Star Warshas just revealed a new Jedi faction in the popularGalaxy of Heroesgame, and I’d love to see them in action on screen. The galaxy is a dark place, and - over the decades - there have been countless different factions and groups within the Order. The oldStar WarsExpanded Universeintroduced groups like the Guardians, the Sentinels, and the Consulars; some of these have been nodded to in canon (Charlie Barnett’s Yord was described as a Jedi Guardian inThe Acolyte, for example).
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroeshas introduced a new Jedi faction, Jedi Knight Guardian. The first of these is Jedi librarian Jocasta Nu, and the kit reveal explains:
The Jedi faction is huge. We wanted a sub faction of Jedi where we could cage some power without making a certain Jedi Master even more powerful than he already is. The Vanguards are a collection of Jedi we felt were (or would have been) stalwart defenders of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
Qui-Gon Jinn
Shaak Ti
TheStar Warsgames are loosely canon, meaning this new designation is particularly interesting. In military terms, the “Vanguard” are the troops at the forefront of an army, responsible for identifying and holding key positions. It’s easy to see why EA has used the term to refer to those who would make stalwart defenders of the Jedi Temple.
I’d Love To See The Jedi Vanguard In Action
We’ve seen so many different perspectives onOrder 66, and yet - oddly - few of the Vanguard have really been shown in action.Scenes set at the Jedi Temple tend to focus on the slaughter of the younglings; Kelleran Beq was the first Vanguard whose Order 66 story was featured extensively in canon, shown rescuing Grogu. To be fair, other members were stationed far away, some had even died, and Barriss Offee’s Vanguard status here feels like a bit of dark humor.
I also think the “Vanguard” designation works rather well as a descriptor for Jedi at the forefront of identifying threats. That explains Qui-Gon Jinn’s designation, given he was mindful of the Living Force, and unusually cognizant of the galaxy’s problems in the prequel era. Schooled in ancientJedi prophecies, Qui-Gon recognized Anakin Skywalker as the Chosen One, and he correctly identified Darth maul as a Sith Lord.
Our Take On The Jedi Vanguard
Only time will tell whether Lucasfilm choose to build on this exciting new game mechanic inGalaxy of Heroes. Modern canon is supposed to recognize all media, though, which means this faction should really exist in canon in some capacity now - ripe for development. It will be exciting to see whatStar Warsdoes with the Jedi Vanguard.
