Star Wars: The High Republic, new Eldorado for Disney, everything you need to know

news culture Star Wars: The High Republic, new Eldorado for Disney, everything you need to know

When telling gamers about titles set in the pre-movie Star Wars universe, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the first thing that comes to mind. Developed by Bioware, this series consists of three works, namely the two role-playing games KOTOR and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic. By setting its storyline in the world of Star Wars but far removed from feature films, the developers of Mass Effect were able to offer adventures that left their mark on the players so much that the first episode deserves a remake on PS5.

The High Republic, the Jedi Golden Age and the threat of the Nihil

Unfortunately, after repurchasing the Star Wars license in 2012, Disney made the decision that all Expanded Universe works produced since 1977 were no longer canon and eliminated this video game saga from the current continuity. With the Old Republic as we knew it no longer in existence, members of the Lucasfilm Story Group, a group of writers responsible for keeping the franchise cohesive, are now free to offer new stories set before the events of are Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. After teasing in 2019, Lucasfilm has finally unveiled a cross-media literary project set two hundred years before the first prequel, during a time known as the High Republic.. This new saga will be divided into three phases, which in turn are divided into several different waves: Light of the Jedi, Jedi Quest and Trials of the Jedi.

To present this young era, three novels and two comic series are planned by authors who have already dealt with other Star Wars works. We then discover that at that time, The Galactic Republic is in its golden age and stretches to the Mid Rim, while the Outer Rim is a wild and brutal, disorderly territory. In this context, the Jedi are then at the height of their fame and glory as protectors of the Republic. But during the events narrated in the seminal novel of the time, Star Wars: The High Republic – Light of the Jedi, hyperspace drama will upset the balance of the galaxy and push the Jedi to the limit. This tragedy is later referred to as the Great Catastrophe.

We’ll discover that later Force users face off against the Nihil, a particularly violent group of pirates who operate in the Outer Rim and will make life miserable for them. It’s not really an extraterrestrial race, but rather an organization that follows a strict code. This structure is then divided into multiple branches called Storm, each headed by a Master Storm. Above them is a figure known as the Eye of the Nihil, whose status is superior to the Storm Masters without being the undisputed leader of the Nihil. The members of this group value discretion, fight with the help of chemical gases and wear masks that allow them to breathe safely and hide their identities. To be safe from the Jedi, the Nihil have established their headquarters called the Great Hall in a region of the galaxy only they can enter: Nospace.

What projects take place during the High Republic?

Apart from the regularly appearing novels, comics and manga, other projects outside of literature are also planned during this time. As for video games, Star Wars Eclipse is obviously the most anticipated title after being unveiled during the recent Game Awards ceremony

. Developed by Quantic Dream, to whom we owe Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls or even Detroit: Become Human, this trailer shows several planets and different situations that suggest a particularly ambitious title for the Parisian studio. Unfortunately, according to several rumors, the project is not planned at all immediately. Finally, among the many Star Wars games in development, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that some are set during the High Republic.

As far as audiovisual creations go, Disney is currently quite cautious with this new period. Only one piece of content is currently known to be in production and scheduled to be released as is on Disney+ series The Acolyte. Little is known about the latter, other than that it is set in the final days of the High Republic and focuses on the rise of the dark side.. In terms of tone, the series is set to take the form of a thriller and will be directed by Leslye Headland, a producer and screenwriter best known for her work on romantic comedies. Furthermore, keep in mind that even if this takes place 200 years before the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, it’s possible that we’re entitled to cameos from characters known to fans like Yoda, since the latter lived to be 900 years old. In any case, it wouldn’t be surprising if Disney used the Star Wars saga holiday scheduled for May 4th to announce new projects for its VOD platform.