The lore of the Star Wars universe is absolutely massive at this point, with or without the Legends Canon adding decades of content. There are so many different eras to note, and that also means that tons of fascinating groups have existed throughout the galaxy. Believe it or not, there is a lesser-known canon group that matters far more than the average Star Wars fan might expect. That group is the Lost Twenty.

With how important the Jedi Order is in the Star Wars prequel movies, some fans may wonder what happens to those who walk away from the order. Anakin Skywalker might be the most famous example, but that doesn’t mean others have never done this. The Lost Twenty might just be some of the most dangerous beings in the galaxy, and casual Star Wars fans may not even know what the group is.

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What Is The Lost Twenty?

The Lost Twenty is one of the most tragic designations in Star Wars when it comes to the history of the Jedi Order. Should a powerful Jedi Master decide that the Jedi Order no longer aligns with their goals and ideals, they will leave the order. This is rare, only happening twenty times throughout the Jedi’s history. However, that doesn’t mean it isn't heart-wrenching for a being who’s worked much of their life to become a Jedi Master to simply walk away. With at least one seriously notable member of the group, the Lost Twenty became such following the events of The Phantom Menace, specifically the death of Qui-Gonn Jinn.

A Jedi Master doesn’t necessarily need to be lured to the Dark Side of the Force in order to walk away, but that is likely a common occurrence considering the immense skill of Jedi Masters and the nature of their exit. For a Jedi Master to be so disconnected from the Order, something has had to have gone horribly wrong. In certain instances, a Jedi Master may feel that the Order is acting in a way that is inappropriate for the Jedi, or that they should be taking action when they choose not to. It is this beginning of opposition to the Jedi Order that may result in many seeking to join the Dark Side.

Who Are Notable Members Of The Lost Twenty?

As of the current canon, there are only two named Jedi Masters who have abandoned the Jedi Order, though there is another sometimes mentioned alongside the Lost Twenty. Perhaps the most infamous member is none other than the ever-feared Count Dooku, who turned his back on the Jedi to become Darth Tyranus. His opposition to the Jedi Order will be familiar to everyone who has viewed the Star Wars prequel trilogy or the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Across the Clone Wars, Count Dooku served as a loyal underling to Darth Sidious and was eventually cut down by Anakin Skywalker.

In a deleted scene from Attack Of The Clones, Jocasta Nu delivers a line that perfectly encapsulates Count Dooku’s exit from the Jedi Order:

Another named but lesser-known member of the Lost Twenty is Jedi Master Trennis. There isn’t much information on Trennis, but she too grew tired of the Jedi Order and left, though her status afterward is unknown.

An interesting tweak on the Lost Twenty is that it could be considered as the Lost Twenty-One when Anakin Skywalker is factored in. It is true that he was never officially dubbed a Jedi Master, but he was placed on the Jedi Council, a role usually reserved for Jedi Masters. Additionally, he proved himself capable enough to rival and even defeat Jedi Masters. This resulted in Anakin considering himself a Jedi Master in his own right, and making him a sort of spiritual or honorary member of the Lost Twenty in some people’s eyes.

What Was Done About The Lost Twenty?

The problem is that there wasn’t much the Jedi Order could do about those who chose to walk away. It wasn’t the nature of the Jedi to use violence against those who would leave, meaning training any Jedi to the level of Master was a risk. It seems that the most the Jedi Order could muster up was to honor their fallen Order members in some form. Each Jedi Master who would eventually leave the order would be remembered with a bust of their likeness that would be placed in the Jedi Temple Archives on the planet Coruscant.

Of course, it should be said that those who would abandon the Jedi Order and turn to the Dark Side would naturally become enemies of the Jedi. The Jedi actively fought against Count Dooku over the course of the Clone Wars, and though it was likely their goal to capture him, it was only a matter of time before a Jedi defeated Dooku. While the Jedi did eventually defeat Dooku, the downfall of the Order thanks to Palpatine and Anakin would keep them from doing anything further when it comes to preventing further defectors.

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Star Wars

Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.

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