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Inspired by a comment here:

"I thought that only Master Yoda and Obi Wan escaped the massacre.... I dont understand how all this is changed now"

In the scope / original supporting materials of the original trilogy, was it ever actually said that Kenobi and Yoda are the only Jedi left? Granted, they are the only Jedi we see or hear about, but, was that Lucas's original intent / statements for them to be the last survivors or just the ones we meet in this particular corner of the galaxy? I can understand why such a statement as the one above could be reached by just watching the original films, but I don't recall it ever being officially stated.

  • for the purposes of this question, Anakin doesn't count :)
  • note the Legends tag, because obviously, new canon renders the point entirely moot
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  • So you want something that pre-dates Star Wars: Rebels but is part of the original "G-Canon"?
    – Valorum
    Jun 30, 2016 at 13:41
  • @Valorum - I'll certainly take secondary canon / EU if it comes to that, but certainly anything pre-Disney. I'd say even Episode III leaves room to believe that other Jedi survived other than these two, so looking for things from the past that might lead one to think this (other than just assuming it)
    – NKCampbell
    Jun 30, 2016 at 13:46
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    Pre-EU, as discussed here, it's a little fuzzy. During development, Ben and Yoda don't seem to know if there's anyone else, and Lucas' comments are ambiguous whether or not he envisioned whether or not anyone other than Leia was out there.
    – phantom42
    Jun 30, 2016 at 13:51
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    In the EU canon, hundreds of Jedi survived the purge. Basically every author was allowed to come up with their own Jedi as long as they didn't come into contact with/conflict with the main Skywalker plotline.
    – Valorum
    Jun 30, 2016 at 13:53

1 Answer 1

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Per the Empire Strikes Back official novelisation, Yoda specifically refers to Luke as being the last (active) Jedi in the Galaxy.

“Only a fully trained Jedi Knight, with the Force as his ally, will conquer Vader and his Emperor,” Ben emphasized. “If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path—as Vader did—you will become an agent of evil, and the galaxy will be plunged deeper into the abyss of hate and despair.”
“Stopped they must be,” Yoda interjected. “Do you hear? On this all depends.” “You are the last Jedi, Luke. You are our only hope. Be patient.”
“And sacrifice Han and Leia?” the youth asked incredulously.

The Empire Strikes Back: Official Novelisation

This ties in very nicely with the script from Return of the Jedi

YODA: Luke...Luke...Do not...Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor, or suffer your father's fate, you will. Luke, when gone am I (cough),
the last of the Jedi will you be. Luke, the Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned, Luke...
(with great effort)
There is...another...Sky...Sky...walker.

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    The quote from the movie is different. Luke isn't told he's the last jedi, just that he was their only hope to defeat the emperor.
    – phantom42
    Jun 30, 2016 at 13:53
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    @phantom42 - Which is why I've noted that it comes from the G-Canon novelisation not once but twice.
    – Valorum
    Jun 30, 2016 at 14:10
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    Reply was to NKCampbell explaining why he probably didn't recall it, particularly since your original edit didn't mention that it was from the novelization.
    – phantom42
    Jun 30, 2016 at 14:11
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    @phantom42 "When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be." is the quote from the movie, I thought. Seems pretty definitive.
    – Roger
    Jun 30, 2016 at 14:46
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    @Ellesedil - Well, both Yoda and Ben show an alarming lack of candour with Luke, largely because they expect him to either go off half-cocked or, later, because they seem to expect that he'll get captured and spill his guts to the Emperor
    – Valorum
    Jun 30, 2016 at 15:35

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