In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the Jedi Order has three sub-disciplines for its Knights: Consulars, Sentinels, and Guardians, who each have counterparts in the canon timeline, as well. The Jedi are the greatest heroes of Star Wars, governed by the Jedi Code, and the nature of the Jedi has been explored in both the canon and Legends continuities. The now-alternate Legends continuity explored three different paths a Jedi could take, ideas that have made their way into the current canon.

Guardians and Consulars debuted in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, while the Sentinels were introduced in the non-canon Knights of the Old Republic. While the three types of Jedi were created for gameplay purposes, their place in the Legends continuity was further confirmed by sourcebooks like The New Essential Chronology, by Daniel Wallace and Kevin J. Anderson, and Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force, by Ryder Windham.