Star Wars is a sprawling epic that spans generations and invites its audiences to see the hero's journey through themes ranging from spiritual warfare to the meaning of family. It is an iconic adventure with real heart, and its characters are as memorable as they are in the broader storylines. To quote Princess Leia in the prologue to George Lucas’ 1976 Star Wars: A New Hope novelization, “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally, they became heroes.” The thing is, Star Wars is classified as a space opera, which Oxford Languages tells us deals with simplistic and melodramatic stories set in space.
By that definition, Young Jedi Adventures fits perfectly into the mold of George Lucas' oeuvre. It would be easy to overlook it or underappreciate it because it’s not the stuff of Rogue One or The Empire Strikes Back, but it is another course in the storytelling that makes the saga so remarkable. Executive Producer James Waugh explains the challenge in an interview, “How Young Jedi Adventures Tells Tales for Younglings of All Ages," with StarWars.com, saying:
"The question was, how do we maintain what Star Wars feels like?... How do the values, the adventure, and the life lessons feel inherent and right?"James Waugh
Let's take a look at 4 reasons why this animated series for kids can appeal to adult audiences
1. Lessons From the Middle Ground
Gone are the burning Jedi Temple of Revenge of the Sith and the slaughter of innocents in The Force Awakens. We bid farewell to the heart-stopping brutality of the duel at Bespin or the implied torture of Princess Leia. Young Jedi Adventures doesn't follow the first lessons of novice Jedi or seasoned Jedi Masters who have dealt with Dark Lords before. Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs are a bit wet behind the ears but cut from the same cloth of earnest goodness as Anakin Skywalker, FN-2187, and many others who inhabit the galaxy far, far away.
These three protagonists are all on the cusp of finding their place in a larger world, much like viewers who are constantly learning about themselves. Watchers might not ever lose their lightsaber or accidentally trap their friends in a space slug, but they know what it's like to get in over their heads and learn something from it.
The strength of the show is that it is built around true-to-life acts of goodness without any sense of grandeur. The stakes are entirely different from what we usually see but no less real.
2. A Prerequisite for Progress
Imam Aga Khan IV once said, "Pluralism is no longer simply an asset or a prerequisite for progress and development, it is vital to our existence." Diversity and pluralism are essential to every story told in the Young Jedi Adventures, and they are included in a very organic way.
At the Jedi Temple on Tenoo, Jedi students study the ways of the Force. However, they make themselves at home in Kublop Springs, whether accepting an invitation to a festival or standing up to a neighborhood bully. 232 years before the Battle of Yavin at the height of The High Republic era, the Jedi are receptive to everything their world has to offer and learn to reckon with the unknown in authentic ways.
Every Star Wars film has had me on the edge of my seat, but Young Jedi Adventures allows me to comfortably sit back and see Jedi become a real part of a community.
3. Character Development: A Slow Burn
While the characters of Star Wars are relatable, their circumstances aren't. Luke Skywalker went from fixing droids on his moisture farm to being a hero of the Rebellion within days. Obi-Wan Kenobi grew from an uncertain Padawan to a member of the Jedi Council in the course of one trilogy. The growth of George Lucas' creations is extraordinary, but so are the stakes.
In twenty-five episodes of Young Jedi Adventures' first season, maturity and wisdom come to the characters at a gentler pace. Kai, Lys, and Nubs aren't just good students because they achieve their goods; they learn from past missteps and learn how to avoid them in the future. Their ongoing friendship with pilot Nash Durango and respect for Masters Yoda and Zia are as important as the ways in which they confront their antagonist, Taborr.
Even the "bad guys" have growth. Early in the season, the Jedi find success by grandstanding and outwitting the young pirate known as Taborr, making their success cut and dry. As the season goes on, we see Taborr find a moment of regret in the middle of his piracy and be affected by the friendship of the Jedi, who show mercy to him as their foe and friendship to his unmasked self.
This show allows for leaps and bounds of growth and honors the way wisdom can grow out of life-long education.
4. Young at Heart
Last but not least, the most effective aspect of the storytelling for me is not rooted in the children's stories. Instead, it manifests itself in the responses of the adults in their lives. In The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda claims to have trained Jedi for eight centuries, and we have to wonder what he was like seven hundred and ninety-nine years ago.
Young Jedi Adventures partially answers that question, as we see a younger Yoda educating the students in practical Jedi skills. Centuries before he takes Luke Skywalker to task for being reckless, Yoda, in his mid-600s, remembers what it's like to need a second chance to learn a lesson.
Young Jedi Adventures reminds younglings, young and old, that "Up to you the future is" in the midst of every conflict. The message we can all take from these stories is that it's never too late to hope.
Young Jedi Adventures is available to stream on Disney+.