Star Wars


Enjoying Star Wars- in all its forms- is my longest-running hobby.  I became hooked at age 3 . . . 34 years later, I'm still going strong.  I introduce it here, and reflect here on this galaxy and my fondness of it.

Things changed in a big way when Disney bought the franchise in 2012.  The original books and comics- called the Expanded Universe (EU)- were 'thrown out' of the canon so Disney could start from scratch.  Some thoughts on that are here.

Star Wars pervades popular culture like few other things.  Today you can experience Star Wars movies, TV shows, books, games, comics, clothing . . . you name it, they probably make a Star Wars version of it.  If I've reviewed something in these categories, I link to it below.

Movies

This is where it all began, and movies continue to be the bread and butter of the Star Wars universe.

Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

 Solo
Rogue One

 Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

 Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

Television

Star Wars came to television in 2003 with release of the short 2D animations called the Clone Wars.  In 2008, they started a 3D animated series by the same name that ran for six years before transitioning to Rebels, which is currently running strong.

The Acolyte (2024): Set 100 years before Episode I, in the High Republic.

Clone Wars (2003 series): A drawn animated series taking place between Episodes II and III, looking at the Clone Wars. It was released before Episode III came out, giving us a first hint at what was to come.
Volume 1, Volume 2

Clone Wars (2008-2014, 2020): An CG animated series taking place between Episodes II and III, a movie and 6 seasons were produced before being shut down after Disney (who then brought it back for one final season in 2020).  I link to reviews of each here, or see below:
Movie, Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4, Season 5, Season 6, Season 7

Tales of the Jedi/Empire (2022, 2024): A CG animated series of shorts showing formative moments in the lives of popular Jedi and villains.

The Bad Batch (2021-2024): Taking place immediately after Episode III, this follows a bad of superior genetically deformed clones as they grapple with the change in galactic order.

Rebels (2014-2018): Taking place before Episode IV, this animated series tells the story of the beginning of the Rebellion.
Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4

Andor (2022): Taking place just before Rogue One.

The Mandalorian (2019-2023):  The first live action Star Wars TV show, this takes place during the New Republic era (post Return of the Jedi).
Season 1

The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022): A spinoff of The Mandalorian, this follows what happens to the infamous bounty hunter in the years after his escape from the Sarlacc.

Ahsoka (2023): Anakin's Padawan in the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano surfaces years later helping the Rebel, and then New Republic, cause. Here, the focus is the latter.
Season 1

Books

I've read more Star Wars books than I care to acknowledge.  Okay, it's been over 100.  Most of them were read well before I started this blog, and thus are not reviewed.  And that's for the best- many of them are poorly written.  One list here gives you an idea just how many titles were produced.

The old canon (before Disney, now called Legends):
Revan

Shadows of the Empire
The Courtship of Princess Leia
Crosscurrent
Darth Plagueis

Shadow Games

The Thrawn Trilogy: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command

The Jedi Academy Trilogy: Jedi Search, Dark Apprentice, Champions of the Force

Jedi Twilight

The New Jedi Order (a 19-book series)

William Shakespeare's Star Wars

Scoundrels

The current canon (after Disney):
What I've read of the current canon is summarized here.

Comic Books

Dark Horse Comics had the rights to Star Wars for a long time and, in my opinion, produced some of the best stories outside of the movies.  My reflection on the Dark Horse years is here.

Tales of the Jedi (Omnibus volume 1)
Tales of the Jedi (Omnibus volume 2)

Darth Maul: Death Sentence

Emissaries to Malastare
Prelude to Rebellion

Clone Wars- a 9-volume series:
In Defense of Kamino, Victories & Sacrifices, Last Stand on Jabiim,
Light and Dark, The Best Blades, On the Fields of Battle,
When They Were Brothers, The Last Siege, The Final Truth, Endgame

In the Shadow of Yavin [and] From the Ruins of Alderaan

The Force Unleashed

Enjoy the galaxy far, far away!


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