The High Republic publishing project should breathe new life Star Wars, bringing new characters and new stories to the forefront.
Once upon a time, there was a plethora of in-universe stories about Star Wars. These stories were about legendary heroes, new characters and filled with adventures we could only imagine would be fit for the big screen one day.
Then, they were erased.
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Not physically erased. All of the books still exist to still be devoured by Star Wars fans. But once Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the books – though inconsistent as they were – were removed from canon and placed in the “Legends” category.
Does that take away from what these books meant? Absolutely not. You cannot erase Heir to the Empire or the other countless books that kept us reading into the wee hours of the night.
The High Republic publishing effort has a chance to do that again.
Project Luminous’ details were finally revealed. We learned it’s a series of books that will dive into this era of Star Wars – about 200 years before the movies took place. Life as a Jedi was far different then.
The High Republic will not currently tie into any movies or video games, but that’s OK. This will give Star Wars a chance to breathe new life. We have been relegated to what feels like a very small chunk of time in this mega-universe. Under Disney, we have only dug into the time right before The Phantom Menace and right up to The Rise of Skywalker.
That’s about 60 or years.
Going back to another point in time in the Star Wars lore will give fans new characters, new stories and new ways to see the franchise.
If The Mandalorian taught us anything, it’s that fans are eager for new characters.
The first book of The High Republic publishing project is set to come out on August 25. Light of the Jedi sees the Jedi face a turning point. We don’t have details on what that is yet, but it should be important if they need to write a book about it.
The exciting thing about The High Republic publishing venture is that it’s giving fans a chance to find their characters. They will find ones that matter to them most, ones that resonate deeply. It will fuel stories and imaginations for years to come even if we aren’t getting a Star Wars movie for a year or two – and, who knows, maybe longer.
Bring on the books!