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Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicStar Wars isn’t just a big franchise; it’s one of the largest fictional universes in the science fiction genre. From the siege of Naboo to the Battle of Yavin, the series has gone from a collection of sci-fi classic films to an onslaught of books, video games, comics, and tons of spinoff shows.
Although the newly-arrived Ahsoka might be the name on everyone’s lips these days, The Mandalorian, Clone Wars, Rebels, Andor , and more are some of the most recent escapades into the galaxy far, far away. If you’re one of the many casual viewers who keep scratching their heads, you’re not alone.
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Speaking as a long-time Star Wars fan, this writer is even willing to admit that sometimes the amount of media available can be insanely overwhelming. However, you don’t have to binge-watch every last episode of Clone Wars or read the whole Thrawn trilogy to enjoy the franchise.
Star Wars: Beyond the Movies
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The best way to truly understand the basics of what Star Wars has become is to simply break it down into easily digestible pieces.
The series has evolved exponentially beyond the ongoing plight between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Taking the essential movies and shows into account, the core timeline can be easily broken down into five main eras of the Star Wars saga.
Not including things like The Old Republic, Young Jedi Adventures and various video games and comics, George Lucas’ great space opera gets a little easier to follow. In this writer’s opinion, it’s best to understand the basics, then do a deep dive on your era of choice.
The Republic/Fall of the Jedi: How Democracy Dies
Even though there has been a lot of new admiration generated for them thanks to Dave Filoni, the prequels still have some fans divided. This era is essentially where the saga begins. The Phantom Menace sets up the origins for the Skywalker Saga, Attack of the Clones lays the groundwork for Clone Wars, and sets the stage for multiple spinoffs.
Revenge of the Sith is the book of matches that lights the powder keg. From the third film in the prequel trilogy, we have Order 66, the rise of Darth Vader, the birth of the Skywalker twins, the exile of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the genocide of the Jedi Order.
Naturally, the prequel era is often considered the best place to start. There’s a certain familiarity for fans of the original film series, but a grand world to be explored for the newcomers to the saga. Come for Phantom Menace, stay for Clone Wars.
Reign of the Empire: The Power of the Dark Side
As the title would suggest, this is where things take a decisively dark turn. Taking place between the events of Revenge of the Sith and the original trilogy, this is where the Galactic Empire holds all the chips, but a spark of rebellion is a light in the darkness.
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While there are definitely a few exceptions to the rule, this is where the narratives take a more mature direction. In short, this is what happens when the bad guys win, and the surviving heroes have to pull themselves back to victory.
Vader and Palpatine might be sitting high and mighty for now, but the battle has just begun. While the Death Star is being built, rebels and rogue Jedi gather their forces for the ultimate uprising.
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This is where the events of The Bad Batch, Rouge One, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and Rebels all come into play. It’s less about the Jedi and the Sith and more about the missions, starfights, and lightsaber duels that come together to take back the galaxy. It’s dark, but it’s certainly not all bleak.
Age of Rebellion: A New Hope
The opening crawl in the original Star Wars summarized it best,
It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire…
And with those first few lines, audiences everywhere were first introduced to the galaxy far, far away. Not even the entire sequence, and yet the plight of the original film is contained so perfectly.
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By little exaggeration, this should be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name “Star Wars.” This is the era that contains the original trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) and the essential narrative of the entire franchise.
This is the cornerstone on which George Lucas built his legacy, and a masterpiece was born. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and so on all had their cinematic origins here. Here, X-Wings soar, lightsabers clash, and farm boys from Tatooine become Jedi Knights.
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Theatrics aside, this is perhaps the main era of the saga everyone should at least be somewhat familiar with. Whether through actual screenings or cultural osmosis, the entirety of the extended Star Wars universe would not exist if it weren’t for these three films.
The New Republic: After the Empire
Now we’re starting to get into some more recent territory, as nearly the entirety of Disney+’s Star Wars spinoffs take place in this era. The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and the newly-released Ahsoka all call this timeline home.
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This is where things get a little more experimental, and that’s definitely a good thing. Here, we’ve seen Star Wars go from stylish space opera to western, to fantasy epic all in a few short years. It’s additions like these that keep things fresh and exciting.
Although there’s still one more era left to cover, this is the era Disney and Lucasfilm are likely to do the most with. Seeing how so much has led up to the arrival of Grand Admiral Thrawn (and possibly an Heir to the Empire adaptation), it’s highly unlikely either studio are finished here.
The age of the Empire might be over, but there is still much more left to be explored in the aftermath of one of the greatest epics ever told. Of course, evil wears many faces.
Rise of the First Order: A New Generation of Star Wars
For the sake of discussion, let’s call this era the most recent in the timeline, as it’s where fans can find the modern sequels (the Disney Trilogy to some). The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker comprise the essential framework accompanied by Resistance and the tie-in to Galaxy’s Edge.
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While it’s certainly a mixed bag as far as content is concerned, this is Star Wars for a new generation. Here, the torch is passed from Luke, Han, and Leia to Rey, Poe, and Finn as they battle Kylo Ren and his fiendish First Order. And (say it with us now) somehow Palpatine returned.
Joking aside, the Disney Trilogy is way more than the sum of its parts. It introduces new characters, concepts, and ideas that make the galaxy far, far away seem that much bigger. As much as fans detested additions like Canto Bight, it did allow for the creators to experiment a different planet and its lifeforms.
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Until fans see the next chapter in the saga or Taika Waititi’s fabled future film, this is where the core narrative ends. That being said, nothing in the realm of Star Wars is ever truly final.
But Why Does It Matter?
If you are one of the many latecomers to the Star Wars fandom, you might be asking “where do I start?” Unless you plan on taking in everything from the days of the Old Republic to the dawining of the First Order, it’s truthfully a matter of taste.
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Each individual era has something different to offer every potential Star Wars fan. From the classic sci-fi tropes to dystopian futures, it’s safe to say that the series covers nearly every sub-genre fans could possibly ask for.
The beauty of having something as massive as the Star Wars galaxy is that there really is no set strict genre or direction. It’s a series that bends genres and narratives so fluidly and so well that it speaks to multiple viewers on so many incredible levels.
What Comes Next?
No matter what series it is, there’s always going to be that immortal question. One of the best things the Star Wars extended universe has going for it is that it can and will go anywhere.
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If John Favereau can turn a sci-fi epic into a space western, who’s to say the rules can’t be twisted even further? As cliche as it sounds, the only limit really is the imagination.
The entirety of the franchise is so fluid that it’s branched out into almost every genre imaginable. There’s literally something there for everyone, and all they need is a Disney + subscription. In the end, there’s no wrong way to enjoy Star Wars.
Are you ready to begin a journey across the galaxy? Where will you start? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!