Blargh

Allergies have been a bitch the last few weeks. I'm back to popping generic Claratin tablets daily to keep symptoms in check, though it doesn't eliminate them completely. I tried a generic Zyrtec yesterday and almost fell asleep at work. Whee. In spite of the "non-drowsy" claims of this generation of antihistamines, it's really only "less drowsy than some previous drugs." I still find myself more lethargic this time of year in general and I'm pretty sure its the medication, but I'm left more functional than if I were overcome with sneezing, watery eyes, and a running nose all day long.


So as I discussed before, if you accept the extended continuity, Jedi have undergone some changes. I'm not the only one to see this by any means. In fact, the Ruusan Reformation was conceived to retroactively fix continuity errors including different references to the age of the Republic in the movies as well as covering changes in the Jedi Order.
To sum up: about a thousand years before Episode 4, the Sith had an army and were tearing up the Republic. The Jedi opposed them with an army of their own, eventually winning out in a battle on Ruusan highly destructive to both sides. The Sith all but disappeared, with Bane introducing his "Rule of Two," and the Jedi continued on, but were asked to give up their military. The Jedi became more strict, with rules and early teaching, in order to prevent members from falling to the Dark Side and causing another Sith war.
This is the Jedi Order Yoda is brought into and the one reflected in the prequel series. This version of the Order and the Republic stands for almost thousand years before being fractured by the Clone Wars. In the 25,000-ish-year history of the Republic in general, however, that's rather short. It may be the "true Jedi Order," because it's what happens to be in the movies, but if you accept the EU (Expanded Universe) content, then it's little more than a short phase.
To my eyes, the strictness within the Order during this period is a flaw. What can I say, I don't like the thought of brainwashing kids - which is essentially what they do. There is something to be said for it, but the method of teaching seemed to be to tell young Jedi what to do and what to think (how many times was Anakin *told* such?), only slowly giving them more responsibility under their mentor until they develop a greater understanding on their own (from looking at the Jedi Masters who have their friendships and attachments, but generally know how to prioritize and deal with them). That confuses me. It seems they could teach toward the end result (that understanding of how to balance one's personal feelings with wider concerns) rather than teaching in the other direction and expecting a student to figure it out. It's amazing there aren't more stories of young Jedi going to the Dark Side over conflict between what they are told and what they are shown.
Enter the crucible of the Clone Wars. Seriously, I think Palpatine engineered the war more to destabilize the Jedi than to amass an army or anything else. For a thousand years, the Jedi had been conditioned as monks, negotiators, and occasionally police. They were not soldiers or military leaders. Even the most strategic-minded of the Order was suddenly faced with daily choices that involved casualties to burden their minds and hearts. The Jedi probably functioned at least as well as could be expected, but they simply weren't trained to fight a war.
And the young ones, in particular, could be shaped by it all. Anakin, of course, is the prime example. Even Obi Wan became a better combatant and leader than the Order had needed for centuries due to being on the front line. Others like Etain Tur-Mukan and Bardan Jusik drifted from the Order or left it entirely during the war. Even before Order 66, the Jedi Order was crumbling and weakened because the Jedi themselves were unprepared for the rigors of warfare. In some ways, maybe that's as it should be - policing and warfare can be very different things.
So what of Jedi in other eras? How did they juggle the duties of military and peacekeeping lives?
Apparently with mixed results. The post-movie novels seem to include a great many more near-falls to the Dark Side with Luke and his Order serving in active combat. I've not read them all by any means, but it seems like every notable Jedi in that time period has some brush with the Dark Side: Luke himself, Kyp Durron, Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade, Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo (who fully falls)... I'm sure there are others, and I'm sure there are those who don't have such episodes - but the latter are probably those who don't end up on the front lines fighting as much. On the early end of the time scale, there's Nomi Sunrider, Sylvar, Revan, Bastilla Shan, and arguably Ulic Quel-Droma among others. Most of them return from the Dark Side (which could be taken to disprove Yoda's "forever will it dominate your path" line), but they all delve toward that end some and yet many of them are counted as the "greatest Jedi" of their times.
Outside that thousand-year window, it seems perfection isn't expected or required of a Jedi. I'm not sure whether to think that's good or bad, though. Expecting perfection is unrealistic, but accepting mediocrity usually gets just that...