Star Wars: 10 Worst Things The Jedi Ever Did

This entry is less of an intentional misdeed, and more of some wilful ignorance that led to death and destruction throughout the galaxy.

As Luke says in The Last Jedi, "At the height of their powers, [The Jedi] allowed Darth Sidious to rise, create the Empire, and wipe them out." And he's right. The Jedi effectively turned a blind eye to Palpatine, permitting him to take over the galaxy, while they focused all their efforts on the war, which Palpatine fabricated.

In the prequels, Yoda says that the Dark Side of the Force has been clouding his judgement, and then seemingly gives up the search for the Sith Lord. The Jedi are distracted by the Clone Wars, but their primary function is as peacekeepers, not soldiers, so they should be focusing more of their efforts on searching for this Sith Lord, not less.

If the Jedi had found Palpatine earlier, so many lives would have been saved. Instead, they basically let him go.