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Here is your guide to all the most crucial groups and Force cults inStar Wars- run from the Jedi and the Sith to the Republic and the First Order . TheStar Warsgalaxyis a Brobdingnagian one , continually expanding , with every movie and TV show premise new worlds , civilization , and even Force cult . While the most famous are the Jedi and the Sith , there are many others as well .
What begin as a unproblematic submarine sandwich ’s journey has flourished , becoming a galaxy full of intricately - developed civilisation and community . Ahsokaeven introduced the nerve pathway to Peridea , meaningStar Warshas now even go into another wandflower . With so much to voyage , viewers can be forgiven for struggling to understand all the dissimilar grouping . Here ’s your template to all the most significant ones .
What ’s the skillful way to ascertain Star Wars ? Here ’s everything you need to make out to watch in firing or timeline order , and how to include the TV shows .

Custom image created by Yailin Chacon
The Jedi Order
First Appeared:Star Wars (1977)
The Jedi Knights are the greatest paladin ofStar Wars , standing as champions of the visible light . shew roughly 25,000 years ago , the Jedi seem to have emerged across the total coltsfoot almost at the same time ; there are links to a cult from the Galactic Core called the Bendu , while their first acknowledge tabernacle is on the removed satellite Ahch - To in theUnknown Regions . The other Jedi were agent of balance , but a schism 5,000 years ago changed everything , with the Sith provide to search the dark side and the Jedi focusing on the luminance .
The Jedi are almost only power - sore somebody , except in rare cases . The Jedi consider extensively in the ways of the Force and trained in lightsaber scrap , and were led by a Council of twelve Jedi Masters and a single Grand Master . The Jedi had a strict Code that kept them accountable , but the confines of that Code created other problems .
The Sith Order
The Sith were the ancient enemies of the Jedi , consumed by the dreary side and by their own lust for power . Unlike the Jedi , the Sith were drive by emotions - namely ire , covetousness , and anger . At times , the Sith have successfully stamp down most of the galaxy , but they run to fall to in - combat . Recognizing this impuissance , Darth Bane established theSith Rule of Two- that there would only ever be a master copy and an apprentice , one to manage mightiness and the other to personify it . This would allow the Sith to focus on their honest opposition , the Jedi .
The Sith were believed to have gone extinct after the death of Darth Bane , but their lineage hold out a thousand years until the prison term of the Skywalker saga . Darth Sidious - a.k.a . Palpatine - consider himself the greatest of the Sith . He was killed by his own apprentice , Darth Vader , only to take back one last time inStar state of war : The Rise of Skywalker .
The Galactic Republic
First Appeared:Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
The Galactic Republic was established some 20,000 twelvemonth ago , although it get through a important reformation after the collapse of the Sith 1,000 years ago . A democratic institution , this welcomed senator from extremity earth to comprise the best interests of the peoples of the galaxy . The senate worked closely with the Jedi Order , who considered themselves to exist in a symbiotic kinship with the Republic .
The Republic ’s golden historic period is known as theHigh Republic Era , which ran from 500 - 100 BBY . This was a time when the Republic and the Jedi expand out toward the Outer Rim , although this period of expanding upon did not go unquestioned . Toward the oddment , however , the Republic fell prey to corruption - with Palpatine , swell of the Sith , successfully manipulating events so he became Chancellor .
The Rebel Alliance
First Appeared:Star Wars
The seeded player of the Rebel Alliiance were inseminate before the Empire officially take big businessman , when a radical of senator unite in an attempt to limit Chancellor Palpatine ’s power . In the backwash ofStar Wars : Episode III - Revenge of the Sith , many of these senator worked to join different rebel groups - notably including senator Mon Mothma and Bail Organa . This is why the main group became know as the " Rebel Alliance . "
Most recruits were volunteers drive by the desire to rid the galaxy of the Empire ’s influence . experient moon curser fly alongside simple farmers , unite by that end . Many of Luke Skywalker ’s friends had already join the Rebel Alliance by the clip he meet Princess Leia ’s call for help , and together the Gemini were able to gestate out the Rebels ’ plan to destroy the Empire ’s Death Star . In true David - and - Goliath fashion , the much pocket-sized and far less sophisticated Rebel Alliance eventually fetch the Empire to its knees during the Battle of Endor .
The Galactic Empire
First Appeared:Star Wars: A New Hope
The oppressive Empire hold the position of the Galactic Republic after the Clone Wars . The event ofStar state of war : Episode III - Revenge of the Sithset up theRepublic ’s transformation into the Empirewhen Chancellor Palpatine was give emergency brake big businessman to navigate the Republic around the Separatists . He had in fact been fake both face of the difference , and he used this legitimate authority to create his Empire .
The Empire began its principle concurrently with the pin of the Jedi Order and lasted for almost 25 yr - even though Palpatine hop to apply cloning and thedark side powerof essence transfer to prevail forever and a day . Only the upper echelon knewPalpatine was a underground Sith Lord , but the entire regime was structured to encourage the dark side . The Empire was specially well known for its dear of superweapons .
Confederacy of Independent Systems (Separatist Alliance)
First Appeared:Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
The Separatist Alliance was born in the aftermath ofStar Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace , spearhead by Count Dooku . The Separatist movement was part of a complex design hatch by Darth Sidious , who had spend decades playing both sides of the engagement . The Clone Wars finish inStar Wars : Episode III - Revenge of the Sith , when Anakin Skywalker killed the Separatist leading soon afterOrder 66 .
The First Order
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
A replacement to the Empire , the First Order form shortly after the fall of Luke Skywalker ’s New Jedi Order . It was born from Palpatine ’s contingency design , harness by the secretive Supreme Leader Snoke . This warlike authoritarianism saw itself as a purer rendering of the Empire , and its leaders focused their efforts on destroying what continue of the Jedi .
The Knights of Ren
First Appeared:Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The history of the Knights of Ren is shrouded in mystery . Minor Force - user who wielded the dark side , they appear to have been active on the Outer Rim for decades , with their leader traditionally known as the " Ren . " The Knights of Ren fell under Palpatine ’s influence in brief beforeReturn of the Jedi , and worked to enforce his purposes for decade . Working through Supreme Leader Snoke , Palpatine advance Ben Solo to settle to the glowering side by pour down the old Ren in combat . Now christen Kylo Ren , Ben remained ignorant his agents secretly function for the Empire .
The Resistance
Leia Organa ’s political career came to an abrupt end when she was exposed as the daughter of Darth Vader . Sensing the dawn of the First Order , she give a new Resistance cause following the normal of the old Rebel Alliance . The Resistance was disavow as a terrorist system by the New Republic , and its leaders was almost destroyed inStar Wars : The Last Jedi . Still , the Resistance ultimately triumph , successfully call on the galaxy ’s denizen to unite against Palpatine .
Mandalorians
First Appeared:Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The acculturation on the planet of Mandalore was clan - based , make up of many different species that were all united under the same standard . They were renowned for the soldier of fortune and bounty hunter that come from the satellite , include Bobo Fett . The Mandalorians were honor - labor and thrived in the halo of war . They were not always enemies of the Republic and the Jedi , but maintained an air of martial strength that assure they remained an intimidating force .
The chronicle of Mandalore included a potent lightsaber - similar blade call the Darksaber , which symbolized leaders over Mandalore and can only be won through combat . finally , the planet became more focussed on a pacifist restructuring , contribute to a civil warfare between the New Mandalorians and the martial traditionalists . The Jedi offer protection for the survive penis of the New Mandalorian regal family , though the oppose force out was exiled to Concordia . Those traditional values subsist in the radical group , the Death Watch , which would charactarize the Mandalorian people after thePurge of Mandaloreleft them spread .
The Death Watch
This extremist mathematical group was made up of a number of Mandalorians who believed that the planet of Mandalore had become rickety and should give back to its more warrior - chair story . They were led by Concordian governor Pre Vizsla , who fooled the Duchess Satine into thinking he was her friend . The Death Watch was exposed by Satine and Obi - Wan Kenobi , and they were expatriate from Mandalore as a terrorist chemical group .
The Children of the Watch
First Appeared:The Mandalorian
The spiritual successor of the Night Watch , the Children of the Watch favour ancient practices that the majority of the current Mandalorians had long give up . This is the camarilla that Din Djarin belong to inThe Mandalorian , and they are best sleep with for a credo that forbids removing their helmets . More mainstream Mandalorians consider this radical to be a religious cult . The Children of the Watch were predominantly descendants of the Death Watch , an extremist group in Mandalore ’s history that had been exiled decennium in the first place .
The Inquisitors
First Appeared:Star Wars: Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
After the surrender of the Jedi , severalOrder 66 survivorswere manipulated into answer the Empire . The Imperial Inquisitors reported directly to Darth Vader , and they scoured the extragalactic nebula seeking out Jedi;the Inquisitors settled in Darth Vader ’s Mustafar system after some of their pursuits caused mayhem on Coruscant . They were led by a single Grand Inquisitor , chosen by Darth Vader at any one time , but all fellow member were ordered to adopt a new title - " Brother " or " Sister " with a unique mathematical note - as a sign of the zodiac of their old identity ’s death .
After the fall of the Jedi Order , many survivor of Order 66 defect to the Empireas Inquisitors- though not every Inquisitor was a former Jedi . These somebody reported to Darth Vader and used the dark side to hunt and carry through any remaining Jedi that were hiding out in the shadows of the galaxy . They were guide by a single Grand Inquisitor , but the down in the mouth ranks were identified as “ Brother ” or “ Sister ” with a unique numeric distinction .
The Guardians of the Whills
First Appeared:Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
An ancient religious order that flourished for thousands of year before the Skywalker saga , theGuardians of the Whillswere found on the hallowed planet Jedha . They allied with the Jedi at many times in astronomic history , specially during the High Republic Era , when they helped in the Battle of Jedha against other Force cults . The Guardians of the Whills were almost wiped out by the Empire , with only Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus continuing to oppose the Empire on Jedha .
The Shadow Collective
The Shadow Collective was an alliance between several criminal groups that link under Darth Maul ’s leadership during the Clone Wars . The goal of this force was to compete with Maul ’s former passe-partout , Darth Sidious , and his grab for great power over the galaxy . The Shadow Collective ’s biggest move was organize the uncongenial putsch of Mandalore , leading the Republic to place military blockade to the major planet .
The Nightsisters of Dathomir
Ahsokarevealed theNightsisters of Dathomiroriginate from a distant planet in another galax . In ancient multiplication , they used their dark side magicks to ride the purrgil -Star Wars ' space whales - across the intergalactic void . They settled on Dathomir , claiming the satellite as their novel homeworld , although this was not the only Nightsister major planet . Palpatine believe the Nightsister Mother Talzin a potential rival , and attempted to pass over them out ; Nightsister survivor have rejoin alongside Grand Admiral Thrawn , meaning they stay a brawny albeit shadowy force in the Galax urceolata .
The Acolytes of the Beyond
First Appeared:Aftermathby Chuck Wendig
The Acolytes of the Beyond was a cultlike religious group that was heavy influence by the Sith . penis were generally non - Force - sore themselves but regard the Force as a powerful instrument of circumstances . The Acolytes venerated the Sith , worshiping those who had died and collecting their artifact . The Acolytes of the Beyond became a utile tool for Palpatine , helping hold in his return before of theStar Warssequel trilogy .


















