Star Wars' New Series Says A Lot About the Franchise's Vision For the New Republic
Marvel's upcoming Star Wars series says and teases a lot about what's in store for the New Republic timeline. Having just concluded a 12-issue Battle of Jakku comic series, it's now been announced that Marvel is planning to kickstart a brand-new ongoing Star Wars series set between the events of that definitive battle and likely the start of The Mandalorian season 1. As such, this new series will likely be far more pivotal compared to Marvel's previous flagship Star Wars series with an even greater impact on the franchise overall.
Set to be released the week of May the 4th in 2025, Star Wars #1 is coming from writer Alex Segura and artist Phil Noto. Primarily starring Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo, it's been confirmed that Noto is using images of actors Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford from the 80s as references for how the classic trio of galactic heroes will be depicted during the earliest days of the New Republic. As such, this new Star Wars comic series will hopefully have an effect and impact on the New Republic Era overall.
Most of Star Wars' Shows Take Place During The New Republic
The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Book of Boba Fett, Skeleton Crew
Since the start of Disney+ in 2019, most of Star Wars' live-action shows have been set starting five years into the New Republic Era. This includes The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and the most recent series, Skeleton Crew. Each show has offered its own unique perspective on the state of the galaxy that's now being run by the New Republic government following the Empire's official surrender following the Battle of Jakku (while Imperial remnants still serve as ongoing threats).
The live-action shows have had their connections to the original trilogy and its heroes. The most predominant is Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker and his roles in The Mandalorian season 2 rescuing Grogu from Moff Gideon, as well as his attempt to train the child as a Jedi in The Book of Boba Fett (appearances that were accomplished via CGI de-aging technology). Senator Leia Organa is also referenced in Ahsoka. While the character played by the late Carrie Fisher remained off-screen, her assistance to General Hera Syndualla was relayed via C-3PO. However, the live-action New Republic projects have mainly focused on newer heroes and characters.
Marvel's Upcoming Star Wars Series Will Be Set In The Years Before The Mandalorian
The Earliest Days of the New Republic
Keeping the above in mind, it's very exciting that Marvel Comics is now set to publish a new series that stars Luke, Leia, and Han Solo directly at the dawn of the New Republic. 2015 saw the release of the first flagship Star Wars series set during the three years between A New Hope and The Empire Strike Back. 2020 began a new Star Wars series set during the single year between Empire and Return of the Jedi. Both Star Wars series feature some of the most amazing and canonical moments for the franchise's most classic characters, including Darth Vader, who had his own series that ran in tandem.
However, this new Star Wars series offers a much wider span of time to be explored in this post-original trilogy period. Assuming it wraps up before the events of The Mandalorian, Segura and Noto's Star Wars have four years between Jakku and the period of the New Republic live-action shows to work with. That said, nothing says that the series couldn't keep going, showcasing what was going on with Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, and more classic heroes amid the events seen in the live-action New Republic shows. As such, the potential is arguably much higher for this new 2025 series.
The New Star Wars #1 Wil Have Some Added Pressure Due To The New Republic Setting
There's More Of A Likelihood To Affect Future New Republic Projects
That said, this does mean that there will likely be some added pressure behind this new Star Wars comic series. After all, the 2015 and 2020 runs each had set beginning and end points, constrained by the events seen in the original Star Wars trilogy movies. Conversely, this new run has the potential to directly effect and inform the events of future New Republic shows and movies that are still being made, and vice versa.
It's both the blessing and the curse of everything existing in the same timeline and continuity. When looking at the entire New Republic Era that spans 30 years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, this new Star Wars comic is being set in a period that's still being fleshed out with shows and future movies such as The Mandalorian & Grogu and Dave Filoni's untitled movie that's set to culminate all the shows. As such, it wouldn't be surprising if this new series simply stuck to the four-year slot between Jakku and The Mandalorian.
Marvel's New Series Might Limit The Need To Feature OT Characters In The Shows
Luke, Han, and Leia Passing The Torch To Established New Republic Heroes
On the other hand, one could also argue that this new series could lessen the pressure on the shows and movies to include classic OT-heroes with copious amounts of de-aging technology and stand-in actors. If the series does end up extending into the same period the New Republic shows, the comics could do the work of featuring Luke, Leia, and Han Solo instead. For example, the comics could show Luke and Ahsoka's first meeting (they'd already met in The Book of Boba Fett).
Likewise, Leia could be shown following up with Hera Sydulla after providing her off-screen assistance. Han could be shown raising Ben Solo and teaching him how to fly The Millennium Falcon or meeting Din Djarin who's currently working with the New Republic's Adelphi Squadron. The possibilities are very exciting to think about, as the original trilogy heroes could effectively pass on the torch to New Republic heroes like Ahsoka, Hera, Din Djarin, Ezra, and more who will carry the new shows and movies, though we'll have to see what this new flagship Star Wars brings when it releases later this year.
Marvel Comics' new Star Wars #1 releases May 7th, 2025.
- Created by
- George Lucas
- First Film
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
- Cast
- Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
- TV Show(s)
- The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
- Video Game(s)
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords, Star Wars Battlefront (2015), Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005), Star Wars: The Force Unleashed , Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Movie(s)
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
