As we come closer to the premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi, we’re going to dive deeper into the mythology – The Inquisitorius was a group of ruthless Jedi hunters. They served the Empire and were led by Sith Lord Darth Vader, the former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. While they existed in Legends continuity, we’re focusing on the canon iteration, introduced in Star Wars Rebels Season 2.
These posts will give the audience a closer look at certain elements of Obi-Wan Kenobi if they haven’t seen the animated series, read the books and comics or played the games.
For this post, we will only be focusing on the Inquisitorius members seen in screen media and how the group came to be. We WON’T be talking about the members seen in the comics, books, or video games. Also, we’re going to issue a SPOILER warning as we will be mentioning plot points from various screen projects.
How Did The Inquisitorius Start?
As per the designated page on Wookieepedia, the Inquisitorius was always part of Sheev Palpatine‘s plan for the Empire. Fully aware that Jedi would survive Order 66, the Chancellor had ideas in place to recruit those who lived. During the Clone Wars, the secret Sith Lord hired Cad Bane, a bounty hunter, to pose as a Jedi. For his plot to work, the goal was to steal children who were strong in the Force. In other words, kidnapping the infants would prevent them from becoming potential Jedi.
A similar plot occurred during the Imperial regime. Force-sensitive babies were kidnapped by the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister.
Another method of recruiting potential Inquisitors that Palpatine used was recruiting Jedi who became disillusioned with the Jedi Order. This was the case for the Grand Inquisitor, a Jedi Temple Guard. The Pau’an, whose name is currently unknown, was present when Jedi Knight Barriss Offee was presented as the true culprit behind the Jedi Temple Bombing and not Padawan Ahsoka Tano. While Offee criticised the Jedi Order, the Pau’an agreed with her points.
The Inquisitorius, in the end, was made up of Force Sensitive children who were raised in the Dark Side or were surviving Jedi who turned.
Who Are The Inquisitors Seen In Screen Media?
As we mentioned earlier, the Inquisitorius, or at least members of the sect, were introduced in Star Wars Rebels. The first member we’re introduced to is the Pau’an, known simply as the Grand Inquisitor. In certain versions of the series premiere of Rebels called Spark of Rebellion. He is seen reporting to Darth Vader in the first scene. This is the only time the character appears in the episode. Moreover, this version of Spark of Rebellion is on Disney+.
The Grand Inquisitor is the only member of the Inquisitorius to appear in Rebels Season 1 and is the main villain. During Season 2, after the Grand Inquisitor’s death, two other members pop up; the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister. The Eighth Brother appears in the episode Twilight of the Apprentice and dies.
Obi-Wan Kenobi will give us live-action versions of the Grand Inquisitor and the Fifth Brother. There is another inquisitor who has short head tails. We’re not sure what species this could be. They’re not a Togruta. Nor are they a Twi’lek. Furthermore, the series will also introduce the Third Sister, whose name is Reva.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Inquisitorius
Star Wars Rebels Inquisitorius
Was There Anyone Above The Grand Inquisitor?
Yes, there were two people above the Grand Inquisitor. As mentioned earlier, Emperor Palpatine always had plans for the Inquisitorius to exist. The second person is Darth Vader, who was responsible for their training. His tactics were brutal, which often resulted in some trainees losing limbs.
Vader’s training tactics for the Inquisitorius differed from his former persona of Anakin Skywalker. While he was Skywalker, Vader’s technique in training his Padawan, Ahsoka, wasn’t as brutal, and he certainly didn’t try to dismember her. He was direct and walked her through what she needed to learn.
However, failure is not an option for the Inquisitorius. If you messed up once, Vader sees you as weak.
When Did The Inquisitorius Start, And Was The Program Ever Dissolved?
The Inquisitorius came into existence in 19BBY. In other words, this was at the end of Clone Wars during the Jedi Purge, better known as Order 66. The group dissolved between 3BBY and 0BBY. This was when the Fifth Brother, Eighth Brother and the Seventh Sister were killed on Malachor.
After this situation, no more Inquisitors became thralls to Ezra Bridger and the now-blinded Kanan Jarrus.
