The Star Wars saga has captured the imagination of generations since the first film’s release in 1977. With intertwining storylines across movies, shows, books, and more, the expansive Star Wars universe can seem daunting to newcomers. To provide clarity, In this article we talk about The Main Star Wars Timeline: Explained The Originals.
A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away…
The Star Wars saga takes place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” giving it an epic, mythical feeling. We’re not provided an exact year the events occur, but are shown an ancient battle between good and evil amongst the stars. The timeline explained here focuses on the events of the Galactic Civil War depicted in the original trilogy films directed by George Lucas.
Before the Clone Wars
While we don’t see these events unfold, history preceding the Skywalker saga provides context. The galaxy was once protected by an ancient order of guardians with supernatural abilities called Jedi Knights. After a millennia of peace, the Jedi Order was destroyed by the Sith – their mortal enemies who use the dark side of the Force – after secretly infiltrating the Galactic Republic. Only a few Jedi managed to survive the attack, going into hiding across the galaxy.
The Clone Wars
The Republic continued to rule for another thousand years until conflict emerged again. After attempts to leave the Republic, some planetary systems were forced to comply, leading Jedi Knight Count Dooku to leave the Order and form a Separatist movement with the backing of corporate giants. Tensions rose for over a decade culminating in the Clone Wars – a conflict between the Republic’s new military clone army and Separatist battle droids.
During the war, the Sith return after a thousand years in secrecy. A young Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker becomes a war hero but is slowly seduced to the dark side by Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. After Anakin informs the Jedi Council of Palpatine’s true identity as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, Mace Windu attempts to arrest him. Wanting to save his wife Padmé Amidala, Anakin intervenes allowing Palpatine to kill Windu. Anakin then pledges himself to the Sith, becoming Darth Vader.
Palpatine issues Order 66, turning the clone troopers against the Jedi Order. Only a few survive the purge, such as Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. Palpatine then transforms the Republic into the Galactic Empire, naming himself Emperor with Vader as his chief enforcer. After a climatic duel on Mustafar leaves Vader severely injured, he must rely on a black armored suit to survive. Meanwhile, Padmé gives birth to twins Luke and Leia before passing away. The children are then hidden from the Empire.
A New Hope
Nineteen years pass under the oppressive rule of the Empire. The Rebellion emerges to challenge Palpatine’s authoritarian regime, engaging in a covert civil war. Princess Leia Organa, adopted daughter of Senator Bail Organa, secretly serves in the Rebellion. She manages to steal secret Death Star plans that reveal a weakness in the Empire’s new planet-destroying space station.
Leia’s ship falls under attack from Vader’s Star Destroyer. She hides the plans in astromech droid R2-D2 and sends him to find Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine with protocol droid C-3PO. The droids come across young farmer Luke Skywalker who meets Obi-Wan, hiring pilot Han Solo to take them to Alderaan. However, the Death Star destroys Alderaan. Captured in a tractor beam, the group rescues Leia only to watch helplessly as the Death Star obliterates Leia’s homeworld. Luke begins learning the ways of the Force under Obi-Wan’s guidance as they escape. After analyzing the plans, the Rebels launch an attack on the Death Star, and Luke destroys it in one shot after turning off his targeting computer and using the Force.
The Empire Strikes Back
Three years after the Death Star’s destruction, the Rebellion continues battling the Empire while establishing a hidden base on the remote ice planet Hoth. Vader becomes obsessed with finding young rebel pilot Luke Skywalker, who he learns is the son of Anakin. The Empire attacks the Hoth base, forcing an evacuation. Han, Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO escape aboard the Millennium Falcon unable to reach a rendezvous point. They later seek refuge at Bespin’s Cloud City overseen by Han’s old friend Lando Calrissian.
Meanwhile, Luke travels to Dagobah seeking Jedi Master Yoda to complete his training. After a crash landing, he receives a disturbing vision his friends are in danger. Against both Obi-Wan and Yoda’s advice, Luke abandons his training to rescue them. Upon arrival at Cloud City, he falls into Vader’s trap. After a fierce lightsaber duel, the Sith Lord severs Luke’s hand and reveals his true identity as Luke’s father. Han is frozen in carbonite and taken by bounty hunter Boba Fett to crime lord Jabba the Hutt. As the Falcon escapes, Luke is rescued by Leia’s telepathic powers.
Return of the Jedi
Luke constructs a new lightsaber aboard a Rebel medical frigate. After R2-D2 and C-3PO are dispatched to crime lord Jabba the Hutt, bounty hunter Boushh (a disguised Leia) infiltrates Jabba’s lair and frees Han from carbon freeze. Jabba later captures her, Han and Luke to execute them but they overpower their captors.
The Rebels learn of construction of a second Death Star orbiting forest moon Endor. Luke insists Vader can still be saved and surrenders to Imperial troops to confront him. On Endor, Han leads a team to destroy the Death Star’s shield generator. After initial conflict, the native Ewoks help the Rebels attack the Imperial base.
Aboard the Death Star, Luke tries appealing to the good still inside his father. The effort proves futile; Vader threatens to turn Leia if Luke refuses to join the dark side. Furious, Luke attacks and nearly kills Vader. Realizing this path leads to the dark side, Luke refuses the Emperor’s offer of power and proves himself a true Jedi. Enraged, the Emperor attacks Luke with Force lightning. Unable to watch his son die, Vader turns against his dark master and destroys him, sacrificing himself in the process.
As the Death Star II explodes, Luke escapes to Endor and cremates his father’s armor. The Rebels celebrate the fall of the Empire as the galaxy looks towards a hopeful future now that freedom has been restored.
The Star Wars Legacy
While the Skywalker saga has concluded, the impact of these iconic films continues today through new stories told in books, comics, video games and future film projects currently in development. By exploring the timeline of events focusing on the original trilogy, the expansive, generation-spanning Star Wars epic is more easily understood and appreciated. The timeless themes of good vs evil, freedom vs tyranny, and belief in redemption mean Star Wars will undoubtedly continue capturing imaginations for decades to come. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this “The Main Star Wars Timeline Explained The Originals” article.