Star Wars in Chronological Order: The Complete Canon Timeline

Star Wars in Chronological Order: The Complete Canon Timeline Explained

Introduction: Why Star Wars Chronology Is So Confusing (and Why This Guide Exists)

Star Wars should be simple. It started in 1977 with a farm boy, a princess, and a laser sword. And yet, nearly 50 years later, the franchise has expanded into movies, live-action TV series, animated shows, novels, comics and video games that span hundreds and hundreds of years of in-universe history.

Ask five fans how to watch Star Wars “in order,” and you’ll get six different answers.

That’s because Star Wars isn’t one straight line - it’s a galactic timeline divided into official eras, each telling a different chapter of the story. Lucasfilm now organizes canon storytelling by era, and once you understand those eras, everything finally clicks.

This guide is the definitive Star Wars chronological order, covering canon movies, TV series, books and games, arranged by in-universe timeline, not release date. Whether you’re new to the galaxy or a longtime fan trying to make sense of Disney+ era storytelling, this is your complete roadmap to the canon timeline of Star Wars.

The High Republic Era (c. 382 BBY – 82 BBY)

The Galaxy at Its Brightest

The High Republic era represents Star Wars at its most hopeful. The Jedi Order is at full strength, the Republic is expanding peacefully, and hyperspace exploration pushes civilization into the Outer Rim.

This era is largely told through novels, comics, and audio dramas, with The Acolyte marking its first major live-action expansion.

What Happens in This Era

The Jedi serve not as generals or warriors, but as explorers, diplomats, and protectors. Starlight Beacon becomes a symbol of hope in the frontier. That optimism shatters when the Nihil - a ruthless marauder group - exploit hyperspace in terrifying new ways, triggering galaxy-wide disasters.

As the Republic struggles to maintain order, cults like the Path of the Open Hand sow distrust of the Force itself. By the end of the era, regions of the galaxy are cut off entirely, foreshadowing the Jedi’s future downfall.

Key Canon Stories

• Light of the Jedi, The Rising Storm, The Fallen Star (novels / books)

• Path of Deceit, Convergence, Cataclysm, Path of Vengeance (novels / books)

• The Acolyte (Live-Action series)

• Star Wars Eclipse (upcoming game)

Why It Matters

The High Republic shows that the Jedi didn’t fall overnight. Their collapse begins centuries earlier - through overconfidence, institutional rigidity, and an inability to adapt.

The Fall of the Jedi Era (82 BBY – 19 BBY)

The Prequel Tragedy

This era covers the events leading up to Revenge of the Sith and the destruction of the Jedi Order. The Republic still stands, but it is deeply corrupted. The Sith no longer rule openly - they manipulate from the shadows.

What Happens in This Era

The Jedi discover Anakin Skywalker, the prophesied Chosen One and place their hopes in him while simultaneously mistrusting him. Palpatine engineers political chaos, ignites the Clone Wars and forces the Jedi into the role of military leaders.

As the war drags on, the Jedi lose their way. Anakin’s fear of loss and growing resentment push him toward the dark side. Order 66 is executed, wiping out the Jedi in a single stroke. The Republic becomes the Galactic Empire.

Key Canon Stories

• The Phantom Menace

• Attack of the Clones

• The Clone Wars (Animated Film + Series)

• Revenge of the Sith (film / movie)

• Dark Disciple (novel / book)

• Tales of the Jedi (Prequel-era episodes)

Why It Matters

This era reframes Star Wars as a cautionary tale. Democracy doesn’t fall to invasion - it collapses from within. And heroes don’t become villains instantly - they slide there one choice at a time.

The Reign of the Empire Era (19 BBY – 5 BBY)

The Dark Times

With the Jedi nearly extinct, Palpatine rules unchallenged. Darth Vader becomes the Emperor’s enforcer, hunting survivors while fear grips the galaxy.

This is the era of survival, secrecy and the first sparks of rebellion.

What Happens in This Era

Former Jedi hide or are hunted by the Inquisitorius. The Death Star is secretly constructed. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens - smugglers, spies, pilots - begin resisting in small but meaningful ways.

Rebel cells form independently, unaware they are laying the groundwork for a galaxy-wide uprising.

Key Canon Stories

• The Bad Batch

• Obi-Wan Kenobi

• Andor

• Star Wars Rebels

• Jedi: Fallen Order / Jedi: Survivor

• Solo: A Star Wars Story

• Thrawn novels

Why It Matters

This era proves Star Wars doesn’t need Jedi to be compelling. It’s about oppression, resistance, and the cost of standing up when hope feels impossible.

The Age of Rebellion Era (5 BBY – 5 ABY)

The Classic Saga

This is the heart of Star Wars - the Original Trilogy era. The Rebellion transforms from scattered cells into a unified force capable of challenging the Empire.

What Happens in This Era

The Death Star plans are stolen at enormous cost. Luke Skywalker embraces his destiny as a Jedi. Darth Vader confronts his past. The Emperor is defeated and the Empire collapses.

It’s a mythic story of hope, sacrifice, and redemption.

Key Canon Stories

• Rogue One (film / movie)

• A New Hope

• The Empire Strikes Back

• Return of the Jedi

• Battlefront II (Campaign)

• Marvel’s Star Wars and Darth Vader comic runs

Why It Matters

This era defines Star Wars thematically: love over hate, compassion over power, and redemption over destruction.

The New Republic Era (5 ABY – 34 ABY)

Victory Without Stability

The Empire is gone, but peace proves fragile. The New Republic struggles with bureaucracy, denial, and political complacency. Imperial remnants regroup quietly in the shadows.

What Happens in This Era

Luke attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order but fails after Ben Solo’s fall. Leia forms the Resistance when the New Republic refuses to act. Meanwhile, the galaxy’s outer systems become lawless frontiers.

This era is heavily explored through Disney+ series, forming the interconnected “Mando-verse.”

Key Canon Stories

• The Mandalorian

• The Book of Boba Fett

• Ahsoka

• Skeleton Crew

• Aftermath Trilogy

• Shadow of the Sith

• Bloodline

Why It Matters

This era shows how victory can breed complacency - and how ignoring warning signs allows old evils to return stronger than before.

The Rise of the First Order Era (34 ABY – 35 ABY)

History Repeats

Out of the Empire’s ashes rises the First Order. Starkiller Base annihilates the New Republic in a single strike, plunging the galaxy back into war.

What Happens in This Era

Rey discovers her connection to the Force. Kylo Ren struggles with his legacy. Luke returns as a symbol rather than a savior. Palpatine’s Final Order emerges - and is finally destroyed.

The Skywalker saga ends not with bloodlines, but with choice.

Key Canon Stories

• The Force Awakens

• The Last Jedi

• The Rise of Skywalker

• Resistance (Animated)

• Phasma

• Resistance Reborn

Why It Matters

This era reframes legacy as something earned, not inherited. The Force belongs to anyone — not just dynasties.

What Comes Next

Lucasfilm has confirmed future stories beyond The Rise of Skywalker, including a film centered on Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order and a crossover movie tying together the Disney+ era.

The timeline isn’t finished - it’s evolving.

Conclusion: Why the Star Wars Timeline Matters

Understanding Star Wars chronologically transforms it from a franchise into a living mythology. Each era builds on the last, showing how hope rises, falls, and rises again.

Whether you’re watching the films, bingeing Disney+, reading novels, or playing the games, the timeline gives context to every choice, every sacrifice, and every legend.

Star Wars isn’t just about the past.

It’s about how every generation inherits the galaxy - and decides what to do with it.