The Empire Strikes Back is arguably the greatest Star Wars movie to date.
It somehow managed encapsulate everything that made Episode IV so unforgettable.
It did all of this while upping the action, expanding the universe, and introducing a genre-defining twist.
And let's not forget about another massive revelation:
the debut of a certain small, green and deceivingly wise Jedi Master.
Yoda really had no right to be a once-great warrior.
He simply did not act or look the part.
But George Lucas and company fooled us all,
essentially turning the wise old man character archetype right onto its head.
With that being said,
we should expect powerful Force-users to come in all shapes and sizes.
Though that's easier said than done,
as proven by these 5 aliens who you would not expect to be a Jedi.
Number 05. Tyvokka
Despite their sophistication, intelligence and loyalty,
the Wookiee species were renown for their fearsome and savage nature.
After all, the ability to rip one's arm straight from its socket doesn't quite scream out “friendly”.
Even more terrifying was their arsenal of primordial weaponry,
ranging from blow darts to curved swords.
However, Wookiees were just as deadly with handcrafted bowcasters and –
on rare occasion – lightsabers!
As unlikely as it may sound,
a number of these hairy humanoids did indeed wield laser swords over the decades.
The most notable of which has to be the Master of Plo Koon himself, Tyvokka –
who was quick to prove any doubters wrong...
...and show just how effective his race could be as Knights of the Jedi Order.
In fact, his efforts went above and beyond,
as he managed to attain a seat on the High Council shortly before his death in 44 BBY.
Number 04. Beldorion
The Hutt species made for the perfect crime bosses.
For one, they were powerful and ruthless beings with a lack of morality.
And secondly, they weren't exactly the most mobile creatures in the universe,
making them less than ideal for use as field agents.
Yet there was one Hutt who failed to receive the memo.
Beldorion seemingly broke convention around 400 BBY,
when he was then inducted into the Jedi Order.
Before long, Beldorion graduated from the Jedi Academy and ascended to the rank of Knight.
But you know what they say:
“You can take the Hutt out of Nal Hutta, but you can't take the Nal Hutta out of the Hutt”.
This certainly rang true when Beldorion aligned himself with the dark side of the Force,
ruling over Nam Chorios in the process.
Thankfully, his reign of terror was eventually thwarted by Leia Organa Solo.
Number 03. Kosa-Yin Hadu
Not to be cruel, but if Jar Jar Binks was anything to go by,
then no Gungan should have ever handled a lightsaber.
The species were simply too clumsy and inelegant to wield the legendary weapon...
Or so you would think.
In reality, at least two Gungans proved themselves worthy enough to be called Jedi.
Their names: Kin-Ya Dosun and Kosa-Yin Hadu.
This trainer and Padawan combo served the Order during the waning years of the Galactic Republic,
and were tasked with a secret mission around 33 BBY.
Unfortunately, both Gungans seemingly disappeared from the face of the galaxy,
having failed to return to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
That was until two years later, when Hadu re-emerged as a Dark Jedi.
Number 02. Unidentified Ewok Jedi
What's not to love about Ewoks?
They're tiny, furry bears with an ability to decimate stronger armies.
And that's without any advanced weaponry.
So, you could only imagine the damage a lightsaber-wielding,
or Force-sensitive Ewok could inflict upon its foes!
Except, we don't have to.
That's right, at least one member of the species was born with an unusually strong connection to this Force.
So much so that they learned the ways of the Jedi to become...
...the forest moon of Endor's designated peace keeper.
The sheer presence of Jedi garments and a blue lightsaber...
...was enough to send criminals and pirates alike running to the hills.
Number 01. Akial
Born during the waning years of the Galactic Republic,
and trained through the Almas Academy,
Akial quickly became a prominent and respected Jedi Knight.
What's more, he chose to become a Consular -
thus expanding his knowledge on the mysteries of the Force.
But what race was Akial?
Was he a wampa?
A Dug?
A rancor?
Or what about a mynock?
Well, as it turned out, he was none of those things.
He actually belonged to the small and mysterious Jawa species.
It just goes to show that you should never judge a book by its cover.
And as Yoda so eloquently pointed out in The Empire Strikes Back,
nor should you judge someone by their size...
So there we have it; 5 aliens you would not expect to be Jedi.
Were there any that we missed?
Let us know in the comments below.
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