Star Wars has revealed many secrets of the ancient Jedi Order. George Lucas set his Star Wars films a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away - and he wasted no time establishing that the Jedi Order was older still. "For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic," Obi-Wan Kenobi told Luke Skywalker. "Before the Dark Times, before the Empire."
Most Star Wars stories are set around the time of the Skywalker saga, although some recent transmedia initiatives have also explored the High Republic Era - hundreds of years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. The old Expanded Universe, which included stories set before the founding of the Jedi and detailed the events that led them to become a galactic power in the first place, is no longer considered canon; still, many details have been alluded to, suggesting the basic flow of events is similar (if not, in many cases, potentially identical).
With the exception of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, few of the movies have really explored the history of the Jedi Order. That discussion has been relegated to tie-ins in a wide range of different mediums, meaning most viewers will struggle to join the dots. Here's everything Star Wars has revealed about the first Jedi - and what came before them.
The Bendu Were The Precursor Of The Jedi
George Lucas' first plans called the Jedi "Jedi-Bendu," and the old Expanded Universe (now dubbed "Legends") honored this by revealing a Force group known as the Bendu acted as the precursor to the Jedi. The concept has been restored in the Disney era courtesy of a Star Wars: Force & Destiny sourcebook called "Unlimited Power," which re-canonizes the Bendu as a "precursor" to the Jedi Order. Little is known about the Bendu, but they may be associated with a powerful ancient creature seen in Star Wars Rebels who went by that name
The First Jedi Served Balance, Not Light Or Dark
There's strong evidence the first Jedi did not serve the light side of the Force or the dark. Rather, they considered themselves agents of balance; indeed, they conceived balance as a separate aspect of the Force. That was certainly the Bendu's perspective on the Force in Star Wars Rebels, and it is supported by an ancient Jedi mantra that survived into the prequel era:
"We call upon the three — light, dark, and balance true. One is no greater than the others. Together, they unite, restore, center, and renew. We walk into the light, acknowledge the dark, and find balance within ourselves. The Force is strong."
Other tie-ins have suggested these ancient Jedi were correct, tapping into powers that are not available to either Jedi or Sith - who are essentially limited by their allegiances.
The Prime Jedi Was An Agent Of Balance
Little is known of the mysterious being known as the Prime Jedi, founder of the Jedi Order. He can be seen on a mural in the Jedi Temple on Ahch-To, and visually he's similar in appearance to a ancient race from the Jedi: Fallen Order games known as the Zeffo. The mural shows the Prime Jedi as an agent of balance; light and dark are given equal prominence in the depiction, with the Prime Jedi shown as the darkness in the light and the light in the darkness.
The First Jedi Temple Was Established On Ahch-To
The first Jedi Temple was built deep in the Unknown Regions, on the waterworld of Ahch-To; according to The Star Wars Book, this was about 25,000 years before the Skywalker saga. Ironically, in those distant times the Unknown Regions may not have been as difficult to explore; according to Timothy Zahn's novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, travel across that sector was once as easy as elsewhere.
"But then, millennia ago, a series of chained supernova explosions throughout the region had sent huge masses tumbling at high speeds between the stars, some of them demolishing asteroids or whole worlds, others sparking more supernovas with their near-lightspeed impacts. The movement of all these masses, coupled with regions of heavy electromagnetic flux, resulted in the constantly changing hyperlanes that made any voyage longer than a couple of star systems difficult and dangerous."
The location of Ahch-To was presumably lost in the chaos that created the Unknown Regions.
How The Jedi Found & Settled Other Worlds (Wayfinding)
The Jedi of old used a Force power called Wayfinding to travel the stars. This allowed Jedi to detect Force vergences and places filled with life; they expanded across the stars, establishing new temples on planets like Tython. These first Jedi were explorers, bringing their wisdom and guidance to worlds they stumbled upon. Oddly enough, Tython was actually the birthplace of the Jedi Order and the home of the Bendu in the old Expanded Universe, and indeed even in canon there have been myths and legends suggesting Tython is the place they came from.
The Jedi Schism Led To The Creation Of The Sith
The history of the Jedi is the stuff of legend - and some of these myths tie the Jedi to the emergence of their greatest rivals, the Sith. The origin of the Sith is recounted by Palpatine in the book Secrets of the Sith:
"Legend has it the Jedi Order suffered a deep schism millennia ago. An opposing sect dedicated to the glory of the dark side arose from the ashes. The Sith did not share the Jedi's myopic view of the Force. They embraced the dark side as a means to personal gain and ultimate victory. And, for a time, that great victory would be achieved. The Sith Order grew, spreading its might across the galaxy. But the Jedi became jealous. They would not tolerate a challenge to their authority. After thousands of years of war, the Sith were pushed to the edge of extinction. From the darkness, those who survived laid the foundations for our Order's return... and my rise to power."
Naturally, this account is highly partial; the Jedi would give a very different description of events. The schism had a marked impact on the Jedi, leading them to abandon the balance of the Force and swear allegiance only to the light side. The birth of the modern Jedi is therefore tied to the birth of the Sith, establishing the dichotomy that drives the Star Wars saga.