Hello fellow geeks, nerds, and everything in-between! It is almost time for us to return to the galaxy far, far away and continue Rey’s journey in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. In the film’s honor, I ran a mini survey on social media to see which Jedi characters resonated with people the most — regardless of their status in current canon. In order to qualify, characters simply had to have been a trained member of the Jedi Order in their history.

1. Count Dooku Apprentice
2. Lego Count Dooku

An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. U.S. President 'The Donald' Trump and Surprising Consequences - Mod warning in OP Politics.

As such, here are the ten winners of our survey!

10) Mace Windu

“This party’s over.” 

Long revered as the Jedi Order’s greatest champion, Master Windu was Master of the Order — the head of the Jedi High Council on Coruscant — during the rise of Darth Sidious. A fierce swordsman with a powerful command of the Force, his iconic violet blade symbolized a marriage of both the light and dark sides — showcasing the effectiveness of mastering one’s emotions in combat.

He plays no games, too.

Whether you’re up against battle droids or crossing blades with the Witches of Dathomir, Master Windu is definitely someone you want on your side in a fight.

9) Ahsoka Tano

“Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him.”
“Then I will avenge his death.”
“Revenge is not the Jedi way.”
“I’m no Jedi.”

Discovered as a child by Master Plo Koon, Ahsoka Tano (my personal favorite) was the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. She served as Commander of the 501st clone battalion alongside Captain Rex, from the Battle of Christophsis to the Siege of Mandalore. Throughout the Clone War, she proved herself a capable warrior and leader, crossing blades with the likes of Asajj Ventress, General Grievous, and Pre Vizla, the latter of whom bore witness to this savagery:

However, Ahsoka later leaves the Order after being framed for murder; their skepticism of her innocence left a bad taste in her mouth.

She later resurfaced to work with the fledgling rebel alliance, leading her to cross blades with several Inquisitors, as well as Darths Maul and Vader in the same day. Her ultimate fate is still unknown, but she has always been a fighter for the greater good, using her head and her heart in tandem to fight for justice and peace.

8) Kanan Jarrus

“Now I know there’s something stronger than fear — far stronger. The Force. Let me show you how strong it is.” 

One of the few survivors of Order 66, Caleb Dume was the Padawan to Master Depa Billaba during the Clone Wars. After their clones turned on them, Dume was forced to flee while his master gave her life to save him. He later went into hiding under the name Kanan Jarrus, hiding his lightsaber and making use of a blaster pistol instead.

As co-leader of the Ghost crew, Kanan met Ezra Bridger, a Force-sensitive orphan who would eventually become his apprentice and restore his commitment to his own Jedi training. This led him down the path to knighthood as he tried to teach the impulsive teenager how to be a Jedi in an era without them. Together they’ve faced several Inquisitors, the former Sith Maul, Darth Vader, and a never-ending supply of stormtroopers.

Insightful, quick-witted, and courageous, Kanan is a welcome addition to the new Star Wars lore.

7) Ki-Adi-Mundi

“There is no such thing as luck.” 

Ki-Adi-Mundi was a Jedi Master and a member of the Council, serving alongside Masters Yoda, Windu, and Kenobi during the Clone Wars. Personally, I enjoyed his fight in the original Clone Wars micro series when General Grievous was first introduced. Facing down the mechanical menace that had just taken out six other Jedi, Mundi was ready to fight until the end before the ARC troopers came to his aid.

Other than that, I don’t fully understand his appeal. I did not read much of his stories while growing up. I’ll admit his character design is kinda cool, though. I mean, the dude’s got a cone head for crying out loud.

6) Yoda

“Luminous beings are we…not this crude matter.”

As Grand Master of the Jedi Council, Yoda served as the leader of the Order for many years. He trained Jedi for centuries, shaping the very philosophy of the Jedi as the galaxy had come to know them. He was their moral compass, one of the most powerful Force wielders in existence, and one of the greatest warriors in the known galaxy.

Master Yoda felt a great deal of pain and regret throughout the Clone Wars, later blaming himself for allowing the Jedi to be consumed by the conflict. The fact that Count Dooku, his former Padawan, was leading the Separatists as the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, made him feel somewhat responsible as well. Notwithstanding, he gave his all to defeat the Sith, although it was for naught, until he trained Luke to finish the job.

Wise, acrobatic, and cunning, Yoda is a long-time favorite for many fans.

5) Quinlan Vos

Count Dooku Apprentice

“Sir, you seem troubled.”
“Well, Quinlan Vos has that effect.” 

Before his retconned activities in the current canon, Quinlan Vos was the main character of several Star Wars comics during the prequel era. His story explored the seductive power of the Dark Side, and the effects it could have on even a Jedi Master. He explored the most wretched hives of scum and villainy, went undercover as an acolyte of Count Dooku, and introduced a more grey morality character to the canon at the time.

An unconventional Master who went against the grain of the Jedi on numerous occasions, Master Vos had a reputation even amongst the clones. Obi-Wan Kenobi literally described him as “crazy”. But he’s a pretty good fighter, and his willingness to buck tradition often made him unpredictable — a dangerous trait in an opponent.

While Clone Wars may not have done him justice as a fighter, he’s still a badass in his own right. He can use the Force to detect information from objects people have touched, making him an excellent tracker.

4) Qui-Gon Jinn

“He is the Chosen One. You must see it.” 

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was always an interesting character. As the (retconned) master of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jinn was an independent thinker, often defying the rules and the will of the Council to follow his own instincts. He discovered Anakin Skywalker, believing the boy to be the Chosen One. He was the first to encounter the Sith Lord Darth Maul on Tatooine, before being slain by the warrior on Naboo.

However, he would gain new life through the Living Force, communicating with Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Anakin at various points in the Clone Wars. He eventually led Yoda down the path to life after death.

A staunch believer in the light side of the Force, Qui-Gon Jinn was the epitome of a spiritual Jedi.

3) Plo Koon

“We can do this the simple way or the difficult way. The choice is yours.” 

Plo Koon was a member of the Jedi Council, and the Master who initially brought Ahsoka Tano into the Order. He was a wise, level-headed Jedi, a phenomenal pilot, and skilled combatant. I don’t have much else to say in my experience with the character, which was admittedly just the movies and the 2008 Clone Wars cartoon. But, from what I’ve seen, this dude is deserving of the respect he seems to have in the fandom.

One thing I do know, however, is that Master Plo was a fan-favorite character from the Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Powers Battles video game. (Disclaimer: I’ve never played it. I’m a terrible fanboy). In it, he was the only Jedi with a yellow/orange lightsaber, and he had his own light side version of Force Lightning called Electric Judgment.

Plain and simple: Master Plo is just a badass.

2) Luke Skywalker

“I only know one truth: It’s time for the Jedi to end.” 

It came as no surprise that Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, is so high in the rankings. He’s the protagonist of the original films, became a demigod in the “Legends” universe, and — The Last Jedi pending — has been the main focus of the new trilogy’s Jedi lore.

This is the guy who went from farm boy to Jedi Master. He piloted an X-Wing without prior knowledge and took out the first Death Star. He was the leader of Rogue Squadron before passing it on to Wedge Antilles. He defeated Darth Vader in single combat less than a year after getting his ass handed to him by the same man. And he’s portrayed by Mark Hamill!

In Legends, Luke’s New Jedi Order played a crucial role in protecting the New Republic. His wife, son, niece, and nephews all became Jedi, as did Leia. With the new canon establishing the loss of his students, all eyes are on the upcoming film to inform the masses on his exploits.

1) Obi-Wan Kenobi

“Remember: The Force will be with you. Always.” 

General Kenobi. “The Negotiator.” Master of Anakin Skywalker, and eventually Luke. The first Jedi to defeat a Sith in combat in a thousand years — and then he went on to defeat another. The hype for Obi-Wan is matched only by his humility, intelligence, and dedication to his role as a representative of the Order and the Council. Oh, and he hands out free ass whippings on the regular.

Obi-Wan is the litmus test of a Jedi. He was the first we were ever introduced to, and Sir Alec Guinness portrays him in a way that makes audiences want to know more (also, props to Ewan McGregor). He’s far from perfect — he lied to Luke in order to train him, for example — but he was always dedicated to the greater good at the end of the day. His legendary rivalry with Darth Maul followed him into his later years, before he finally laid his foe to rest.

Did your favorite Jedi make the list? Please let me know — you know, before Luke decides to end the Order for good.

A rare discovery: the long-rumored Reporter’s Trumplate… ‘Donald Trump openly clashes with his _________ of __________, issuing some of his harshest criticism yet’

The House Intelligence Committee isn’t the only body that can release a good memo! Not usually known for in-depth reporting, Nothing Special is proud to announce a first-ever leaked-document exclusive. Through a high-ranking official, we have been able to obtain a copy of the reporter’s template long-rumored to exist for any article about Mr. Special himself. We present it, in its entirety, below:

TOP SECRET MEMO

TO: ALL STAFF

FROM: REDACTED! (but likely Ben Smith of BuzzFeed)

Lego Count Dooku

Here’s that template for your next piece! Note that when you see slashes, you must choose ONE of the words, not all (!), for your article.

Donald Trump openly clashes with his _______ of __________, issuing some of his harshest criticism yet

The gloves came off on ____day, when President Trump let forth a scathing rebuke of his __________ of _____________. _______________, chosen to succeed ______________ when he was forced to resign after running afoul of the President, never quite gelled with Mr. Trump, whose brash/intuitive/wandering/unscripted style contrasted with his more staid/calm/focused/rational approach.

“This is the first time, in my memory at least, that a president has so openly feuded with his __________ of __________. Such a rift is not only unusual, but actually antithetical to what the whole President/_________ relationship is supposed to be about,” said Paul/Dorris _____________, who has written three books on the subject.

Credit: Andrew Harnick, Associated Press, via the Boston Globe. Of the Trump administration officials in this photo, only Vice President Mike Pence remains, and he is a twit.

The whole chain of events dates back several months, when the __________ Post/Times reported that Trump had privately dressed down ____________ at an Oval Office meeting, leading the latter to redden/burst into tears/bite his nails/sing “Gypsy”/wonder what the use of remaining alive was–this despite decades of an ostensibly competent business/military/political/sports/legal/medical/diplomatic career. That strained relationship was on rare public display when Trump publicly blasted _________’s statement as incomplete and making him feel undermined/confused/gassy.

“Sad that ____________ forgot to mention that I clearly beat crooked Hillary Clinton in the election, that the only Collusion was between Russia and the DNC/Democrats/staff who really barely worked for me,” Trump wrote yesterday in the early morning tweet, continuing,

“Remember the Dirty Dossier, Uranium, Emails!!!!, the Podesta Company, my ratings, I would have won more of popular vote if I hadn’t focused so much on the states that matter because I’m smart (Crooked H never even visited _______btw!) Covfefe, Little Marco, China. And glad [former Never-Trumper] finally seeing things clearly and now endorsing my candidacy. Although now I won and am actually President, and you don’t get to be President if your [sic] not a stable genius. We will drain the swamp in November!!! #FAKE NEWS. Mueller has nothing. And STAND for the national anthem Black people!!”

According to a senior White House official, Trump has repeatedly bristled at ____________’s high octane/goofy/laser-focused/punctual briefing style, which he has compared to a tortoise/schoolmarm/Star Wars character/Dipsie Doodle/FBI official. At one point, Trump actually stopped the meeting, wagged his index finger and said, “This guy’s a regular wordsmith!/hoot!/Negative Nancy/sexy guy!/Count Dooku!” That same official said he had urged ___________ on several occasions to try to use fewer words and simplify things for the president.

Speculation has already started about ______________’s replacement as _______________ of _____________, with a growing consensus pointing to _____________, whom Trump has been rumored to be warming to/taking walks with/cooing over/calling nightly/attending tickling parties with, and who has previously called for the dismantling of the position.