The Star Wars story is full of a diverse range of characters. Some are magical and heroic, whilst others are pure evil. Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia are three of the most iconic heroic characters throughout the entire span of the Star Wars story, whereas Darth Sidious and Darth Vader make up the devilish duo. However, there are many more characters that may not be as well known, but could be said to have accomplished feats far greater than those from the original trilogy. 

Fans of the Expanded Universe will recognise such names as Revan and Malak, Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, Darth Caedus and Jaina Solo, Kyp Durron and Kyle Katarn, and Darth Bane and Darth Zannah. All of these characters offer fans of the Star Wars story new insights and perspectives of lore of the largest fantasy world ever created. 

In today's Force Reflection, we'd like you to think about who your favourite character is from the entirety of Star Wars, and tell us who you would like to be or take over for 24 hours. If you could live the life of one of the many characters, we'd like to know who that is and why. Would you take on filling the shoes of one of the iconic and more well-known characters such as Obi-Wan or Yoda? Or are you going to dig deeper into the Expanded Universe and take on the life of someone entirely different? What would you do in your 24 hours? Post your thoughts into the comments. 

Join me on a ride through the minds of your fellow roleplayers as we attempt to define a Gray Jedi and how they can be used in RP. We'll look at examples – good and bad – of lore and player characters based on what you think of them. All of this boils down to one thing: what, if anything, is wrong with RPing a Gray Jedi, and is the concept as a whole flawed? Click past the break and read the rest to find out what your fellow roleplayers think, and be sure to leave a comment to help strike up the never-ending discussion!

Being honoured as the best at any particular thing is an achievement that you cannot share with anyone else. Best is a noun, not a plural. Therefore, the title is yours and yours alone. However, putting that to practice to dub someone the best at anything in Star Wars would be awfully difficult as opinions vary. And they vary immensely. Just who is the best of all the Jedi to have ever lived in the Star Wars universe? Could it be Yoda? Or would his failures in foreseeing the upcoming storm of the dark side disqualify him from the running? Perhaps Luke Skywalker and the many adventures that followed the original trilogy grants him the glory and title as the best Jedi of all time? It could be an endless debate. But let's stop for just a minute. This is independent's week, right? So why are we talking about Jedi? Blame the author. 

Independent's week focuses on all the characters, locations, groups and organisations that would consider themselves loyal to none other but themselves. The Republic and the Empire – or whatever name they would be referred to as over the many eras in Star Wars – can go and throw themselves in the Sarlacc Pit for all the independents could care. As we come to a wrap in independent's week, we'd like to know who you think is the best and most influential independent character from any era in the Star Wars story. Who is it that motivates you and draws you into the faction-less group? Is Boba Fett the ultimate independent character? Perhaps one of the Mandalores? What about Salacious Crumb? Let's not forget the little guy. Post your thoughts into the comments section. 

Do you ever wonder how it is that the Jedi are so ruthless and precise with their strikes, parries, and blows whilst using the unforgiving lightsaber? Not only do the Jedi have access to the almighty Force to anticipate the attack and defence strategies of their foes, but they also have access to the knowledge contained within the forms of lightsaber combat which have been studies for centuries. In Part III of this article miniseries based on the book, The Jedi Path, we take you through the lightsaber forms used by both the Jedi and the Sith, as well as touching on sense abilities. We will then conclude the Padawan chapter of the book written for students of the Jedi by taking you through the Jedi Trials – the tests that determine whether a Padawan can be deemed ready for Knighthood within the Jedi Order.

For those of you still getting familiar with Jedi lore, there are six forms of lightsaber combat, each with their own style. Form I, also known as the Determination Form or Way of the Sarlacc, is the first style of lightsaber combat taught to the Jedi Initiates and Padawan learners of the Jedi Order. As previously stated in Part I of The Jedi Path: Teachings of the Jedi Order, Form I aims at the major strike zones of the body, consisting of the right and left sides of the body, as well as the head and legs. Disarming or temporarily incapacitating an enemy is the main aim of Form I. It is when we move onto Form II, also known as Makashi, and the Contention Form or Way of the Ysalamiri, that we begin to move onto the more stylised forms of lightsaber combat. Makashi was predominantly used for lightsaber-on-lightsaber combat. It is the most elegant of the six forms, using light and precise strikes at its opponents. The stance of Makashi consists of having one foot in front of the other in a line, moving forward and back upon this line. Disarming strikes with spins and twirls of the lightsaber are the more natural movements of this form.

Welcome to the second edition of The Jedi Path: Teachings of the Jedi Order. In this article mini-series, we leech onto the knowledge and lore contained with Daniel Wallace's book, The Jedi Path. In Part I, we focused briefly on the Jedi Code, but we went into detail with some of the lore surrounding the teachings and day-to-day activities of a Jedi Initiate. In Part II, we take you through the lessons and requirements of a Jedi taken as a Padawan by a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master. The path is difficult, and it requires much patience. However, a successful apprenticeship will eventually take a Jedi Padawan to the Jedi Trials where the title of Jedi Knight could be had. Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. Let's take a look at what being a Jedi Padawan is all about.

Most Jedi Initiates will be deemed ready for an apprenticeship at around the humanoid age of twelve to fourteen standard years. After passing the Initiate Trials which was outlined in Part I of the miniseries, Jedi Initiates can increase their chances of being chosen by a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master for an apprenticeship by participating in the Apprentice Tournament. The tournament consists of lightsaber contests which are viewed by the Knights and Masters of the Order as they scope out potential Padawan learners. At times, the tournament consists of free-for-all contests, as well as battles in a zero-g chamber.

The path of the Jedi is a difficult and treacherous one. It is filled with obstacles based on the rules of philosophy and morals, as well as requiring immense discipline. The Jedi Code must be followed at all times, lightsaber combat techniques must be at a competent level, and a Jedi must be able to connect mind, body and soul through a number of different and intricate meditative techniques. Not only does a Jedi have to pass a number of trials to excel within the Jedi Order, but they must do it selflessly. They must also resist the constant temptation of the dark side of the Force. A Jedi will make many decisions throughout their selfless career, and the utmost care must be taken to ensure a Jedi doesn't slip through the cracks to plunder to the fiery depths of the dark side.

A Jedi isn't without help, however. Neither are roleplayers who wish to take the reigns of a character based on such immense and deep lore. The Jedi Path, written by Daniel Wallace, is a book written from the perspective of some of the most formidable Jedi throughout history. The book is filled with comments by Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Count Dooku, Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Sidious, and more. The book is written to address a Jedi in training. It is a great resources for any Jedi roleplayer in training as well. If you're struggling with certain aspects of Jedi lore, or if you wish to further your knowledge on probably the most renowned aspect of Star Wars in its entirety, be sure to check out The Jedi Path.

With SWTOR-RP hosting a Jedi-themed Force Reflection week, we thought it appropriate to educate our members on all things Jedi, bringing you the best bits from the book written by Daniel Wallace. In today's edition of The Jedi Path: Teachings of the Jedi Order, we'll be discussing the Jedi Code, the history of the Order itself, as well as some of the duties and trials faced by a Jedi Initiate in training to become a Jedi Padawan. Be sure to stay tuned at SWTOR-RP for further knowledge of the Jedi, taken straight from The Jedi Path. But for now, lets kick off Part I.

The Jedi Temple, home to the Jedi Order, stood for a millennia until the sneaky and slaughterous Sacking of Coruscant. The Temple was attacked by the Sith Empire, where many Jedi were killed, more were injured, and the remnants of the Order had to flee to ensure their survival. In The Old Republic, the Jedi Order found their new refuge on the planet Tython, where much history and many secrets of the Jedi lay beneath the surface. Led by Satele Shan, direct descendant of Bastila Shan, the Jedi Order continues to seek out injustice and maintain peace around the galaxy in the name of the Republic. That is their oath. Now, they must also fend off the returning Sith, who intend to sweep the galaxy from underneath the Republic and claim it for themselves.

That, in a nutshell, is the story of the Jedi in The Old Republic. Roleplayers who intend to play as one of the two Jedi classes must immerse themselves into that story, utilising the many game mechanics BioWare have put together for the players. The question stands, what do we have available to us, as Jedi roleplayers, to create some of the most unforgettable and epic roleplay we've ever had? In this feature article, we'll delve into some of those features from the game that we'll be able to employ to add to our roleplaying experiences. Story, the numerous planets, companions, player ships, the holocomm, and the plethora of player characters are just some of the things we can put to use to plunge into the depths of Star Wars roleplay.