Star Wars: The High Republic held a livestream launch which featured the five authors who are writing the epic mega-story over multiple literary platforms. In it, they spoke about the influences that helped build Star Wars: The High Republic. Star Wars: The High Republic introduces a whole new era of Star Wars being set two centuries before the start of the Skywalker Saga. This is an entirely new era of Star Wars that has never been explored before.
The only Jedi that will be from the Skywalker Saga is Yoda who is 900 years old in Return of the Jedi. To create an entire new generation of Jedi and an entire new time period of the Republic, the creators looked for inspiration not only within Star Wars, but myth and real-life time periods.
Full Star Wars: The High Republic Livestream Event
With this being a never before explored era it means that anything can happen, other than Yoda dying of course, that comes much later. Unlike the prequel trilogy which fans knew would have a tragic end when Anakin turns to the dark side, The High Republic is a complete mystery. Everyone remembers Obi-Wan Kenobi explaining the Jedi to Luke Skywalker in A New Hope.
“For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.”
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC GOLDEN AGE OF JEDI
In the original and sequel trilogy, the Jedi had been nearly erased from the Galaxy with the few left hiding or assisting the resistance. In the prequel trilogy the Jedi were caught up in political gameplay and had morphed into soldiers and generals in a war that was meant to manipulate them and the galaxy. For the first time ever, Star Wars: The High Republic will show the golden age of Jedi. These are Jedi who are peacekeepers, the guardians of peace and justice in a prosperous galaxy that is ever expanding.
The height of the Jedi is when they are working to protect justice and the longstanding peace of the galaxy. This is a galaxy that has lived in peace for hundreds of years and entering into an era of progress while expanding into the outer rim. This longstanding peace has led to the Jedi being loved and venerated by the people.
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Unlike in the films, the Jedi are out amongst the people with temples and outposts throughout the galaxy on nearly every major planet in the Republic. This has changed the way that not only the people view the Jedi, but how some of the Jedi view themselves, the Force, and even the Jedi laws. The Jedi have a responsibility to not only be peacekeepers and protectors, but symbols, beacons of light for the galaxy.
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC INFLUENCED BY TWO MAJOR CAMELOT ERAS
Camelot is a term that holds a weight for people. Camelot is exactly the sort of feeling that the creators were looking for with Star Wars: The High Republic. As Charles Soule explained it in the Livestream Launch they looked to Arthurian Camelot, “King Arthur and the knights and going on quests and sort of this time of, you know, pomp and chivalry and codes and all that, but with an eye towards sort of great drama and optimism.”
They also looked to America in the 1960s, the Kennedy era Camelot, “When the Kennedy’s were in the White House and it was generally speaking – not for everybody, obviously – but for many people it was seen as a time of optimism and expansion for America. The moon program began…it was a time when many, many things seemed possible and there was a reason to be optimistic and a reason to push forward.”
This could mean that in regards to the Jedi this is a very Arthurian period with the Jedi’s serving as the Knights and the Chancellor filling in for King Arthur. The Jedi are an honorable order who are protecting the peaceful era that the High Republic has managed to hold within the galaxy. They will not only keep the peace, but be the guardians of justice as well.
The Jedi will also be exploring the outer rim with diplomatic missions and outposts or temples so this fits into the Kennedy version of exploration and expansion. Both Camelot eras are about a prosperous society that feels optimistic about the future which is an obvious fit for The High Republic. The Kennedy style Camelot likely holds true not just for the Jedi, but the people of the galaxy.
Both of these periods have a very important thing in common: a leader who helps bring the society together and moving forward. Without a strong charismatic leader a Camelot style era is impossible. And The High Republic’s leader is none other than the Chancellor, Lina Soh. Now, Star Wars fans have not seen Chancellors that are historically helpful to the Republic or galaxy that they are meant to be protecting and running. Chancellor Lina Soh seems like the opposite of Palpatine if Charles Soule’s description of her is anything to go by.
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Chancellor Lina Soh runs the galactic government and Charles Soule describes her as “enlightened.” Lina Soh has introduced a motto to the galaxy, “We are all the Republic.” This theory is intended to bring the galaxy together and unite the inhabitants. Star Wars is full of different folks who are different species coming from different planets with different cultures, but somehow the Chancellor has found a way to make everyone feel connected. It’s the organizing principle that helps to find compromise and get rid of divisiveness.
Chancellor Lina Soh has not only introduced this galactic motto she has also started a program of great works which could have similarities to Kennedy’s declaration that America would make it to the moon by the end of the decade. One notable program in the great works that was talked about during the livestream was the Galactic Fair which is similar to the real life World’s Fair. This fair is about progress and sharing new technology.
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One of the things that will be clear from the start is this is not the usual Star Wars story. There is no ongoing war between factions of the galaxy, no mysterious Sith pulling strings from the shadows, this is not an era of rebels fighting to free the galaxy from an oppressive regime. This is the Jedi as they were always meant to be. This is the Republic at the height of its progress, prosperity, and exploration. This is an exciting opportunity that the creators seem to have taken full advantage of to bring in not only a new era of Star Wars storytelling, but a new Star Wars era.
Star Wars: The High Republic officially launches January 5, 2021 with the release of Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule, A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland, and The Great Jedi Rescue by Cavan Scott. Cavan Scott’s Star Wars: The High Republic Marvel comic series first issue will be released on January 6, 2021. February 2, 2021 Claudia Gray’s Into The Dark will be available and then February 21, 2021 IDW’s The High Republic Adventures by Daniel Jose Older will be released.
You can watch the full Star Wars: The High Republic Launch Event now. What do you think about the inspiration for The High Republic era? Are you excited to see the Golden Age of the Jedi? Which book and/or comics are you most looking forward to? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media.
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Source: Star Wars Youtube
