Who are the Younglings Star Wars? A Guide to the Jedi in Training

Do you know what's youngling meaning? In the galaxy far, far away, thousands of Force-sensitive species serve the Force according to their allegiances. The Force has two sides: one is the light side and the other is the dark. Jedi are the ones belonging to the light side such as Luke Skywalker and Mace Windu while Sith are the followers of dark side of the Force including Darth Maul and Darth Zannah. 

Now younglings mean the children, belonging to different species across the universe, preparing to play their role in the Jedi Order. They are divided into clans consisting of about 20 members in each group. These Younglings are trained specifically to meet the challenges of the Force and advance to become Padawans. 

Star Wars Younglings

In Star Wars, during the High Republic Era, the guardians of the light side excelled in discovering kyber crystals and sacred planets and extending their influence over the universe. One of their most admirable achievements was initiating training for all Force-sensitive individuals. The goal was to train the young Jedi and make them into capable masters and warriors. From then on, they could serve the Jedi Order, further holding its message and authority over the evil Sith Lords.

The Younglings, or Jedi Initiates, were the faces of the Order. They were chosen via special blood tests (to detect midichlorian counts) to determine their Force abilities. The tests were carried out on different species, portraying the Jedi way of prioritizing Force over anything. 

There were no specific age criteria or methodology. However, all children, bar the infants, were considered optimal for selection. The chosen children or younglings were brought to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

The Jedi Order was always on the lookout for potential Force-sensitive infants. They believed that these beings could be useful for the Order. The information regarding new and potential recruits was kept hidden and secure in the Temple. 

A kyber memory crystal stored all the data and was only accessible via a Holocron. The crystal and Holocron were entrusted to a secret keeper, an expert Force individual who excelled in telekinesis.

Younglings Training

Image Source: starwars.com

 The Jedi held great pride in the results of their training program. They put considerable effort into developing Force-sensitive children into highly capable Force warriors and masters.

The process started when the new recruits were brought together as one single group. They were divided into ten clans, each consisting of twenty younglings with no classification. The clans lived together in a special enclosed space until they became Padawans. Not all trainees were promoted and were kept under careful watch for further training.

Basic Lightsaber Knowledge

The first stage of becoming a Jedi Initiate included learning the basics and the fundamentals of the lightsaber, Force, and Jedi traditions. In this instance, they got educated on basic lightsaber techniques. The combat sessions weren’t intensive and lethal. The younglings were provided with prototype-like sabers to defend against non-lethal blaster shots by training droids.

Younglings Constructing Their Lightsabers

The next part of the training was to create a real lightsaber by acquiring a kyber crystal. This ritual was known as the Gathering, testing a Jedi’s ability to understand their connection with the Force.

In the Gathering, the younglings were taken to Ilum, a sacred planet rich in kyber crystals. Remember, not all individuals were taken to the quest at once. A group of six to eight individuals, led by a high-ranking Jedi official, made the journey. The time of travel was determined by a specific solar cycle. The cycle repeated every seventeen days based on the positioning of the weak star.

Upon arriving on Ilum, the chosen individuals entered a cave consisting of the crystal, removing any obstacle in the way. The objective was to reach the innermost part, where the huge crystal rock existed. After successfully entering the cave, each initiate had to embark on a personal journey. They were left to themselves to absorb the Force energy and understand the significance of the destined kyber crystal.

Jedi Younglings then understood the meanings of different crystals, such as blue kyber crystals, white kyber crystals, orange kyber crystals, and more. During this, they also had to fight within themselves against their fears and insecurities and attune themselves to the presence of the Force in the cave. Once reaching the heart of the cave, the individual acquired the crystals and began the lightsaber’s construction. The process was supervised by the great Professor Huyang, responsible for creating many lightsabers.

Final Step of Mastering Lightsaber

The final stage of the youngling training regime included further learning about lightsaber combat forms to get accustomed to their new lightsabers. The Jedi Masters taught the children to create a personal bond between their souls and the saber. Furthermore, at the conclusion of their training, younglings learned more about the Force. They focused on different Force skills that could benefit them on the battlefield. As a result, they came out as fine Jedi individuals with sufficient knowledge about the Force.

After graduating from their training regime, the younglings were handpicked as Padawans to the legendary Jedi Masters. 

How Did Anakin Kill Younglings? Fall of the Younglings

During the events of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Order suffered greatly when Order 66 was executed. It was put to the test against the menacing Sith Lords, who vowed to kill all the younglings. A powerful Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, turned to darkness and became a Sith, Darth Vader. Upon the orders of Darth Sidious, he entered the Jedi Temple with his former Jedi weapon, a blue-bladed lightsaber, and killed almost all the younglings. He had no mercy, striking down the innocent younglings present in the Temple, as seen in the recordings by Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

A few younglings succeeded in escaping the Temple, including Force-sensitive Grogu, and went into hiding. After the Clone Wars, Darth Sidious and Darth Vader wanted to create a force of young dark warriors. The plan was to acquire the memory crystal and know the location and biological information about the younglings. Some of these younglings were found and taken under the control of Vader. Then he trained those Force-sensitive beings in darkness, making them a team of Inquisitors and assigning them a mission to find the remaining Jedi and kill them. 

However, despite the atrocities and difficulties, some Jedi masters and padawans managed to train a few younglings about the light side of the Force with a hope of reviving the Jedi Order one day. 

FAQ's 

Who are the younglings in Star Wars?

In Star Wars, younglings are those children who are discovered to be Force-sensitive and trained in the light side of the Force. They belong to different species and have exceptional qualities and skills, which led the Jedi Order to select them for training as future Jedi masters. 

Was Grogu among the younglings who survived Order 66? 

Yes, it is confirmed in The Mandalorian seasons 2 and 3 by Ahsoka that Grogu was one of the younglings who were getting early Jedi training when Anakin slaughtered many of them, but Grogu was rescued by a Jedi master, Kelleran Beq. 

How many younglings did Anakin kill? 

The exact number is not known, as stated in the canon. It is confirmed that Anakin kills almost every youngling present in the Temple. But keep in mind that not all younglings were there in the Jedi Temple. There were a few, and others were trained secretly in other parts of the world, unknown to any of the Sith lords.

Did any youngling survive, Anakin?

Yes, some of the younglings succeeded in escaping the Temple slaughter. For example, Grogu and the Inquisitor's third sister, Reva. 

The best younglings quote in Star Wars?

During Order 66, when Anakin entered the room of younglings, one of them said,

 "Master Skywalker, there are too many of them, what are we going to do?"

Anakin is then shown igniting his lightsaber, hinting at what will happen next!