The expansion of the official canon Star Wars timeline will happen for the first time since Disney took over the franchise. January 5th 2021 is the official release date for The High Republic era’s first novel, The Light of the Jedi and thus the first official expansion of the universe outside of the Skywalker saga.
The release of the High Republic novels will also bring in a new timeline for the Star Wars Universe that will look a little something like this (via ComicBook.com):
- The High Republic – The new official starting point of the Star Wars canon, set 200 years before the Prequel Trilogy. It will be explored in the new “High Republic” line of Star Wars books and comics coming in 2021. A tie-in series on Disney+ (The Acolyte) has also been announced.
- Fall of The Jedi – Covering the Jedi Order’s fall and Sith return, in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars, and Revenge of the Sith.
- Reign of The Empire – Exploring the initial rise of The Empire and the chaos of its shadow covering galaxy. Covering events depicted in the upcoming Bad Batch animated series, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
- Age of Rebellion – The slow but sure rise of The Rebellion in the decades after the Empire’s rise. Covering events in Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.
- The New Republic – The chaos after Palpatine’s seeming demise, as the Empire struggled to survive, and a New Republic started to take form. The Mandalorian is set in this time period.
- Rise of the First Order – The Imperial remnants re-organize into The First Order, and attempt to reclaim the galaxy, as part of Palpatine’s resurrection. Covers events in Star Wars: Resistance, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker.
It seems like we have quickly moved away from the ‘Age Of’ titles for the SW canon and into more of a nuanced description of each important era in the timeline.
The High Republic is now the oldest canon time period in Star Wars and it will be expanded on via novels and the newly announced Disney+ series The Acolyte from Leslye Headland.
