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Total Film

Entertainment

Richard Edwards

Star Wars timeline: Every major event in chronological order

Star Wars (Person) Anakin Skywalker Darth Maul ObiWan Kenobi Palpatine Darth Vader Saw Gerrera Wan Yoda Ahsoka Tano

Star Wars timeline: a screenshot of The Empire Strikes Back.

The Star Wars timeline is just as vast as the galaxy. There are many movies, sure, but don't forget about the TV shows, novels, games, and comics (there's also several Disney theme park rides, one of which has its own short film within it). It can be a little hard to keep up, but with a new trilogy announced and the upcoming Goonies-inspired Skeleton Crew on the way, but there's never been a better time to get up to date.

No need to go down a Wikipedia rabbit hole: we have a breakdown of all the major events in Star Wars history, starting with the birth of Yoda, which takes place some 900 years before the original trilogy, and ending with The Rise of Skywalker. At the moment, that's where the saga comes to an end... until the upcoming Rey movie brings us back.

Whether you're brand new to George Lucas's weird and wacky world, or you've got lightsaber replicas hanging up on your wall at home, we've got you covered. This is the Star Wars timeline you're looking for…

Want to just watch the movies?

Here's how to watch the Star Wars movies in order

Before we go on, we should note that, although this is a comprehensive Star Wars timeline, we have not included absolutely every event. Does anybody really need to know when Dexter Jettster opened his diner on Coruscant? Our timeline deals with all the major events from the movies and shows, and touches upon some of the major comic-books and novels included within the canon.

We've also listed which movie/TV show/book each event appears in, just in case you want to go back and see The Trade Federation deciding to blockade Naboo…

As for the calendar, everything in the Star Wars galaxy is dated relative to the Battle of Yavin, where Luke Skywalker blew up the first Death Star. So Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, which takes place 19 years ahead of Star Wars: A New Hope, is set 19 years Before the Battle of Yavin (in 19 BBY). Meanwhile, Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes place 34 years After the Battle of Yavin (in 34 ABY). Now that all that's taken care of let's start with an at-a-glance guide to the Star Wars timeline.

WARNING: Spoilers for every Star Wars movie and TV show released to date.

Star Wars movies and TV shows in chronological order

At Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm also revealed the official title of Star Wars eras. They are as follows.

Dawn of the Jedi – ~25,000 BBY
The Old Republic – 25,000 BBY-1,000 BBY
The High Republic – 500 BBY-100 BBY (The Acolyte)
Fall of the Jedi – 100 BBY-19 BBY (Prequel trilogy, The Clone Wars)
Reign of the Empire – 19 BBY–0 BBY (Tales of the Empire, Andor, The Bad Batch)
Age of Rebellion – 0 BBY-5 ABY (The original trilogy)
The New Republic – 5 ABY-34 ABY (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka)
Rise of the First Order – 34 ABY-35 ABY (Star Wars sequels)
New Jedi Order – 50 ABY (Rey's untitled Star Wars movie)

Star Wars timeline

900 BBY - Yoda is born, though nobody ever thought to ask what species he belongs to. (Return of the Jedi)

200 BBY - The Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order are at their zenith. This is the golden age of the Jedi. (The High Republic novels and comic-book series)

132 BBY - Master Indara is murdered by Mae, a Sith Acolyte who aims to kill four Jedi for her mysterious Master. This Master is later revealed to be Qimir, and it turns out there's a lot more to the story of what happened on Brendok than we first saw. (The Acolyte, Disney Plus series)

100 BBY - The High Republic falls

41 BBY - Anakin Skywalker is somehow conceived by the Midichlorians and his mother, Shmi. (referenced The Phantom Menace)

Also, around this time, a young Yoda-like creature is born to mystery parents. (referenced in The Mandalorian)

32 BBY - The Trade Federation escalates a scintillating trade dispute by blockading Naboo. C-3PO and R2-D2 meet for the first time. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi discover Force-sensitive Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine and save him from slavery. Yippee!

Queen Padme Amidala leads the liberation of Naboo, where Obi-Wan slices Darth Maul in two – sending him tumbling to his apparent death. Palpatine is elected Chancellor of the Republic, while Anakin starts his Jedi training. Galaxy watches both their careers with great interest. (The Phantom Menace)

Yaddle is killed by Count Dooku on Coruscant. (Tales of the Jedi)

Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas commissions Kaminoan cloners to build an army for the Republic. (Mentioned in Attack of the Clones)

Young Grogu trains with the Jedi. (Mentioned in The Mandalorian)

22 BBY - Separatists make a couple of attempts on Senator Amidala’s life. Obi-Wan’s investigations into the assassin’s identity lead him to Kamino, where he discovers a fully-fledged Clone Army. Anakin slaughters an entire village of Tusken Raiders (men, women, and children) in revenge for the death of his mother. Padme becomes strangely attracted to him.

Naboo Senate Representative Jar Jar Binks calls for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to be given emergency powers to bring the Clone Army into service – those Clone Troopers subsequently follow the Jedi into action against Separatist forces on Geonosis. Jango Fett killed in the battle. Separatist leader Count Dooku is revealed to be Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, and chops off Anakin’s arm in a lightsaber duel. Geonosian leader Poggle the Lesser hands the Separatists’ Death Star plans to Count Dooku. Anakin and Padme marry in secret. The Clone Wars begin. (Attack of the Clones)

22 BBY - Anakin takes on Ahsoka Tano as his apprentice. (The Clone Wars)

21 BBY - The young Boba Fett infiltrates a Republic Star Destroyer in an effort to take revenge on Mace Windu for dad Jango’s death. (The Clone Wars)

~21 BBY - Brilliant energy scientist Galen Erso is captured by Separatist forces and subsequently rescued by Orson Krennic (at this point a Republic officer) – it will later turn out Krennic has an ulterior motive involving a certain planet-killing superweapon… (Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel)

20 BBY - Darth Sidious orders Count Dooku to eliminate Asajj Ventress, the Dark Side apprentice Dooku’s been training in secret. Presumed-dead former Sith Lord Darth Maul is discovered – half the man he used to be – by his brother Savage Opress on Lotho Minor. Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan meet and train future insurgent Saw Gerrera to fight against the Separatists on Onderon. Construction of Death Star begins above Geonosis. (The Clone Wars)

19 BBY - Maul and Opress join forces with criminal gangs and Mandalorian hardliners Death Watch to overthrow and kill Mandalore’s peaceful leader (and Obi-Wan love interest) Duchess Satine Kryze. Darth Sidious clears up the mess, killing Opress and capturing Maul.

Wrongly framed for murder, Ahsoka quits the Jedi Order and disappears. She later ventures to Mandalore to battle Maul, where the Siege of Mandalore takes place. She manages a lucky escape from Order 66 with the Clone trooper Rex. (The Clone Wars)

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was kidnapped by Separatist forces, and Count Dooku was executed by Anakin during the rescue. Obi-Wan kills the Separatists’ cyborg military commander, General Grievous. Palpatine is revealed to be Darth Sidious. Anakin is seduced by the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. Palpatine declares himself Emperor, and the Galactic Republic becomes the Galactic Empire. Order 66 prompts the Clone Troopers to turn on the Jedi and all but wipe them out.

Darth Vader slaughters the remaining Separatist leaders on Mustafar. Obi-Wan defeats Vader in a duel, critically injuring him and leaving him dependent on an iconic cybernetic life support suit. Padme dies, giving birth to twins. Luke is left with his step-uncle/aunt Owen and Beru Lars on Tatooine, and Leia with Senator Bail Organa on Alderaan. Obi-Wan and Yoda go into hiding on Tatooine and Dagobah, respectively. (Revenge of the Sith)

Following Order 66, a rogue bunch of defective Clones – called The Bad Batch – are told to hunt down the padawan in training, Caleb Dume (later known as Kanan Jarrus). However, the team's leader, Hunter, goes against orders. The Bad Batch is then commanded to kill Saw Gerrera. They refuse to do so and head off on their own adventure. (Star Wars: The Bad Batch)

17 BBY - Galen Erso, forced to work on the Death Star, does a runner with wife Lyra and daughter Jyn from their home on Coruscant, with help from Saw Gerrera. (Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel)

13 BBY - Krennic tracks down the Erso family on Lah’mu. Lyra dies, Galen goes back to work on the Death Star, leaving Jyn to get an, er, unconventional upbringing with Saw. (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Han Solo escapes captivity on Corellia, enlists in the Imperial Navy, and bags himself a surname. (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

10 BBY - Han Solo meets hairy BFF Chewbacca, defects from the Empire, and joins Tobias Beckett’s criminal gang. Rebellious L3-37 initiates a droid uprising on Kessel. Solo completes a Kessel Run in the Millennium Falcon in a record-breaking 12 parsecs – he’s so impressed he later wins the Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a game of Sabacc. Solo helps out Enfys Nest’s proto-Rebels but declines to join the cause. Qi’ra assumes day-to-day control of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate, answering directly to Maul. (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

9 BBY - On the orders of the Inquisitor Reva, a young Princess Leia is captured. Obi-Wan Kenobi comes out of hiding on Tatooine to find her and clashes lightsabers with Darth Vader once more on the planet Mapuzo – though Obi's badly burned in the process. Leia is taken to Fortress Inquisitorius, and with the help of a woman named Tala, Obi-Wan rescues her. After the pair escape, Vader tracks Obi-Wan to a nearby planet, and they clash. Reva tracks Luke down on Tatooine but can't bring herself to kill the Skywalker boy. After departing the Lars homestead, Obi-Wan sees a vision of Qui-Gon Jinn. (Obi-Wan Kenobi).

5 BBY - Cassian Andor kills two security officials and is tracked down by Deputy Inspector Syril Karn. Cassian meets Luthen Rael, and together, they escape from the planet Ferrix. Luthen recruits Cassian for a raid on an Imperial facility on Aldhani. The heist is successful, but there are casualties, and Cassian leaves to start a new life – but is promptly arrested for a crime he didn't commit and ends up jailed for six years. Cassian helps lead a major prison breakout shortly afterward, then returns to Ferrix in time for the planet to rise up against the Empire. (Andor, also known as one of the best shows on Disney Plus)

5 BBY - Force-sensitive Ezra Bridger joins the crew of Rebel vessel the Ghost. Fugitive Jedi Kanan Jarrus takes him on as his Padawan. (Star Wars Rebels)

4 BBY - Rebel informant Fulcrum revealed to be Ahsoka Tano. Empire commences the Siege of Lothal. The Emperor unleashes Darth Vader to sort out the growing Rebel problem. Former Clone Troopers Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor join the Rebel cause. (Star Wars Rebels)

3 BBY - Maul blinds Kanan Jarrus in battle. Ahsoka faces Vader for the first time since she was Anakin’s apprentice. (Star Wars Rebels)

2 BBY - Obi-Wan Kenobi belatedly finishes the job of killing Maul on Tatooine. Mon Mothma resigns from the Imperial Senate and calls for the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic (AKA Rebel Alliance). Chopper Base on Atollon was destroyed by Admiral Thrawn’s forces, forcing the Rebels to relocate to Yavin 4. (Star Wars Rebels)

1 BBY - Kanan Jarrus killed, sacrificing himself to save the rest of the Ghost crew. Ezra Bridger has an audience with the Emperor before he and Grand Admiral Thrawn go missing in action. Bo-Katan Kryze takes the Mandalorian throne after Sabine Wren gives her the ceremonial Darksaber. (Star Wars Rebels)

0 BBY - Rebels secure their first significant victory over the Empire at Scarif – though in the ultimate downer, everybody involved in recovering the Death Star plans dies. (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Princess Leia Organa is eventually captured by Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker meets C-3PO and R2-D2, and takes Death Star plans hidden in R2 to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke begins Jedi training and meets Han Solo and Chewbacca. Alderaan was destroyed by Death Star. Leia rescued. Obi-Wan Kenobi dies. The Death Star was destroyed. (A New Hope, one of the best sci-fi movies ever made)

0-3 ABY - Darth Vader recruits Boba Fett to help hunt down the Force-sensitive young pilot who blew up the Death Star. (Darth Vader comic)

Rebel Alliance relocates to Echo Base on the distinctly chilly Hoth. (The Empire Strikes Back)

Han Solo runs into an unknown bounty hunter on Ord Mantell. (Referenced in The Empire Strikes Back)

3 ABY - The Rebels evacuate Hoth after the Empire discovers Echo Base. Luke Skywalker begins formal Jedi training with Yoda on Dagobah. Darth Vader captures Han, Leia, and Chewbacca at Bespin. Han is frozen in Carbonite and taken to Jabba the Hutt by Boba Fett. Luke faces Darth Vader, loses a hand and learns the Sith Lord is his father. Noooooooo! (The Empire Strikes Back)

3-4 ABY - Many Bothans die getting information on Death Star 2. (Mentioned in Return of the Jedi)

4 ABY - Han Solo is rescued from Jabba the Hutt – with Leia killing Jabba in the process. Boba Fett is thought dead. Yoda dies. Luke learns that Leia is his twin sister – awkward! Imperial forces intercept Rebellion’s secret assault on Endor – it’s a trap! Luke faces Darth Vader again, this time in the presence of the Emperor. Vader turns back to the good side and kills the Emperor. Death Star was destroyed – despite Ewok's involvement. Yub nub! (Return of the Jedi)

5 ABY - Han Solo helps Chewbacca to liberate Kashyyyk from Imperial rule. The New Republic secures a final victory over the remains of the Empire at the Battle of Jakku. Mon Mothma signs the Galactic Concordance and the Empire is dissolved. A faction of top Imperials, led by Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and General Hux’s dad Brendol, travel through the Unknown Regions to start the First Order. Ben Solo is born. (Star Wars: Aftermath novel trilogy)

5-9 ABY - Boba Fett emerges from the Sarlacc pit after being eaten alive. Tusken Raiders capture him, but the bounty hunter wins their favor and is immersed in their culture. The Tuskens are eventually wiped out by a rival biker gang. He meets and helps the injured Fennec Shand. Together, they search for whoever took Boba's armor from the Sarlacc.

9 ABY-11 ABY - A lone gunfighter – Din Djarin – makes his way through the outer reaches of the galaxy where he stumbles upon a young-ish green creature. The warrior goes on the run, hoping to keep the creature away from harm, and ends up adopting the young creature as his own.

Din hopes to reunite the creature with the Jedi. He eventually meets Ahsoka Tano, who is on the hunt for General Thrawn. She tells Din to head to Tython and use a special stone to call to any Jedi who may be out there. Ahsoka also reveals the creature's real name: Grogu.

Grogu calls to the Jedi but is then captured by the evil Moff Gideon, who holds the Darksaber blade. Din is helped by Boba Fett – who is on the search for his armor – and the former heiress of Mandalore, Bo-Katan to beat Moff Gideon. They almost succeed, when a battalion of Dark Trooper droids arrive. Grogu's call to the Jedi is heard and Luke Skywalker saves the day. Skywalker then takes Grogu away to be trained as a Jedi. (The Mandalorian)

Boba Fett heads back to Tatooine with Fennec Shand to take over the planet's criminal underworld. Their plans are thwarted by Tatooine's mayor, the Hutt twins, and the Pyke Syndicate. Boba assembles a team – including Din Djarin – to take on his enemies. Cobb Vanth is shot in a showdown with Cad Bane.

Luke Skywalker is training Grogu and trying to establish a new Jedi temple. He gives Grogu a choice between remaining a Padawan and becoming Skywalker's first student, or returning to the Mandalorian. Grogu chooses to go back to Djarin, so the Jedi sends him to Tatooine, where the Child and Mando are reunited.

Fett kills Bane and defeats the Pykes and the other crime syndicates to regain control of Mos Espa. Vanth spends time in a bacta tank to heal from his clash with Bane. (The Book of Boba Fett)

Din Djarin travels to Mandalore to redeem himself for removing his helmet, and he discovers that the planet isn't poisoned after all. Bo-Katan joins his covert, which relocates to Nevarro. The united Mandalorians re-take their home planet of Mandalore, with Moff Gideon apparently dying in the process. Mando formally adopts Grogu as his son and the duo take a permanent home on Nevarro, working for the New Republic. (The Mandalorian season 3)

11 ABY - Ahsoka uncovers a map that she believes will lead her to the location of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Meanwhile, former Jedi Baylan Skoll and his apprentice Shin Hati free Morgan Elsbeth, who reveals she is a descendant of the Nightsisters of Dathomir.

Shin takes the map from Sabine Wren, who is revealed to be Ahsoka Tano's former apprentice. Ahsoka and Sabine eventually travel to Seatos to try and stop Morgan, Baylan, and Shin from using the Eye of Sion to reach Thrawn. Baylan defeats Ahsoka in a duel and Sabine joins the bad guys on their journey to Peridea in the hopes of finding Ezra Bridger.

Ahsoka enters the World Between Worlds, where she reunites with her former Master Anakin Skywalker. The mystical adventure ultimately helps Ahsoka to regain her spirit and she uses the purrgil to travel to Sabine (with Huyang along for the ride).

On Peridea, Baylan, Shin, and Morgan find Thrawn, who has been biding his time since disappearing into hyperspace. Sabine also reunites with Ezra. Ahsoka finds her way to Sabine and Ezra, and the trio races to stop Thrawn escaping. Morgan, gifted the Blade of Talzin by the Great Mothers, duels Ahsoka but is slain in the fight.

Sabine finally manages to use the Force, and Ezra makes it onto Thrawn's ship and back to the main galaxy, where he is reunited with Hera Syndulla. Ahsoka and Sabine, however, are left behind. Ahsoka believes she is where she is supposed to be, and she sees both the Force ghost of Anakin Skywalker and the convor Morai.

Baylan, meanwhile, sets off to pursue his own destiny and is last seen standing on a statue of the Father, one of the three Mortis gods. (Ahsoka)

21 ABY - The First Order starts using crime syndicates to fund its increasing military activities. (Star Wars: Bloodline novel)

28 ABY - The truth about Leia’s Sithy parentage is leaked by political enemies, engulfing her in a scandal that forces her to resign from the Senate. Sensing the threat of an increasingly active First Order, she forms the Resistance to keep them in check. (Star Wars: Bloodline novel)

28 ABY-34 ABY - Ben Solo is persuaded by Supreme Leader Snoke to turn to the Dark Side. He trashes Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi school, kills most of his fellow students (unknown whether Grogu is here), and renames himself Kylo Ren. Luke goes into exile on Ahch-To and switches himself off from the Force. (Mentioned in The Force Awakens)

Kazuda Xiono goes undercover as a Resistance spy at the Colossus outpost. (Star Wars Resistance)

34 ABY - Poe Dameron finds a map containing details of Luke Skywalker’s whereabouts. Trooper FN-2187, AKA Finn, defects from First Order, gets Poe’s jacket, and meets Rey on Jakku. The pair steal the Millennium Falcon and hook up with Han Solo and Chewbacca. The First Order uses Starkiller's base to destroy the entire Hosnian system, wiping out the whole of the New Republic’s government. Kylo Ren kills Han Solo. Starkiller base destroyed. Rey tracks down Luke on Ahch-To. (The Force Awakens)

The Resistance evacuated their base on D’Qar and went on the run from the First Order. Kylo Ren kills Supreme Leader Snoke and declares himself Supreme Leader. First Order flagship, the Supremacy destroyed when Vice-Admiral Holdo pilots the Raddus through it at hyperspace. Luke creates a Force projection of himself to face Kylo Ren and dies in the effort. The last few survivors of the Resistance escape on the Millennium Falcon. (The Last Jedi)

35 ABY - With Snoke vanquished, an old evil returns... Palpatine. The Emperor has been building a huge Sith army all these years, and they have been awoken on Exegol, a Sith stronghold in the uncharted area of the galaxy.

The Resistance has made some headway in their fight back against the First Order, who have now rebranded themselves the Final Order under Palpatine's leadership. Kylo goes on the hunt for Rey, the granddaughter of Palpatine. When they meet, Rey stabs Kylo with a lightsaber but uses the Force to keep him alive. General Leia passes as she helps keep Kylo, her son, alive.

After Rey discovers the location of Exegol, she travels there in Luke Skywalker's old X-Wing. She lays trackers so that the Resistance can follow her there. She then confronts her grandfather, while the Resistance, who – with the help of Lando – have brought together an army filled with people who despise the Final Order.

Palpatine soon has the upper hand on Rey, wanting her to "strike him down" so the Sith can live on in her. However, Kylo Ren comes to help, and the pair attack Palpatine. The Emperor overpowers them and takes their life force. All the fallen Jedi then come to Rey and help her overthrow Palpatine, and he is disintegrated.

The galaxy celebrates victory over the Final Order. Rey buries Luke and Leia's lightsabers on Tatooine. The two suns set. Balance is restored. (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)

What comes next?

While what comes next in the Star Wars timeline remains unconfirmed, the upcoming Rey movie will take place after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. For all the latest, you can read our article on all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, or get ready for a movie marathon with our ranking of the best Star Wars movies.

There are also a ton of upcoming Star Wars games to look forward to in case you want to take a break from movie marathons. A big notable highlight coming out is Star Wars Eclipse. So, if you're a gamer, keep your eyes out for that title!

If you want to catch up with the Star Wars story so far, getting a Disney Plus sign-up is the easiest way (all the films and canon TV shows are available there). Because the Disney Plus free trial is no longer available, don't forget to check out the Disney Plus bundles in your area.

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