The Jedi, Jedi Knights, or the Knights of the Jedi Order are the main protagonists of many works of the Star Wars franchise, often working symbiotically alongside the Galactic Republic and the Rebel Alliance. The Jedi Order are depicted as a monastic, academic, and meritocratic organization whose origin dates back thousands of years before the events of the first film released in the franchise. The fictional organization has inspired a real-world new religious movement, Jediism.
The Jedi Order were powerful Force-wielding beings, guardians of peace and justice in the Star Wars galaxy. As George Lucas explained, the Jedi Knights were “warrior-monks who keep peace in the universe without resorting to violence.” He added, the Jedi “use their power to keep the governments of all the planets in line, so that they don't do terrible things.” The Jedi have the “moral authority to do that” since they are “the most moral of anybody in the galaxy.” With their main temple located in the Republic capital, Coruscant, the Jedi "brought peace into the galaxy by being ambassadors and troubleshooters.”