Jedi High Council (New Jedi Order)

In the initial period of the reformed Jedi Order, Master Luke Skywalker chose not to establish a High Council, nor did he base their operations on Coruscant. Aware of past instances of corruption, Skywalker aimed to prevent the creation of a body that could be manipulated by the galactic government. However, during the Dark Nest Crisis, the nascent Order faced internal divisions as disagreements hindered decision-making, and unruly Knights engaged in activities that damaged the Order's reputation.

Skywalker was compelled to take control and proclaimed himself Grand Master at a conclave held within the Ossus Academy. He demanded that any Jedi who could not prioritize the Order should resign. To aid him in his leadership role, Skywalker formed a twelve-member council, modeled after its counterpart from the Old Republic. Unlike the previous Council, this body was less formal and did not immediately assume absolute control of the Order. Meeting in chambers on Ossus and within the Temple on Coruscant, the Council engaged with two Joiner Knights dispatched by UnuThul to persuade the Masters' Council to support the Killiks in a border dispute with the Chiss Ascendancy.

The Council discovered the existence of the Dark Nest, Gorog, which was secretly manipulating the conflict without the knowledge of UnuThul or the Colony. Subsequently, the Council sent Grand Master Skywalker, along with Masters Mara Skywalker and Saba Sebatyne, to eliminate Gorog. Assisted by Knight Leia Solo and several other Jedi, the Masters successfully resolved the conflict.

Following the Swarm War events and the role of rogue Knights in instigating it, Grand Master Skywalker determined that a more authoritative High Council was necessary. The Masters' Council was formally transformed into a High Council, establishing its permanent meeting place in the formal Council chamber on Coruscant, and began to develop close ties with the Office of the Chief of State.

The Order's influence expanded as it made decisions on behalf of the Jedi, and the number of Knights grew to levels comparable to those before the Great Jedi Purge. By recovering lost information and texts, the Council enhanced the curriculum at the academy, drawing upon the teachings of the old Order. In 40 ABY, after the recovery of the Telos Holocron, many Jedi expressed concerns about potential theft attempts. A vote was held, and nearly half of the Council members suggested destroying it. However, the motion was defeated, and the artifact was secured within the Temple vaults.

During the Second Galactic Civil War, the High Council proved largely ineffective, failing to prevent Jacen Solo's descent to the dark side. The Council's actions were often dictated by Grand Master Skywalker's desires, leading to clashes with Chief Cal Omas and internal disagreements, rendering it inert. With Dark Lady [Lumiya] orchestrating events, Dark Jedi [Alema Rar] at large, and a divided membership, the Council was unable to prevent the deaths of numerous Alliance personnel, citizens, and two of its own members: Masters Tresina Lobi and Mara Skywalker. Following the death of the Grand Master's wife and the corruption of his son by Colonel Solo, the Council failed to act when Galactic Alliance Guard members infiltrated the Temple to arrest Knight Leia Solo and her husband Han. After Chief Omas was assassinated and replaced by Colonel Solo, the Alliance government continually harassed the Order, attacking the Ossus Academy, which nearly resulted in the deaths of Council members Kam and Tionne Solusar. When Colonel Solo began to burn Kashyyyk, the Council finally withdrew from the Alliance and sought refuge on the Sanctuary Moon of Endor. With the assistance of Alliance personnel under Admiral [Cha Niathal]'s command and the fleets of Imperial Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, the newly formed Coalition ultimately ended Solo's regime and regained control of the Alliance.

In the aftermath of the war, the Order assisted in the appointment of former Admiral Natasi Daala as Chief of the Alliance and Captain Jagged Fel as Head of State of the Galactic Empire. During Daala's tenure, she ordered the arrest of Grand Master Skywalker on charges of dereliction of duty for failing to prevent Colonel Solo's actions. Instead of imprisonment, Skywalker negotiated a deal with Daala: he would enter exile, severing all ties with the Order until he could determine the cause of Solo's mania. In his absence, Council member Kenth Hamner would assume the role of Grand Master and lead the Order until Skywalker's return. Daala accepted these terms until several Knights began to experience an enigmatic psychosis. Deeming them a threat, Daala ordered their arrest and initiated a campaign against the Jedi to apprehend the supposedly insane Knights. Daala froze Council member Corran Horn's two Jedi children in carbonite and faced no opposition from the Council, as Grand Master Hamner advocated for patience. When Daala instigated a Mandalorian siege on the Temple, resulting in the murder of Jedi Kani Asari, the High Council grew increasingly dissatisfied with Hamner's inaction.

When Hamner secretly agreed with Admiral Nek Bwua'tu to end the siege, the Bothan was attacked and fell into a coma. While awaiting his recovery, the Knights under medical observation recovered, and a slave revolt erupted in the Outer Rim. Overwhelmed by these events, Hamner was dismissed as Grand Master by the High Council, who learned of his secret agreement with Bwua'tu that had confined them to the Temple. He was ordered to his chambers for confinement. In a hysterical state, Hamner attacked his guards using the dark side and hid among the catwalks of the Operations Hangar, planning to strike down his opponents on the Council. Hamner attacked Master Saba Sebatyne, engaging in a fierce duel and impaling the Barabel with his lightsaber. Unable to subdue the other Jedi in the hangar, who were preparing to launch their StealthXs to aid the imperiled Master Skywalker, Hamner attempted to disable the hangar doors but was stopped by Sebatyne, who defeated the former Grand Master by using the Force to blast him off a catwalk. As she attempted to telekinetically stop his lightsaber strike on the hangar doors, Sebatyne was forced to release her Force grasp, causing Hamner to fall to his death several meters below. Following Hamner's demise, Sebatyne reluctantly assumed the role of acting Grand Master of the Order.

Nearly a century later, the High Council continued to oversee the Order's affairs, led by Grand Master Skywalker's descendant, Kol Skywalker. However, the Imperial victory in the Sith–Imperial War and the subsequent Massacre at Ossus decimated the Jedi Order, scattering the High Council. To escape extermination, three Masters reestablished the council within the Hidden Temple of Taivas. Composed of three Masters, T'ra Saa, Tili Qua and K'Kruhk, the Council dedicated itself to rebuilding the Order. When an Imperial delegation from the Fel Empire discovered the Temple's location, the Council welcomed them to discuss a potential alliance.

During the same meeting, the Council listened to Cade Skywalker's plans to assassinate the Emperor and Sith Lord Darth Krayt. After considering the consequences of allying with Roan Fel and eliminating the Sith leadership, the Council decided that only the former option was the best course of action. They argued that killing Krayt would only lead to the emergence of more dangerous factions and were determined to wait patiently until the Order was strong enough to confront the Sith.

Following the apparent death of Darth Krayt, the Jedi Council believed it was time to rejoin the fight against the Sith. To that end, they dispatched Te Corso, Sayar Dun'La, Asaak Dan, and Drok to meet with Admiral Gar Stazi and establish an alliance with him.

Unlike the Council of the Old Order, Grand Master Skywalker initially intended this council to serve as an advisory body, guiding Knights to their appropriate destinations. However, this structure proved inadequate when wayward Knights nearly plunged the Order and the Alliance into open conflict with the Chiss Ascendancy on behalf of the Killik Nests. Following reforms, the High Council became the undisputed authority within the Order, assigning missions and requiring subsequent reports. Similar to the old Council, this body collaborated closely with the executive branch of the galactic government, advising and assisting the Chief of State of the Alliance on significant diplomatic matters. Membership in this esteemed body was limited to twelve Masters at a time, each appointed by a unanimous vote from the current members. It was not uncommon for seats to remain vacant for extended periods. Following the deaths of Mara Jade Skywalker and Tresina Lobi, their seats remained unfilled for several years. With the passing of Kenth Hamner in 44 ABY, the Council consisted of only nine sitting members.

The Masters convened within the austere High Council Chamber in the Coruscant Temple and elected one of their own to serve as secretary in the years following the Swarm War. The High Council frequently requested the presence of any available Master, adding extra chairs to accommodate attendees.

The relationship between the High Council and the Alliance government was often strained and a subject of contention within the Council. Some Masters, such as Corran Horn and Kenth Hamner, believed that the Order's primary responsibility was to serve the Alliance's needs, which provided funding, including the reconstruction of the Temple after the Yuuzhan Vong War. Others, including Mara Skywalker and Kyp Durron, argued that prioritizing the Alliance's interests reduced the Jedi to mere mercenaries and that the Jedi should maintain peace impartially, even at the expense of the Alliance. Despite their official stance, the Galactic Alliance bureaucracy came to view the Jedi as their personal diplomatic and police force. Both sides were convinced of their righteousness, with some arguments nearly escalating to lightsaber duels, and only Master Skywalker's moral authority prevented the Council from fracturing. After his exile, this was no longer sufficient. Kenth Hamner, ousted by his peers for deceiving them and supporting the Galactic Alliance, rebelled against the New Jedi Order, subduing his minders and the StealthX guards through deception, physical combat, and Force lightning. Hamner then attempted to assassinate Saba Sebatyne in a duel to reclaim his power, before shifting his goals to leaving the Jedi stranded and vulnerable to the Galactic Alliance's forces. She was forced to kill him to prevent him from stopping the launch of the ships intended to aid Luke Skywalker.