The triumphant scroll that begins each installment of the Skywalker Saga gives a glimpse into the Star Wars universe’s setting: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” But as fans know, the timeline of the series is a tad more complicated than that. With a recently reestablished canon, a tendency toward nonlinear storytelling, and an ongoing creative surge of new films, television series, books, and comics expanding the already massive universe, it can be incredibly difficult for even the most dedicated among us to keep the Star Wars timeline straight.
Fear not! (Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate…and well, you know the rest.) We’ve created a handy guide to the canonical Star Wars multimedia universe, arranging books, films, series, and more into each period so you’ll be able to navigate the galaxy with ease. Separated into the six official eras recently defined by Lucasfilm, this unofficial Star Wars canon timeline explainer offers a brief illumination of each period and the stories set within each respective span. (Note: This guide focuses only on media currently considered canonical; the Legends of expanded universe past are not included in this roundup.)
Ready? This is where the fun begins.
Warning: The guide below contains spoilers for various elements of the Star Wars universe. Note that novelizations of the original and prequel trilogies are considered canon only where they mirror their onscreen counterparts.
The High Republic
c. 300 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) to c. 82 BBY
Though it is the most recent addition to the canon (announced just this past year), the era of the High Republic is chronologically among the oldest recorded periods in the Star Wars timeline. Considered the Golden Age of the Jedi Knights, the High Republic is a time of great expansion and exploration in the galaxy. While the Galactic Senate offers stability and harmony, worlds are far less settled and uncharted space is still treacherous (thanks to violent marauders like the Nihil). The Jedi, therefore, are as much enforcers of peace and justice as they are symbolic of hope and light in the galaxy.
Star Wars content set in this era is broken into three phases: Light of the Jedi, Quest of the Jedi, and Trials of the Jedi. Currently, only titles in the first phase have been announced: two adult novels, Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule and The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott; two YA novels, Into the Dark by Claudia Gray and Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland; two middle-grade titles, The Great Jedi Rescue by Cavan Scott and A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland; and a host of comics and web series. It was also recently announced that Leslye Headland’s upcoming Disney+ original mystery thriller The Acolyte will be set in this era.
Fall of the Jedi
c. 40 BBY to c. 19 BBY
I’ve got a bad feeling about this... The era now known as the Fall of the Jedi houses the film’s prequel trilogy—The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith—as well as the animated film and subsequent television series The Clone Wars, and tracks the tragedy that befell both the prophesied Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker, and the Jedi Order as a whole. Rich with political intrigue, devastating loss, and meditations on connection, attachment, and honor, this era, which began with tremendous hope and promise, concludes on one of the darkest notes in the entire saga.
In addition to the much-loved film and television offerings, there are some excellent canonical audiobooks set in this period. Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray, for one, explores the relationship between Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his then-Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi eight years before they encountered young Anakin on Tatooine, while Catalyst by James Luceno, set during and shortly after the events of the prequels, sets the stage for the construction of the first Death Star and the Galactic Civil War to come. Other noteworthy listens include Queen’s Peril and Queen’s Shadow, both by E.K. Johnston, Dark Disciple by Christie Golden, and the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy by Timothy Zahn. Fans of comic books will want to check out Charles Soule's Obi-Wan and Anakin series, as well as his Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith series, which begins concurrently with Revenge of the Sith, before entering into the next era, the Reign of the Empire.
Reign of the Empire
c. 18 BBY to c. 10 BBY
With the Jedi Order seemingly wiped from existence as a result of Order 66, Anakin Skywalker transformed into the ruthless Sith Lord Darth Vader, and Emperor Sheev Palpatine (also known as Darth Sidious) in control of the galaxy, the Reign of the Empire ushers in a rather dismal era. As the title implies, the Galactic Empire seized power during this time, their oppressive rule the bane of citizens across the stars. Both the 2018 film Solo and the upcoming animated series The Bad Batch are set during this era, in addition to the canonical Electronic Arts (EA) video game, Jedi: Fallen Order. The forthcoming Disney+ original series Kenobi will likely be set during this era as well.
This era is rich with stories about the rise of evil, opportunistic smugglers, and the initial murmurs of a burgeoning rebellion. Take, for one, E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka, which follows the titular Force-wielder in the time after she left the Jedi Order but years before she joined the Rebel Alliance. On the other end of the spectrum, Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp explores the Dark Side, trailing Emperor Palpatine and his disciple Vader as they find themselves battling back a resistance movement on Ryloth. Other listens that begin during this period (some extending into the Age of Rebellion) include Tarkin by James Luceno, Beth Revis’s Rogue One prequel Rebel Rising, John Jackson Miller’s A New Dawn, by Rae Carson, and Claudia Gray’s Lost Stars. Kids, meanwhile, will love listens like by Lou Anders and Lando’s Luck by Justina Ireland. And there's one installment you just can’t miss: the start of Timothy Zahn’s new Thrawn trilogy, which introduces a character so unforgettably intimidating that we wrote an entire article about him.
Age of Rebellion
c. 6 BBY to c. 4 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin)
This is the very heart of Star Wars: the promise of hope, the triumph of a scrappy, ragtag group of freedom fighters over a ruthless imperial military, and a core message that no battle is unwinnable, no feat insurmountable, if you fight for goodness and for those you love. Plus, it's the era that began it all, with the three films in the original trilogy—A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi—all taking place during this time period (and thus introducing us to twin heroes Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa). Also set during the Age of Rebellion are 2016 film Rogue One, the excellent animated series Rebels, and the multi-platform video games Battlefront, Battlefront II, and Squadrons. Though few details are known at this time, it’s also reasonable to assume both the 2022 Disney+ series Andor and Patty Jenkins’s upcoming film Rogue Squadron will be set during the Age of Rebellion.
The second and third installment in the Thrawn trilogy (Alliances and Treason) are set during this time, as are Kevin Hearne's Heir to the Jedi, Claudia Gray’s Leia: Princess of Alderaan, and Battlefront II: Inferno Squad (set within the video game Battlefront II) by Christie Golden. A true treasure, the From a Certain Point of View short story compilations (currently available for Episode IV and Episode V) add some new perspective to the familiar films by focusing on secondary characters like the members of the Cantina Band or the taun-taun sacrificed to save Luke’s life on Hoth. Young listener novelizations of the original trilogy and Rogue One make the timeless story accessible for all, while comic fans might enjoy Dennis Hallum’s Vader: Dark Visions miniseries or the audio adaptation of Doctor Aphra.
The New Republic
c. 5 ABY to c. 34 ABY
Following Palpatine’s death and the fall of the Empire at the Battle of Endor, the victorious Rebel Alliance gave way to the New Republic, a system of galactic government that championed restoration, peace, and democracy. Yet this period of relative stability was nonetheless marred by those still clinging to imperial allegiances. Fans will recognize this era from the massively successful Disney+ original series The Mandalorian, and will soon get even better acquainted with the period through recently announced shows Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic.
In addition to an as-yet-untitled novel by Adam Christopher set within the story of The Mandalorian, there are several canonical audiobooks set during this period that every fan should listen to. Among the best is Claudia Gray’s Bloodline, an intricate political thriller that follows Leia Organa as she shifts from rebel firebrand to Senator of the New Republic. Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy and Jonathan Freed’s ongoing Alphabet Squadron series begin as the Galactic Civil War comes to a close, chronicling the ongoing fight against the imperial sympathizers and a host of the galaxy’s foes. Other installments that take place during this timeframe offer a glimpse into the events still to come: Charles Soule’s comic book miniseries The Rise of Kylo Ren follows the fall of Ben Solo and the dawn of future Supreme Leader Kylo Ren (as well as his mysterious band of warriors, the Knights of Ren), while Greg Rucka’s young readers novel Before the Awakening gives a glimpse into the final trilogy of the Skywalker saga.
The Rise of the First Order
c. 29 ABY – c. 35 ABY
At the same time the New Republic was attempting to restore balance to the galaxy, the First Order began its ascent from the ashes of the Empire. Determined to carry on the legacy of the regime that Palpatine had built, the First Order set out to conquer worlds across the galaxy—only to find their match in the Resistance, a movement founded by General Leia Organa. This era houses The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, as well as animated show Star Wars Resistance, and focuses on identity, the significance of family legacy, and the nature of the Force—both in the brilliance of its light and its unfathomable darkness.
Delilah S. Lawson’s Phasma offers an intriguing timeframe narrative that sheds light on the backstory of the mysterious Chrome Dome herself, while The Legends of Luke Skywalker by Ken Liu shares galactic tall tales about the saga’s most iconic character. YA installments like Cobalt Squadron by Elizabeth Wein and adult offerings like Rebecca Roanhorse's , Kevin Shinick’s Force Collector, and Canto Bight by Saladin Ahmed, Rae Carson, Mira Grant, and John Jackson Miller offer additional background on the period’s characters and events. In addition, Zoraida Córdova’s A Crash of Fate and Delilah S. Dawson’s Black Spire Outpost are set within this world, on the planet of Batuu. You might also enjoy visiting this era at the Galaxy’s Edge theme park, found at both Disney World and Disneyland.
Now that you're familiar with the ins-and-outs of everything canonical in the Star Wars universe, perhaps you'd like a rundown of how, exactly, "Canon" and "Legends" are defined. If so, check out our Canon vs. Legends explainer, which breaks down everything you need to know about both timelines and how they affect the galaxy.
Click to view a full sized Star Wars timeline graphic.
