By now Star Wars Rebels fans are very familiar with the Imperial Inquisitors, but did you know they were actually inspired by a similar group from legends?
In this video I'll be comparing the canon Inquisitors with their legends counterparts.
Beginning with the canon, The Inquisitors were Dark Side Force users tasked with two jobs.
First and foremost was the continued extermination of the Jedi that survived Order 66 and the start of the Jedi Purge.
Second was the abduction of Force sensitive children for corruption to the Dark Side, experimentation, or execution.
They were led by the Grand Inquisitor who was a member of the Jedi Temple Guard before his fall.
They were each given a standard issue uniform and a red, double-bladed lightsaber.
The book Ahsoka implies that the lightsaber crystals used in those lightsabers were looted from the Jedi Temple.
Their orders and priorities fell outside of the official Imperial hierarchy, much like Darth Vader, and normal Imperial commanders were often annoyed with their interference.
Under the leadership of the Grand Inquisitor were the First through at least Eight Brother or Sister.
They saw active duty shortly after the creation of the Galactic Empire.
One year after the events of Revenge of the Sith, the Sixth Brother was killed by Ahsoka Tano.
The Grand Inquisitor, the Fifth brother, the Seventh Sister, and the Eighth Brother were all killed about 13 years later.
We have yet to see the First through the Fourth, but it's likely they had already perished by that point,
as Dave Filoni has hinted that we've seen the last of the Inquisitors in Star Wars Rebels.
It's also likely that at least one inquisitor was killed by Maul, who's lightsaber resembled an Inquisitor's.
So what did the Inquisitors look like in legends?
They were very similar in their most simple form: Dark Side Force users tasked with destroying the Jedi.
They began around the same time and were led by Grand Inquisitors, however they lasted for a much longer period of time, surviving well beyond the Battle of Endor.
Some legends Inquisitors were fallen Jedi, the same as canon.
Those that were not were selected through a series of examinations and tests by Imperial Intelligence, the Grand Inquisitor, and even Palpatine himself.
Once their strength and loyalty were proven, they were allowed to join their ranks.
Their numbers were far greater with over 30 named Inquisitors from various legends materials.
Their organization was made up of multiple ranks including Grand Inquisitors, High Inquisitors, Chief Inquisitors, Inquisitors, and Apprentice Inquisitors.
There were also four named Grand Inquisitors throughout the Galactic Civil War, so when one was killed another would be promoted to take his place,
a practice the canon Inquisitors don't seem to follow.
They did not appear to have uniforms or standard issue equipment.
Their methods were also surprisingly less lethal than their canon counterparts.
When an Inquisitor discovered a Jedi, their orders were to turn them to the Dark Side first, and only eliminate them if they could not be corrupted.
Considering their larger numbers, maybe this was the winning strategy.
Interestingly, the legends Inquisitors dealt with an adversary very similar to Ahsoka Tano.
Ferus Olin was a Padawan that left the Jedi order much like Ahsoka did.
This decision spared him from Order 66 and he battled multiple Grand Inquisitors on his adventures.
In terms of actual content, the Inquisitors were often kept out of what I would call the spotlight.
They were relegated mostly to West End Games' roleplaying adventures and young adult books.
Maybe the most recognizable Inquisitor would be Jarec from Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight.
In contrast, the canon Inquisitors have had a much more prominent role in galactic history and Star Wars content.
That's it for today.
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