Initiate Trials
An Initiate's Progression: 1. Padawan 2. Jedi Service Corps Member 3. Ordinary Citizen.
The Initiate Trials represent the series of evaluations administered to Jedi Initiates. These trials served as a mandatory stepping stone for advancement to the rank of Padawan within the structure of the Jedi Order. Mirroring the function of the Trials of Knighthood, these evaluations were a compulsory requirement for all students aiming to ascend to the subsequent level within the Jedi Order.
General Information
During the era of the original Order, the Initiate Trials functioned as assessments designed to determine an Apprentice's development within the organization. Frequently, owing to the possibility of a Master overseeing multiple students concurrently, the evaluation would be conducted for all pupils at the same time. The tests were often undertaken by students well into their teenage years or even their twenties, depending on the species' developmental timeline, because the age discrimination policies were less strict at the time. As the Order changed and war no longer plagued the galaxy, some of the tests were modified to be more appropriate for the non-militaristic and more standardized academy located on Coruscant.
The primary evaluation was crafted to assess an individual's comprehension of the Jedi Code. The Code, a fundamental element of Jedi teachings, was consistently revisited during an Initiate's life, typically on a daily schedule during meditation or lessons. An Initiate would be removed from the Order if they failed to retain the mantra.
The specifics of the second evaluation varied across the Order's history. The test initially involved the construction of a lightsaber utilizing crystals supplied by the master. The trial was modified to assess self-discipline as the Order entered a new age following the Ruusan Reformation. This assessment, which involved demonstrating proficiency through meditation or staged lightsaber combat while hooded, prioritized technique over skill.
Significant differences existed for the third and last trial between the Jedi who fought in the New Sith Wars and those who were raised during the Golden Age of the Old Republic. Initiates would occasionally be given a specific but straightforward assignment, such as resolving a legal matter or helping a citizen in need, because there were no age restrictions in the Order's early years. The Jedi Council of Dantooine required Initiates in the Order to complete a task to see the dark side for themselves and find a way to conquer it. The Trial of Revan, in which he was tasked with finding and redeeming the fallen Cathar apprentice Juhani, is a well-known example of this. Initiates in the Republic's heyday were required to show that they had a strong connection to the Force and could live up to the standards of a Jedi.
Upon successfully finishing each of these tasks, an Initiate would then proceed down one of three possible paths. The majority of Initiates were eventually selected by a Knight or Master to become a Padawan. Students took part in the yearly Apprentice Tournament at the Jedi Temple in order to display their combat prowess and Force abilities in order to attract the attention of a potential master. Some students, however, were never chosen and were sent to the Jedi Service Corps by the Council of Reassignment. These students remained members of the Order but stopped practicing the Force, instead using their limited talents to help the galaxy at the grassroots level. An Initiate's third option is to leave the Order. Some people might not be happy with their lives in the Service Corps, or the High Council might not think they are following the Jedi Path. The Order advises a student to leave in peace and use what they have learned to improve society in this situation.