The newest Star Wars: The High Republic novel -- Claudia Gray's Into the Dark -- sheds new light on the Jedi in regards to sex -- namely that they needn't be completely celibate.

While discussing the Jedi and the Force with Vessel co-pilot Affie Hollow, Reath Silas -- the Padawan of Jora Malli -- explains how the Jedi "give up individual attachments in order to focus entirely on greater concerns." "So... that means no sex," Affie replies. From there, Reath muses whether he should go into his master's explanation about the difference between "celibacy of the body and true purity of the heart" but opts not to. The discussion continues later on in the chapter, this time with Vessel pilot Loex Gyasi being involved, as the characters go back and forth about the difference between love and sex.

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Forgoing personal attachments -- including those to other beings -- is a facet of the Jedi Order that was explored heavily in the prequel trilogy with Anakin Skywalker. By being brought into the order at an older age than most, he still harbored a strong attachment to his mother Shmi, which ultimately fueled his rage against the Tusken Raiders when she was killed in Attack of the Clones. Moreover, it was his attachment to Padmé Amidala and his determination to save her from a deadly premonition that led him to the dark side, albeit with some heavy manipulation by Sheev Palpatine.

This isn't the first time Gray has explored the Jedi and sex. In her 2019 novel Master & Apprentice, we're introduced to Rael Averross, another one of former Jedi Master Dooku's proteges who was trained by the eventual Sith Lord before Qui-Gon Jinn. In that book, it's made clear that Rael has sex but doesn't form personal attachments, thus skirting the strict Jedi Code.

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Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark, by Claudia Gray, is now on sale.