Star Wars: Who are the Padawans?

Debuting at the end of the 1970s, the Star Wars franchise is one of the most popular in pop culture, being full of specific nomenclatures responsible for covering the characters, locations and actions of the productions.

In an interview with Variety in May 2022, the current president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedyrevealed that the plan is to continue expanding the franchise, and that it never ends, winning over more and more people every year.

If you are part of the new wave of fans, you are certainly still adapting to all the Star Wars nomenclatures. But do you already know what a Padawan is? We explain it to you!

Origin of Padawans

The term “Padawan” was first introduced in the Star Wars universe in “Star Wars episode I — The Phantom Menace”, in 1999, when Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) refers to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Evan McGregor) as Padawan, who are basically Jedis at an early stage, as if they were young apprentices.

To become a Padawan, you must be chosen by a Master, and be prepared to accompany him on rigorous studies and missions. However, there are no major rules for being selected, just the intensity of the manifestation of the Force, which is an energy field responsible for governing the universe and which gives powers to everyone, having two sides: the good, related to the Jedi, and the dark, of the Siths.

Furthermore, the Master and his Padawan also do not necessarily have to have identical personalities. Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, for example, were very different.

Anyway, Jedi Knight

After all the studies and missions, when a Master considers that his Padawan is ready to become a Jedi Knight, he sends him to the famous “Jedi Test”, which will measure his power and intellect. If everything goes well, they can finally take on the role of Jedi.

It is also important to remember that not all Padawans follow as Jedis, such as Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, who before entering the dark side of the force, was Obi-Wan Kenobi’s apprentice.