Should’ve posted this on May the 4th, but writing a post on Star Wars is daunting. Especially when so many have studied the lore in extreme depth. So why am I trying? Well, we learn from what we consume. Rather than rambling about all my ideas, I figured it’d be more interesting to study successful works and gather knowledge from my favorite franchises.
Here’s my disclaimer: I did not read, watch, and inspect with a microscope every single piece of media with the name Star Wars attached. I’ll leave that to major fans like the one that entertained me with their deep analysis (see citations below). I’m gonna speak broader and hit points that alter the structure of the universe and how races interact. That’s the meat of developing a compelling back story for your world, and that’s what I want to examine.
Setting the Stage and “Magic” Systems
We need to go further than a “long, long time ago” to find the origins of the Star Wars universe. According to the galactic timeline, planets and life forms formed over time, each connected to the mysterious force we know and love. Thanks to The Clone Wars tv show, three Force-enhanced beings were thrown into the mix: Father, Brother, and Sister. The Sister represented the light side, the Brother the dark. The Father maintained balance between the two, keeping the universe and its life forms fair from a spiritual sense.
While they hid in a sort of exhile, the rest of the universe evolved. Some planets built massive cities populated by thousands of people, others kept to tradition and fought amongst themselves. Amidst all this, people recognized that some had stronger connections to the force than others. It’s not totally clear why; all that’s known is that these individuals are able to manipulate the world around them. Their power brings them together, but also tears them apart.
Jedi, Sith, and the Struggle for Power
Qui-gon’s about as far back as I go, but the Jedi Order had many members before him. Including sith lords. Using the recently discovered kyber crystals on Illum to craft weapons, the strongest force wielders of the time built temples and trained in the ways of the force and the new Jedi Order. When immeasurable power is involved though, some are corrupted.
The first siths were jedi who discovered they could become stronger if they leaned into the dark side of the force. The Jedi Order clung to the light side, and so worked to destroy the sith. This meant millenia of combat and protecting worlds from the influence of the dark side. The sith weren’t just fighting the jedi though. In-fighting was prevalent because each sith wanted more power. That’s when Sith Lord Darth Bane implemented the rule of two: a master and apprentice.
The sith ceased to exist in the public eye, passing their teaching down one by one. At the same time, the Jedi Order focused on the concerns of the galaxy, becoming peacemakers. They battle with Mandalorians, smugglers, and the like while training force-sensitive younglings in the way of the jedi. These rivals don’t rekindle their battle until Darth Sidious, who wins the Chosen One to his side and destroys the Jedi Order from the inside.
A Galaxy of Stories
While listening to a complete timeline of Star Wars, I was fascinated to hear a bounty of stories starring individuals I’ve never heard of. While the jedi were more prominent and the sith in hiding, various groups of people had their own misadventures with the force and each other.
For example, did you know Rey wasn’t the first to try bringing someone back from the dead? The force-sensitive wife of Lord Korvac tried to revive her husband with an artifact known as the Bright Star, but inevitably failed and destroyed her planet in the process. This was the origin of Mustafar.
While the force connected everything, every world was different. The war between the Mandalorians and jedi destroyed their planet, forcing them into domed cities. Some chose to overcome their past and seek pacifism while others held to tradition and insisted upon violence. This heritage created iconic characters like Boba Fett.
What’s the point? One’s decisions can be linked to their perspective on history. And what happens in history changes the outlook of one’s future.
Saving Star Wars?
Nowadays, Star Wars leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths. I know people who watch the media simply because they love the franchise, but even they can admit the quality and love for the lore isn’t quite there. And that’s the strong point of Star Wars. Shows like the Clone Wars took the existing history and expanded upon it, adding more depth to the original lore. Same with books, graphics novels, and so on.
Has Star Wars said all it can? I don’t think so. In my opinion, current works are falling short because they ignore the lore and the fact other beings live in this universe. Everyone’s connected to the Jedi, everything links directly to the original dream team (Luke, Han, Leia). All roads lead to Darth Vader (I’m so sick of it, yet he’s the only captivating villain). We need more stories like season 1 of the Mandalorian and Rogue One. Individuals disconnected from the Jedi, surviving in strange landscapes and turbulent times. Media that smiles on the developed lore and deepens it in a respectful manner.
That’s my two cents. Don’t ask me to write a Star Wars story cause they already took my first female clone (Bad Batch). Think they took my Zilo beast too, but it’s okay. I got my own space adventures to write.