The Complete Star Wars Timeline Explained

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…

In 1977, writer, director, auteur, bearded genius, eccentric creative and unexpectedly canny businessman George Lucas created the movie Star Wars, and it’s not a stretch to say that pop culture was never the same again. From The Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi to the Expanded Universe to the prequel trilogy to the Disney buyout to the great canon reset to the sequel trilogy and now the Disney+ spin-off shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett - not to mention The Bad Batch - the adventures of the Skywalker family, Han Solo, Rey, Finn, Poe, the clones, the droids, the Ewoks and all the other colourful denizens of this hive of scum and villainy have captured the imaginations of audiences young, old, ancient, human and alien for nearly 50 years.

And now we’re getting spin-off Andor, which promises to tell us more about the rise of the Rebel Alliance than we could ever previously have imagined.

It’s a lot to keep track of. A lot of continuity, a lot of history, a lot of Star War. Which is why we at ScreenRant have put our huge space brain into this complete timeline of every major era of the Star Wars universe, from the distant past to the most recent adventures. This chronological epic covers all the periods that have been explored in live-action media properties (with a bit of extra-curricular detail just to be thorough, because Screen Rant is nothing if not studious).

So if you’ve always wanted to know exactly where Rogue One, Rebels, Resistance and the forthcoming The Acolyte fit, if you’ve been desperate to find out how the heck they measure time in this fictional world… you’ve come to the right place.

May the Force be with us.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro
0:45 - Old Republic Era
2:15 - High Republic Era
4:18 - The Dark Times
8:04 - Galactic Civil War
9:58 - Fall of the Empire / Rise of the New Republic
13:07 - First Order-Resistance War
14:26 - What’s Next?

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Written by: S Mohamed
Narrated by: Patrice Scott
Edited by: Patrice Scott

[ScreenRant]

How do you think the Star Wars universe will evolve after all this time?

[Blaylock]

Man this makes me feel so old I remember when a new hope came out at the theaters back in 77 my dad took me when I was 6. Since then we have been going to these movies on the day they release until he passed a couple years ago. I’m still watching these movies all these years later . I wonder what movies will come after I’m gone . Should be interesting.

[Maikigai]

I love how every time there's a new show or movie, someone comes out with a new "The Complete Star Wars Timeline" video.

[DannyD-vwvv]

Man I'm such a late starwars fan. Only now I'm starting to binge watch star wars in 2023. I grew up on star trek. Enterprise and deep space nine. This whole time I thought star wars was about 2 giant clans fighting. 🤣😂🤣Black armor space clan vs white armor space clan. And "Luke I am your father" Had no idea star wars was so dope. Lol. Just finish mandalore series.💙❤👍 new star war nerd activated.

[kellys]

I liked when you said at 10:00 and this is the end of Star Wars. It definitely is for me, because the sequels are just not Star Wars films anymore.

[ancientelixir]

I for one am happy they shifted their focus (for the time being) to the TV show aspect of things.

[MillerK]

What fan fiction is this? There's nothing after Return of the Jedi.

[simplyakshaysarkar]

Just the time I want to star this franchise, one of the most favourite channel helped me for timeline. Thanks 👍

[nobodyfamousX]

Basing the in-universe calendar on he battle of yavin is weird. It would be like if America had made a new calendar with year zero being in 2001 after 9/11.


I'm sure Lucas just did that because it helped him keep track of when things happened

[johnnybravo]

Would love to see a pre-history video done!

[marcoantoniovegaortega]

Thanks for the star wars timeline explanation

[josheecity]

Lmao I wish the video ended at return of the Jedi too

[Not_Jojo]

Is there really any point since new stories or retcons come along everytime to fit into the timeline

[Akkabans]

If you say in the title that you are going to explain the timeline then please explain the timeline, we are not here for lame jokes and random blabbering, it is actually killing the purpose of the video.

[medleystudios]

There's only 1 year between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, not a few.

[rockyroerNPC]

Little orphan Ani made me spit out my drink.

[rodneyquinn]

Nah 6:20 the lil orphan Anny quote killed me differently 😂😂

[Valen-xuwy]

1977 to 2005. Not that confusing.
I know there was fan fiction after that. Some good, and some were banta fodder.

[pockylovingranger]

THANK GOD they haven’t let Ruin Johnson make that trilogy. He did enough damage to the galaxy with The Last Jedi >_<

[KingKayT]

Hey I’m a casual the mandalorian got me into Star Wars wanted to as a kid but never got around to it anyway I wanna start the movies which ones should I watch first appreciate any feedback thanks