Lucasfilm reportedly released an official new Star Wars timeline where they not only erase the Skywalker Saga moniker they used to promote Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but there is also no mention of the phrases “Original Trilogy” and “Sequel Trilogy.” “Prequel Trilogy” is only mentioned to provide a reference point in time for The High Republic.
This new timeline appears to have been released exclusively to ComicBook.com and includes some of the most recent announcements made by Kathleen Kennedy at the Disney Investor Day 2020 presentation.
Not only does it include their recent live-action and animated announcements, but it also includes their upcoming publishing initiative The High Republic, indicating it might be much more than a publishing initiative.
The timeline begins with The High Republic and ends with the Rise of the First Order.
The High Republic
The High Republic is officially the new starting point in the Star Wars canon. The events of the High Republic take 200 years before the events of the Prequel Trilogy that began with The Phantom Menace.
This time period will be explored in High Republic branded Star Wars books and comics that will be available to purchase beginning in January 2021.
The newly announced The Acolyte series for Disney+ will also be set towards the end of this period.
Fall of the Jedi
The next era is titled the Fall of the Jedi and it covers the return of the Sith and the fall of the Jedi’s Order. Movies that take place during this era include The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars, and Revenge of the Sith.
Reign of the Empire
The next period is the Reign of the Empire. It will feature stories that explore the rise of The Empire and the chaos that ensues.
The upcoming Bad Batch animated series as well as Solo: A Star Wars Story are stories that are set within this period.
Age of Rebellion
Next, is the Age of Rebellion. This period tells stories of the rise of the Rebellion following the Empire’s rise and ensuing iron grip throughout the galaxy.
Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi all take place within this time period.
The New Republic
The New Republic is set following the seeming demise of Emperor Palpatine as the Empire struggles to survive and the New Republic begins to take shape.
The Mandalorian is set within this period.
Rise of the First Order
Finally, the last time period officially announced is Rise of the First Order. This time period will see Imperial remnants reorganize themselves into the First Order and attempt to reclaim the galaxy alongside the resurrection of Emperor Palpatine.
Star Wars: Resistance, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker take place within this time period.
This new timeline does not include Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie. When that film was announced Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed that the film would move Star Wars “into a future era of the galaxy.”
It also doesn’t include Taika Waititi’s unnamed Star Wars film, which is also supposed to be “pushing forward into a new future era” as well.
YouTuber Gary Buechler of Nerdrotic reacted to the timeline stating, “All roads lead to Rey Palpatine, Granpy Palpy, and the Disney trilogy.”
“And they are going to use every show in The Mandalorian timeline, just like they used The Clone Wars for the prequels,” he continued.
He specifically points to the new timeline stating, “What else makes me think that? This timeline which was provided to us from Star Wars, just today, where it says everything leads to the First Order.”
However, he does note that during the Disney Investor Day 2020 presentation from Kathleen Kennedy that there was no mention of Disney’s sequel trilogy.
Buechler explains, “All that being said, the Disney trilogy was completely ghosted during this presentation. And we have to keep that in mind. Again, I could be wrong, and I hope I am.”
Buechler’s assertion that all roads lead to the Disney trilogy is backed by statements made by The Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau before the release of the first season.
Favreau teased the show would explore the origins of the First Order, “Also, what could happen in the 30 years between celebrating the defeat of the Empire and then the First Order? You come in on Episode VII, [the First Order are] not just starting out. They’re pretty far along.”
“So somehow, things weren’t necessarily managed as well as they could have been if [the galaxy] ended up in hot water again like that,” he continued.
Not only did Favreau tease the show would explore the origins of the First Order before the first episode even aired, but more recently they made it abundantly clear with a reference to The Rise of Skywalker and that film’s Snoke cloning experiments in the fourth episode of the second season.
I personally find it interesting that their final era or period is titled Rise of the First Order, except the First Order, which ultimately becomes the Final Order, is destroyed by Resistance forces in The Rise of Skywalker film.
It’s just an odd name for the time period, when the First Order and the Final Order are ultimately destroyed.
What do you make of this new timeline?