and characters are still important, especially Legends’ most powerful Jedi.
When discussing this, it’s important to distinguish the parameters of the list. Because the original six Star Wars movies were all part of the Expanded Universe canon as well, characters established in those films are a big part of Legends. For this list, however, only characters that completely debuted in Expanded Universe stories will be considered, meaning Luke and Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, and Mace Windu will not be considered. Otherwise, they would occupy the majority of the list. Here are the most powerful Jedi in Legends, aside from those well-known heroes.
10 Ganner Rhysode
Yuuzhan Vong Slayer
During the New Jedi Order series, Ganner Rhysode, a new member of Luke’s Jedi, was introduced in the novel The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide I: Onslaught by Michael Stackpole. Ganner was a hotheaded and overconfident young Jedi Knight, but very skilled with a lightsaber. Leading the charge against the invading Yuuzhan Vong, he was wounded, receiving a large facial scar that helped him readjust his priorities.
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More responsibly, Rhysode continued leading the Jedi and New Republic forces against the Yuuzhan Vong, using his immense power and skill against the invaders. Rhysode’s true power was demonstrated in the Battle of the World-Well in 27 ABY, where he rescued Jacen Solo from Vong captivity. During this battle, Ganner single-handedly killed thousands of Yuuzhan Vong elite warriors, fighting so powerfully that he became a part of the Yuuzhan Vong’s mythology, known as “The Ganner.”
9 Mara Jade Skywalker
Right Hand Of The New Jedi Order
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One of the most famous characters in all of Star Wars Legends, Mara Jade originated in Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn as the former Emperor’s Hand, Palpatine’s assassin. After the Empire was defeated, Mara began private work, vowing revenge on Luke Skywalker for defeating Palpatine. After years of back-and-forth, Luke and Mara eventually got married, and she became an absolutely core part of the New Jedi Order.
Mara Jade
Hailing from the Legends continuity, Mara Jade’s Force-sensitivity caught the eye of Emperor Palpatine himself. She became one of the Emperor’s Hands, a skilled assassin and spy who served his will. Mara failed in her last mission for the Emperor, to kill Luke Skywalker, and sank into the depths of the underworld for a time. She eventually became an ally of Luke, and the two fell in love, with Mara joining Luke’s Jedi Order. Mara was eventually killed by Jacen Solo, serving as his sacrifice as he committed himself to the way of the Sith.
Mara’s skills as a Jedi are varied, with her assassin past contributing to her combat abilities, but her Force powers were somewhat lacking until she trained with Luke and fully embraced the Jedi way. Mara Jade trained Jaina Solo and was an instrumental part of the Yuuzhan Vong War, even giving birth to Ben Skywalker during the war. Skilled in so many ways, Mara Jade was absolutely one of the most powerful members of Luke’s New Jedi Order.
8 Ulic Qel-Droma
Fallen Jedi Of The Old Republic
In the Tales of the Jedi comics by Tom Veitch and Chris Gossett, the complicated character Ulic Qel-Droma was first introduced. Living in the Old Republic, Qel-Droma was incredibly powerful. Trained by Jedi Watchman Arca Jeth, Ulic was an absolutely elite lightsaber duelist, using the Djem So lightsaber combat form, and could easily hold his own against multiple opponents and even beasts and large creatures, like those he defeated on a historic mission to Onderon.
Ulic was an absolutely elite lightsaber duelist, using the Djem So lightsaber combat form, and could easily hold his own against multiple opponents.
Outsider of lightsaber combat, Qel-Droma was also incredibly gifted with the Force and was able to use it very powerfully on offense, but even more powerfully in defense. During the war against the Krath, Ulic temporarily joined the Sith, becoming the apprentice of Exar Kun. He tapped into the dark side before being cut off from the Force, and went on to help the Jedi defeat Kun. After his actions as a Sith, Ulic-Qel Droma could never use the Force again – yet still nobly trained a new apprentice.
7 Thon
Beastly Jedi Master Of Ambria
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One of the most unusual Jedi, and seemingly a riff on the expectations Luke had for Yoda, Thon was a Tchuukthai Jedi Master living on the frontier world of Ambria. Appearing as a large, four-legged beast at first, you wouldn’t expect this creature to be one of the most powerful Jedi of the Great Sith War era. Master of the legendary Nomi Sunrider, Thon valued peace but was not afraid to participate in combat skillfully.
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Thon was regarded as one of the most powerful light side users of all time. Less skilled with a lightsaber, though capable of wielding one, Thon was much more capable as a physical combatant using his natural Tchuukthai skills, and was also gifted with the Force itself. Masterful with Battle Meditation, Thon could very effectively direct light side energies in combat, like he did when flushing out the dark side from Ambria. Some say he could even create light with the Force.
6 Kyp Durron
The New Jedi Order’s First Problem Student
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During the early days of his Jedi Academy, Luke Skywalker recruited a first class of students that included Kyp Durron. Living in the Spice Mines of Kessel from an early age, Kyp violently hated the Imperials, a trait that influenced his anti-Imperial killing spree as a young man possessed by the spirit of Sith Lord Exar Kun. Already incredibly gifted in the Force and in combat, the possession was only the beginning for Durron.
Eventually ridding himself of the Sith spirit, Kyp becomes one of the most prominent and powerful knights of the New Jedi Order. He was an essential yet controversial part of the Yuuzhan Vong War effort, and even frequently butted heads with Luke, preferring a more active style of combat. Kyp would later become a master on Luke’s Jedi High Council, leading the New Jedi Order for years to come with his immense skills in the Force and in lightsaber combat.
5 Nomi Sunrider
Old Republic Jedi Grand Master
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Once the wife of a Jedi named Andur Sunrider, Nomi Sunrider picked up her late husband’s iconic green lightsaber after his death at the hands of gang members. Pursuing training under the mighty and previously mentioned Master Thon, Nomi was incredibly powerful. She fought alongside Ulic Qel-Droma at times, and even defeated the Jedi-turned-Sith, cutting him off from the Force in order to end the Great Sith War.
As a Jedi student, Sunrider was trained by not only Thon, but other legendary masters like Arca Jeth, Odan-Urr, and Vodo-Siosk Baas, making her a true well of wisdom, knowledge, and experience.
Nomi would later become Grand Master of the Jedi Order, being even more skilled at Battle Meditation and many light side skills than her master. As a Jedi student, Sunrider was trained by not only Thon, but other legendary masters like Arca Jeth, Odan-Urr, and Vodo-Siosk Baas, making her a true well of wisdom, knowledge, and experience. Few Jedi were as powerful, prominent, and important as Nomi Sunrider during the Great Sith War period.
4 Revan
The Prodigal Jedi Knight
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The famous Revan began his life as a Jedi student, who grew up dissatisfied with the Jedi Order’s lack of involvement in the Mandalorian Wars. Revan and his close friend Alek led the Revanchist movement, and defied the Jedi Council to fight the Mandalorians on the side of the Republic. After the end of the war, Revan and Alek were turned to the dark side by the Sith Lord Vitiate.
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The two took control of the ancient Rakata Star Forge, using it to start their own Sith Empire, before Revan was betrayed by Alek, now Malak, and lost his memories. Being retrained as a Jedi, Revan’s immense power was clear. He eventually married Jedi Bastila Shan, and was one of the most individually powerful Jedi of a generation, having defeated the likes of Mandalore the Ultimate and countless other mighty Jedi and Sith.
3 Kyle Katarn
Rebel Jedi Master
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The star of the Dark Forces series of games, Kyle Katarn was a Force-sensitive Rebel agent who participated in many key battles. He helped steal the Death Star plans, sabotaged the Dark Trooper project, and even participated in the Yuuzhan Vong War, becoming a Jedi High Council member in Luke’s New Jedi Order. One of the most skilled and revered Jedi Masters of the Order, Kyle Katarn took several students, training both Mara Jade and the legendary Jaden Korr.
Another practitioner of not only the Djem So lightsaber combat form, but also Ataru and Sii-Cho, Kyle was an inventive fighter. A lot of his sheer skill comes from his innate Force-sensitivity, and his inventiveness with his abilities. Not afraid to use both a blaster and a lightsaber together, Katarn was an immensely powerful yet unorthodox Jedi.
2 Jaina Solo
Heir To The Skywalker Legacy
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During the New Republic era, Han and Leia had three children, two of them being the twins Jacen and Jaina Solo. The incredibly powerful and later named “Sword of the Jedi” Jaina Solo was one of the most powerful Jedi in all of Star Wars Legends. Trained by her uncle Luke and Mara Jade, Jaina was a fierce fighter with a knack for creativity, technological skills, telekinesis.
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A pilot in the elite Rogue Squadron during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Jaina played a key role in galactic history from her teenage years, becoming central to the New Jedi Order. She was skilled in Force healing, the Jedi battle meld, mind tricks, and was trained by Mandalorian commandos to be one of the fiercest Jedi warriors of all time, even fighting Abeloth and her Sith forces. A High Council member and later Empress of the galaxy, Jaina was undoubtedly one of the greatest Jedi ever.
1 Jacen Solo
Heir To The Skywalker Legacy
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The second Solo twin, Jacen Solo, was the most powerful Jedi who debuted in Star Wars Legends, which makes his story even more tragic. Training under Luke himself for his early years, Jacen came of age during the Yuuzhan Vong War. During the conflict, he was captured by the Vong and tortured by the fallen Jedi Vergere, who changed his view on the Force. Key to ending the Vong War, Jacen eventually fell to the dark side out of the desire to protect his young daughter, and was sadly slain by his sister as the Sith Lord Darth Caedus.
During the conflict, he was captured by the Vong and tortured by the fallen Jedi Vergere, who changed his view on the Force.
What separates Jacen from his sister and gives him the top spot, however, is the way he defeated Onimi, the mastermind behind the Yuuzhan Vong. Jacen became fully one with the Force and transformed into a being of pure light, radiating power like no Jedi before and eliminating Onimi on a molecular level. Because of this one legendary instance, and a life full of immense skill, power, and wisdom, Jacen Solo is undoubtedly the most powerful Jedi from Star Wars Legends.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
Created by George Lucas First Film Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Cast Mark Hamill , James Earl Jones , David Prowse , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford , Daisy Ridley , Adam Driver , Ian McDiarmid , Ewan McGregor , Rosario Dawson , Lars Mikkelsen , Rupert Friend , Moses Ingram , Frank Oz , Pedro Pascal TV Show(s) The Mandalorian , Andor , Obi-Wan Kenobi , The Book of Boba Fett , Ahsoka , The Acolyte , Star Wars: Skeleton Crew , Lando , Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels , Star Wars: The Bad Batch , Star Wars: Resistance , Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures , Star Wars: Visions Character(s) Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , Rey Skywalker , Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious , Obi-Wan Kenobi , Ahsoka Tano , Grand Admiral Thrawn , Grand Inquisitor , Reva (The Third Sister) , The Fifth Brother , The Seventh Sister , The Eighth Brother , Yoda , Din Djarin , Grogu , Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader , Leia Organa , Ben Solo/Kylo Ren Video Game(s) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic , Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords , Star Wars Battlefront (2015) , Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005) , Star Wars: The Force Unleashed , Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II , Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order , Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Expand