Warning! SPOILERS for Tales of the Jedi.Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi shows what happens to Jedi bodies when they die — if they haven’t turned into the Force. In Tales of the Jedi episode 3, "Choices," Mace Windu and Count Dooku investigate the death of former High Council member Katri, who was a Mirialan, the same species as Master Luminara Unduli. Through their investigative efforts, Windu and Dooku learn that Katri was murdered by security guards on Raxus Secundus. Having discovered the criminals behind her death, both Jedi retrieve Kati’s remains and return her to Coruscant for a proper Jedi funeral. This Tales of the Jedi episode reveals more about Dooku’s character and his frustration with the lack of justice in the Jedi.
Jedi Master Katri’s funeral involves lowering her casket into the floor of the Jedi Temple. The casket is then sealed, and a bright beam of light emits from the floor. It is assumed that this is a kind of cremation process since it was tradition to burn a Jedi’s body when they died. However, this funeral was not the first time Star Wars has shown a Jedi being cremated in this way. The Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes “Deception” and “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much” both feature an almost identical funeral in which the bodies of the fallen are lowered and sealed, followed by a beam of light emitting from their resting place. However, Inquisitors have also used dead Jedi bodies during the time of the Empire to lure stray Jedi out of hiding.
Why Some Jedi Bodies Disappear When They Die
While the animated Star Wars shows have shown a proper Jedi funeral on multiple occasions, there are some Jedi who do not leave a body to burn when they die. Notable Jedi like Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker are all examples of characters who faded from existence moments before their deaths. The reason these Jedi fade from existence rather than leave a body is due to teachings learned by Qui-Gon Jinn. He died before being able to complete the training, so while he is able to manifest himself as a Force ghost, his physical body did not fade upon death.
Qui-Gon Jinn’s Force ghost explains why other canon Jedi turned into Force ghosts. Both Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi were able to complete their training and learn how to disappear upon their death through Qui-Gon. Much later, Luke also learned this ability from Yoda and Obi-Wan’s ghosts. This involved them consciously and willingly giving themselves up to the Force, and only Jedi with an extremely strong connection to the Force were able to successfully do this.
What Happens To The Jedi's Lightsabers?
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s famous line to Anakin in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones is a belief all Jedi shared; “This weapon is your life.” The Jedi were convinced that Kyber crystals were living things and that they were deeply tied to the Jedi who wielded them. A Star Wars novel set hundreds of years before the Skywalker saga revealed that a dead Jedi’s crystal was placed in an arch at the Jedi Temple. However, there are also some examples of the lightsaber being buried along with the Jedi's body when they die. Regardless, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi solidifies the canon fact that both fallen Jedi and their lightsabers are treated with the utmost care and respect.