Expanded Universe. How the Star Wars Expanded Universe Shrank

On Thursday, “The Force Awakens” will be released on Russian screens, a new part of the “Star Wars” saga, which will soon celebrate its fortieth anniversary. During this time, the distant, distant galaxy has long outgrown the framework of six feature films and spreads across several animated series, hundreds of books, comics and video games. Not all products were released with the direct participation of George Lucas - the creator of the franchise farmed out part of his brainchild to other authors, and they built a whole world in George’s backyard, populated by hundreds of different characters and called the “Expanded Universe”.

The authors of the Expanded Universe painted the history of a galaxy far, far away thousands of years into the past and a couple of hundred into the future, but the main focus was on the adventures of the three heroes of the original trilogy - Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia - after the finale of the sixth episode. In the books and comics, Luke revived the Jedi Order, Han and Leia had three beautiful children, and the Alliance eventually turned into the New Republic, but all these events are now not considered canon.

A year and a half ago, the new owner " Star Wars" - Disney - wrote off all the events of the Expanded Universe as non-canon and dubbed them "Star Wars Legends" to start with clean slate story after end credits"Return of the Jedi." Lenta.ru studied the Expanded Universe to tell how the life of Luke and company would have developed if The Force Awakens had not existed.

Expansion of the Universe

Star Wars began to expand beyond the films even before the premiere of the first part. At the end of 1976, the novel “Star Wars” appeared on store shelves. From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker." The author was the famous US writer Alan Dean Foster, but the name of George Lucas was on the cover, since Foster worked on the basis of his plot developments. The main purpose of the book was to interest new universe fans science fiction, and the novelization of “A New Hope” coped with this task with a bang. The initial print run of 125 thousand copies sold out three months before the film's premiere, and by May the third print run had already been sent to press.

Between 1977 and 1984, about half a dozen novels, more than a hundred comics, and much more were published. Most of The products that came out at that time had little connection with each other, the authors regularly allowed themselves to refer to all sorts of earthly realities, and since Lucas until the last moment sought to keep particularly cunning plot twists secret, a number of works directly contradicted even subsequent films. Thus, in Alan Dean Foster's novel The Shard of the Crystal of Power (1978), Luke and Leia openly flirt with each other, and Vader does not even think about having any kindred feelings for Luke. Moreover, one of the comics mentions the adventure that Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker experienced together.

After the release of Return of the Jedi, interest in Star Wars began to fade, and by the end of the 80s it had practically disappeared. The prospect of seeing new films about a galaxy far, far away seemed unlikely. Lucas is tired of his own creation, and a series of unsuccessful financial decisions, coupled with extremely difficult divorce brought his company to the brink of bankruptcy. Under these conditions, George gladly responded to the offer of several publishers to resume production of products under the Star Wars brand.

In 1987, West End Games began publishing scripts for role playing games on "Star Wars". Since the scripts required many previously not known parts, the authors simultaneously significantly expanded the existing world of the Universe and published several reference books and guides. The reference books came in handy a few years later, when new ones began to appear again. art books and comics.

In 1991, within a few months of each other, the novel “Heir to the Empire” by Timothy Zahn and the comic book “Dark Empire” by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy were released. The new releases created a real sensation: “Heir to the Empire” made it onto the New York Times bestseller list and once again revived interest in a galaxy far, far away. “Star Wars” became fashionable again, George Lucas’s business began to improve, and after a couple of years he began to think that it would be nice to make another trilogy.

At first, the Expanded Universe writers mostly continued the story of Luke, Han, and Leia after Return of the Jedi, but stories about other characters or time periods gradually began to appear. The first signs were Michael Stackpole's X-Wing book series, whose heroes were ordinary rebel fighter pilots, and the Tales of the Jedi comic book series, which took place several thousand years before the events of the films. Lucas, as a rule, did not interfere in daily work writers and screenwriters, limiting ourselves only to general wishes. For example, he set a taboo on the period leading up to A New Hope: he wanted to tell the story of Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side in person. In the 1990s, Lucas was adamant that he would not make films set after Episode 6, and he had no problem with someone else continuing the story.

There were clearly defined rules for the authors of the Expanded Universe: they were obliged to consult already written books and comics and fit their works into the framework of the existing canon. George Lucas, on the other hand, had absolutely no obligation to consider the Expanded Universe. When it was convenient for him, he borrowed some of its elements in his films, when not, he completely denied that books and comics had anything to do with his own works.

This has become especially clear in recent years, when the animated series “The Clone Wars” appeared. The period between the end of Attack of the Clones and the beginning of Revenge of the Sith had previously been detailed in numerous books and comics, but now the creators of the series were rewriting the chronology of the fall of the Republic almost weekly.

The final nail in the Expanded Universe's coffin came the day George Lucas sold his company to Disney and the franchise's new owners announced a new film. And it’s true - six months later, all the works of the Expanded Universe were transferred to “Legends”. Formally, the authors of the new canon of the Universe have the right to use “Legends”, but they do this very rarely and in moderation. This does not prevent us from exploring what the plot of the new films could be if it were based on the works of the Expanded Universe.

War, war continues

After Return of the Jedi, despite the death of the Emperor along with his immediate circle and the loss of the second Death Star, the Empire still remains strong. However, there is no unity among senior management and no leader who can unite everyone else. While numerous imperial commanders and courtiers squabble for power, rebel troops conquer planet after planet. To further emphasize the legitimacy of their claims, the leaders of the uprising found the New Republic.

Every year more and more planets fall under the rule of the Republic, but final victory is still far away. Republican troops are forced to spend months chasing unkilled imperial commanders, pirates and marauders, and when it seems that a relatively peaceful time is finally coming, a worthy leader appears among the imperials - Grand Admiral Thrawn, a real military genius, able to predict the behavior of his enemy based on... analysis of works of art created by a particular race.

At first, Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign develops successfully, and he inflicts several sensitive defeats on the Republic, but then luck turns away from the imperials: Thrawn dies from the knife of his own bodyguard, and after his death, the imperial fleet breaks up into many small flotillas. However, this is not the end of the war: the galaxy is extremely large, and for almost ten years after the battle on Endor, here and there some undefeated military leaders periodically appeared, and a couple of trump cards were often hidden in their sleeves, mostly another superweapon, capable of destroying a planet, or even an entire star system. The apotheosis of the fight against the imperial underdogs was the resurrection of the Emperor himself, who, it turns out, shortly before his death managed to acquire a dozen of his own clones and was now looking for a suitable host into whom he could inhabit. It didn’t work out, and the emperor died a second time - this time for good.

Despite the hardships of wartime, Han and Leia find time to develop their own relationship and get married. First, the couple has a pair of twins, Jacen and Jaina, and a couple of years later another son, Anakin, is born. However, Han and Leia turn out to be extremely mediocre parents. They devote all their time to government work, political squabbles, fighting endless imperial warlords and regularly saving the newborn Republic. In the absence of parents, a whole crowd of nannies, led by Chewbacca and the droids C-3PO and R2D2, look after the children. They make poor nannies, and children are constantly kidnapped by imperial warlords, political extremists and other undesirable elements.

Luke Skywalker's personal life in the Expanded Universe did not work out at all at first - he had a whole series of novels, but his lovers had a bad tendency to either die or run away in an unknown direction after some time. Finally, Luke found a worthy match for himself - a girl named Mara Jade. The girl’s biography is reminiscent of a fascinating adventure novel: in her youth, she was the Emperor’s confidant and carried out all sorts of tasks for him until she failed the most important one. Shortly before his death, Palpatine instructed the girl to kill Luke Skywalker, but Mara failed. After that, she managed to work as a smuggler, and then met Luke again, again unsuccessfully tried to kill him, but suddenly married him, gave birth to a son and began to help restore the Jedi Order.

Yes, Luke at some point realized that he was the last Jedi in the galaxy (by the way, a very controversial statement, given that he kept running into surviving members of the old Order), and decided to revive the knights again. Except Luke's teaching skills turned out to be just as bad as Han and Leia's parenting skills. About half of Luke's students went over to the dark side, and one of them destroyed an entire star system, sending several billion lives to the next world. It is noteworthy that the guy did not suffer any punishment for his sins (Luke explained the actions of his student as temporary insanity and the fact that the young man fell under the influence of the spirit of the ancient Sith lord) and continued his training to become a Jedi.

About fifteen years after the end of Return of the Jedi, the New Republic and the remnants of the Empire finally realized the futility of further conflicts and signed a peace treaty. They did this just in time, because soon the galaxy was invaded by a race of warlike Yuuzhan Vong - aliens obsessed with biotechnology, religion and sadomasochism, who could not stand anyone who was in any way different from them. The war with the Yuuzhan Vong dragged on for five years, claimed millions of lives (including Chewbacca and the youngest son of Han and Leia) and required the unification of all former enemies, but peace has returned to the galaxy again. Of course, not for long.

Lucas first met Jedi Knight Aayla Secura on the cover of one of the comics.

Endless conflicts, numerous Jedi who went over to the dark side, and other schools of Luke Skywalker's students led to the fact that the Jedi almost found themselves outlawed and were forced to move away from Coruscant. At the same time, Jaina Solo, the only surviving child of Han and Leia, married the Imperial leader Jagged Fel and founded a dynasty of new Imperial rulers. Han, Leia and Luke themselves are already well over sixty, but they continue to play an active role in galactic history and seek more and more new adventures.

From scratch

In truth, the post-Endor period of the Expanded Universe would sooner or later have to be scrapped even if no new film had ever been made. Simply because history has exhausted itself and reached a dead end. The authors of the Expanded Universe wrote the story of Han, Leia and Luke forty-five years in advance, allowed them to grow old, but never found a worthy replacement. Among the hundreds of books and comics, there are quite worthy and interesting finds, but their value is significantly reduced due to the much larger number of works with repeating plot lines, identical faceless opponents, numerous imperial commanders, an endless stream of superweapons and other similar tricks. Even the very idea of ​​a new galactic civil war and the fall of Jacen Solo to the dark side is essentially copied from the new trilogy and storyline Anakin Skywalker.

The most interesting thing is that for the first time in many years, Star Wars fans are in the same position as ordinary viewers who come to the screenings of The Force Awakens: now no one knows what happened to the galaxy far, far away after the end credits of Return of the Jedi. There are only a couple of days left to wait.

Old Star Wars Expanded Universe dead, heartlessly renamed Legends, replaced by new developments that will keep pace with the movie franchise. Long live the Expanded Universe! But before we get too nostalgic about the old RV, let's remember that while it had great stories (the Thrawn trilogy), it also had a lot of stupid stuff (almost everything else). As Lucasfilm buries the old Expanded Universe, let's look back at some of its worst, most embarrassing moments.

Jackson the Space Bunny

The Star Wars comic book universe needed its own original character, to have the face of the Expanded Universe. Instead, she became fixated on Jackson, a human-sized green rabbit who was a sarcastic but charming smuggler created in honor of Bugs Bunny. It was a mix of Han Solo with Trix the rabbit and ended up being nothing more than an excuse for a series of terrible rabbit puns in space. His ship was called the Lucky Bunny's Paw. He was part of a group of misfit heroes assembled by Han Solo called the Star-Hoppers. It was rumored that George Lucas hated Jackson so much that he personally asked Marvel to stop writing him in the comics. Again, this is just a rumor, but imagine: the guy who thought goofy Jar Jar Binks was good enough for the movies doesn't think the green space bunny is good enough for the comics.

Madness with Clones!

The Expanded Universe needs stories and villains, and you can't write a good story if all the bad ones are dead. Therefore, the writers of the old RV decided to resort to the old classical idea Star Wars: Clones. Needed alive bad guy, even if he already died in the films? Clone him! This is what they did with Emperor Palpatine, who died in Return of the Jedi but had the foresight to secretly create a clone of himself who would come with his memories pre-loaded. Fan-favorite RV villain Grand Admiral Thrawn is also obsessed with clones: he cloned Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker. What were the clones' names? Booba Fett and Luyuk Skywalker. RV has never been particularly original.

Sadness, Weeping Mountain

Did you know that the forest moon of Endor was a mountain that was alive and had a face, mouth, nose and a pair of eyes that it used to cry and cry like a giant baby? Oh, and that her tears could heal the sick and wounded? This is beyond crazy, this is Star Wars. The Mountain of Sorrows was a prominent character in a comic book called Ewoks 7: The Perilous Laughing Spell, the seventh in a 14-issue series published by Marvel Comics between 1985 and 1987. The Emotional Mountain only appeared in one issue, but made a memorable impression: similar to when you fall flat on your face, tripping over scary Star Wars ideas.

Sunbreaker

The Sunbreaker was a giant golden cone a la ice cream in space. In almost every possible way, it looked like a Death Star parody. He could destroy entire solar systems with one shot. He was indestructible and cool. And one day he received a direct hit from a prototype Death Star. It was the most powerful superweapon in the galaxy, and even the emperor did not know about it. But perhaps the silliest thing about the Sunbreaker was its size. It was much more powerful than the Death Star and only slightly larger than a regular starfighter. It was sad vehicle, which kids created from an old traffic cone when their parents couldn't afford Star Wars toys.

Jedi Master Bates

In his script for Star Wars: The Jedi Council, a prelude comic to the Star Wars prequels, writer Randy Stradley wrote dialogue where the Jedi are referred to by their names: Mace, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and so on. After his editor, Sue Rostini, received the scripts, she added the Jedi title "Master" to the names. Stradley didn't like this, so he came up with a little prank. He created a Jedi named Sun Bates ( English Skin softening solution), hoping that Rostini, as usual, would add “master” and pick up the joke, then they would laugh about it for a long time over cocktails. Unfortunately, Rostini did not edit this particular name, and a month after the issue hit the stands, she left a ridiculous joke that the editor should have caught. Not much is known about Jedi Master Bates, other than his legendary skills with his saber.

The ridiculous return of the robotic Darth Maul

Darth Maul died in The Phantom Menace... but did he really? It's a question that the guardians of Star Wars continuity would like to ask, despite its silliness. According to lore shared by both the old Expanded Universe and the new official canon after The Force Awakens, Maul reached into a dumpster after being cut in half by Obi-Wan at the end of The Phantom Menace and somehow gained brand new robotic legs spider. In addition, he lost his memory, but thanks to his brother (oh, he also has a brother), he was able to restore it.

Zombie Stormtroopers

The rotten, stinking hands of zombie mania have not escaped this franchise. Yes, even Star Wars had zombies. In 2009, horror author Joe Schreiber published two novels based on the Star Wars universe. The first was Death Troopers, which was a story about a prison ship filled with murderers and madmen splintered in space. The entire crew rummages through parts on an abandoned Star Destroyer, unaware of the effects of a zombie virus that infects everyone on board. The most cliched zombie story yet, with Han and Chewie showing up to remind everyone that this is Star Wars and not a script for George Romero's 900th zombie movie.

Third Law

Issue #48 of Marvel's original Star Wars comics, "The Third Law," was truly something special because it had one of the silliest stories in the franchise. And it is this: the rebels need money. So Leah goes to the bank to get a loan. And Darth Vader tries to thwart Leia's attempts. By the way, did you know that all Star Wars planets have the same ecosystem? Endor is full of forests, Hoth is snow, and Tatooine is desert? All these planets are solid banks. They are 100% made up of banks. Banks are not an ecosystem, which in itself is the stupidest idea that someone tried to pass off as official canon, but it continues. Vader kills the planet's finance minister... who turns out to be a robot. It's not that important, because Vader doesn't even think about preventing the loan, because he wants to steal the crown jewels of the planet in order to... You know what? Doesn't matter. Just... forget it.

Yuuzhan Vong

The Yuuzhan Vong are a vile race of genocidal madmen hell-bent on destroying the galaxy, and they almost succeeded. By the time they were defeated, they had killed 365 trillion beings throughout the galaxy. Sounds scary, doesn't it? How can this be so ridiculous? Here's how: the Yuuzhan Vong existed “outside the Force,” that is, one mystical energy that connects all life (and films, and television shows, and comics, and novels), means nothing to them, because they don’t care about it immunity. Why? Because the Force drove them out. Literally. They are so evil that the Force doesn't want to mess with them. They are even immune to lightsabers. Their main weapon is a staff, which is actually some kind of cosmic snake that can push lightsabers away without getting cut in half like butter. This race is an alien threat created specifically to break all the rules of the Star Wars universe. Do you want to know what really makes them stupid? They are responsible for...

Death of Chewbacca

The Yuuzhan Vong started small before moving on to a full-scale takeover of the galaxy. And by “small” we mean that they smashed the moon into the planet, thus killing countless lives, including Chewbacca. While he was helping Han Solo's son, Anakin Solo, Chewbacca was blown away by strong winds and thrown there. Knowing his fate, Chuba roared at the moon like a Wookiee before a huge space rock crashed down on him.

Luke Skywalker falls in love with... a ship?

In the RW novel Children of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker falls in love with an emotional spaceship - one that was a Jedi during the Clone Wars. Yes, it's stupid, and the explanation for it isn't much better. The ship contains the spirit of a Jedi named Callista, who (just before dying while trying to destroy Palpatine's Eye, a huge dreadnought disguised as an asteroid) transformed her entire vital energy into the vehicle. Later, after Luke is arrested and captured aboard the Eye, Callista communicates with him through the monitors. She falls in love with him, and he with her. But alas, the ship must be destroyed for the safety of the galaxy. But wait! The student's lover sacrifices her body, allowing Callista to regain her physical form. Not bad. Not many restaurants can accommodate a killer spaceship on a date night.

Just recently, Star Wars Comics #1 appeared. It would seem that this is just another issue telling about the adventures of the heroes of the famous franchise. From a plot point of view, this issue does not play a special role, but for a galaxy far, far away, it marked the beginning of a new era: now Star Wars is part of the Marvel Megaverse. The first issue of the Guide will be dedicated to this event, in which you can learn about all the released and upcoming films, comics, books and other media in the new canon.

Movies

Six films created by the brilliant George Lucas have long ago acquired cult status. This is where you should start getting acquainted with the universe. Discover a galaxy far, far away with the prequel trilogy ( episodes I-III) or from the original trilogy (episodes IV-VI) - it's up to you. If you want to focus on wonderful adventure, it is worth looking by release date. If you are more interested in observing the inner experiences of the characters, then watching episodes 1 to 6 will give you an amazing tragedy.

After watching the saga, you should pay attention to two animated films:

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a kind of prologue to the series of the same name and tells about the acquaintance of Anakin Skywalker with his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. The events of the film take place after the second episode.

• Star Wars. Rebels: Spark of Rebellion— an hour-long prequel to the series “Rebels”, telling the story of a company of daredevils who decided to fight the Empire. This animated film allows you to learn a lot of new and interesting things about what happened between the third and fourth episodes.

In future:

The premiere of the long-awaited film will take place on December 18 this year. Star Wars. Episode 7: The Force Awakens, and over the next few years, five more serial parts of the saga and four spin-offs will be released.

Series

The best way to immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe is to watch the two canonical series. The extended story of familiar and not so familiar characters will make you anxiously await the release of each episode and involuntarily shed a tear at the end of each season.

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a fascinating chronicle of military action with beloved characters on the front lines. Battles between armies of clones and droids, ruthless battles of huge fleets in the vastness of the galaxy, amazing adventures and cunning intrigues merge into a wonderful animated series. And don’t be fooled by the childish visual style: this series sometimes tells dark, truly adult stories, full of cruelty. A total of 6 seasons were released with 20-22 episodes each. For the most ardent fans of the franchise, 4 unfinished episodes have also been released that can be watched.

• Star Wars Rebels. The series, which only recently began airing, is already delighting us with interesting details about life in the Empire five years before Luke and Ben met. So far, the episodes are too childish, the characters are too naive, and the plots are too simple. However, the Inquisitor, whose responsibilities include finding and luring Force-sensitive children to the dark side, as well as destroying the surviving Jedi, has already managed to intrigue all fans a galaxy far, far away. In total, 12 episodes and 4 mini-episodes have been released so far, as well as 10 very interesting promotional videos in the form of news that you can watch.

In future:

A new episode of “Rebels” will appear on March 2, and the second season of the series will soon be released.

Comics

A format that allows the most daring ideas of the authors to be realized, because not all stories are ready to be released to the screens by producers from Disney. This makes comics especially valuable to fans. If you love Star Wars, then these series are a must-read:

• Star Wars: Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir. The favorite character of the author of this text received his own small but detailed comic book. The tragedy of Maul, of course, will never compare in its epochal significance and significance with the fate of Anakin Skywalker, but it is still capable of making readers empathize and sympathize. Maul's story has always been mysteriously attractive and monstrously cruel towards the little Zabrak, who by chance ended up with Darth Sidious. Growing up in fear and deprived of maternal love, the anti-hero never became a real Sith lord, he was only a killer, a tool in the hands of a manipulator. The lack of proper attention to the character's personality in the film and series did not allow viewers to understand the hero's motives. And only four issues of this comic for the first time showed Darth Maul not as an emotionless villain, but as a real person.

• Star Wars: Rebels - Ring Race. Curious solely from a plot point of view, the comic was exclusively released in Star Wars Rebels Magazine No. 1. Unfortunately, it was the plot that turned out to be the weakest element of the work: it is too simple and predictable, although it sheds light on one important detail. But the visual style of the comic was a pleasant surprise: it has a special charm. But still, buying a magazine for this little adventure is definitely not worth it.

• Star Wars(2015) - the newest comic book series published by Marvel has already become a hit, and only 2 issues have been released so far. The quality of performance is excellent, the plot is intriguing, and the main characters have already become part of an interesting story. Miss this one good comic no true fan of the franchise can.

• Star Wars: Darth Vader— George Lucas dedicated the entire saga to the personal tragedy of Anakin Skywalker, a person with a very deep inner world. His experiences, motives and actions are always justified, there is a specific reason behind every action, and his story can leave few people indifferent. Each new page from his media biography - be it a film, TV series or comic book - makes you watch every step of the hero with rapture. That is why every fan should read the first issue of Darth Vader, which is literally woven from the pain and hatred of Skywalker.

In future:

The sequel will be released on February 25 Star Wars: Darth Vader; The debut will take place on March 4 new series comics Star Wars: Princess Leia; On March 11, the third issue will reach the shelves of digital stores Star Wars(2015); the first issue of the prequel to the series "Rebels" Star Wars: Kanan: The Last Padawan, which tells the story of a Jedi who survived Order No. 66, will be available for purchase on April 1. Read about how and where you can purchase Marvel comics.

Books

Saturated small details, filled with the feelings and thoughts of the characters, with a carefully worked out story, books allow you to carefully study inner world every hero. Instead of entertainment and spectacular scenes, there is a leisurely narrative and monologues that perfectly reveal your favorite images. If you are ready to spend quiet and cozy evenings with a good book, then these literary works about Star Wars characters will not disappoint you:

• Star Wars: Tarkin- a novel whose main character is Wilhuff Tarkin, one of the most brutal officials of the Galactic Empire. The plot of the work takes place 5 years after the Clone Wars and tells the story of the life of the governor of the Outer Rim, driven only by his hatred of the enemies of the Empire. One of most important achievements In the novel, oddly enough, it turned out that Palpatine finally received a name - Sheev.

• Star Wars: A New Dawn- a Jedi named Kanan Jarrus, who survived the destruction of the order, survived in a cruel world ruled by the Sith. Trying by any means to hide his past and avoid the fate of his comrades, the hero soon realizes that sooner or later he will have to take a fateful step and begin the fight against the Empire.

• Star Wars: Blade Squadron, Star Wars: One Thousand Levels Down And Star Wars: The End of History- some interesting stories released in different rooms magazine Star Wars Insider. Blade Squadron from Star Wars Insider#149 and #150 feature one of the unused scenes from episode six: an elite squadron of B-wing starships are sent on a dangerous mission during the Battle of Endor. One Thousand Levels Down from issue 151 follows the fate of two Alderaanians trying to escape an Imperial genocide. The End of History tells the story of Mira Nadrinakar, a girl who kept Jedi artifacts for many years after the destruction of the order. This story ran in issue 154.

In future:

Very soon in Star Wars Insider No. 156 will appear short story about pilots Last Call at the Zero Angle, and in No. 157 - a little story Darth Sidious and Darth Vader called Orientation; a novel will also be dedicated to these two Siths Lords of the Sith, out April 28; you can read about the fate of another servant of the dark side of the Force, Asaj Ventress, on July 7 in the book Dark Discipline.

Star Wars location in Marvel

The Marvel Universe has a complex multi-level structure. The basis is made up of the so-called “Earths”, “chronologies” and “sequences”, each of which exists in a unique time and space. All classic versions of the characters live on Earth-616, which, in addition to the planet itself, includes all the surrounding galaxies. Alternate and parallel universes (such as Earth-1610 "Ultimate" or Earth-199999, in which the films are set) contain the same characters, but give A New Look on their history and fate. All realities connected to the classic one make up the Marvel Multiverse. But if the sequence has nothing to do with the main timeline, then it is part of the Megaverse. So, Star Wars will be located in the Megaverse for now, so you shouldn’t expect a full-fledged “Avengers vs. Sith” crossover in the coming years.

Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox One, iOS, Android.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the first thing that comes to mind when talking about games based on the Star Wars universe. BioWare's party-based RPG created a buzz even before its release. While most games have covered events since the first episode of the film saga, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic takes us back to the days of the Old Republic. This era is part of the Star Wars expanded universe, most often found in comics and books.

BioWare's signature style is immediately felt: charismatic companions, terrifying main villain, and also complex moral choice- a solid frame on which most of the studio's games rest. You will go from an ordinary person to a Jedi master, get the Ebon Hawk ship at your disposal, assemble your first lightsaber and fight the powerful Darth Malak.

Platforms: PC, macOS.

Saving best ideas first part, the creators of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords introduced several dramatic changes. Thanks to this, the game turned out to be deeper and more sophisticated. For example, it became possible to influence your allies if you find the right approach to them. Influence not only opens up new lines of dialogue, but can also change a character's personality.

The plot revolves around the Sith, who are capable of plunging the entire galaxy into chaos. The responsibility falls on the player's shoulders to save the world from their tyranny. As always, the choice is yours: you can fulfill your destiny or kill everyone in order to experience the full power of the dark side of the Force and reign supreme over the galaxy.

Platforms: PC, macOS.

The game tells about the events that took place several years after the Battle of Yavin IV - very important date in the history of Star Wars, when the first Death Star was destroyed.

In the role of exiled Jedi Kyle Katarn, the player helps the New Republic finish off the remnants of the Imperial forces. Katarn left the order out of fear of going to the dark side and abandoned his lightsaber. But the Force has its own plans for the ex-Jedi.

Players will have to return the main character to the path of truth, find the lightsaber and fight the forces of the revived Empire, commanded by the dark Jedi Dessan.

Platforms: PC, macOS.

Another example of a successful sequel. While Jedi Academy wasn't as big as Jedi Outcast, it did bring some fresh ideas to the series. In the role of a talented student of the Jedi Academy, Jaedan Korra, the player finds himself in the center of events related to the resurrection of Mark Ragnos, a very old and powerful Sith.

Unlike the previous game, Jedi Academy allows you to choose your Force side, character, and lightsaber. In other respects, it is similar to its predecessor. You will visit places you read about in books and see famous characters, such as Luke Skywalker.

A great gift for fans of the Star Wars expanded universe from 2003.

Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox One.

The story is the farthest from canon, but that’s even a plus. The developers were free to do whatever they wanted. This is how the powerful Starkiller, Darth Vader’s student, appeared.

The game takes place between the original trilogy and the prequels. In the midst of it crusade against the Jedi, Darth Vader finds a child sensitive to the Force and takes him in for training in secret from Palpatine.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed allows you to fully enjoy the power of the dark side: crush your enemy with a boulder or throw him into a wall with all your might. If this is not enough, you can always fry the enemy with lightning or send him into orbital flight using a force push. Starkiller is not shy in front of large enemies. In a fit of rage, the young Sith effectively cuts down the AT-ST at the first opportunity.

A bold game about Darth Vader's apprentice, it will satisfy the hunger of fans who are hungry for third-person action in the Star Wars universe, of which there are very few now.

Platform: PC.

Everyone knows stormtroopers from Star Wars, and jokes about their accuracy have already grown into a decent beard. But with their predecessors from the prequels, things are different.

Star Wars: Republic Commando takes place during the Clone Wars. The player acts as the commander of the special tactical unit "Delta". Clones in the game are no longer treated as cannon fodder. They are full-fledged individuals with whom you want to empathize.

The game received mixed reviews, but many players are still waiting for the continuation of the story of the Delta Force.

7. Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)

Platform: PC.

Surely everyone dreamed of joining the battle on snowy Hoth or deserted Geonosis, becoming Master Windu and blowing off Jango Fett's head or shooting from the walking tanks of the Republic. All this can be done in Star Wars: Battlefront II.

A more intense and larger-scale second part boasts new modes, eras and game mechanics. It also featured battles in space, which caused genuine delight among Star Wars fans. The game features two eras, four warring factions and all the famous heroes.

Like Battlefront in 2015, the game captivates with the opportunity to take part in large-scale events of the films and feel the atmosphere of Star Wars.

Platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, iOS, Android.

LEGO games have their own atmosphere and special charm. Both adults and children play them with gusto. It's also a great opportunity to visit familiar movie locations.

LEGO Star Wars is already being parodied famous events films. The games in this series are not as serious as others on this list, but this is rather a plus. The opportunity to fight as Darth Vader alongside Master Yoda is worth a lot.

Platforms: PC, macOS.

There are not very many Star Wars strategies, although the setting is ideal for this genre. Star Wars: Empire at War is an undeservedly forgotten, but beloved game by fans. Events take place between Episodes III and V. The player chooses one of the warring parties: the rebels or the galactic Empire.

To win, you need to discover new technologies, build ships, plan attacks, and then unleash the full power of Imperial Star Destroyers on the Rebel fleet. Better yet, destroy a couple of planets with a blast from the Death Star.

Star Wars fans' wildest dreams come true in the massive Star Wars: Empire at War.

(Princess Leia). Fortunately, shortly before her death, Fisher managed to star in a new film in this series, which will appear on screens at the end of 2017. And while the whole world mourns the deceased Princess Leia and waits for the last film with her participation, let's remember the other films in the series, as well as Let's figure out in what order you should familiarize yourself with their contents.

A little about Star Wars

Before considering the chronology of Star Wars, it is worth learning a little about the project itself and its features.

Star Wars is a cycle that tells about events in a fictional universe, where space has already been completely mastered by intelligent beings and now wars are constantly being waged between them for power over the entire Galaxy. The history of these wars, behind-the-scenes intrigues and the fate of the inhabitants of different planets are told not only in the already released films of the series, but also in animated series, television series, books and even comics.

How this franchise appeared and developed

The creator of Star Wars is George Lucas - he is the author of the idea, screenwriter, director of most films and producer. The idea of ​​creating a space saga came to his mind in his youth. The fact is that since childhood he was fascinated by science fiction comics, novels by E. Burroughs about John Carter, and films about samurai by Akira Kurosawa. All of these works subsequently influenced the features of the Star Wars universe. In particular, the Jedi Order is very similar to the samurai, not only in costumes and weapons, but also in the laws of honor that guide many of its members. And the relationship between the smuggler and the princess is painfully reminiscent of Burroughs’ heroes (John Carter and Thea Thoris).

In 1971, Lucas was determined to film his idea and agreed to film A New Hope. However, 5 years passed before they were started. The fact is that in the 70s the space science fiction genre was not experiencing best years and was considered obsolete. For this reason, the studio did not believe in the success of Lucas' project and for a long time found reasons to delay the start of filming. When they have already been started to attract the audience's attention, based on the script to future picture George Lucas co-wrote the book with A. Foster. It was its saleability that became the last argument in favor, and money was allocated to continue the project.

In 1977, the debut part, A New Hope, was released (it is worth remembering that the first Star Wars film, chronologically, is The Phantom Menace, which was filmed only 22 years later). This film not only saved Twentieth Century Fox from bankruptcy, earning almost 800 million at the box office, but also became the beginning an entire era. Since then, the Star Wars brand has gained cult status. The Star Wars universe has begun to expand rapidly. Books and comics have been written about her. A huge infrastructure has emerged for the production of toys, clothing and souvenirs associated with this project.

Gradually, this cycle began to acquire all sorts of sequels, prequels and spin-offs. Even today, when television is oversaturated with space projects, audience interest in the Star Wars series does not fade (we will indicate the chronology of the films a little later).

The main characters of the film cycle

Despite the gigantic scale of the plot, at the center of events, to one degree or another, is the Skywalker family and the Jedi Order.

Main actors in the first 3 films (if the chronology of “Star Wars” is considered according to the time of their release) are twins Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. Separated soon after birth, they grew up separately, knowing nothing of their own origins or of each other's existence. Over time, their paths cross, and they, along with 2 smugglers - Han Solo (later to become the princess's husband) and Chewbacca - join the rebels to fight the Empire.

In the next 3 prequel films (the chronology of Star Wars is again considered according to the time of release), the plot centers on Luke and Leia's father, Anakin, and his lover, the queen of the planet Naboo, Padmé Amidala. Together they have to confront many enemies who dream of enslaving the Republic.

Unfortunately, over time, Anakin turns to the Dark Side of the Force, becoming Darth Vader. This is due to his fear and Palpatine's clever manipulations. In the finale, the queen gives birth to twins and then dies.

In the 2015 film, viewers are introduced to a new hero, who, no doubt, will appear in future films in the series. We are talking about the son of Leia and Han, Kylo Ren, who decides to follow the example of his grandfather. Also, apparently, it is planned new couple a la Leia - Han: this is the tramp Rey and the former stormtrooper Finn.

There are also many important secondary characters in the plot. Among them are the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO, the teachers of Anakin and Luke - Obi-Wan and Master Yoda - and others.

A little about the plot of "Star Wars"

It's worth learning about the plot before figuring out the best order in which to watch the Star Wars films. The chronology of events is very confusing, but you can figure it out.

So, in the fictional universe, along with various political organizations, there is the Jedi Order. As guardians of peace in the Galaxy, the Jedi use the Force to fight all who try to threaten it.

One day, two Jedi meet the slave boy Anakin and see in him great Power. They help the baby free himself and begin to teach him.

After 10 years, the young man achieves significant success. At the same time, he meets Queen Padme, who (due to her independent position) is subject to several assassination attempts. During the time spent together, the young people fall in love and soon get married secretly.

The cunning leader of the Sith Order (they use the Force for personal gain) - Palpatine - lures Anakin to his side and with his help exterminates the Jedi. Having overthrown his main rivals, the scoundrel seizes power in the Republic, turning it into an Empire. Anakin, Darth Vader, becomes the right hand of the new emperor.

Meanwhile, the Skywalker children grow up: Luke becomes a Jedi, and Leia, like her mother, fights the Empire diplomatically. Together, they manage to destroy the Death Star, as well as defeat Darth Vader and his master. The Empire is destroyed, and the heroes, along with the Resistance, celebrate victory.

30 years pass, the threat of the emergence of new Empire. Leia and her husband Han Solo search for the missing Luke, hoping he can help restore peace. Also, the legendary Jedi is being hunted by his Sith nephew, since Luke is the only person capable of destroying the new enslavers of the Galaxy.

After Kyle kills Han, the vagabond Rey manages to find Luke. But how events will unfold further is not yet known.

Which film projects belong to the Star Wars universe?

On this moment 8 films have been made about the confrontation between the Empire and the rebels: “A New Hope”, “The Empire Strikes Back”, “Return of the Jedi”, “The Phantom Menace”, “Attack of the Clones”, “Revenge of the Sith”, “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One” "

The list presented above indicates the chronology of the release of Star Wars on movie screens, which often does not coincide with the sequence of events described.

Future projects in the Star Wars cinematic universe

The fantastic financial success of all parts (including two new films in 2015-2016) contributed to the fact that in the coming years it is planned to release a couple more new films in the cycle.

In 2017, the 8th film of the Star Wars series should be released (the chronology of events according to how they happened will be told in it) - “ The Last Jedi" In 2019, it is planned to release the as-yet untitled 9th part of the project.

Starting with the film “Rogue One,” individual story films began to appear on screens, vaguely related to central plot, however, describing the biographies of individual heroes. So, in 2018 it is planned to shoot another film of a similar nature, dedicated biography Han Solo before his meeting with the Skywalker twins. By the way, work on the project has already begun.

In addition, another biographical film is planned for 2020, but the fate of which character it will be dedicated to is still unknown.

TV films and series

The success of Lucas's debut project - "A New Hope" (the chronology of "Star Wars" according to their appearance on the screens will be indicated below) already in the distant 70s aroused in many people the desire to make series or television films based on them. The first such project was the 1978 television film “Holiday Special.” Dedicated to Christmas, it told the story of Han and Chewbacca's journey to the latter's home planet. Although all the main characters of the project appeared in it, the audience received it coolly.

The second attempt to use the success of Star Wars to promote a lesser-quality project was the 1984 TV movie “The Ewok Adventure.” Although he practically did not touch upon the main plot of the cycle, the picture performed well, and a year later its sequel was released - “Ewoks. Battle for Endor."

Star Wars Animation Projects

In parallel with “Ewoks,” a 13-episode animated series “Droids” was launched, dedicated to the adventures of 2 robots Luke. After this project, no new Star Wars series appeared for almost 20 years.

In the early 2000s, interest in Star Wars increased with the advent of the prequels. In this regard, in 2003 it was released animated series"The Clone Wars" 5 years later, the first 3D animated film of the series with the same name was released.

Despite the similarity of names, the plot of the projects was different. Although this film was received very coolly (compared to full-length films), based on it, a 3D animated series of the same name was released in the same year.

In 2014, the animated film “Rebels” appeared on the screens. Spark of Rebellion”, and in parallel with it - the television series of the same name.

Future TV projects and animated series Star Wars

Today, the Star Wars universe is experiencing a new blossoming. In this regard, it is planned to release new television projects.

One of them will be the television series “Another World”, and the other will be the animated series “Detours”. It is not yet known what events they will be dedicated to, as well as whether the main characters of the cycle will be present in them.

How can you watch the Star Wars epic?

Having dealt with the list of Star Wars projects, it’s worth finally paying attention to the order in which you should watch all the films and TV series of the Star Wars cycle. The chronology of films and television projects strikingly does not coincide with the order of their release. In this regard, there are 2 methods for viewing the epic.

1. You can watch films in the order they appear on screens. Among the advantages of this technique is that it makes it possible to observe how Star universe Wars, and also compare the level of special effects in different decades. Among the disadvantages is that this method is unacceptable for initial familiarization, since you can get confused in the cause-and-effect relationships.
2. You can also watch all projects in chronological order - this gives a more complete picture and helps you not get lost in the intricacies of events.

"Star Wars": chronology of parts according to their release dates

• "A New Hope" (1977).
• Television tape "Holiday Special".
• "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980).
• Return of the Jedi (1983).
• Television films “Caravan of Daredevils” and “Ewoks. Battle for Endor."
• Cartoon series Ewoks and "Droids".
• "The Phantom Menace" (1999).
• "Attack of the Clones" (2002).
• Animated series "The Clone Wars".
• "Revenge of the Sith" (2005).
• The cartoon "The Clone Wars" and 2 animated series of the same name.
• The cartoon "Rebels" and the animated series of the same name.
• "The Force Awakens" (2015).
• "Rogue One" (2016).
• "The Last Jedi."
• "Han Solo."
• 2 untitled future films.
• 2 series.

It is worth noting that it is not known exactly in what order to watch the last 4 Star Wars projects mentioned in the list. The chronology of these films and series is not yet precisely known, as is the time of their premieres. Therefore, it is not yet possible to accurately determine their place in the cycle.

Chronology of watching "Star Wars" according to current events

Those who decided to watch Star Wars for the first time, according to their historical sequence, are in for an unforgettable experience. And in order not to spoil it, you need to know exactly their order. So, how should you start watching the Star Wars series?

• The series chronology begins with The Phantom Menace (1999).
• It should be followed by Attack of the Clones (2002), as well as both Clone Wars projects.
• Next up is Revenge of the Sith (2005).
• The next film will be “Han Solo” and 2 projects of the same name “Rebels”.
• Next comes Rogue One (2016).
• "A New Hope" (1977).
• "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980).
• Return of the Jedi (1983).
• "The Force Awakens" (2015).
• "The Last Jedi."

If you look closely at this list, you will notice that not all projects in the Star Wars series are listed on it. The episode chronology, according to historical sequence, is correct, and the unspecified "Holiday Special", the Ewok projects, the drone projects, and the first Clone Wars series are not part of the TV canon. For this reason, their events do not affect the cycle in any way, although they will be a good spectacle to broaden your horizons.

The future animated series “Detours” also does not belong to the TV canon. As for “Another World,” there is no data yet.