As “Star Wars” fans, there isn’t much to complain about these days, toxic fandom aside. Sure, you can complain about the inconsistent quality in the recent trilogy, and the Disney+ shows have been hit and miss (see “The Book Of Boba Fett”). But they have ramped up their pipeline, and we’re getting at least three live-action series for 2023, including the “Ahsoka” series. Now, it’s time to add yet another series to the slate, as Lucasfilm has officially announced “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures,” a new animated anthology series.
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The announcement was made during a panel as part of the annual “Star Wars” Celebration event, which has brought us news about stories in a galaxy far, far away since 1999 (a year which itself feels like a galaxy, far, far, away). Featured on the panel was writer Dave Filoni, who has played a major role in several “Star Wars” projects, including the beloved animated series ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars.’
Interestingly, the new animated series originally was said to be called “Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi,” named as a series of comic books published by Dark Horse from 1993 to 1998 (in fact, Lucasfilm film materials from Celebrations leaked and even “confirmed” the title, but it was changed before the announcement). Regardless, there still could be connections. Borne from the mind of Tom Veitch, the comics took place 4000 years before the events of the movies, during a turbulent time that saw the ancient Jedi Order at war against the Sith. And given that “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is confirmed to be taking place in the High Republic era (thousands of years before the events of the original “Star Wars” trilogy), all that timeline stuff still matches.
Veitch is considered one of the intellectual pillars of the “Star Wars” Expanded Universe (EU), stories that filled a void in “Star Wars” content in the mid-to-late ’90s. As fans know, while the EU isn’t considered canon anymore, many current “Star Wars” creators love those stories. They have a deep affection for some of the characters introduced during these periods and have been reviving them in a new context (see Grand Admiral Thrawn, who is poised to join the current ‘Mandalorian’ storylines soon).
While Disney and Lucasfilm seem to be taking a break from feature films in the aftermath of the conclusion of the Skywalker saga, the Force is very strong with its live-action and animated series. These expansive and vivid stories contain something for every “Star Wars” fan ranging from your Jedi elders, always eager to drop a factoid about the original trilogy, to young Padawans raised by the likes of Rey and Finn. “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is coming to Disney+ during the spring of 2023.