Every Canon Star Wars Story In Chronological Order

Star Wars: it is a massive universe with a plethora of stories both told and untold. Whether it’s an immortal story of good versus evil or the origins of a scoundrel, there’s plenty of different stories to find. It all started in 1977 with a movie that took the world by storm; even to this very day.

Star Wars has become one of the most revolutionary franchises of all time. However, in its massive state, one can get confused as to which story goes where in the timeline. When does The Mandalorian take place? Who is Cal Kestis? What are midichlorians? That last one cannot be answered without creating an angry mob but the other two can be.

18 The Phantom Menace (Age Of Republic – 32 BBY)

The current earliest point in the canon timeline shows Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi sent to Naboo as ambassadors only to be ambushed. The Jedi Knights rescue Queen Amidala of Naboo and escape to the planet Tattooine. Here, Qui-Gon bonds with a young boy named Anakin Skywalker who piques Qui-Gon’s interest.

Anakin also helps him get the heroes’ ship repaired via winning a pod race. This leads to an encounter with the return of the Sith in the form of Darth Maul. Upon returning to the Republic capital, Coruscant, the Republic Senate is unwilling to help the Queen in her strife. Amidala returns to Naboo with the Jedi to assemble a private militia and overthrow the blockade on her planet. During this, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon battle Darth Maul and the Sith is defeated but at the cost of Qui-Gon’s life.

17 Attack Of The Clones (Age Of Republic – 22 BBY)

Obi-Wan is now the master of Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker who is now a young man. An assassination attempt on Padme Amidala leads to a deep space investigation for Obi-Wan Kenobi while Anakin protects Padme. Anakin ends up going back to Tattooine, only just in time to witness his Mother’s death thus beginning his dark descent.

Obi-Wan discovers the existence of a Clone army on Kamino: all created from the genes of a Separatist bounty hunter, Jango Fett. Count Dooku, a former Jedi and Qui-Gon’s master, is the culprit who hired Jango Fett. Obi-Wan is captured, Anakin and Padme attempt a rescue but to no avail. However, they are saved by the Jedi and the Clone army. After a confrontation, Dooku escapes and thus, the Clone War begins.

16 The Clone Wars (Age Of Republic – 21 BBY)

Spanning across the many years between movies, The Clone Wars is a collection of stories focusing on different perspectives. It introduced several characters including Ahsoka Tano (now a fan-favorite) and made the Clones into unique and relatable characters.

Many events happen during The Clone Wars: Darth Maul returned for vengeance on Obi-Wan, Asajj Ventress went through a drastic character change over the years, and Anakin slowly became darker. The show ends with the final episode taking place during the events of Revenge Of The Sith…

15 Revenge Of The Sith (Age Of Republic – 19 BBY)

Revenge Of The Sith starts with a proud victory for the Republic but things change quickly. Anakin, who has grown frustrated with the Jedi combined with visions of Padme’s death, ends up being manipulated by Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. It turns out, he is the Sith Lord the Jedi have been hunting for years.

Anakin agrees to serve Palpatine AKA Darth Sidious, betraying the Jedi. Sidious relabels Anakin as Darth Vader and executes Order 66. The Clones turn against their allies and eliminate the Jedi across the galaxy in minutes. This leads to a confrontation between Anakin and Obi-Wan which results in Anakin being gravely wounded while Yoda is defeated by Palpatine. Padme gives birth to twins who are separated by Bail Organa and Obi-Wan before going into hiding.

14 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Age Of Rebellion – 14 BBY)

Five years after Order 66 was executed, a young Jedi named Cal Kestis is in hiding. Cal accidentally exposes himself to save a friend thus resulting in him becoming the target of Sith Inquisitors and the new Galactic Empire. Cal joins a ragtag group of misfits and begins a quest to stop the Sith from finding an artifact.

Along the way, Cal is mentored by an ex-Jedi and must confront the fear that came from witnessing Order 66. Cal does indeed succeed in completing his quest which included a final confrontation with an Inquisitor. It ends with the tease of a future story with Cal.

13 Solo: A Star Wars Story (Age Of Rebellion – 12 BBY)

Solo shows the origin story of Han Solo from his time on Corellia to becoming a smuggler. Han is mentored by an outlaw named Tobias Beckett and becomes friends with a Wookiee named Chewbacca. Working for a dreaded crime lord, Han and his gang must steal a powerful and expensive type of fuel.

This requires a fast ship thus introducing Han to Lando Calrissian and his ship: the Millennium Falcon. After a hectic but successful smuggling of coaxium from the planet Kessel, Han goes against the crime lord and is betrayed by Beckett. Han kills his mentor but ends up being betrayed yet again by the woman he thought he loved.

12 Star Wars: Rebels (Age Of Rebellion – 5 BBY)

Heavily reminiscent of Firefly, Star Wars: Rebels focuses on a crew of smugglers led by an ex-Jedi. This show details the birth of the Rebellion starting from a small group to an entire army. Rebels also focuses on the coming of age story of a young Jedi named Ezra Bridger.

Ezra is trained by Kanan, the ex-Jedi, and goes on an expansive journey between the Dark and Light sides. With many storylines from The Clone Wars continued and returning characters, it ends with a perfect start to the Age Of Rebellion.

11 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Age Of Rebellion – 0 BBY)

Rogue One focuses on a team of outcasts working for the Rebellion to steal the plans for the Imperial weapon known as the Death Star.

It’s a much darker film that shows that no side of a war is completely good or completely evil. The rebellion gets its hands dirty. Rogue One also answers questions and fixes plot holes from the original Star Wars film. Combined with what many consider the best appearance of Darth Vader, it was the prequel most fans wanted.

10 A New Hope (Age Of Rebellion – Year 0)

The movie that started it all back in 1977. A New Hope focuses on farm boy Luke Skywalker meeting two droids that take him, an older Obi-Wan, and Han Solo on a journey across the galaxy. Obi-Wan has his final confrontation with his old apprentice, Luke joins the Rebellion, and the Empire gets its first major defeat with the destruction of the Death Star.

9 The Empire Strikes Back (Age Of Rebellion – 3 ABY)

Three years later, Luke and Han are now valued members of the Rebellion. However, after an attack from the Empire, Luke goes to the Dagobah system to be trained by an even older Master Yoda. Meanwhile, Han, Leia, and the rest travel to Bespin to reunite with Lando Calrissian with the Empire on their tail.

The Empire Strikes Back is often labeled as the absolute best of the series for its darker tone, epic battles, and the famous twist that Vader is Luke’s father. It features a much more somber ending with the heroes losing for once to set up an epic finale.

8 Return Of The Jedi (Age Of Rebellion – 4 ABY)

Before Luke can help the Rebellion take on the Empire, he and Leia work together to free Han Solo from Jabba The Hutt. After this, Luke learns that he has a sister: Leia which leads to him rejoining the Rebellion as they plot the destruction of the newly built second Death Star.

While the Rebellion and the Empire go to war, Luke faces off with both his father and Emperor Palpatine. Luke gets Vader to defy his master and fulfill his destiny to destroy the Sith Lord. The Empire suffers a critical defeat and the heroes live happily ever after…for now.

7 Star Wars: Battlefront II (Age Of Rebellion – 4 ABY)

During the events of Return Of The Jedi, the Death Star II’s destruction is witnessed by the Empire elite commandos: Inferno Squad. Slowly, this squad begins to realize just how evil the Empire had become. Two members defect while the third and more zealous member becomes a leader of the Imperial remnant.

Iden Versio and Del Meeko become valued members of the Rebellion and the new Republic. They stop the Empire from reemerging and bring hope to the Galaxy. Iden ends up marrying Del and having his child in the end. However, their story is not over.

6 The Mandalorian (Age Of Rebellion – 9 ABY)

The Imperial remnant is minuscule. It’s a lawless time and a nameless Mandalorian is thriving the best way he can: taking out scum for the right pay. However, this changes when one bounty forces him to defy his orders and protect the target he was meant to turn over.

The Mandalorian is developed by Jon Favreau, the director of the first Iron Man movie. Favreau partners up with Dave Filoni, the creator of both The Clone Wars and Rebels.

5 Star Wars: Resistance (Age Of Resistance – 34 ABY)

Fitting that the Age Of Resistance would truly begin with Star Wars: Resistance. Poe Dameron recruits a young pilot into the Resistance to perform top-secret missions. The First Order is slowly building up and it’s up to a team of spies to learn everything they can about it.

Resistance did not get the same amount of love that The Clone Wars or Rebels did but it did create a fun animated prequel series for the family.

4 The Force Awakens (Age Of Resistance – 34  ABY)

Luke Skywalker is gone, the First Order has risen in the Empire’s place, and a new war is brewing. A rogue Stormtrooper named Finn defects from the First Order and lands on a desert planet where he meets a scavenger named Rey. Together, they go on a journey to find the Resistance.

The Force Awakens brings back classic faces like Han Solo, Leia Organa, and of course, Luke Skywalker. It’s a passing of the torch story.

3 Battlefront II: Resurrection (Age Of Resistance – 34 ABY)

Hask, the third Inferno Squad member, is now a lead officer of the First Order. Hask kills Del thus setting both Iden and their daughter Zay on a warpath to avenge him. Iden does beat Hask but at the cost of her life. Zay manages to escape with information on Dreadnought Star Destroyers which Leia’s Resistance can use.

2 The Last Jedi (Age Of Resistance – 34 ABY)

While Rey tries to bring Luke back into the fight and be trained by him, the Resistance is being chased by the First Order. Finn works with a rebel named Rose to find someone who can infiltrate the First Order fleet and help the Resistance escape. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker wants nothing but the Jedi to die.

Secrets are uncovered, Kylo Ren gets a lot of development, and Rey is pushed to her limit. There are also several elements that ended up dividing the Star Wars community in half.

1 The Rise Of Skywalker (Age Of Resistance – 35 ABY)

The final chapter of the Skywalker Saga takes place one year after the last two movies. Emperor Palpatine has returned and now he has Kylo Ren at his side. Meanwhile, Rey and the Resistance search the galaxy for a powerful artifact.

It all leads to a massive battle on a Sith planet, characters change, identities are revealed, and a prophecy is fulfilled. The Rise Of Skywalker was a divisive finale for the fanbase, especially as the aftermath of The Last Jedi. Currently, it appears to be the end of the Age Of Resistance since there are currently no plans for a follow-up.

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