Star Wars' "Disaster Lineage" Explained: From Grandmaster Yoda To The Mandalorian Jedi Sabine Wren

Summary The line of Jedi including Yoda, Obi-Wan, Luke, and Ahsoka is both powerful and dangerous, producing heroes and villains.

Count Dooku was the first in the lineage to turn to the dark side, causing a major shift in the family tree of Jedi.

The Skywalker lineage, starting with Anakin, brought destruction, with Kylo Ren following in his grandfather's footsteps.

Star Wars' most iconic Jedi master and apprentice lineage was also the franchise's most dangerous and destructive. Many of Star Wars' most powerful Jedi in Star Wars movies and TV shows come from the same line of Jedi. Beginning with Grandmaster Yoda, Jedi including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano all comprise the same lineage, inarguably representing one of Star Wars' most powerful lines (if not the single most powerful).

However, this same lineage produced some of Star Wars' most powerful Sith, from Count Dooku to Darth Vader. While this duality might seem perplexing at first glance, the contradictions within this master and apprentice lineage were really by nature of the Jedi within it. Because of the strengths and flaws of the Jedi comprising this 'disaster lineage,' one single Star Wars line created both Star Wars' greatest heroes and some of its most dangerous villains.

Related The 10 Most Iconic Master & Apprentice Teams In Star Wars' 47-Year History Out of the countless incredible Jedi and Sith master and apprentice duos throughout Star Wars, these 10 are the most iconic of them all.

11 Grandmaster Yoda Began The 'Disaster' Lineage

First Appeared In: The Empire Strikes Back

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Yoda remains one of the greatest Jedi in all of Star Wars, although he was the first in this destructive Jedi lineage. Yoda lived an astounding 900 years, most of which occurred prior to his first chronological appearance in The Empire Strikes Back or in his first timeline appearance in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. However, despite Yoda's unquestionable strength in the Force and remarkable skill level, he made a series of choices that reflects his role in this disastrous Star Wars line.

For one, Yoda was the Jedi Master of Count Dooku, who ultimately became a fallen Jedi and a Sith Lord, serving as Darth Sidious' apprentice when Darth Maul had (seemingly) died. While a Jedi's fall can't entirely be attributed to the master, it is notable that someone who directly trained under Yoda went on to become so disillusioned with the Jedi. In fact, Dooku betrayed the Jedi not only by joining the dark side but also by leading the Separatists against the Republic/the Jedi in the Clone Wars.

While perhaps that alone isn't enough to place blame on Yoda, he was at least partially responsible for what followed in the Jedi lineage he began. In fact, Yoda had a surprising amount of contact with the various members of this Jedi line given how long it went on without him and how his involvement with the Jedi was gravely impacted by Order 66. However, not only did Yoda have a hand in training a Jedi who ultimately became a Sith Lord, but he also had a major impact on Anakin Skywalker, which is when the lineage really fell apart.

10 Count Dooku Was The First Member Of The Lineage To Join The Dark Side

First Appeared In: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

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Count Dooku was the first in the line to turn to the dark side, marking a major shift in the lineage, although it was still very new. Interestingly, Dooku fell for many of the same reasons Anakin Skywalker eventually did. He found both the Jedi and the Republic to be corrupt. Unlike Anakin, though, Count Dooku didn’t turn soon after he became a Jedi Knight. Instead, Dooku remained with the Jedi for decades before joining Darth Sidious as his Sith apprentice.

Of course, Dooku went on to cause an incredible amount of damage, leading the Separatists in the fight against the Jedi during the Clone Wars. He was also specifically antagonistic to Anakin Skywalker; after all, he was the very person who cut off Anakin's hand. In the end, sadly (for Dooku), he discovered too late that he was little more than a pawn in his Sith master's game, and Palpatine had Dooku executed right in front of him. However, the damage was largely done with his impact on this lineage.

9 Qui-Gon Jinn Was Known For Breaking The Rules

First Appeared In: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

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Although Qui-Gon Jinn did not turn to the dark side and was an excellent Jedi in many ways, having Count Dooku as his master clearly affected him. He was more than willing to defy the Jedi Council, made clear in The Phantom Menace when he insisted that Anakin be trained no matter what they decided. He was also an individualistic thinker. While that could seem like a good thing, in terms of the Jedi, it was not.

Jedi were meant to act together, with a shared Jedi Code that they adhered to. However, Qui-Gon clearly thought for himself and often found the Jedi to be wrong. In fact, although Qui-Gon’s stubborn single-mindedness was first made apparent in The Phantom Menace, it’s clear that this was not the first time Qui-Gon had exhibited such defiance. When Obi-Wan Kenobi insisted that Anakin must be trained, as his master had before he died, Yoda told him that he sensed Qui-Gon’s same defiance in him.

8 Obi-Wan Kenobi Was Pushed Into A Master/Apprentice Dynamic He Didn't Want

First Appeared In: A New Hope

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Obi-Wan Kenobi was arguably one of the best Jedi on this list, if not in power (although he was very powerful), then at least in values. Unlike his master, and despite Yoda’s criticism in The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan frequently aligned himself with the views of the Council and trusted the Jedi. In fact, many looked to Obi-Wan for guidance, including Jedi Masters on the Council.

Unfortunately, Qui-Gon’s death pushed Obi-Wan into Knighthood and into becoming a master to Anakin Skywalker, the latter certainly before he was ready. In The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon attempted to convince the Council to accept Anakin—despite him being much older than the average Jedi Initiate—by saying he would train him. However, the Council reminded Qui-Gon that this was impossible, as he already had an apprentice: Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon’s death pushed Obi-Wan into Knighthood and into becoming a master to Anakin Skywalker.

Qui-Gon then insisted Obi-Wan was ready for the Trials to become a Jedi Knight. While Obi-Wan likely was ready, it was nevertheless significant that this moment only came because Qui-Gon wanted to train Anakin. Worse, as Qui-Gon lay dying, he asked that Obi-Wan promise to train the boy. Ultimately, Obi-Wan agreed, almost certainly because it was his master’s dying wish; he had previously expressed the same concerns the Council had about training Anakin.

In the end, this was a massive turning point in the ‘disaster’ lineage. Obi-Wan’s hesitancy to train Anakin was not only fair but also was no doubt perceived by Anakin. As Anakin had already felt ostracized by the Jedi Council’s assessment of him and decision to reject him, the loss of Qui-Gon Jinn and the initial hesitancy of his new Jedi master no doubt stung. Indeed, Obi-Wan and Anakin went on to have quite the tumultuous master and apprentice dynamic, ultimately resulting in catastrophe.

7 Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader Was The Biggest Fracture In The Disaster Lineage

First Appeared In: A New Hope

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Anakin Skywalker was perhaps the single most critical member of this Jedi lineage, as he nearly brought the whole thing down. In fact, although the line managed to continue on without him, it was forever changed, and it still has yet to recover or return to anything like what it once was when the Jedi Order still existed. The aftershocks of Anakin’s turn to the dark side and massacre of the Jedi are still being felt in the Jedi of the current era and in the galaxy.

The aftershocks of Anakin’s turn to the dark side and massacre of the Jedi are still being felt in the Jedi of the current era and in the galaxy.

Anakin started off as an innocent little boy in The Phantom Menace, but by Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, he was already showing serious signs of a dark path. It’s difficult to place exact blame for what transpired between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. On the one hand, yes, Obi-Wan had trained Anakin against his better judgment, and that certainly factored in. On the other, though, Obi-Wan seemed to be an excellent, wise, and kind master.

However, Attack of the Clones really was the beginning of the end for Anakin. From early in the movie, he expressed two key things that would be his downfall. First, from nearly the beginning of the movie, he expressed an unsettling anger toward Obi-Wan, telling Padmé that Obi-Wan never listened to him and was overly critical. This escalated in a later scene when Anakin yelled that Obi-Wan was holding him back and threw a tool across the room.

Second, Anakin was immediately talking about his love for Padmé, including to his own master, despite it being against the Jedi way. In the elevator on their way to see her, Anakin told Obi-Wan he hadn’t seen her in 10 years, visibly pining for her. This, of course, developed into a full-blown love affair, ending Attack of the Clones with a forbidden marriage between the two. Both this love and this anger were his undoing.

Infamously, Anakin then went on in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith to join the dark side, help to slaughter nearly all the Jedi in Order 66, and become Darth Vader. Surprisingly, however, none of these events entirely ended this Jedi master and apprentice line. Instead, this massive rift caused the line to splinter into separate off-shoots.

6 Ahsoka Tano's Departure From The Jedi Order Saved Her Life But Broke The Lineage

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

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Ahsoka Tano was introduced in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan, which shocked viewers, as no such Padawan had been referenced in the prequel trilogy. However, George Lucas himself had evidently wanted Anakin to have a Padawan, and it did continue this disaster lineage on in an interesting way. Following the movie, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV show fleshed out Ahsoka’s character and her relationship with Anakin significantly.

Ultimately, the bond between Anakin and Ahsoka grew to be a very touching one, with Anakin clearly loving Ahsoka and seeing her as a little sister, just as Ahsoka loved Anakin and saw him as an older brother. However, this was all gravely disrupted when Ahsoka was falsely accused of murder, got kicked out by the Jedi Council, and decided to leave the Order. While these were decisions she had to make for herself, Anakin definitely read the latter as a rejection of him.

In part because of her departure, though, Ahsoka was one of few survivors of Order 66, which allowed her to continue the line in her own way. Though she consistently rejected the label of Jedi after she left the Order, she did eventually continue the lineage on. In Ahsoka season 1, the show shocked viewers by introducing the background that Ahsoka had ultimately taken Sabine Wren on as an apprentice.

5 Sabine Wren Is The Latest Addition To The 'Disaster' Lineage

First Appeared In: Star Wars Rebels

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Sabine Wren Created By Dave Filoni Cast Natasha Liu Bordizzo , Tiya Sircar First Appearance Star Wars Rebels Alliance Mandalorians, Rebel Alliance, Jedi

Introduced in Star Wars Rebels as a cast-off Mandalorian, Sabine had demonstrated no Force abilities in the show, which led to confusion (and not a small amount of backlash) in Ahsoka when she was revealed to be Ahsoka Tano’s ex-apprentice. However, the show went on to reveal that audiences weren’t wrong about Sabine. She demonstrated next to no Force-sensitivity throughout most of the show until she was able to Force push Ezra Bridger to safety right at the very end.

In truth, this made it somewhat confusing that Ahsoka decided to train her; it isn’t clear what encouraged Ahsoka to take her on as her Padawan. However, more will no doubt be uncovered in the upcoming Ahsoka season 2. It also remains to be seen whether Sabine will go on to become a full Jedi and take on a Padawan of her own, but, for now, this lineage has carried on.

4 Luke Skywalker Brought The Lineage Back Together

First Appeared In: A New Hope

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The other branch of this lineage following Anakin Skywalker’s turn to the dark side began with Luke Skywalker, although it wasn’t a direct line in the same way. Instead, because Luke had to go into hiding as a baby and Anakin was, obviously, not around to take on a Jedi Padawan, the line essentially skipped a generation, with Obi-Wan taking on Luke when he was an adult. Even more confusingly, the line then jumped all the way back to the beginning.

After Obi-Wan briefly trained Luke in the ways of the Force in A New Hope but then died by Vader’s hand at the end of the movie, Luke had to seek Yoda’s help to finish his training in The Empire Strikes Back. In this sense, Luke was trained by two different Jedi in the same disaster lineage, one of them at the very beginning of this line. In Return of the Jedi, it seemed as though this more convoluted approach had worked; Luke had become an incredibly powerful Jedi.

Luke was trained by two different Jedi in the same disaster lineage.

However, Star Wars: The Force Awakens revealed that sometime in the New Republic timeline, things had gone wrong. Not only had Luke’s Jedi Temple fallen, but also Luke had abandoned the galaxy and gone into exile after one of the Padawans he was training turned to the dark side and destroyed the Temple and the other Padawan learners with it. This Padawan, Ben Solo, was the last (so far) in the line to join the dark side.

3 Kylo Ren Proved History Was Repeating Itself

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Ben, like Luke, was tied to this lineage not only based on who had trained him but also by blood. He was both Vader’s grandson and Luke’s nephew, making him, at least by bloodline if not in name, A Skywalker. However, he was also trained with Luke as his Jedi master. Unfortunately, history repeated itself with Ben Solo.

History repeated itself with Ben Solo.

Like his grandfather, Ben eventually turned to the dark side, taking on the name Kylo Ren and serving as apprentice to dark side Force-user Supreme Leader Snoke. In the end, Ben really did follow in his grandfather’s footsteps, as he was redeemed and returned to the light side of the Force just before his death. While this was the end of the bloodline, though, it wasn’t exactly the end of the lineage. In addition to Ahsoka and Sabine, another off-shoot existed.

2 Princess Leia's Jedi Journey Came As A Surprise

First Appeared In: A New Hope

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Although it wasn't confirmed that Princess Leia had the Force in the original Star Wars trilogy, it was heavily implied. In fact, Leia almost certainly used the Force in The Empire Strikes Back to find Luke after his battle with Vader, and Yoda himself said there was another if Luke should fail. In the sequel trilogy, though, this was finally confirmed, with Leia at first using the Force to (somewhat confusingly) fly through space in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

However, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was the first true confirmation that Leia had the Force, as Luke shared with Rey that he had personally trained Leia. Although Leia walked away at the end of her training because she feared her son’s death was going to be the outcome of her becoming a Jedi, by Rise of Skywalker, she had clearly returned to her Jedi path. The beginning of the movie revealed that, after Luke’s death, Leia took Rey on as an apprentice.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was the first true confirmation that Leia had the Force.

1 Rey Represents The Future Of The Lineage

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Rey was yet another complicated part of this lineage, as she was first trained by Luke and then trained by Leia. However, she is currently the very end of the lineage, with Sabine not having become a full-fledged Jedi yet and it being unclear whether she will continue the lineage on. Rey, in contrast, is set to carry on not only this line but also the entire Jedi Order in Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie, rumored to be titled Star Wars: New Jedi Order.

Rey is set to carry on not only this line but also the entire Jedi Order.

In that sense, Rey might be the one to finally right this disaster lineage. Depending on how she approaches the Order and her own time as a Jedi Master, Rey could very well finally heal what has been broken in this nearly century-old master and apprentice line. However, it remains clear that Star Wars’ most powerful, impressive Jedi lineage was also its most dangerous, destructive, and disastrous.

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