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The end of 2019 is bringing about a lot of new Star Wars content and fans are in their element. The Mandalorian premiered on Disney+, the Jedi: Fallen Order video game just came out, and Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker is set to premiere Dec. 20. It can be hard to keep track of all these releases, but it’s even harder to remember when all these movies, games, and shows take place. 

To help you keep track, an explanation of the entire Star Wars timeline is below. 

Cal Kestis using BD-1 as a zipline in 'Jedi: Fallen Order.'
Cal Kestis using BD-1 as a zipline in ‘Jedi: Fallen Order’ | Star Wars/EA/Respawn

The biggest time jumps are between the three trilogies

Between Revenge of the Sith (the third prequel) and Rogue One and A New Hope (the very first, original Star Wars), it’s been 19 years. And then from the end of Return of the Jedi (the final original) and The Force Awakens (beginning of the sequel trilogy) it’s another 30 years, all according to the canon history. 

‘Jedi: Fallen Order’ happens before ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘The Rise of Skywalker’

The new EA/Respawn game Jedi: Fallen Order occurs five years after Anakin becomes Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith. It follows Cal Kestis, a Jedi who was a Padawan during the Order 66 purge. The beginning of Solo also happens at this time, but then there’s a time jump of three years within the film. 

Darth Vader standing with two Stormtroopers.
“Star Wars” fan project “Outpost One” exhibit | Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images

The Disney+ show that just came out, The Mandalorian starts five years after Return of the Jedi. It follows a bounty hunter in a space Western-type series. 

And The Rise of Skywalker happens about a year after The Last Jedi, and is roughly 26 years after The Mandalorian. Math, or just a calculator, are major keys to figuring out where everything falls.  

‘Rogue One’ and ‘A New Hope’ overlap, and The Obi-Wan Kenobi series will be in the middle of ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnN-k2Beo4E
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As seen in the final moments of Rogue One, the narrative leads straight into A New Hope, with a CGI version of Leia and everything. 

The Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off is supposed to be set within the timeframe of Solo, which spanned across three years. Interestingly, the Obi-Wan series will also be a little bit after Jedi: Fallen Order. Who knows? You could see Cal show up in a live-action series like that one. 

A list of ‘Star Wars’ media, in order

Star Wars lore is massive, expansive, and it doesn’t fail to bring surprises even decades later. A chronological list is below, and there are nice graphics on sites like Collider or Insider. 

  • Episode I: A New Hope
  • Episode II: Attack of The Clones
  • Clone Wars (animated movie and show)
  • Episode III: Revenge of The Sith
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi series (in between the time-jump within Solo)
  • Star Wars: Rebels
  • The Cassian Andor series (in between the seasons of Rebels)
  • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  • Episode IV: A New Hope
  • Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
  • Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
  • The Mandalorian
  • Episode VII: The Force Awakens
  • Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
  • Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

Hopefully, with all the new releases before 2020 hits, you’ll be able to keep your timelines straight now. May the force be with you.

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