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Jedi have a lot of rules and breaking them presumably invokes some kind of punishment. The only one that comes to mind is "exile", but even that is not explained in depth. (This question asks how Jedi may leave the order voluntarily, but we all know the most interesting stories are the involuntary kinds of leaving.)

It seems that in most cases a Jedi simply "goes bad", becomes a Sith, plots a plot, returns, and dies at the hands of a Jedi in pitched combat; hardly a reliable means of discipline.

Instead, picture the descent of a Jedi from an idealistic Padawan to a demented Sith Lord. Surely there must be a spectrum of penance. Are there examples (EU or canon, preferably both - roughly around the era of Episodes I-III) that cover the ways Jedi are punished?

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  • 2
    A good spanking?
    – Valorum
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 18:18
  • 4
    Trying to punish Jedi for quitting seems about as effective as making suicide illegal.
    – phantom42
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 18:32
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    If the Jedi is powerful or important enough (especially if he's on the Council), he can disobey Jedi rules and/or literally get away with murder. See Anakin, Ki-Adi Mundi, Mace Windu, and Plo Koon.
    – Null ♦
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 18:35
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    They get both of their legs and one of their arms chopped off, are set on fire, and are then left to die next to a river of lava. Kinda like this
    – Wad Cheber
    Commented Jul 7, 2015 at 3:11
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    @Richard - lay off bad fanfiction
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Commented Jul 7, 2015 at 16:21

2 Answers 2

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The clearest mention of punishment in the films is in Episode II, when Anakin is about to disobey an order from Obi-Wan:

Kenobi: I can't take Dooku alone! I need you! If we catch him, we can end this war right now! We have a job to do!

Skywalker: I don't care! [To pilot] Put the ship down!

Kenobi: You will be expelled from the Jedi order!

Skywalker: I can't leave her!

Kenobi: Come to your senses! What do you think Padmé would do were she in your position?

Skywalker: [resigned] She would do her duty.

Exactly what happens when a Jedi is "expelled" is not explained. If he is sent out onto the streets of Coruscant, it is not nearly as bad as being exiled to some remote planet.

Given that Jedi (other than Anakin) are trained and conditioned almost from birth, disobedience and other rule breaking may be quite rare; so it's possible the question of punishment seldom arises.

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  • if i were jedi id probably execute any non-loyal jedi, and expelled jedi are now able to be hired out as mercenaries, train others by themselves, become sith ect. If a simple reprimand cant correct issues, death it is to preserver the rest of the jedi.
    – Himarm
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 19:44
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    @Himarm You know what Master Joda says? "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.". Your fear of rouge jedi makes you angry enough to hate them. Your reaction to your hate is them make them suffer execution. Where will that path guide you next?
    – Philipp
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 21:17
  • @Philipp thats why im advocating mercy killings :D
    – Himarm
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 21:20
  • If Jedi were normal people, discipline would be a major problem, and exile an unsatisfactory deterrent. "You're going to punish me by making me leave the discipline of the Jedi, and go out into society with my mind control powers? Well, okay, if you insist. (Snicker.)" The logical explanation is that Jedi indoctrination and conditioning is really effective, to a rather disturbing extent -- although taking toddlers away from their parents to train them in the Jedi temple is pretty disturbing to begin with.
    – Royal Canadian Bandit
    Commented Jul 7, 2015 at 8:41
  • If I'm not mistaken there are hints in the clone wars show that there is a jedi prison for jedi gone bad (thus if they break the orders rules they are expelled and no longer have access to the training areas / wisdom of the order, but if they go bad they end up in a prison for jedis)
    – Thomas
    Commented Jul 18, 2015 at 7:09
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Despite peace loving the Jedi have quite a few options to punish those that go against their rules. Most of them derived from and shown in the clone wars series.

  • Repenance (this is only implied, that one can seek forgiveness by tuning in with the light again).
  • Expelling from the order (it seems like one leaves his lightsabers with the order when this is done).
  • Leaving them to be punished by the Republic (almost done to Ashoka. In essence expelled and the republic would have served the punishment).
  • Imprisonment (done to the one that framed Ashoka)
  • Death (only under the most dire circumstances like when dealing with a Sith lord who is too powerful to be imprisoned. Palpatine as example).
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  • I can't believe that Ahsoka wasn't mentioned earlier. She's the main example really of Jedi punishment. Although your last example doesn't strictly count (Palpatine isn't a Jedi and it's widely stated that killing "isn't the Jedi way). Otherwise, good points.
    – The Dark Lord
    Commented Feb 12, 2017 at 12:17
  • @TheDarkLord yepp I was surprised about Ashoka (she and her framer were prime examples about punishment). Palpatine I only mentioned because of thise part of the question "Instead, picture the descent of a Jedi from an idealistic Padawan to a demented Sith Lord". And like I mentioned it is done only under the most dire of circumstances. As killing is not the jedi way, but time and again they seemed to conclude "this time there is no other choice.". More prominent in the EU and less in the canon (the battles against the Maul brothers for example. I don't believe they were until 'I give up').
    – Thomas
    Commented Feb 12, 2017 at 14:29

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