Ahsokaintroduced a term for an entirely new type of Jedi two years ago, withStar Warsfinally confirming what it means and where it comes from. Theending ofAhsokasaw a lot of big changes implemented into theStar Warssaga. Not only did Hayden Christensen return as Force Ghost Anakin Skywalker, but another entire galaxy was introduced in the form of Peridea. These aspects will only be further explored inAhsokaseason 2’s story, which is expected in late 2026.
Another way thatAhsokachanged the franchise links toStar Wars’infamous Jedi. The character of Baylan Skoll, who was confirmed to be played byRory McCann inAhsokaseason 2after the tragic death of original actor Ray Stevenson, introduced the term “Bokken Jedi.” In the show, Baylan confirmed this as a Jedi trained away from the temple on Coruscant. Beyond this, little detail was provided about the term. That is, until two years later, whenStar Warsshed more light on the idea of a Bokken Jedi.
Star Wars Confirms What A “Bokken” Really Is
Linking To The Jedi Order’s Lightsabers
Aside from the term being used by Baylan to describe untrained Jedi, no one knew what bokken truly meant inStar Wars. However,Star Wars: The Acolyte - The Visual Guideconfirms as much, revealing that a bokken is a wooden club used by the Order to train. An image of Dafne Keen’s Jecki Lon from thecast ofThe Acolyteis accompanied by this explanation, stating that"the wooden bokken are a traditional training tool useful during repeated drills or learning new forms.
This links to what was theorized whenAhsokaaired on Disney+. After all, in the real world, bokken are essentially the same. A bokken, or bakutō, is a wooden Japanese sword typically made to resemble a katana and used in training. Given that the Jedi were based on samurai, it makes sense for a bokken inStar Warsto be a replacement for a lightsaber.This shines some light on what Baylan Skoll truly meant, viewing Jedi trained away from the temple as fake as opposed to the real thing, just like a bokken is for a lightsaber.
Baylan’s “Bokken Jedi” Comment Shows The Elitism Of The Prequel Jedi
The Jedi Were Often Lost In Their Hubris
Interestingly, Baylan Skoll’s usage of the term Bokken Jedi highlights an aspect of the prequel era Jedi Order that has been common in modernStar Wars: their elitism. While it is worth noting that the Jedi have always been depicted as the good guys inStar Warsand that this will likely never change, some of the more interesting stories in the franchise - Lucas' prequels included - highlighted the Order’s flaws. Their elitism was one such flaw.
Star Wars: The Last Jedicommented on this, with Luke Skywalker insisting it was the pride of the Jedi that blinded them to the Sith’s machinations right in front of their eyes. In a way, Baylan’s comment exemplifies this mindset. In dubbing any Jedi trained away from the temple as a bokken, Baylan is viewing them as lesser than “real” Jedi. As Baylan was a Jedi in the prequels, it makes sense that he would harbor this same sense of hubris.
Yoda Knew Far Better Than Baylan
The Jedi Needed To Escape Their Hubris
In the novelization forStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, it was hinted that Yoda knew better than Jedi like Baylan. This book insisted that Yoda had realized the Jedi had been diminished, leading to the Empire’s dominance for almost 20 years until the original trilogy. Yoda, as proven by his mentorship of Jedi like Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and Luke Skywalker, all of whom would be dubbed Bokken Jedi by Baylan, understood that the Jedi Order would live on via these characters. This way,Star Warsallowed the Jedi to rid themselves of Baylan’s arrogance, as Yoda knew was correct.
