Star Wars: The High Republic sets epic story 200 years before the prequels

February 25th 2020, 9:56am

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The future of STAR WARS is upon us and it's actually going back to the past to tell a truly massive story. Disney has revealed an over-arching STAR WARS story titled "Star Wars: The High Republic" and the concept will take place over multiple books and comics, in a time known as the High Republic Era set 200 years before the prequels.

The story kicks off with the novel "Light of the Jedi" by author Charles Soule which will be available on August 25. The novel will introduce us to “a different kind of Jedi, one that patrols the frontiers, a sort of Texas Ranger,” and begin with a cataclysmic event known as “The Great Disaster”, according to Soule. The author goes on to elaborate on other details about the novel:

"You see a lot of Jedi coming together to handle it. How would the Jedi handle something galactically terrible on a moment’s notice? That scene opens the novel and it goes from there…the whole [saga] builds from that."

The aftermath of "The Great Disaster" sees the rise of a new villains named The Nihil, which the story group described as “space Vikings” that were purposely designed to be as different from the put-together Stormtroopers of the Empire as possible, something much more “punk rock” according to artist Iain McCaig who also designed the look of Darth Maul in THE PHANTOM MENACE:

"Hyperspace is something [the Nihil] are able to use and access that makes them very, very dangerous. They’re not a bunch of uniformed soldiers serving a higher purpose. They’re unified, but they’re also all out for themselves."

After the release of "Light of the Jedi", the "High Republic" schedule is as follows:

A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland (Star Wars: Lando’s Luck), a middle-grade book.
The High Republic by Cavan Scott (Star Wars Adventures), a Marvel comic series.
Into the Dark by Claudia Gray (Star Wars: Master & Apprentice), a novel.
The High Republic Adventures by Daniel Jose Older (Star Wars: Last Shot), an IDW comic series.

Lucasfilm Press Creative Director Michael Siglain went on to say this about the five interwoven stories will serve as Phase 1 of "Star Wars: The High Republic":

"Star Wars: The High Republic will allow creators to imagine entirely original stories in a new corner of the galaxy. Our incredible team of authors worked together alongside the Lucasfilm Story Group and Publishing teams to help craft a completely new era for the franchise that begins with Publishing."

Are YOU all in for "Star Wars: The High Republic?" You can check out the full announcement at the top of the page!