Star Wars: 10 Female Jedi From Legends Fans Totally Forgot About

The Jedi Order’s only requirements for joining its ranks of protectors is a strong connection with the Force, ensuring that many female Jedi from a multitude of species get a chance to become guardians of peace and justice. There have been many famous Jedi throughout the Star Wars franchise, but not all of them have been canonized, resulting in many languishing in obscurity as part of Star Wars Legends.

Without mentioning them alongside the likes of Ahsoka Tano and Rey Skywalker, their contributions to the Jedi Order -and the Republic in all its many incarnations- might fade from recognition. There are several Jedi Knights, Jedi Masters, and even Grand Masters worthy of the Jedi Archives that fans may have forgotten all about.

10 Tenel Ka

The daughter of Hapan Prince Isolder and Dathomirian Night Sister Teneniel Djo, Tenel Ka had a childhood mixed with Force training and courtly ritual. She became friends with Han and Leia’s twins, Jacen and Jaina Solo as they trained to become padawans at Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Academy.

Even after losing one of her arms during her training, she served the Jedi Order faithfully during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. Unfortunately, her duties as the Hapan Queen Mother truncated her Jedi journey, as did giving birth to a daughter with Jacen Solo named Allana. When Jason fell to the dark side and became Darth Caedus, she sent Allana to live in hiding.

9 Cilghal

Cilghal was a Mon Calamari Jedi Master who had a seat on the New Jedi Council during the New Republic Era and originally debuted as a Senator of Dac during the Jedi Academy Trilogy. She had a special talent for Force healing and a great interest in science. She also happened to be the niece of Admiral Gial Ackbar.

Mon Calamari Force users were not particularly plentiful, with the only other of note being Bant Erin, a Jedi knight who knew Obi-Wan Kenobi as a child and apprenticed under Kit Fisto before the Clone Wars. Cilghal became one of the most famous Jedi to be part of Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Praxeum.

8 Tahl

Had Qui-Gon lived long enough to suspect Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala’s relationship, no doubt he would have been less disapproving than the rest of the Jedi Order, for the sly Jedi Master had a relationship himself with Tahl. Tahl was a Noorian Jedi Master, who kept the Jedi Archives -and Qui-Gon- in line. Having known him since they were padawans, the two were nearly inseparable even after they passed their trials.

Despite being a fierce duelist and a scholar, Tahl’s life as a Jedi was difficult. After being blinded on a mission to Melida/Daan, she had to rely on her Force abilities more than ever. Unfortunately, her condition still made her vulnerable and running afoul of the Chief of Security on New Apsolon cost her life.

7 An’ya Kuro

An’ya Kuro, or simply the “Dark Woman” as she came to be known once giving up her name and devoting herself to the Force, was a respected member of the Jedi Order and operated as a spy during the Clone Wars. While she took on many pupils, her most notorious was Aurra Sing, who left her tutelage to become a bounty hunter and Jedi slayer.

The Dark Woman went into self-imposed exile following her failure with Sing, and then hiding during the Great Jedi Purge, at which point she was tracked down by Darth Vader. She was the final Jedi killed in his quest to hunt down and destroy the last of the Jedi Order.

6 Kira Carsen

During the Old Republic era, Kira Carsen was born a Child of the Sith Emperor but was abducted from Korriban before she knew the truth about her heritage. She spent her formative years as a homeless drifter, surviving in some of the most inhospitable conditions imaginable until she became part of the Jedi Order as a young adult.

She is a friend to the Hero of Tython in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and as such accompanied them on several missions, including stopping a superweapon.  The Emperor tried to take control of her mind, but her resistance to his mental attack proved that beneath her cynical and jaded exterior beat the heart of a true Jedi.

5 Callista Ming

Appearing first in the novel Children of the Jedi, and having since been mentioned in multiple Legends novels, Callista Ming was a Jedi spirit Luke encountered buried in the operating system of the Imperial dreadnought Eye of Palpatine. She had transferred her consciousness some thirty years prior to stop its onslaught during the Clone Wars, but Skywalker’s arrival woke her.

Eventually, she was able to have her consciousness transferred to the body of another Jedi, allowing her and Luke to be together romantically (though her connection to the Force was severed). Their relationship didn’t last long, however, as she never fully felt she could commit to him without trying to first reestablish a connection to the Force.

4 Saba Sebatyne

Saba Sebatyne was a Barabel female who became part of Luke Skywalker New Jedi Order and showed courage in staving off the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. For her exemplary efforts in turning the tide of the war, she was honored with the rank of Jedi Master.

A decade after the conflict, when the events of the Dark Nest Crisis began to unfold, she took none other than Leia Organa Solo as her padawan learner. Balancing Jedi training with conflict after the Second Galactic Civil War was difficult, especially when she was granted the rank of Grand Master as growing anti-Jedi sentiment forced Luke Skywalker into exile.

3 Nomi Sunrider

A prominent figure in the Old Republic-era series from Dark Horse Comics, Nomi Sunrider was a powerful Jedi Master and later a Grand Master who faithfully served the Galactic Republic. She lost her husband, Andur Sunrider, when their daughter Vima was very young, forcing her to raise their child alone. Following her husband’s murder at the hands of Bogga the Hutt, she decided to become a Jedi Knight.

Under Jedi Master Thon she became a powerful warrior, known for her compassion as well as her swordsmanship. She participated in the Great Sith War against Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, whom she permanently severed from the Force using her impressive abilities. When the war was one, she began to rebuild the Jedi Order, and the stories of her legacy were preserved by its descendants.

2 Meetra Surik

Before he became Darth Revan, one of the most fearsome Sith Lords the galaxy had ever seen, Revan fought in the Mandalorian Wars, accompanied by his trusted general, Meetra Surik. She alone ended the conflict on Malachor V when she activated the Mass Shadow Generator, an act that almost destroyed combatants on both sides.

To atone for what she’d done, she began a quest for redemption through the Force, in the hopes that she would become strong enough to defeat the Sith Triumvirate and restore the Jedi Order to its former glory. Parts of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords are devoted to her journey.

1 Siri Tachi

Before Obi-Wan Kenobi’s delicate relationship with Satine Kryze, he had another love interest; Siri Tachi, the padawan of Adi Gallia and eventual Master to Ferus Olin. Due to their fierce dedication to the Jedi Order, they chose to break off their relationship as teenagers.

Tachi was featured in the Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest YA novels, as well as “There Is Always Another”, a short story included in the anthology From A Certain Point Of View, in which Kenobi recounted touching her hand under the table during meal times at the Jedi Temple, and the great deal of guilt he felt for the fleeting moments of happiness. Tachi would go on to fly during the Clone Wars and perish in action.

About The Author

Kayleena Pierce-Bohen
(1342 Articles Published)

Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she’s particularly proud of. When she isn’t writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she’s working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

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