George Lucas' original plans for the Jedi, the concept of the "Jedi Bendu," could be incorporated into James Mangold's upcoming Star Wars movie. George Lucas has a reputation as a visionary world-builder, but the Star Wars galaxy didn't emerge instantly in his mind. The script for the first Star Wars movie, later retitled A New Hope, changed many times before production.
Lucas originally envisioned the Jedi as the "Jedi Bendu," the protectors of the Emperor, some of the most feared beings in the galaxy. While the final Jedi turned out very differently, some aspects of Lucas' original iteration have persisted. Jedi were indeed some of the most feared and respected beings, especially during the prequels, where over 10,000 well-trained Jedi scouted the galaxy. A creature called Bendu appeared in Star Wars Rebels, helping Jedi Kanan Jarrus reconnect to the Force after he was blinded by Darth Maul.
The Bendu Are Officially "Precursors" To The Jedi In Star Wars Canon
In canon, the group called the Bendu have officially been called the "precursors" of the Jedi. The precise relationship between the Bendu and the creature seen in Star Wars Rebels is unclear, but he likely exemplifies their philosophy, considering himself neither light nor dark but rather an agent of balance. This would correspond to the earliest Jedi, with the Prime Jedi teased as aligned to balance in a mural seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
There have still only been hints of the Bendu in canon, rather than anything specific. They appear to have influenced Coruscant, with the fifth (and final) day of the Coruscant week called "Benduday" after them. However, it hasn’t been explored how or if the Bendu influenced the creation of the Jedi Order, it is only known that they predate them. This leaves the door open for the Bendu to be explored in upcoming Star Wars titles.
Lucasfilm's Dawn Of The Jedi Era Must Deal With The Bendu
James Mangold's upcoming Star Wars movie is set at the dawn of the Jedi Order, envisioned as the story of their formation. If the Bendu really are precursors of the Jedi, then it makes sense that their connection to the Jedi will be dealt with there. This may also indicate whether the Prime Jedi really did follow the Bendu in embracing the "in-between" of the Force - both the dark and light sides - or if the Jedi were always aligned with the light side of the Force.
It would be exciting to see Lucas' original name for the Jedi incorporated into their origins. What's more, an appearance of the Bendu in Mangold's Jedi origins movie could indicate Lucasfilm has more planned for them in the future, perhaps even for their return in Dave Filon's movie set during The Mandalorian era. Either way, bringing the Bendu back into Star Wars isn’t just a call back to George Lucas, but will also help bring more context to the formation of the Jedi Order.