What is The High Republic? The Acolyte’s new Star Wars era explained
Star Wars is now split into nine distinct eras and one of those – The High Republic – makes its live-action debut with The Acolyte, the new series on Disney Plus starring Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, and Manny Jacinto.
But you may have some questions before diving into The Acolyte: what is The High Republic exactly? Where does it fall on the Star Wars timeline? And how does it set itself apart from the prequels, sequels, and original trilogy?
Below, you’ll find a quick cheat sheet to The Acolyte, one that should provide you with answers to all of the burning questions you have about an exciting new chapter in a galaxy far, far away.
What is The High Republic?
As per Star Wars.com, The High Republic is given this synopsis: "Under the protection of the Jedi Knights and the wise rule of the Senate, the Republic grows into a golden age. The vast Outer Rim beckons the intrepid seeking to discover new worlds and spread the optimism of the Republic."
First announced in 2020, what was once known as Project Luminous was unveiled to the world as The High Republic – Lucasfilm’s opening gambit for "an epic new era of Star Wars storytelling."
Encompassing books and comics for readers of all ages, The High Republic – according to the original reveal – provides "a vast amount of room to tell Star Wars stories with new adventures and original characters."
"We are so excited to be opening up such a rich, fertile era for our authors to explore," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said at the time. "We’ll get to see the Jedi in their prime."
In-universe, The High Republic is a period of stability and peace in the galaxy, set centuries before the events of The Phantom Menace.
The Jedi here are at their zenith, operating as peacekeepers in a galaxy not yet fully disturbed by the dark side of the Force or the shadowy spectre of the Sith.
This period also sees the Republic look further afield in the galaxy and explore the Outer Rim. It is a time of intellectual curiosity and expansion – instead of in-fighting and insular thinking.
While we won’t go into detail on every major High Republic event, one blot on the period is aptly known as The Great Disaster.
Taking place around a century before the events of The Acolyte, The Great Disaster saw The Legacy Run, a freight transport, destroyed while travelling at lightspeed. As a result, parts of the ship were shot out and caused untold destruction across the galaxy, killing countless people.
The Nihil – The High Republic’s villains, marauders who could zip about the galaxy using the mysterious ‘Paths’ at their disposal – took responsibility and later attacked the Republic.
After many further atrocities, the Nihil cordoned off much of the Outer Rim. The Jedi, now more tentative in their exploration, were forced to retreat and regroup back on Coruscant.
Where is The High Republic on the Star Wars timeline?
The High Republic begins in 500 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and ends around 100 BBY, meaning that the era lasts from 500 years before the Battle of Yavin in A New Hope to 100 years before the climactic event which saw the destruction of the first Death Star.
The Acolyte, meanwhile, takes place in 132 BBY, 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace and the prequels.
In terms of the wider picture of the Star Wars franchise, here’s how The High Republic fits in with all nine named eras.
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)
Where do I start with The High Republic and what should I read next?
Undoubtedly, the best starting point for The High Republic is Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi novel, which was released in 2021. Not only is it the first High Republic work to be released, it’s also the best entry point in terms of the era’s themes, politics, and galactic backdrop.
Cavan Scott’s novel The Rising Storm and his five-issue High Republic comic series are also key texts, as is 2022’s The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray. Each kick off The High Republic’s first phase, Light of the Jedi.
From there, you’re free to pick and choose at the High Republic's history as you wish. With dozens of short stories, comics, and novels at your fingertips, it’s up to you which plot strands you follow next across the next two phases. The Quest of the Jedi is the second phase, taking place 150 years prior to Light of the Jedi. The third phase, Trials of the Jedi, acts as a direct follow-up to Light of the Jedi.
If you want to seriously do your homework, we’d recommend bookmarking Star Wars’ complete High Republic chronological order guide – with every single story put in its correct place on the timeline. Be warned: it's a mammoth undertaking.
And, of course, there’s The Acolyte – the new Star Wars series on Disney Plus. For more on the series, check out The Acolyte timeline, The Acolyte release schedule, our interview with the cast talking about its expansive sets, and our sitdown with Master Sol actor Lee Jung-jae.
