During Star Wars Celebration this year, Lucasfilm revealed a new timeline for the Star Wars franchise. Announcements were made regarding films focused on the beginning of the Jedi Order and one following Rey's founding of a new Jedi Order. For casual fans of the franchise, they might have been curious about one era called The High Republic.
Most Star Wars media, from the feature films to the television series tends to take place over a time period of 70 years, focusing tied to either the prequels (Fall of the Jedi), the original trilogy (Age of Rebellion), The Mandalorian stories (the New Republic), or the sequel trilogy (The Rise of the First Order).
The High Republic has primarily been told in novels and comic books. Similar to the original Expanded Universe stories like The Thrawn Trilogy or Shadows of the Empire, The High Republic was a multimedia publishing initiative that was designed as an event without being connected to an upcoming Star Wars film but having the marketing resources of one. The High Republic corner of the Star Wars universe is set to be explored in significant ways in the future beyond the comics and books. Here is a breakdown of everything one needs to know about The High Republic.
The High Republic Publishing Initiative
The High Republic was first teased in April 2019 as "Project Lumunious" and would bring together a group of writers and give them a clean slate to tell their own Star Wars story. The project, and its title The High Republic, was first announced in February 2020 and confirmed it would take place two hundred years before The Phantom Menace. The first novel, Light of the Jedi, was intended to be released in September 2020 but was delayed to January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The High Republic is split up into Phases and tells a massive interconnected story across novels and comics from different writers. Yet each piece works as a standalone piece, so anyone can jump into the story and not feel lost. Phase I was titled Light of the Jedi and ran from 2021 to 2022. Phase II is titled Quest for the Jedi and began in 2022 and will run through 2023. Phase II also takes place 150 years before Phase I, acting as a prequel. Phase III will be titled Trials of the Jedi is currently undated. Phase III is currently projected to be the final phase and likely could conclude in 2024 or 2025.
What Stories Are Told In The High Republic
The High Republic kicks off with the novel, Light of the Jedi, which begins with a catastrophic hyperspace event called "The Great Disaster" that sees pieces of a ship hitting different systems from across the galaxy in destructive ways. The Jedi gather to stop the destruction and discover it was orchestrated by a group of space pirates known as the Nihil who have mastered secret hyperspace routes. Meanwhile, the Republic is preparing for the launch of Starlight Beacon, a space station that will aid communication between distant worlds and will become a major target for the Nihil, who want to stop the Republic from expanding their control into the Outer Rim.
The main focus of The High Republic is to show the Jedi at the height of their power. The time Obi-Wan Kenobi spoke about them being "the guardians of peace and justice." By the time of the prequel trilogy, the Jedi Order have begun to lose their way, eventually leading to Palpatine destroying the Jedi. The High Republic shows the idealized version of the Jedi. It also shows the beginning of the Republic reaching out into the Outer Rim and showcasing why certain planets had no representation in the Galactic Senate. It is an era of exploration for the galaxy, and one that will shape the franchise into the world audiences are familiar with the Skywalker Saga.
Difference Between The High Republic and The Old Republic
Since it was announced, many Star Wars fans have wondered about the relationship between The High Republic and The Old Republic. The Old Republic was a major part of the Star Wars franchise during the 2000s, popularized by the video game Knights of the Old Republic. Set 4,000 years before the events of The Phantom Menace, the game series explored an entirely new era for Star Wars and was a foundational part of the franchise for many fans. While much of the series has been made Legends following Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, elements of the franchise have been made canon. Notable, a statue of the character Darth Revan can be seen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The Old Republic as a concept still exists and was highlighted at Star Wars Celebration 2023 when the timeline was revealed. In 2021 it was announced that the original game was getting a remake titled Knights of the Old Republic - Remake. Originally set for release in 2022, the game has encountered multiple delays and will likely not be released until 2025. It is currently unknown if the game's story will be the exact same as the original or if it will be reworked to fit within new elements added to the franchise.
The High Republic contradicts some elements of the Knights of the Old Republic story, such as how many outer rim planets have been explored and the structure of the galaxy. Lucasfilm might be holding off on exploring The Old Republic until after their plans for The High Republic, which would end around 2024 or 2025.
Star Wars Media Will Begin to Explore The High Republic
While The High Republic has primarily been a publishing initiative, Lucasfilm is set to introduce the concept to a wider audience through live-action and animated projects on Disney+. The first is Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, which is the first full-length animated Star Wars series aimed at a younger audience that will air on both Disney+ and Disney Junior. The series will focus on a group of younglings learning to become Jedi Knights during The High Republic era. It will begin airing on May 4, 2023, to celebrate the unofficial Star Wars holiday, May the Fourth.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is The Acolyte. Created by famed playwright Leslye Headland, The Acolyte will be set at the end of The High Republic, about 100 years before The Phantom Menace. Described as a political thriller, the series will show the Star Wars universe from the perspective of a dark-side user. The Acolyte will feature characters from The High Republic books like Vernestra Rwoh. The series is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2024. This likely would set it to premiere when Phase III of The High Republic publishing initiative is coming to a close, making The Acolyte the final chapter in this massive Star Wars story.