How The Jedi Code Was Changed & How This Affected The Jedi Order
The often-quoted five-line mantra of the Jedi Code changed over time, reflecting major changes to the philosophies of the Jedi Order itself.
The Jedi Code has changed throughout the Jedi Order’s long history in the Star Wars franchise, affecting the practices and restrictions placed on Jedi. The Jedi Code debuted in the Expanded Universe (now known as Legends), with one of its first appearances being in Heir to the Empire (the first book in the fan-favorite Thrawn Trilogy). The Jedi Code has been brought into canon as well, appearing in various comics and novels. While the full Jedi Code is a long and comprehensive series of principles, the most quoted portion of it is a five-line mantra that summarizes the Jedi Order’s philosophies. The best-known version of the mantra is not its original incarnation, and the two versions of it reflect the varying beliefs of the Jedi throughout their history.
As shown in the Star Wars Legends timeline, the original mantra of the Jedi Code was the following: "Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force." This first iteration of the mantra reveals a surprisingly balanced perspective for the Jedi Order, coinciding with the Jedi seen in the Legends-era Tales of the Jedi comic series, who were far less restrictive on their Knights than the prequel-era Jedi Order. In canon, this version of the mantra appears in an issue of the Kanan comic series, but it isn’t explicitly stated that this is the mantra’s original wording.
During the Manderon Period (over 5,000 years before the Battle of Yavin), the Jedi librarian Odan-Urr altered the mantra into the better-known version referenced in the live-action films and other media: "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force." This slight change in wording has a profound effect on the mantra’s meaning. Many of the new lines are also quite problematic. Rather than controlling emotions to be at peace, the mantra encourages their suppression. Claiming that there is no ignorance will inevitably lead to arrogance among Jedi. By shunning passion, the mantra puts distance between the life of a Jedi and the life of an ordinary being, which was one of the Jedi Order’s most glaring flaws in the prequel trilogy.
The updated mantra speaks to many of the failings of the prequel-era Jedi Order. Jedi were taught to suppress their emotions, a near-impossible task for most sentient beings. Anakin Skywalker was often berated or even punished for expressing strong emotions throughout the prequel trilogy and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His padawan Ahsoka Tano was similarly disciplined quite often. The order forbade attachments, specifically marriage, which also negatively affected Jedi. When Anakin feared for Padme’s life in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the only advice Yoda gave to him was an empty platitude. His master, Obi-Wan, experienced similar dilemmas with his romantic feelings for Siri Tachi in Legends and Satine Kryze in canon.
The most balanced iteration of the Jedi Order is the Legends-era New Jedi Order, which Luke Skywalker founded after Return of the Jedi. Despite occasionally citing the updated mantra of the Jedi Code, Luke and his Jedi embody its original iteration. The New Jedi Order teaches its members to control their emotions rather than suppress them. Attachments, including marriage, are also allowed. Luke’s Jedi are far healthier and more connected to the ordinary beings of the galaxy than the Jedi of the prequels. In canon, the High Republic-era Jedi Order is strongly implied to be similar in these regards. While the Star Wars canon has not delved into the Jedi Code’s history yet, the original mantra may have been what the Jedi Order of the High Republic era adhered to.