Padawan

From the Encyclopedia of Speculative Fiction - http://encyclopedia.wizards.pro

A Padawan is a Jedi apprentice who begins serious training under a Jedi Knight, chosen by the Knight himself from the Younglings.

If a Youngling is not chosen by any Jedi Knight to be their Padawan by 13 years of age, the youngling is placed into another, lesser role in the Jedi Service Corps. The code was strict that a Master would have only one Padawan (mirrored to the Sith Rule of Two), since the training required permanently the Master's full attention and dedication. Padawans wore their hair cut short, except for a little braid behind their right ear.

A Padawan followed and helped his or her Master everywhere,unless seen unfit by the master, from simple tasks to dangerous missions so that he learned from experience. When a Padawan was elevated to knighthood, he or she passed the 'trials' and their braid was cut off during the knighting ceremony. There is no fixed age when this happens: Padawans might even be adults.

Anakin Skywalker became a Padawan from the very first moment, under Obi-Wan, due to his relatively old age. Jedi that for obvious reasons never had the 'rank' of Padawan, were Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn.

The braid, as well as the term itself seems to have been rendered obsolete after the rise of the Galactic Empire. The new Jedi Order uses mostly the term 'Apprentice'. Due to the lack of population, Luke made the strict and absolute rule of 'being no more than one apprentice to each Jedi' obsolete, and a Master could have two apprentices under him. Kyle Katarn for example simultaneously mentored Rosh Penin and Jaden Korr.

The problems of this new system were seen soon, since the Master could not pay full attention to both his students.