A Jedi Shadow was a Jedi Sentinel who had pursued a unique focus of training. Working directly under the Council of First Knowledge, Shadows were sent to destroy anything and everything connected with the Sith and their followers.

Dating back as far as the Great Hyperspace War, the Jedi Shadows were dispatched in its aftermath to find and destroy any artifacts left behind by the seemingly destroyed Sith Empire. This led to the destruction of Sith amulets, talismans, and other relics that were tainted with the power of the dark side of the Force. However, Sith artifacts continued to exist, even during the years of the Great Sith War, when it was believed that the menace of the Sith had ended. Jedi Shadows usually wore white/black robes occasionally donning armoured leg plating and/or chest plating (this was due to the fact that they were trained to always expect a battle). Jedi Shadows were prone to carrying double-bladed lightsabers.

After the Great Sith War, a secret fringe group known as the Jedi Covenant used Consulars for the same purpose as the Shadows, using visions to remain vigilant for any sign of the dark side. Under the instruction of retired Jedi Master Krynda Draay, a secret group of Shadows was created by deleting records of willing Jedi or by falsifying their deaths on long missions. These Jedi, including Celeste Morne, were all but extinct following the failed Vindication of Haazen during the Mandalorian Wars.

During the Great Galactic War and the Cold War, Jedi Shadows were employed by the Galactic Republic against the returned Sith Empire. These shadows were specialized Jedi Consulars.

Over the next millennia, the Shadows were still in use, striking down enemies of the light and ensuring the continued peace within the Galactic Republic. Some of the last Shadows of the Order existed during the Clone Wars, including Jedi Master Taria Damsin and Jedi Knight Maw; the latter was corrupted by the Inquisitor Jerec following the Great Jedi Purge.