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The Star Wars Saga is a massive one, spanning literally thousands of years in scope when everything is factored in — but the upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte is breaking new ground even inside that epic stretch — by becoming the first Star Wars live-action project to take place inside the High Republic era of the franchise.

What is Star Wars' The High Republic, the era of the Acolyte?

The High Republic era is an age of enlightenment within the Star Wars universe that lasted approximately 400 years. During this time, the Jedi were at the height of their power and influence, spreading out through the galaxy as a highly visible force for good. The Republic significantly expanded its reach, with innovations in exploration and communication allowing more planets to be brought under their jurisdiction. This period had previously been explored in the Star Wars Extended Universe books and comics, though they were made non-canon when Disney purchased Lucasfilm.

The name ‘The High Republic’ comes from the publishing program announced in February 2020, and subsequently launched in January 2021; The High Republic publishing program spans middle grade, young adult and adult prose publishing, in addition to comic books from multiple publishers, with writers for each project collaborating with each other akin to a television writers’ room model so that characters, plots, and concepts carry across multiple projects to create a shared universe of storytelling. To date, three ‘phases’ of the program have been announced: Light of the Jedi, which covered projects published in 2021 and early 2022; Quest of the Jedi, which included material published in mid-late 2022 and early 2023; and Trials of the Jedi, which launched in late 2023 and is expected to carry on through early 2025.

Where does Disney+'s The Acolyte fall inside Star Wars' The High Republic era?

To more accurately place the new show in the Star Wars timeline, we have to look a bit more at how the Star Wars timeline is organized. The significant marker for Star Wars historians is the Battle of Yavin, which is when Luke blows up the first Death Star in A New Hope, the first movie in what has since become known as the Skywalker Saga. Dates before this are given in BBY – Before the Battle of Yavin. In publicity surrounding the show, Lucasfilm has stated that The Acolyte takes place around 100 years before the events in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, putting it around 132 BBY.

Officially, Lucasfilm has stated that The High Republic era spans 500 BBY through 100 BBY, meaning that The Acolyte takes place at the end of the High Republic… and, notably, in a part of the timeline of that project that the publishing program hasn’t even reached just yet.

Should we expect some familiar faces in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

While most characters from the Star Wars films haven’t been born yet at this point of the Star Wars timeline, there is the possibility that one familiar face will show up. Yoda, the Jedi master who taught generations of Knights, was an active member of the Council throughout the High Republic era. In fact, he was born nearly 400 years before it began, so there is a slim possibility that he would show up in Star Wars: The Acolyte.

Not done with Star Wars yet? Dive into the films and TV shows with our Star Wars watch order, or debate on which was the best with our ranked list of the best (and worst) Star Wars movies. And since it's now upon us, follow along with Popverse's coverage of The Acolyte.