Jedi Lies - Summary and Conclusion

1LR has closely examined all seven Star Wars films to evidence to Jedi lies and deception. According to the Jedi Code, is it acceptable behavior for a Jedi to lie? Here is what we can conclude:

• The Jedi think of themselves as noble and honest. 
• The Jedi think of the Sith as inherently deceptive.
• When Jedi make a promise, "swear," or give their word they are truly honest (Only one documented case of a Jedi breaking his word - Anakin's broken promise to Rex in the animated SW movie). 
• Jedi sometimes lie to non-Jedi, but it is usually with good intentions.
• It appears that when a Jedi lies is not a cause for rebuke by other Jedi - meaning this behavior is accepted informally if not formally.
• Jedi are mostly truthful to other Jedi. This doesn't stop Obi-Wan and Yoda from lying to Luke as he trains to become a Jedi, however. It's interesting to note that once Luke has "completed his training," they finally tell him the truth.
• Jedi sometimes deceive other Jedi but this appears to be extremely rare (as evidenced by Obi-Wan's deception of Anakin concerning the arrival of Ahsoka Tano).
• Before completing his training as a Jedi, Luke was primarily honest but after his training is completed, Luke lies and uses deception.
• Jedi use the Jedi Mind Trick. By it's very name it denotes deception and trickery. Its victims are often forced to accept untruths as reality. 
• The Jedi Mantra and the associated tenets make no mention, direct or indirect, about honesty and dishonesty.
• Young Jedi are taught to be honest but this is primarily focused on honesty to other Jedi. 

So, in conclusion - Is it against the Jedi Code for a Jedi to lie? Well, the answer is, "No." It isn't against the code. So, yes, it's okay for a Jedi to lie, primarily to non-Jedi. And they do. They do lie.

Does this make the Jedi bad people? Perhaps not. But it does tarnish the image of Jedi a little bit in my mind.

To be fair, I believe that the original intent of George Lucas was for the Jedi to be noble, honest, and pure. It is only when you consider the greater backstory of the prequel trilogy that Obi-Wan and Yoda are revealed to be dishonest (in most cases). Some of these apparent deceptions in the original trilogy can most likely be chalked up to sloppy filmmaking and failing to properly account for established continuity.

So what? What does this mean?  Does this make Obi-Wan and Yoda selfish manipulators? Did the institutionalized deceptions of the Jedi contribute to the fall of the Jedi Order? Could Anakin's decent into the dark side have been prevented if only he had been honest with Obi-Wan concerning his feelings toward Padme (Anakin isn't sent on the mission with Padme, they don't go to Tatooine, he doesn't kill the sand people, they don't get secretly married, she doesn't get pregnant, Anakin doesn't feel he needs to save her)?

I'll leave that for you to decide. But I know for myself I wouldn't trust a Jedi.

Jedi Lies - The Jedi Code

1LR has spent so much time talking about the Jedi Code and how it applies to honesty but what is the Jedi Code anyway? Well, let's turn to all Star Wars fans best friends, www.wookieepedia.com. All information referenced here is from http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Jedi_Code.


First, there's the Jedi Mantra. This is a chant that all Jedi learn to reinforce the basic tenets of the code:

There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

(There is no chaos, there is harmony.)(*)

There is no death, there is the Force.

—The Jedi Code (Based on the meditations of Odan-Urr)

(*)The fourth line "There is no chaos, there is harmony," is removed in some Jedi texts. At the Funeral of Mara Jade Skywalker, for instance, this line was omitted.

As you can see, there's nothing there about honesty or dishonesty for the Jedi.

Next, there are various miscellaneous tenents of the Jedi Order:

• The Jedi are the guardians of civilization, yet do not allow civilization to destroy needlessly.
• A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for aggression or personal gain.
  • A corollary of the Code was "A Jedi does not act for personal power."
• The lightsaber is the symbol of the members of the Jedi Order.
• Jedi do not marry (with some exceptions), in order to avoid attachment and—according to Vergere—so as not to create dynasties of those strong in the Force. However, in many periods of the Order's history, such as the era prior to Exar Kun and in Luke Skywalker's reformed Jedi Order, marriage was not forbidden. That being said, celibacy was enforced in many periods of the Order's history.
• Jedi respect each other, and all other life forms.
• Jedi must put the needs of the community above the needs of individuals.
• A Jedi must protect the weak and defenseless from evil.
• Jedi must always cooperate in battle or crisis.
• Jedi must not have wants; self-reliance must be shown.
• Jedi are forbidden from ruling others, although by the end of the Republic there was some debate over whether or not this was part of the actual Code.
• A Jedi Master may not have more than one Padawan. This particular rule developed after the Old Sith Wars, as most ancient Masters such as Arca Jeth, Thon, Vodo-Siosk Baas and Krynda Draay did not have to abide by it. The Jedi Exile also trained many apprentices at the same time due to their Force-sensitivity and the galaxy's dire need for Jedi. However, one apprentice per master seemed to be the standard around 32 BBY. But due to the lack of Masters in Luke Skywalker's Academy, several Padawans per master was necessary, as seen in Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin training under Kyle Katarn
• While the Code did not mention a maximum age for taking Padawans, Jedi Master Simikarty wrote influential interpretations of the Code that inserted such limits; over time, his interpretations of the Code became conflated with the Code itself. In Revan's era, apprentices were taken from early childhood. After the end of the New Sith Wars, it became policy to take apprentices from infancy, which proved controversial with those outside the Order. Conversely, Nomi Sunrider started her training as an adult, as did the apprentices of the Jedi Exile and many of the New Jedi Order.
• A Jedi will not kill an unarmed opponent, such as the way Anakin Skywalker executed Count Dooku.
• A Jedi will not take revenge, such as Anakin did against the Tusken Raiders
• A Jedi does not cling to the past, such as Anakin did when he used bad memories like when Padmé was almost assassinated to keep his resolve to defeat Nute Gunray and the Confederacy of Independent Systems
• The Jedi do not believe in killing their prisoners.

Once again, you can see that there's nothing there about honesty and dishonesty.

The only place I could find mention of honesty was in the teachings that all younglings receive. There are many tenents but one of them deals with Honesty. From Wookieepedia:

Practice Honesty

"Let there be truth between your heart and the Force. All else is transitory."

―Surenit Kil'qiy

Honesty was the first responsibility that aspiring Jedi were taught. Jedi were permitted to stretch the truth if the situation required it of them, however this was to be done as sparingly as possible. An honest Jedi was always truthful with himself, his Master, and the Council.

Even here, it is plain that, while Jedi are told to be honest when dealing with other Jedi they are allowed to lie to non-Jedi. 1LR will summarize the evidence it has collected from all seven movies and from the Jedi Code itself in the next installment into this series as a conclusion is drawn.

Jedi Lies: Episode VI

In the final film in the Star Wars Saga, Episode VI, we find some interesting information to help us answer the question, "Is lying against the Jedi code?"

• Up until this point, Luke has been an honest character, telling no lies or not using deception at all. It is noteworthy then to see how he changes in this film. First, he appears to be very up front with Jabba but he is, in fact, planning to kill Jabba. I mean, what would he have done if Jabba had said, "Okay. You can have Solo." Would Luke then have said, "Oh, and I need the two droids back, one of which has my lightsaber, and the Wookie." Don't think so. Luke put himself in a position where the only avenue of escape was violence so his proposed negotiations were actually a sham.
• Luke, in a message to Jabba, says, "I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi knight, and friend to Captain Solo." Why is he claiming to be a Jedi knight? When he talks to Yoda later he says, "Then I am a Jedi," as if he, himself, wasn't sure. But Yoda sets him right saying, "Oh! Not yet. One thing remains - Vader. You must confront Vader. Then, and only then, will a Jedi you be." So clearly when Luke claims to be a Jedi knight this claim is false. 
• Luke's first use of the Jedi Mind Trick is against Bib Fortuna. Luke says, "You will take me to Jabba now," and, "You serve your master well," and, "And you will be rewarded," and, "I must be allowed to speak." The first is a command but the rest of these implanted thoughts are false. Clearly from Fortuna's opening remarks to Luke, Luke knows that Jabba has rejected his offer and doesn't want to see him. So when he forces Fortuna to bring him to Jabba he knows that he is NOT serving his master well and he will NOT be rewarded. 
• Luke then tries the Jedi Mind Trick on Jabba, saying, "You will bring Captain Solo and the wookie to me." Luckily for Jabba he has the strength of mind to resist this Jedi trickery.
• After rescuing Han, Luke makes good on the promise he made to Yoda in the previous film. He says, "I have a promise to keep... to an old friend." This once again demonstrates that the Jedi do, in fact, keep a sworn promise.
• Yoda says to Luke, "That face you make - Look I so old to your young eyes?" To which Luke responds with a lie, "No, of course not." OF COURSE NOT!?! Yoda's 900 years old, extremely wrinkled, barely able to slowly walk around and he's coughing up a lung - of COURSE he looks old! It's a polite lie, but a lie nonetheless.
• The ghostly Obi-Wan Kenobi says of Anakin, "When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot." While there may be a seed of truth to this one, I would hardly call Ep. I Anakin a "great pilot." Let me see - he had never previously won a podrace, in fact failing to finish any prior races. When he gets into the cockpit of an actual spaceship he survives based on stupid luck. Hardly what I'd call a "great pilot." I would say, more accurately, that he had great POTENTIAL as a pilot.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi also says, "I thought that I could instruct him as well as Yoda. I was wrong." This is a curious statement. Does this mean that Yoda didn't teach Anakin as he did all other younglings? It's a little unclear to me but it's strongly implied in Ep. I that Obi-Wan takes Anakin has his apprentice right away, not at the typical age of 13. If this is the case, than Obi-Wan's statement above is true. If, in fact, Yoda did instruct Anakin with all the other younglings then this statement may be misleading at best.
• Obi-Wan continues his old manipulations when he says to Luke, "Then the emperor has already won. You were our only hope." But Obi-Wan doesn't know that Yoda has finally told the truth on his deathbed. Obi-Wan is caught in his deception when he says, "Yoda spoke of another." The look on Obi-Wan's face in the moment of pause right after that line is priceless.
• Luke is getting so used to deceit that he's telling others to lie as well! Luke says to C3PO, "3PO, tell them that if they don't do as you wish you'll become angry and use your magic." Clearly, C3PO has no magical ability and Luke's pulling a fast one on the Ewoks. I'm sure he makes Obi-Wan and Yoda proud every time he practices deception...
• The final entry into this list comes secondhand. Luke doesn't say it directly, but the imperial officer that brings him to Vader at the end says of Luke, "This is the rebel that surrendered to us. Although he denies it, I believe there may be more of them..." Luke lies to protect his friends. It's understandable but still a lie.

So, our journey is complete, having gone through all seven films. What did we learn from this installment?

- Previously, Luke was completely truthful but it seems that once he considers himself a Jedi he's willing to lie and use deception.

- Luke kept his promises.

Jedi Lies: Episode V

1LR continues to examine each Star Wars film for evidence to answer the question, "Is it okay for a Jedi to lie?" In this installment we turn our steely gaze to Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

• On Hoth, a ghostly Obi-Wan tells Luke to go to Degobah. He says, "There you will learn from Yoda - The Jedi Master that instructed me." This implies that Obi-Wan was the padawan to Yoda. Now, some might dismiss this by saying that Yoda taught all younglings before they became padawans at 13 or that this is a reference to Yoda teaching Obi-Wan how to commune with the dead Qui-Gon. But later, Yoda says of Luke, "Much anger in him... like his father," and Obi-Wan replies, "Was I any different when you taught me?" From the first three films, we have no indication that Obi-Wan had any anger problems nor was he impatient or reckless (two more of Yoda's criticism's of Luke that Obi-Wan falsely deflects onto his younger self). While asking a question can't be a lie, the answer to Obi-Wan's question is, "Yes. Yes, you were different." As for Yoda teaching Obi-Wan... true - but the way it is stated in this film misrepresents the actual truth of the matter - Obi-Wan's most significant teacher was Qui-Gon.
• When Luke first encounters Yoda, Yoda is childish and pretends not to be himself. When Luke asks to see Yoda, Yoda responds, "Take you to him I will." and then, later, at Yoda's home, Yoda says of himself, "Patience. Soon you will be with him." Why does Yoda do this? Perhaps it is a bit of self-preservation from threats since, apparently, nobody knows he's on Degobah. It's hard to even call these statements *technically* true. It's deception and, as such, it is chronicled it here.
•  When Luke senses the threat to Leia and Han, Yoda tells him, "If you leave now, help them you could but you will destroy all for which they have fought and suffered." Wha? This turns out to be an out-and-out lie as Luke DOES leave and he doesn't turn to the dark side nor does the rebellion crumble. The only hope purists have to cling to on this on is narrowly defining Yoda's use of the word, "now," to mean, "right this second," and not, you know, that same evening, which is when Luke actually takes off.
• Speaking of taking off, Yoda tries the same scare tactics on Luke as he's loading up his X-Wing. He says, "If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil." Once again, completely untrue. How is it that Yoda can all of a sudden tell the future with unerring accuracy but when Luke asks about Han and Leia's fate, Yoda says, "Always in motion is the future."? Answer - he simply wants Luke to do exactly what HE wants him to do and he's willing to lie to make that happen.
• After Luke takes off, Obi-Wan says to Yoda, "That boy is our last hope," which is odd because he KNOWS that Leia is his twin. Perhaps he wanted Luke to hear him saying this untruth. Luke could hear the ghostly Obi-Wan in the cockpit but probably not Yoda saying, "No. There is another."
• Luke makes two promises as a Jedi-in-training, saying, "Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun... You have my word." Master Yoda says, "Mind what you have learned - save you it can," to which Luke replies, "I will. And I'll return. I promise. As a Jedi apprentice, Luke keeps all of these promises, keeping with the tradition we've noted in previous movies of Jedi keeping their word.
• When Luke learns of the Jedi's deception, he seems grieved. How odd is it that the bad guy is the one telling the truth in this movie? Luke regurgitates the lies he's been fed by Obi-Wan about his father, "He told me you killed him!" to which Vader only has to respond with the truth, "No. I am your father," and, "Search your feelings. You know it to be true." Later, Luke is grieved by this deception by his mentor, "Ben! Why didn't you tell me?"

So, what can we walk away from Episode V with?

- The Jedi continue to lie to Luke to get him to do what they want.

- Interestingly, Luke himself is lie-free. The closest he comes is when he tells his aunt that he'll mention to Uncle Owen to get a translator that speaks Bache and then no such thing but that can reasonably chalked up to forgetfulness.

- As a Jedi, Luke keeps his promises.

Yoda, whispering lies, sweet lies, in Luke's ear.

Jedi Lies?: Episode IV

Once again we turn the all-seeing eye of 1LR to the Star Wars movies to answer the question, "According to the Jedi code, is it okay for Jedi to lie?" In this installment we examine Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. This is a critical episode because this is where we have a big jump forward in time and Obi-Wan starts telling Luke about his family's past. On to the lies!

• Obi-Wan says to Luke that Luke's Uncle Owen, "Didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved." Sure, Uncle Owen doesn't want LUKE to get involved, but Owen and Anakin only met once, when Anakin came looking for his mother. At that point, Anakin was already very, very "involved" in the Clone Wars. So is Uncle Owen's position that Anakin should have remained a slave the rest of his life instead of gaining freedom and becoming a Jedi Knight? Doubtful, hence, this is most likely a lie.
• Perhaps the most egregious lie in this film is when Obi-Wan hands Luke his father's lightsaber and says, "Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough." Wha? Did I miss something? Was this before or after Anakin screams, "I HATE YOU!" as he burns next to the lava flow and Obi-Wan picks up Anakin's lightsaber? In any event, Anakin believes that Padme and the children died thanks to Palpatine telling Anakin that he killed her in his anger. How could Anakin want a son he doesn't even know about to have his lightsaber? Complete fabrication!
• Now, I know this one is a point of contention. Obi-Wan also says, "A young Jedi named Darth Vader who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father." People who believe this is a version of the truth "from a certain point of view" will point to Yoda's quote in Ep. 3, "Twisted by the Dark Side, young Skywalker has become. The boy you trained, gone he is... Consumed by Darth Vader." To explain himself in Ep. 6, Obi-Wan says, "Your father... was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and "become" Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view." Now compare Obi-Wan's ep. 6 statement to his Ep. 3 statement. They aren't compatable. First of all, using his logic, Darth Vader was never his pupil, nor a Jedi. Even treating Darth Vader and Anakin as two separate beings, it's hard to justify stating that Darth Vader, "betrayed and killed" Anakin. Any way you cut it, Obi-Wan was trying to hide the truth from Luke so he could use Luke for his own ends - namely, the destruction of the Empire and the continuation of the Jedi. If this meant he had to twist the truth, Obi-Wan was willing to do so.
• Last but not least, Obi-Wan uses the Jedi Mind Trick on a dumb Stormtrooper. As I discussed earlier, by its very nature, the Jedi Mind Trick implants false thoughts into the mind the of the victim. If the truth would suffice, why not simply use reason? First, he leads in with a lie, saying of R2D2 and C3P0, "They're up for sale if you want them." Then he starts planting the lies using the JMT, "You don't need to see his identification," and (most famously), "These aren't the droids you're looking for," and, "He can go about his business," and finally, "Move along." The most deceitful quote is the second one - clearly, a bold faced falsehood.

To be fair, Uncle Owen (not a Jedi, of course) does his fair share of lying to keep Luke on the farm. When asked about Obi-Wan Kenobi, Uncle Owen responds, "He died about the same time as your father." Perhaps he's using Yoda logic in that Obi-Wan died and "Old Ben" was born. Or, perhaps he's just a selfish liar like Obi-Wan.

So what did we learn? 

- For those folks who, up to this point, may have said of Episodes 1-3, "Yes, they lied with regularity, but it was clear that the Jedi Order had become corrupt at that point in history!" here we have proof that the deceptions continue beyond the fall of the Jedi.

- It's clear that Obi-Wan is manipulating Luke into becoming a Jedi and he's willing to use falsehoods to do it. Didn't they learn anything from their mistakes with Anakin?

I can see why he lied. "I stole this from your father after I cut off both his legs and one arm," doesn't have quite the same ring to it as, "Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough."

Jedi Lies?: Episode III

According to the Jedi code, is it okay for a Jedi to tell a lie or to act deceptively? As we've seen from Episodes I and II, certainly some Jedi lie some of the time. We continue to look for evidence to answer this question within Episode III. Now, to be fair, at this point in continuity Anakin is walking down the path of the Dark Side to be sure so any untruths told by Anakin cannot be held against the Jedi Order. Still, for the sake of completeness, and because Anakin doesn't truly become a Sith until the end of the film, we'll document all occurrences of deception in this Episode.

• Padme asks Anakin, "What's bothering you?" Anakin, clearly troubled, answers, "Nothing." Certainly not the truth! If he didn't want to tell her, he could have said, "Yes, I am troubled but, I'm sorry, it's Jedi business and I can't talk about it."
• Perhaps the damning evidence from this film is when the Jedi Counsel asks Anakin to spy on Palpatine. Even Anakin recognizes this as an act of treason. You might say, "Desperate times call for desperate measures," but I think this just goes to show how corrupt the Jedi have become. They're willing to throw away their most cherished principles. Spying, by its very nature, is an act of deception. Anakin would appear to be Palpatine's friend but really would be causing him harm. Even Chancellor Palpatine, when he suspects the plot, tells Anakin, "They asked you to do something that made you feel dishonest." The fact that the Jedi Counsel asked Anakin to spy shows that it isn't a case of one or two Jedi telling lies but deception is ingrained into the Jedi way of life systemically. 
• Once again, Padme asks Anakin, "What is it?" because she clearly sees he is stressed out. "Nothing," is Anakin's reply again.
• Oddly, in this film, it seems a considerable amount of truth is spoken by the main bad guy, Chancellor Palpatine. Palpatine says, "Good is a point of view. Sith and Jedi are similar in almost every way." Anakin replies, "The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inwards - only about themselves." Palpatine retorts, "And the Jedi don't?" What's shocking is that Palpatine is correct. The Jedi act in ways shockingly similar to the Sith. Using deceptions and lies to their advantage just makes the Jedi all the more similar to the Sith.
• The film's only promise turns out to be a broken one. Anakin promises Padme that she won't die in childbirth. This is the only example so far of a Jedi breaking his word. Still, you can hardly hold this against the Jedi in general because Anakin was actually a Sith when he broke this promise he made as a Jedi. Sith, clearly, have no qualms about breaking a promise.
• Anakin says to Palpatine, "I know there are things about the Force they're not telling me." Palpatine responds, "You must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you." It seems that the fear and perhaps jealousy the Jedi Counsel feels toward Anakin has caused them to hide certain truths from him. Palpatine uses the outright lies and/or lies of omission the Jedi tell Anakin to create doubt in Anakin's mind. Doubt that is, perhaps, justified.
• Anakin, now a Sith Lord, tells Padme that, "The Jedi have tried to ovethrow the Republic." When it may be easy to label this as a clear lie, perhaps some part of Anakin truly believes this or at least wants to. Either way, we can't use this as evidence against the Jedi because Anakin is no longer a Jedi.
• When Obi Wan reveals to Padme was Anakin has done, she says, "I don't believe you. I can't." If the Jedi were known to always tell the truth would it be so hard for Padme to believe Obi Wan? I think not. Clearly this is evidence that Padme is aware that the Jedi don't always tell the truth.
• After confronting Padme to learn Anakin's whereabouts no result, Obi-Wan has no qualms about stealing away on her ship. I do not believe that Obi-Wan's true intention was to cause Padme to go to Anakin but nonetheless this is the result. Instead of asking to go along he once again uses trickery in hitching a ride. 
• Once again, Anakin (now Darth Vader), says to Padme, "He's trying to turn you against me!" when she reveals that she knows what he did to the younglings. This might be true from Anakin's perspective but I would not say it is "the truth." Once again, however, the actions of the Sith cannot be counted against the Jedi. 
• Anakin says to Obi Wan right before their final battle, "I see through the lies of the Jedi!" Clearly this concept of the Jedi as liars has a profound impact on Anakin. Could it be possible that if the Jedi were against lying that Anakin would have never gone to the Dark Side? 

To summarize, I think the two big pieces of evidence to walk away from Episode III with are that the Jedi Counsel asked Anakin to do something inherently deceptive, revealing the depths to which deception is practiced by the Jedi, and Chancellor Palpatine skillfully uses the lies of the Jedi to turn Anakin against them.

 

Jedi Lies? - Episode II.V (2.5)

Surely the Jedi don't lie in the only animated Star Wars movie, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (fondly called Episode 2.5 because it occurs between Episode 2 and 3). Right? Right?!? Well, wrong.

1LR continues to examine the evidence from the seven Star Wars films to answer the question, "Is it okay for a Jedi to tell lies and act deceptively?" Here's the evidence we found from this episode:

• During the big opening sequence, Kenobi uses deception to delay the opposing general, General Loathsom. He "surrenders" knowing full well that Anakin and Ahsoka are going to blow up the shield generator. Loathsom actually expects as much. Kenobi says, "I've conceded the battle. Now we simply have to negotiate the terms of surrender." Loathsom expects trickery, saying, "Don't try any of your tricks, Jedi!" It seems Jedi are known to be "tricky." 
• Obi-Wan continues to lie during this exchange saying of Loathsom, "You're a legend throughout the Inner Core." A doubtful claim, considering Loathsom's track record. Loathsom says, "You're stalling!" to which Obi-Wan replies, "Nonsense, General." Clearly a lie.
• Young Padawan Ahsoka Tano covers herself when she misses killing a battle droid by saying, "I did that on purpose." 
• When Dooku comes to Jabba with the claim that the Jedi have tried to trick him, Jabba finds it amazingly easy to believe that the Jedi had lied to him.
• We actually have a rare instance of the Jedi breaking their word in this film. Anakin says to Ahsoka, "But we promised Rex we'd help them!" He then quickly changes his mind, calls Rex and tells him he's not coming. 
• To trick Count Dooku, Anakin wears the backpack they had been carrying Jabba's son in but its filled with rocks. After the deception is revealed, Anakin says, "You've fallen for my little trick, Count!" Dooku replies, "I expected such treachery from a Jedi." It seems that he has made preparations in advance for such a case. Since Dooku was previously a Jedi he is very familiar with their methods, which, apparently, include "trickery" and deceit.
• The exact answer to the question of whose Padawan Ahsoka Tano is suppose to be may be in some doubt. Obi-Wan acts and speaks as if he's expecting Ahsoka to be his Padawan but in fact she has been assigned to Anakin. Before her arrival, Obi-Wan says of a troop ship, "Perhaps they brought my new Padawan with them. I spoke to Master Yoda about it. Yo should put in a request for one. You'd make a good teacher." Then Ahsoka shows up and Obi-Wan introduces himself, "I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, your new master." When Ahsoka correct him saying that Yoda gave her specific orders that she is to be trained by Anakin, Obi-Wan's only response is a knowing smile. The fact that Obi-Wan had just been encouraging Anakin to take a Padawan is mighty suspicious as is the fact that both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan had spoken to Yoda. How could there be a mix-up then? Anakin even says to Obi-Wan, "You know, something makes me think this was your idea from the start." If this is in fact the case than this is a rare instance of one Jedi deceiving another Jedi and a Padawan.

From this episode we can gather the following evidence

- The Jedi have a reputation for being "tricky" among some circles.

- The Jedi do sometimes break their word when given to a non-Jedi.

- Although it may be rare, Jedi do deceive one another.

Jedi Lies? - Episode II

1LR continues exploring the Star Wars films for evidence to answer the question, "It is okay for a Jedi to lie?" Today, we examine Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

• In this episode, we see (chronologically according to the films) the first time a Jedi lies to another Jedi. On the way to see Padme, Obi Wan says to Anakin, "You seem tense." Anakin replies, "Not at all," which is clearly not true. Sure, it's a "little white lie," but I'm SURE that Padawans are suppose to tell the truth in all matters to their master. Sure, Anakin is arrogant but this is before he was tainted by the dark side in any way.
• Obi Wan uses the Jedi Mind Trick on Elan Sleazebaggano to convince him to stop selling Death Sticks. "You don't want to sell me death sticks." "You want to go home and rethink your life." Both of these statements are untrue for Elan. As discussed in the Ep. 1 Jedi Lies post, the JMT is, in its nature, forces the victim to believe lies.
• I don't know if it qualifies as a "lie" or not, but Anakin sure twists the Jedi Code when he is talking to Padme on the refuge freighter. "Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi's life. So, you might say that we are encouraged to love." Anakin says. Is this Anakin lying to himself and Padme or is the Jedi Code so ambiguous it can be interpreted differently by different people?
• On Kamino, Obi Wan reacts to the news that the "order is ready" by saying, "What good news." Obi Wan's entire visit to Kamino from that point on is a deception - he doesn't tell the Kamino cloners that he has no idea what they're talking about and doesn't know anything about a clone army. He plays along like he knows what they're talking about.
• Yoda wishes to keep it secret that the Jedi's ability to use the force has been diminished. I wonder if this desire for secrecy would extend to Yoda outright lying to anybody who asked about this phenomenon.
• When speaking about Count Dooku, Yoda says that since he left the Jedi Order, "Lies, deceit, creating mistrust are his ways now." This clearly outlines that Yoda thinks lies and deceit are the ways of the dark side..
• Anakin marries Padme in secret. Although direct deception doesn't happen on screen, this arrangement by its nature must involve deception and lies. How else would they be able to keep their relationship a secret? Of course, this is after Anakin has already started down a dark path so this behavior is probably not reflective of Jedi in general.

All accounted for, there isn't much direct evidence in this episode of Jedi lies. Part of that may be that the plot was so thick with exposition. Yoda's quote is particularly interesting - he apparently sees lies as being seperate from the Jedi Order. It is also notable that we see a Jedi lie and keep secrets from his fellow Jedi. We'll continue next time with Episode III.

Jedi Lies? - Episode I

I am examining each Star Wars film for evidence as to what the Jedi moral code has to say about lying. Are lying and deception acceptable practices for Jedi to engage in?

Let's examine the evidence from Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. Do the Jedi lie or use deception in this film?

• The Supreme Chancellor sends "ambassadors" to the trade delegation, but Viceroy Gunray has no idea that it is actually Jedi are on the way! Why not reveal this fact? The Jedi seem to act as if withholding the fact that they are Jedi is part of the standard operating procedure. Why intentionally hide this fact unless they are perhaps planning on a little more action than negotiations at the table? While not a lie, it's certainly questionable behavior. Doesn't the negotiator between two parties normally try not to scare either party into rash action? Perhaps if Nute Gunray anticipated Jedi he wouldn't have had such a dramatic overreaction.  
• Qui Gon Jinn and Obi Wan convince Jar Jar with a little scare tactic, overstating the threat of the droids, saying that the "bad things" will "crush" them, and detailing other methods of injury or death. In reality, both Qui Gon and Obi Wan know that there is little immediate threat at that moment from the droids.
• Qui Gon uses ye 'ol Jedi mind trick on Boss Nas to get transportation. By its nature, the Jedi mind trick is deceitful because it implants thoughts into someone's head that are not their own. Instead of using diplomacy, Qui Gon simply implants false information into Boss Nas's head: That he wants to give them transportation. 
• Qui Gon tries, unsuccessfully to use the old standby Jedi mind trick on Watto when his reasoning skills fail. What if he was successful? Was he willing to leave Watto with Republic Credits that are "worthless" to him, essentially stealing the parts he needs? Once again - Jedi mind trick equals forcing somebody to believe lies. I mean, "trick" is in the name of the power! Thank God that Toydarians are immune to the Jedi Lie Trick! 
• After receiving the transmission from Naboo, Obi Wan says, with firm resolve, "It's a trick!" to the captain then two seconds later, in private, asks Qui Gon, "What if it's true?" He hides his true feelings, even from his allies, simply to get them to behave as he wishes them to. Manipulation at its finest.
• Qui Gon willingly goes along win Anakin's suggestion that he claim Anakin's pod is his own. Qui Gon even embellishes the story when speaking to Watto, claiming he won it in a game of chance - NONE of which is true. Lies, all lies!
• After pricking Anakin with a blood testing needle or device, Qui Gon tells Anakin that he's checking his blood for infections. While this may or may not be true, his TRUE intention is to check for midichlorians. Way to model the noble Jedi way, Qui Gon!
• When making a wager for Anakin's freedom, Qui Gon influences the "chance cube" with the force. Why? Didn't he trust the force to come up with the right result? After all, if it was DESTINED, surely the die would have resulted in Anakin being picked anyway. This act of deception causes his whole bet with Watto to be deceitful. Qui Gon is no better than somebody who tries to cheat at poker by having cards up their sleeves.

Now, in the interest of fairness, a large part of the deception and outright lies that Jedi do in this film are done by Qui Gon. I don't think we can draw firm conclusions at this point - we certainly don't have enough evidence to judge one way or another whether it's okay for all Jedi to lie but we do have evidence that at least SOME Jedi lie with regularity.

it is interesting to note that there are two times in the film that a Jedi give his word and one time that he makes a promise.

Qui Gon gives his word that he will care for Anakin.

Obi Wan gives his word that he will train Anakin.

Obi Wan promises Anakin that Anakin will become a Jedi. (Later, Obi-Wan insists when talking with Yoda, saying, "I gave Qui-Gon my word!")

In all of these cases, the Jedi is being 100% honest and does what he says he will do. So it seems when a Jedi say, "I promise," they are bound by the their word at that point. Also, the Jedi lie to and manipulate everyone except for the other Jedi. At least it seems that they have SOME honor.

At this point, we can say...

- Jedi lie, some with regularlity

- Jedi sincerely attempt to keep their promises, at least to other Jedi

- Jedi do not generally attempt to deceive other Jedi
- The Jedi mind trick is inherently deceptive as it forces someone to believe a lie

Jedi Lies? - Intro

Special thanks to my friend Sam who helped me flesh out this idea.

Some aspects of the Jedi Code are very well defined. As powerful beings, there are rules a Jedi must follow to stay on the "pure" path of the Jedi. Jedi that don't follow this code risk drifting to the dark side of the force. But is the Jedi Code merely a set of rules or does it reflect a fundamental morality? Han Solo called the Jedi a "religion." Most religions have a moral code that members attempt to adhere to. Specifically, what does the Jedi Code have to say about falsehood, deception, lying, and trickery? Is this okay for a Jedi to engage in or is it against the Jedi Code? All major world religions here on Earth preach against lying. "Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor," says the Bible. I suppose I always assumed that Jedi, being the "good guys" were held to a similar standard. But then the prequels proved much of what Obi Wan says in Episode IV to be false. So that got me thinking... According to the Jedi's own code, is it okay for the Jedi to lie?

I will be going film by film looking for evidence that helps us answer this question. We'll go chronologically through the series from Episode I to Episode VI (including the Clone Wars movie).