The legendary Star Wars franchise started almost fifty years ago and has since accumulated a bunch of films, series, and animated series that are closely intertwined. On this Star Wars Day, we have prepared a detailed guide to all film projects with...

This material was first published on May 4, 2024. The latest updates were made in May 2025.

Today, to fully immerse yourself in the cinematic universe, you need to stock up on considerable patience and find a lot of free time, because modern Star Wars consists of 11 films, 7 animated series, 7 TV series, and 1 feature-length animated film (at the time of editing this material). And that's just the film canon (!!!), which continues to expand, given the big plans the "mouse corporation" has for the franchise, considering announcements and upcoming premieres. Starting your journey and simultaneously figuring out what to watch and in what order can be a labor-intensive and time-consuming task, so we hope our guide can make it easier.

Before we begin, we'd like to clarify a couple of points. All projects in this material are arranged according to the chronology of events in the universe, where the main reference point is the Battle of Yavin, a crucial battle for the entire galaxy far, far away. This system of dating is the most common among others and is called the "Standard Galactic Calendar." Calendar entries look like this: "N years before the Battle of Yavin (BBY)" or "N years after the Battle of Yavin (ABY)."

We have divided the material into 5 conditional blocks. The first and largest is the official canon of modern Star Wars, approved by Disney. The second and third blocks include projects from the "mouse corporation" that are either non-canonical or not required viewing, even though they are part of the cinematic universe. The fourth section collects all the very childish entertainment and promotional web series. And in the last part of the guide, you can find projects that were once canon but, after Disney absorbed Lucasfilm, became so-called "Legends."

Chronicle of a Galaxy Far, Far Away

This section of the guide collects all canonical films, series, and animated series arranged in chronological order. It should be noted that our guide only covers the film canon, but in reality, the Star Wars universe includes not only cinematic products but also a bunch of books, comics, and games released after the fall of 2014 (for example, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order). Some canonical projects may be of questionable quality, while select "Legends" will forever remain cult favorites for fans (like the "Thrawn Trilogy"), but there's nothing to be done about it, as we can't argue with Disney. So let's just move on to the guide.

232 BBY — Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (2023-present, 2 seasons, 12 shorts + 48 episodes)

This children's animated series follows the adventures of younglings Kai, Lys, and Nubs. Together with their pilot friend Nash, who has a droid named RJ, the kids explore Tenoo and other planets of the Outer Rim, and also confront the pirate gang of Taborr. All these adventures will one day help them become real Jedi.

The events of the project take place as far back as 200 years before the main storyline, during the time of the High Republic. Lucasfilm definitely created the show to attract the youngest audience to the cinematic universe. It features typical modern Disney, as along with primitive stories that bluntly state "what is good and what is bad," there is an agenda. For example, 90% of human characters have dark skin, and I don't know if that's racism or fairness.

In general, "Young Jedi Adventures" stands at the very beginning of the canonical timeline, but starting your acquaintance with the franchise with them is naturally not necessary (nor is watching them at all). Perhaps if you want to start watching Star Wars with children, the animated series can help you with that, but at the moment it holds no value for the cinematic universe.

132 BBY — The Acolyte (2024, 1 season, 8 episodes)

In a bar on a remote planet, Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss) is killed. The main suspect is Osha (Amandla Stenberg), who left the Order without completing her training. Her former teacher and Indara's friend, Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), is sent to find her. The investigation is complicated by the fact that Jedi continue to be killed, Osha has a twin sister, and that sister has a Sith teacher. The case takes an unpleasant turn, and the plot wanders from confusing to incoherent, heading towards an inevitable destination—not so much an excuse for evil, but a sad understanding that any system is flawed and people in white robes are not always better than those who prefer darker colors.

It's difficult to evaluate objectively, since its release was accompanied by incessant debates: does the show's creator respect the legacy of Star Wars or not (at some point the question of respect began to be asked in a manner close to thuggish)? How excessive is the story with the witches? How poorly did the actors perform? How boring is the intrigue and how poorly thought out is the plot? The show has moderately devoted fans (fewer of them) and quite desperate haters (more of them, as usual), who correlate in quantitative proportion like Sith and Jedi. In keeping with the spirit of the series, both positions are vulnerable, and the truth is somewhere in between. It's not the best show in the franchise, but it's not as bad a spectacle as many would like it to be.

Evgeny Belousov

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The series has an uneven pulse and a faltering tone, occasionally overly straightforward, but it's a fairly honest authorial statement—there's something to think about and discuss. The gothic line with the duality of the main heroines and the sad story of a single mistake, unacknowledged and therefore grown into tragedy, could, under other circumstances, become a subject of passionate discussions far more interesting than the gender of R2-D2.

32 BBY — Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his Padawan (apprentice) Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) travel to the planet Naboo, which is being blockaded by the greedy Trade Federation. The Republic's ambassadors are supposed to resolve the conflict but fall into a trap because the Viceroy of the Trade Federation is obeying the mysterious Darth Sidious, who ordered the invasion of the planet and the killing of the Jedi.

The first episode in the story chronology was released fourth in order and belongs to the so-called "prequel trilogy." Here, the creator of the Star Wars universe, George Lucas, personally returned to directing after a 22-year hiatus. At the time of its premiere, the film was received ambiguously, and it still looks a bit strange in places (there are even things that were later disowned), but after a quarter of a century and a bunch of projects, the episode certainly cannot be called bad.

Firstly, "The Phantom Menace" is the only film that allowed itself to play on the resemblance of Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley (both actresses participated in the filming). And secondly, one of the most striking (literally and figuratively) antagonists of the franchise appears here—a demon-like Sith from the planet Dathomir named Darth Maul. But if during viewing you still think, "Well, it could have been done better," then save that thought for later. This is just the very beginning of a long journey.

22 BBY — Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)

The film begins with an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala. She survives, is rescued again, and flees the capital to Naboo, her home planet. She is accompanied by Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), now a Jedi Padawan, self-absorbed but undoubtedly heroic. Besides himself, he loves Padmé. And he seems to love her even more strongly, although this is forbidden by the Jedi Code. While they spend time in the romantic setting of meadows and coasts, Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight, tracks down Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison)—the suspected assassin who tried to kill the senator. Following him to the mysterious planet Kamino, he discovers a factory producing clones—genetically modified copies of Fett, created to become the army of the Republic. Then Kenobi's and Skywalker's lines somehow converge, and the paranoid intrigue in a galaxy far, far away goes, as they say, quite far.

Both the teacher and the student have, to put it mildly, questionable success in their adventures, and what the whole film was about is not immediately clear. Probably, the main thing Lucas does here is retell his favorite spy films of the seventies. For example, "The Conversation" by his friend Coppola. Or "Blow Out" by De Palma. Wiretapping, hired killers, debates about democracy, and ethical questions are in place. There are even two of the latter. First, is it permissible to use clones as soldiers (after all, no one asked them if they wanted this)? Second, is a democratic republic really the best form of government (this is discussed even by Anakin and Padmé, having no better topic for a romantic dinner)? It seems no and yes, but opinions may differ here, and that's what the film is about.

22 BBY — Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

The protracted conflict between the Republic and the Separatists, known as the Clone Wars, is in full swing. Anakin Skywalker is no longer a Padawan but a full-fledged Jedi Knight, actively participating in various battles. He, along with his former teacher Obi-Wan Kenobi, is on the planet Christophsis, where Master Yoda sends 14-year-old Ahsoka Tano as reinforcements, who is destined to become Skywalker's Padawan. Young Tano immediately proves that the student is perfectly suited to her teacher.

This feature-length animated film is essentially an extended pilot (quite an expansion, combining an entire arc of 4 episodes into one project) for the animated series of the same name, which began airing literally later that same year. Lucas himself said it was something between "Beowulf" and the works of Pixar. Although the film was coolly received by critics, it was commercially successful (though, frankly, it didn't become a box office hit). However, the main point is not that at all, but that the film's director Dave Filoni touched Star Wars and began creating a history that is still being written.

22-19 BBY — Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020, 7 seasons, 133 episodes)

— a legendary animated series of the Star Wars franchise, fully covering the military conflict between the Galactic Republic with its clone army and the Separatists with their numerous droid hordes. The project, led by showrunner Dave Filoni, completely fills the time gap between Episodes 2 and 3. The events of The Clone Wars closely lead up to Revenge of the Sith (see below), and in some places, actions even occur parallel to the final film of the prequel trilogy.

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On screen appear both beloved fan-favorite characters (Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Yoda, Mace Windu) and characters yet to be loved with all your heart (Ahsoka Tano, Captain Rex, Gregor, Bo-Katan Kryze, Cad Bane). The series perfectly expands the boundaries of the canonical cinematic universe, and thanks to it, Star Wars becomes even more attractive and interesting. Everyone was satisfied, because the series hit the mark with fans and, importantly, with newcomers. So to speak, another attempt (not the first and, as is already clear, not the last) to attract new viewers.

Initially, episodes aired on Cartoon Network, and the sixth season was released on Netflix in 2014, after which the series came to its logical conclusion (it seemed). But no, in the late 2010s, Disney decides that it urgently needs to launch its own streaming service, which means it needs something to attract subscribers. So they dusted off the legendary animated series, and on the coronavirus Star Wars Day, the final episode of The Clone Wars premiered, now undoubtedly cult. Believe me, these episodes are worth your time.

The episodes of The Clone Wars within the series are not in chronological order, so if anyone wants to watch the show following the sequence of the plot, we have compiled a scheme to help with that. For convenience and space saving, the word "season" will be denoted by the letter "S", and the word "episode" by the letter "E" (for example, first season, first episode is S1E1):

19 BBY — Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi are on a dangerous mission to rescue the captured Chancellor of the Republic, Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Within the first forty minutes, the heroes both duel Count Dooku (the great Christopher Lee), fight the spider-like General Grievous, get into a comedic elevator incident, and manage to land a burning half of a cruiser quite smoothly. It seems, in general, that this could be the end, but this is only the beginning of the tragic story of how, in the war between the Separatists (planetary systems seeking independence) and the Republic, the Empire won.

A film criticized upon its release but subjected to serious revision later, it is now considered one of the best films in the franchise and is included in the lists of key science fiction of the 2000s. This is a cumbersome, extremely unwieldy, and, frankly, held together by a thread epic—Lucas's last directorial project and, of course, a great film.

Great because behind the giant amount of amusing chroma key, dialogues broken down into memes, and canvases of grand battles, a very human story is still visible. This film is not only about politics, war, and its consequences but also about how a specific person broke. How from the sum of wrong choices, the only possible outcome emerged. And how nothing could actually have prevented it. Terrible times gave rise to a terrible man. These are the most hopeless Star Wars in the world and, at the same time, of course, mesmerizing.

Between 68-58 BBY - between 18-5 BBY — Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (2022, 1 season, 6 episodes)

The series reveals two very different Jedi fates—Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. Ahsoka's path is traced from birth to the end of the Clone Wars. Dooku's path is shown in three episodes of difficult ethical choices (his own and those of fellow Jedi), where each time something goes wrong.

The episodes with Ahsoka are quite successful, but she is, of course, a somewhat overly developed character. Another five years of such popularity, and it will turn out that everything in Star Wars happened only because of Ahsoka's assistance. Or something like that. Count Dooku, on the other hand, is a popular but, by and large, not too clear character, and the series manages to reveal him quite well.

The best episode, of course, is the one with Jedi Master Yaddle. A tragic and, in the best sense, poignant story. It's worth watching everything for this. And maybe for Ahsoka's farming odyssey in the finale.

20 BBY - 9 ABY — Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (2024, 1 season, 6 episodes)

"Tales of the Empire" is the same kind of anthology as "Tales of the Jedi," only it tells stories about not-so-important characters (one might even say tertiary): Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee. As a result, the animated series turned out to be an order of magnitude worse and less interesting than its predecessor. This time, Dave Filoni does not mix episodes with each other but dedicates three consecutive episodes to each heroine. Morgan Elsbeth's arc shows her three paths (it would seem, webcam, bookmarks, and IT, but no): fear, anger, and hatred, illustrating the fall to the Dark Side. And Barriss Offee's part reveals her fate after the end of the Clone Wars.

It is unclear based on what considerations these particular heroines were chosen, but they clearly lose out to both Count Dooku with his difficult ethical choices and the rather tiresome Ahsoka. It's a sin to complain about the technical aspect, but script-wise, Dave Filoni again undermines his reputation. Perhaps if viewers were told stories about, say, the Grand Inquisitor and Asajj Ventress, the anthology would have been more engaging. Or they needed to come up with less banal plots for such unpopular heroines. Well, tales are not sparrows.

19-18 BBY — Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021-2024, 3 seasons, 47 episodes)

The spin-off of the series "The Clone Wars" is dedicated to the fate of Clone Force 99, a squad of five defective clones who were sent on the most difficult missions during the war. At the end of the Clone Wars, all members of the squad except Crosshair refuse to execute Order 66 and kill the Jedi. After that, the sniper leaves the squad and swears allegiance to the Empire, while Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Echo become deserters, saving their sister, the female clone Omega, an exact genetic copy of Jango Fett, from the planet Kamino. Together they try to survive in a rapidly changing world.

The first season, frankly, did not impress the imagination—it was a decent imitation of The Clone Wars, but the abundance of cameos overshadowed the main storyline. However, from the second season, the series stopped being ashamed of its secondariness and turned into an outstanding spectacle. Here, Clone Force 99 fights a giant mixture of a Xenomorph and Godzilla (literally), Crosshair searches for the meaning of life in a location from The Thing, the cute blue senator Chuchi experiences her own Three Days of the Condor, and in the third season, the clones even parody Mad Max in places of military glory from Rogue One.

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The premiere of the series The Bad Batch is timed to May 4—International Star Wars Day. The project is released on Disney+ and will introduce fans to Clone Force 99 after the events of The Clone Wars

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At the same time, behind the abundance of references to popular culture and other projects from the Star Wars universe, there is a rather sad and touching series about war heroes who do not understand how to live on. Their search for the meaning of life is a mirror reflection of what is happening with the former Republic. Its transformation into the Empire is presented here as a heavy, tragic process of immersion into inevitable darkness, so no matter what feats the heroes perform, they will not save anyone with them. This is a rare children's show in which every victory is accompanied by thoughts of global defeat. No one promised a "New Hope" to the heroes of "The Bad Batch."

10 BBY (13 BBY — prologue) — Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

A very young Han Solo escapes from Corellia and enlists in the Imperial fleet. His girlfriend Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) remains on the planet. Han promises to return for her but cannot—he has no money and no prospects. He escapes from the front of a hopeless war only a few years later with the Wookiee Chewbacca and Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson), a notorious mercenary who undertakes to teach Han some of the tricks of the trade.

In the iconic role of Harrison Ford, Alden Ehrenreich stars here, copying the legendary actor and bringing something new to the character. His Solo is not yet so cynical—he is a smart but slightly gullible young man. He hopes for victory more often than he should; trusts those he loves (in vain); does not learn to shoot first right away. Similarly similar to themselves from the "original trilogy" but at the same time slightly different are Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) and Chewbacca, both quite remarkable.

In "Solo," much did not work out, primarily because the film was reshot after a conflict between the studio and the original directors. However, much in this film is still quite successful: Tobias Beckett is a surprisingly full-blooded character, the line with the feminist droid is brilliant, all the scenes on the Millennium Falcon are excellent, and the finale opens up new horizons. It's all the more unfortunate that after the film's box office failure, the story did not get a continuation.

9 BBY — Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022, 1 season, 6 episodes)

Obi-Wan Kenobi is forced to leave his hiding place on Tatooine when he is called upon by an old friend, Senator Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits). He asks the Jedi to find his daughter Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), who has been kidnapped by bandits. The investigation of the kidnapping leads Kenobi to a confrontation with Imperial Inquisitors (Jedi hunters) and the one he fears meeting most—Darth Vader.

Initially, they wanted to make a film about the life of the great Jedi between the events of the prequels and the original trilogy, but for some reason they made a mini-series. The artificial stretching of the plot in the resulting work is very noticeable, so many considered it the biggest series failure of Star Wars. Perhaps that's true, and the series has serious script problems, but it also has its merits. It's joyful to see Ewan McGregor again in the role of Obi-Wan. The actress who played Leia is quite good, although child actors are usually a disaster. The duels with Vader are brilliantly staged. There are several touching subplots.

Nadezhda Vasilyeva

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Probably, the main thing in "Kenobi" is the sad tone. This is a very sad story about a great man in terrible times, by and large—something like a hagiography. An unexpected genre for a space opera. Obi-Wan lost everything but did not become a villain, but a sage. He did not fall, but ascended. Rare sadness and rare charisma of the actor McGregor.

5-1 BBY (epilogue 9 ABY) — Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018, 4 seasons, 74 episodes)

A teenager named Ezra Bridger, living on the planet Lothal, crosses paths by fate with the crew of rebels from the spaceship Ghost, consisting of pilot Hera Syndulla, Mandalorian Sabine Wren, the Lasat strongman Zeb Orrelios, the droid Chopper, and the Jedi Kanan Jarrus, who later becomes a teacher for the Force-sensitive boy. Together, the squad opposes the dictatorship of the Empire and fights stormtroopers, Inquisitors, and even Darth Vader himself.

And we return again to Dave Filoni. "Rebels" is essentially a kind of sequel to "The Clone Wars" from the same showrunner. Of course, the story is primarily dedicated to the Ghost crew, but the animated series also brings back Ahsoka, some clones, and continues their arcs. Other familiar faces from both the films and the animated series also appear, but new characters are not forgotten either. For example, the legendary (yes, another one) antagonist appears here—Grand Admiral Thrawn.

The project can undoubtedly also be attributed to an attempt to expand the audience (mainly consisting of those who are assigned homework), and it looks more childish than "The Clone Wars," but still it is a full-fledged series that perfectly expands the canon and does not forget about fans, which cannot be said about some (see item "Young Jedi Adventures"). "Rebels" is definitely a worthy pastime, but not only that, it is an important series for the canon that will have to be remembered in the future.

5 BBY — Andor (2022-2025, 2 seasons, 24 episodes)

During the peak of Imperial dictatorship, a certain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is searching for his sister and gets into trouble that sets off such a chain of events that the character eventually becomes involved in the ranks of the Resistance by a mysterious man named Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård).

The series is probably the best TV series that has been released under the Star Wars brand so far (my colleague and I unanimously consider it great). A show without a single Jedi captivates so strongly that even filler episodes are sometimes watched with bated breath, and the prison arc is something truly special. Overall, the project turned out to be universal and will most likely appeal not only to those who adore the franchise but also to those who don't like it.

Ivan Kilyakov

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The first season of Andor has ended. We watched this series, beloved by critics and not too popular with viewers, and tell you why it is a great show and the best Star

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A serious narrative tone, acute political issues, a different view of the rebels and revolution in general, complex and interesting characters (including the poignant Fiona Shaw), excellent and expensive visuals, epic music, and simply a gripping plot. What more could you want for an ideal series? Here it is, the new hope of the cinematic universe.

0 BBY — Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

The Rebel Alliance tries to obtain the plans of the secret Imperial superweapon (the "Death Star"), for which they free Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) from prison, the daughter of Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), a high-ranking Imperial engineer. He is one of the key creators of the Death Star, who was once forced to work for the Empire. Jyn, Cassian Andor, and several very diverse rebel fighters, having received the necessary information from Galen, decide against orders to steal the plans of the monstrous weapon. This leads to a full-scale battle.

Director Gareth Edwards, who had previously directed two Godzilla films, did the impossible in "Rogue One": he radically deviated from canonical plots and yet made a film that everyone liked. It turned out that the atmosphere of a kind of "Saving Private Ryan" perfectly reflects the mood of the rebellion against the Empire—a hopeless struggle against a significantly superior enemy. And, of course, the Death Star in this film finally got its moment of glory, even more grandiose than in the distant 1977. Here it truly terrifies.

0 BBY/0 ABY — Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

The ship of Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), who has obtained important plans for the deadly weapon the Death Star, is attacked by Imperial stormtroopers led by Darth Vader himself. Before falling into the villain's hands, the princess manages to record a plea for help for the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and send it with the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO to Tatooine. The droids are first captured but eventually bought by young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who will soon learn that the old man living nearby is that very Kenobi, and that the boy himself is sensitive to the Force. Luke and Obi-Wan seek help from the smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his Wookiee friend Chewbacca to help them rescue the captured princess.

"A New Hope" is what Star Wars actually started with. A legendary, cult, great (and all other similar epithets) film that grew into a huge space epic with a bunch of projects and a sea of fans. In the words of a classic: "Here IT is, and then come 'Revenge of the Sith,' 'The Mandalorian,' and all the rest. It stands at the top." If in the far, far away 1974 George Lucas had not become interested in certain books and films, then we probably wouldn't have all that this most fascinating franchise has given the world.

The fourth episode is the first film in the so-called "original trilogy." The film was released almost half a century ago, conquered the box office and critics, won 7 Oscars, and has been restored multiple times (most recently in 2019), so all the special effects look quite decent, making the film watchable even for those who like to complain about old movies. I don't think much needs to be said about the fourth episode. It's an interesting classic for years to come with cool characters, and it must be watched. Absolutely!

3 ABY — Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

After the victory at the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of the Death Star, the Alliance forces are driven out of their former base by the Empire. Now the rebels are located on the icy planet Hoth (well, you get the joke), but Darth Vader and his probe droids are still breathing down their necks. Soon the base is discovered and attacked by the Empire, so the rebels have to leave another hideout and split up. Han, Leia, Chewie, and C-3PO take refuge in Cloud City with Han's old acquaintance Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), while Luke and R2-D2 head to the planet Dagobah, where the old Jedi Master Yoda lives as a hermit, with whom Skywalker can continue his training. Unfortunately, he won't be able to learn much because his friends end up in the hands of Darth Vader and need help.

Three years after the premiere of "A New Hope," a simply explosive sequel with an incredible twist hit the big screens. Many include "The Empire" in the list of the best sequels that managed to surpass the first part, and there, as you understand, aren't that many films. And that's worth a lot, because often it's hard to even repeat the success of the original, let alone surpass it. True, here they had something to boast about: even greater scale, even more space adventures, the first appearance of Yoda, and a crazy ending!

The fifth episode is no less cult than the fourth, and among fans there will be plenty of people who will call it the best Star Wars film in principle, and it's extremely hard to argue with them! Of course, there's no accounting for taste, but it's thanks to "The Empire" (and Spider-Man) that Iron Man's team was able to knock down the giant Ant-Man in "Civil War." What other film can boast such an achievement? That's right.

4 ABY — Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

The Imperials are building a second Death Star, even more enormous and protected than the previous one. The rebels figure out how to destroy it. Everything is complicated by the unresolved relationship between Han and Leia, the fact that Luke found family where he sought revenge, and, of course, the fact that there are so few freedom fighters and so many stormtroopers. To destroy the protective shield of the new deadly planet and give the rebel fleet a chance to attack it, the trio of heroes heads to Endor, a forest planet where an Imperial garrison coexists with Ewoks, the most charming marketing ploy in history.

In its year of release, this film was not so warmly received by critics and audiences—after all, the plot setup here is built on a larger-scale repetition of the lessons of "A New Hope." It is all the more surprising that although the story of the great fourth episode is repeated here for the second time, it does not turn from tragedy into farce. On the contrary, "Return of the Jedi" is a sometimes very funny, but generally serious and insightful film. Mark Hamill acts selflessly; everything related to Vader is amazing; in the second half of the film, despair and hope intertwine with such force that even the cute Ewoks cannot break the pathos. And, which is rare, the pathos is completely justified.

And the Ewoks are, of course, the personification of the audience. Both we and they, and, naturally, Han Solo, are doomed to look at Carrie Fisher with loving eyes throughout the film.

9 ABY — The Mandalorian (2019-2023, 3 seasons, 24 episodes)

The Empire has fallen, but its remnants are still active, especially on the planets of the Outer Rim. A Mandalorian bounty hunter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) receives a task from one of the remaining cells to find and retrieve a certain object, which turns out to be a child of the same species as Master Yoda. As a result, the bounty hunter decides not to hand the baby over to the Imperials but to take him under his protection, but the formidable Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) is not ready to leave these two alone.

The series "The Mandalorian" includes three seasons (at the time of writing), but we decided to split the text about it because the show is watched with the same break for another mini-series (see "The Book of Boba Fett"), which can even be called "The Mandalorian 2.5." In 2019, the project was the flagship with which the "mouse corporation" launched its streaming service. The first episode was released simultaneously with the launch of Disney+. And the corporation knew what to bet on. Everyone remembers the explosion of "baby Yoda-ism" on the internet, right?

The show attracted a lot of attention. Star Wars shone in a new way, especially after the recent films (let's not get ahead of ourselves). Both fans and new viewers completely unfamiliar with the cinematic universe started following "The Mandalorian." And at first, the project could indeed be watched independently of everything else, but already in the second season, it became clear that this wouldn't last long. As a result, the series is now a tightly intertwined part of a galaxy far, far away with many stories.

9 ABY — The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022, 1 season, 7 episodes)

"The Book of Boba Fett" is a spin-off of "The Mandalorian" and at the same time a prequel to its third season. A not very independent (and it shows) work. In the middle, the series even forgets about the title character for two episodes and tells about anyone but him.

Moreover, Boba's story, although written in a dotted line, is quite interesting. He helped Din Djarin and returned to Tatooine, where he once almost died. There he overthrew the local crime lord and seized Jabba the Hutt's palace. But being a godfather in this poor and hostile backwater is quite costly, so Boba heals his wounds in a special bacta tank, remembers his fun days with the Tuskens, and generally thinks mostly about the past. And when the present in the form of competitors, drug dealers, and one famous bounty hunter finally catches up with him, he gives it a final battle.

"The Book of Boba Fett" is a desperately not great series, built on a disjointed retelling of "The Godfather" and fragments of the film "High Noon," but at the same time extremely attractive. There is something cozy about a Wookiee assassin, Gamorrean bodyguards, rides on rancors, and bar fights. The plot develops barely, the action is sometimes very strange, but the series exudes the spirit of the eighties, and Temuera Morrison is our John Wayne. With a stern face and a gun at the ready, he looks brilliant.

Yes, the series is not so much a dashing adventure as it is memories of it from a grandfather with Alzheimer's, and from John Wayne's films, it's not "The Searchers," of course, but rather "The Shootist" (a forgotten film about the decline of a cowboy), but a sentimental viewer will have something to feast on and enjoy.

9 ABY — The Mandalorian (2019-2023, 3 seasons, 24 episodes)

The first episode duplicates an episode of "The Book of Boba Fett," retelling the story that to atone for removing his helmet, Din Djarin must bathe in the secret waters of Mandalore, which are considered destroyed. A dubious first episode is followed by a brilliant second, and in such an uneven narrative leapfrog, the entire season will pass. The main plot—the return of the Mandalorians' home planet—barely fits into eight episodes, so the series rushes and slows down in rather non-obvious places. And the main character with Grogu, by good tradition, are constantly distracted by various side quests.

Many criticized it precisely for this—for the disjointedness, questionable storytelling, and departure from the simplicity of the first two seasons. Meanwhile, perhaps it was this time that the creators surpassed themselves: using the means of a western, they retold the book Exodus, presented the story of silent people with buckets on their heads as a high tragedy. The season focuses not on the already tiresome confrontation between good and evil, but on the processes that poison good from within and turn initially good communities into bad ones. Freedom does not yet die under thunderous applause, as in Revenge of the Sith, but preparations for it are underway.

Ivan Kilyakov

The Fastest Starship: Review of the Third Season of The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian used to be praised, but now, after the new season, it is criticized. About why the uneven third season is an interesting and unexpected step forward for the series, which

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Somewhat deflating the pathos: little Grogu, of course, is still amazingly cute, and he starts fighting quite spectacularly. If you like that too, then you must watch it. No objections accepted!

9 ABY — Ahsoka (2023-present, 1 season, 8 episodes)

Former Jedi and Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), has information that the witch Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) is in collusion with the former Sith Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) to bring back Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, following his brother to the franchise), who survived the Battle of Lothal. This cannot be allowed, because the blue-skinned tyrant is probably the only one capable of reviving the Empire from its remaining fragments. On the advice of General Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Ahsoka turns to her former apprentice Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) for help. The girls must overcome old differences and prevent the Empire from rising from the ashes, as well as find an old friend (if possible).

Oh shit, here we go again, as they say. Thought Ahsoka had shot her bolt and fought her last? Dave Filoni doesn't think so. After appearing in the second season of "The Mandalorian" and in the mini-series "The Book of Boba Fett," the heroine has finally reached her own show. Anakin Skywalker's apprentice has a very long path in this cinematic universe. She debuted in "The Clone Wars," and since then, the viewer has seen her in almost all age categories, including birth and infancy (see "Tales of the Jedi").

To start watching the series, you need to prepare quite a bit, because it is simultaneously a continuation of The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian. Once including her in the animated series, Filoni has gone with his favorite from Padawan to ronin with a lightsaber. And it's not to say that at this stage, the character is too interesting to watch. To great regret, the show turned out to be large-scale, beautiful, but boring, vague, and in a bad sense nostalgic. Either we are tired, or Ahsoka herself, or both, but for now, we can only hope that Filoni knows the end goal (he is now the creative director of Lucasfilm after all). Probably, such is the path to an epic crossover on "Mando-verse."

Ivan Kilyakov

In a Not-So-Distant Galaxy: Review of the Series Ahsoka

The series Ahsoka, the story of the cult Star Wars heroine in the 21st century, a spin-off of Rebels, The Clone Wars, and The Mandalorian, has concluded. We figure out what exactly happened there and why

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9 ABY — Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024-2025, 1 season, 8 episodes)

On the planet At Attin, resembling an American futuristic suburb, the inhabitants are drowned in bureaucracy and monotonous work. There lives a boy named Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), who dreams of becoming a Jedi. He, like all children, must take a career aptitude test, where there is certainly no job promising adventure. But one day, Wim stumbles upon an old spaceship in the forest, which he decides to dig up, teaming up with his elephant-like friend Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), as well as the girls Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and KB (Kyriana Kratter).

Naturally, the children accidentally activate the ship and fly into open space, and their journey home turns into a real adventure with pirates, treasures, and a sea of dangers on various planets. The task of helping the kids return to their parents falls on the shoulders of the droid SM-33 (voiced by Nick Frost) and a mysterious man sensitive to the Force named Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law).

"Skeleton Crew" is a childishly naive and light series. The villains are slightly caricatured, and the stakes are quite conditional, since from the very beginning it is clear that everything will be fine for everyone, and somewhere between the setup and the finale, the children will have an adventure with location changes and a couple of chases. Showrunners Jon Watts and Christopher Ford made the project with a focus on family films of the 80s, so don't expect the level of "The Mandalorian" or "Andor." It's better to just switch off and try to enjoy a non-committal road movie in the Star Wars setting. If it doesn't work out, then, probably, such is the way.

34-35 ABY — Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020, 2 seasons, 40 episodes + 12 shorts)

A young New Republic pilot, Kazuda, a rich kid and son of a senator, is sent by the Resistance to spy on the actions of the mysterious First Order. The first season tells in a rather leisurely manner about his infiltration, the hardships of adaptation, races, and everyday life on an ordinary space station. By the second season, the stakes are raised, quite dashing action begins, and even Kylo Ren appears. The story here is ultimately not about Kaz, but about how easy it is to miss a hidden threat in peacetime. Conspiracies are everywhere, war is near, resistance is useful.

This is far from the best series, although it has its merits. First of all—nostalgic portraits of the most ordinary heroes against the backdrop of an impending catastrophe. That, however, approaches slowly. The spy intrigue on which Kaz's storyline is built is executed in the 6+ age category, so it's more of a coming-of-age story than anything else. Moreover, it largely trains viewers over six—trains them in patience. However, the first season has a good line with pirates, and the second has lessons on space economics and financial literacy.

34 ABY — Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Luke Skywalker has disappeared, and in his absence, the First Order has emerged (the same Empire, but in a different hand, as they say). Now everyone is looking for the last Jedi, including the Resistance, led by Leia Organa. She sends her best pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), to the planet Jakku, where he is to receive a map with coordinates. During the mission, he is captured by the Sith Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), having previously given the map to his droid BB-8. The droid, while hiding, meets the scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the former stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega). Together they free Poe and escape from the First Order on an old ship that turns out to be the Millennium Falcon. In their further journey, the characters will meet Han Solo, Chewbacca, and join the Resistance to help destroy Starkiller Base (the Death Star, only bigger).

Star Wars returned to the big screens after 10 years, united fans of all ages, and made them all go to the cinemas. The seventh episode, continuing the "Skywalker Saga," became the first in the "sequel trilogy" and still ranks among the top five highest-grossing films in the world (and in the US, the film still holds the top spot in box office). However, this is where you can start dusting off the phrases "could have been done better" that were put away back in the first episode.

"The Force Awakens" is the first film released after the "mouse corporation" bought Lucasfilm, and it is both a sequel and a soft reboot (as it's now fashionable to call it, a requel). It undoubtedly managed to rake in the cash, but the film almost exactly repeats the plot of "A New Hope," only with less vibrant characters and a Mary Sue as the central character. Already here, one could suspect that Star Wars had exited hyperspace into some wrong galaxy, but unfortunately, no one suspected, and now it's part of the canon that is also planned to be developed in the future (hello, Rey movie).

34 ABY — Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

The Resistance forces evacuate their base ahead of an attack by the First Order, which they have no means to repel. Having lost a squadron of bombers due to Poe Dameron's recklessness, the heroes try to escape into hyperspace, but the First Order, using a special tracker, can pursue them there as well. Meanwhile, fuel is running out, and the fate of the Resistance hangs by a thread. Rey, meanwhile, tries to establish contact with Luke Skywalker, once a great Jedi, now a grumpy hermit.

In "The Last Jedi," director Rian Johnson decided to test Star Wars' strength. The second film in the "sequel trilogy" begins with a scene from "The Empire Strikes Back" (the second film of the "original trilogy") and ends with the same, only on a different planet, and the two hours in between are a visionary mishmash of all available plots for a galaxy far, far away. These plots, examined from an unexpected angle, are important to Johnson to question the classic morality of Star Wars with its fixation on the light and dark sides. In the spirit of the times, the director brings grayness, uncertainty, and a surprisingly subtle idea that it is difficult to say unequivocally whether a person is good or bad. Moral choice is made anew each time, and each time a new assessment is made.

The film has a brilliant finale, where despair, hope, and redemption converge, and it shows that despite Johnson's experiments with the franchise's motifs, he, alone among the directors of the new films, understands its spirit well.

35 ABY — Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

It turns out that Palpatine is alive and waiting for his moment with an entire armada of Star Destroyers on the Sith planet Exegol. Rey, meanwhile, continues to learn the Jedi arts from Leia, but the lull cannot last long. The Emperor has tasked Kylo Ren, who found him, with finding Rey, while Rey and her friends try to figure out how to get to Palpatine. And all this leads to an epic battle that should decide the fate of the Galaxy once and for all.

Here we have reached the final (at the time of writing) point of the canon. The ninth episode. If we imagine the "Skywalker Saga" as a meme with three dragon heads, then the "sequel trilogy" is the dumbest head, and "The Rise of Skywalker" is the dumbest head within that trilogy. Having gone through a change of directors and production difficulties, the already declining Star Wars box office rolled out its most mediocre film in the series. Even the controversial and coolly received first two episodes look very advantageous against the backdrop of the ninth.

Undoubtedly, the film looks expensive and somewhere even epic, but the script nonsense that happens for almost 2.5 hours of runtime and attempts to disown some of Rian Johnson's plot decisions in "The Last Jedi" make the film much worse. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but the eighth episode at least offered something new, and for what? So that it would ultimately be abandoned and the finale of a huge saga that began in the distant 1977 would be turned into banality? I don't even want to remember the scene with horses running across a starship. That's the kind of farewell to the legendary "Skywalker Saga" Disney managed.

How to Watch Star Wars?

Given the number of projects, there may be several viewing options. For example, watch the basic nine episodes in chronological order, as Lucas himself insists, and then decide for yourself whether you would be interested in expanding your acquaintance with the franchise or not. A perfectly acceptable option for many might be getting acquainted exclusively with the films — the "Skywalker Saga" (nine episodes) + the stories ("Solo" and "Rogue One"), but again, this is for an initial immersion into the franchise to superficially understand what's what.

You can also watch the cinematic universe in the order presented in this guide, excluding "Young Jedi Adventures". We have arranged the films, series, and animated series so that with each subsequent launch, it is clear what will be discussed in the near future.

However, if these options don't suit you and you want to fully explore Star Wars from beginning to end, we are ready to offer two main ways to get acquainted with the franchise.

The first option is a full viewing of the cinematic universe while observing the internal chronology of the narrative (with some inaccuracies, considering the development of the plot of one project parallel to the events of another):

The second viewing method is not very convenient in our time, but still there are those for whom it will suit better than the previous one (and it has its own authenticity). Moreover, we cannot deprive viewers of choice, so we offer an option to get acquainted with the franchise in the order of content release (also with small inaccuracies, considering parallel premieres of some films/series episodes):

In conclusion, we want to say that even despite the frankly bad projects and loud failures with the Star Wars cinematic universe, we recommend getting fully acquainted. Yes, today it will require a lot of time, but believe me, it's worth it! You will hate some things, love some with all your heart, but this cozy and interesting galaxy far, far away will definitely leave no one indifferent. And may the Force be with you!

P.S. As new content is released in the Star Wars cinematic universe, the guide will be updated and supplemented as quickly as possible.

The Ways of Canon Are Unfathomable

There is one Star Wars project that we did not include in the canonical block because the episodes are randomly scattered across the entire chronology, and it is quite difficult to account for them when viewing (and there is frankly no reason to do so). Moreover, this show absolutely does not affect the franchise in any way and is merely an early attempt to tap into the current agenda, testing the waters.

Various years — Star Wars: Forces of Destiny (2017-2018, 2 seasons, 36 episodes)

This animated series tells small three-minute stories that happened to various heroines of the cinematic universe. On screen appear Leia, Rey, Ahsoka, Padmé, and other strong and independent representatives of a galaxy far, far away.

In fact, "Forces of Destiny" is official canon, but watching it is even less necessary than "Young Jedi Adventures," because it doesn't even add anything to the universe. Probably, this is Disney's first flirtation with the modern agenda (specifically in this case, with feminism). The project simply bluntly puts women at the forefront and emphasizes their importance to the franchise. It is hardly aimed even at a banal expansion of the audience. It is neither good nor bad. Just nothing. Hence, completely optional.

Disney+ Fantasies

This section includes two experimental projects set in the Star Wars universe that were released on the "mouse corporation's" streaming service. Whether to watch them or not is up to everyone. Personally, we would recommend checking out some episodes of "Visions." There are episodes that will give even a couple of canonical projects a run for their money.

Star Wars: Visions (2021-present, 2 seasons, 18 episodes)

Since the launch of Disney+, Star Wars content has increased many times over, and in 2020, the streaming service announced an anthology show inspired by the legendary universe. The first season is done in anime style, and various Japanese studios worked on it under the supervision of Lucasfilm. The second, in turn, is done in different animation styles from studios around the world. Naturally, the episodes are not canon, but, to be honest, "Visions" has incredibly cool episodes that are a pleasure to watch.

Zen: Grogu and Dust Bunnies (2022)

To celebrate the third anniversary of the premiere of "The Mandalorian" (and the launch of the streaming service), Disney+ released a cute (but meaningless) collaboration between Lucasfilm and Ghibli in the form of a three-minute short film titled "Zen: Grogu and Dust Bunnies," where the popular cute Star Wars character Grogu, better known as Baby Yoda, meets Susuwatari, better known as soot sprites—cute popular characters from the anime "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away." There's nothing more to say, really.

A View from Below

This part of the guide collects all the children's content consisting of web series with minimal episode duration. None of the projects are of any interest, but nevertheless they exist, and some children watch them. Probably. God willing, this will help attract at least one child to get acquainted with the main franchise. All animated series are listed in order of release.

Star Wars: Blips (2017, 1 season, 8 episodes)

The animated series "Blips" premiered in 2017 on the "Star Wars" YouTube channel. In eight minute-long episodes, various droids appear (including everyone's favorites R2-D2 and BB-8). Also on screen appear Chewbacca and the cute creatures porgs, which won the hearts of many viewers in "The Last Jedi," released later that same year. With all due respect to Artoo's contributions to the "Skywalker Saga," the animated series "Blips" is completely unnecessary to watch. Although, of course, if you need to kill 8 minutes of your life...

Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures (2018-2020, 2 seasons, 54 episodes)

"Galaxy of Adventures" is a simple retelling of the key events of the "Skywalker Saga" in 54 one-minute animated episodes. Another attempt to introduce the youngest audience to the cinematic universe. If you have a desire to refresh the main points in one hour or try to attract a child to watch, then perhaps this animated series will help you. Or maybe not. Who knows? In any case, be aware that such a project exists.

Star Wars: Roll Out (2019-2020, 1 season, 16 episodes)

The web series "Roll Out" was developed as children's content for the "Star Wars Kids" YouTube channel. It consists of 16 wordless mini-episodes drawn by Hideo Itoyanagi, where all characters have bodies like the droid BB-8. It looks, of course, maximally ridiculous and strange. Imagine the round body of, say, Han Solo or Rey, which rotates while the head stays still, and the characters have no arms or legs. If we consider all these children's web series as optional viewing, then "Roll Out" is probably the most optional among the optional.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Creatures (2021-2023, 2 seasons, 24 episodes)

A children's animated series that aired on the "Star Wars Kids" YouTube channel, where the droid SF-R3 (Arthree) together with his companion Cam introduce the youngest viewers to various creatures inhabiting a galaxy far, far away. In 43 minutes, kids can learn a little about banthas, rancors, wampas, and other unusual inhabitants of the Star Wars fauna. However, only those kids who know English, because the episodes were not translated into Russian (and is it even necessary?).

Fun fact: Arthree and Cam appear as supporting characters in some episodes of "Young Jedi Adventures," where the younglings also study animals and discover new species.

Star Wars: Galactic Friends (2022, 1 season, 12 episodes)

The same scheme as in "Galaxy of Creatures," only here the droid M1-RE (Miree) tells children about more intelligent life forms that can be befriended. In 15 minutes, Wookiees, Rodians, Ewoks, and Hutt appear on screen (although I wouldn't rush to befriend the latter). The animated series was also not translated into Russian.

Legends of Yesterday

In the last block of our guide, we have included projects from the old canon (before the Lucasfilm acquisition) that are now considered "Legends." This is, of course, also predominantly children's content, but not as much as in the previous section. All films and animated series are arranged in chronological order according to the standard galactic calendar.

22-19 BBY — Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005, 3 seasons, 25 episodes)

The series was the first attempt to fill the gap between the second and third episodes of the "prequel trilogy." And, of course, far from the first attempt to increase toy sales based on the franchise. Despite its rather instrumental function, the animated series by Genndy Tartakovsky is one of the best things that ever happened to Star Wars. It has everything: brilliant (though angular) animation, outstanding ragged editing, the ability to say everything about characters without words (there are at best three sentences per episode), and an interesting philosophical component.

In his depiction of the Clone Wars, Tartakovsky adheres to his own reasoning from the cult "Samurai Jack": life is war, and war is a knightly duel. One of his characters will always defeat a crowd because the crowd is morally flawed (a great episode with Mace Windu and an excellent episode with the duel between Obi-Wan and Durge, where the Jedi can only defeat the enemy by refusing the help of clones). The duels—clashes of two wills—are brilliantly executed by Tartakovsky (Ventress vs. Anakin! Jedi vs. Grievous!).

At the very beginning, there is a remarkable episode where Kit Fisto defends the planet Mon Calamari, and the Separatist armor looks terribly ancient, redrawn from the film "Troy." This is, of course, no coincidence: firstly, it seems Tartakovsky is one of the few who could competently adapt the Trojan War; secondly, it is an extra demonstration of how he combines the incompatible. The eclecticism of "Clone Wars" is always a deadly aesthetic risk, and each time the risk is justified.

15 BBY — Droids (1985-1986, 1 season, 13 episodes)

An animated series about the adventures of the two most popular droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, before their meeting with Luke Skywalker on Tatooine.

Before Disney bought Lucasfilm, Star Wars had a different canon, which included this series. "Droids" is purely children's content aimed at popularizing the "original trilogy." The first episode aired on the same day as the animated series "Ewoks" on the ABC channel as part of the "Droids and Ewoks Hour" program.

The project does not particularly affect the universe, but it is quite an entertaining pastime, especially if you have watched everything and want to return to a galaxy far, far away while waiting for something new. Here appears a pirate named Kybo Ren (so we found the ideological inspiration for Ben Solo, and everyone says it was Darth Vader), and there is also a race of creatures suspiciously similar to Veselchak U from the cartoon "The Secret of the Third Planet" (so they copied from us!).

Episodes 5 through 8 were combined into the feature-length animated film "Droids: The Prince and the Pirates," and episodes 10 through 13 into the film "Droids: The Treasures of the Lost Planet." They can be found online in Russian. The remaining episodes are only available in English.

15 BBY — The Great Heep (1986)

The droids R2-D2 and C-3PO are heading to a new owner on the planet Bitu, but they are attacked along the way, and the planet turns out to be under Imperial control. The two friends end up captive to a giant tyrant droid known as the Great Heep.

"The Great Heep" is a 48-minute special that serves as a prequel to the "Treasures of the Lost Planet" arc. It tells how the two famous droids met the merchant Mungo Baobab (yes, I can barely restrain myself from a pun). The fact is that the series "Droids" was not renewed for a second season, but they released this amusing special episode, which allows you to spend extra time with your favorite characters. Could anyone refuse that back then?

"The Great Heep" was not translated into Russian.

1 ABY — Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

Chewbacca and Han Solo are trying to make it to the celebration of Life Day (an analogue of New Year) on Chewie's home planet, but they are delayed by constant skirmishes with Imperials. Meanwhile, Luke repairs the ship, Leia consoles Chewbacca's wife, who is preparing a festive dinner, while their son, missing his father, plays video games and reads comics, and a slightly senile grandfather watches soft porn in VR goggles. This film is difficult to evaluate in any terms other than "very bad" and "the worst film in the world." No criticism will be too harsh. It is truly monstrous. Meanwhile, it is also impossible not to want to rewatch the film immediately after viewing. Just to make sure you haven't gone crazy and that it really exists.

If you think about it, the "Holiday Special" is one of the few films in the world that allows you to imagine what the film "Twenty Days Without War" (or any Soviet film about the leave of front-line soldiers) would look like if it were made not by Alexei German, but by Tommy Wiseau, unsuccessfully copying the intonation of Ryazanov in "The Irony of Fate." Probably the closest analogy: Homer's "Odyssey" if Odysseus had not performed a single feat, and the entire story consisted of retellings of the shows "Smak," "Shop on the Couch," as well as "The Voice" and "Dancing with the Stars," which entertained the household of the war hero on Ithaca.

If you haven't run off to watch yet, here are a few scenes. At the very beginning, a soldier buys a toothbrush with a razor and calculator function. In the middle—an insert of a bar on Tatooine in the spirit of the most obscure American comedies and with a romance performed by artist Bea Arthur (seems like the most successful scene, though the competition is small). Around the same time, for the first time in history, you can see Boba Fett. And at the end, for the first and (hopefully) last time in history—Carrie Fisher singing in an embrace with Chewbacca.

3 ABY — Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984)

Shortly before the events of "Return of the Jedi," a family spaceship crashes on Endor. The parents are captured by a local evil troll (an analogue of the Wampa from "The Empire Strikes Back"), and the children find themselves somewhere in the forest thicket completely alone. There they are found by Ewoks and taken to their village. The teenager Mace (Eric Walker) does not trust the natives and dismissively calls them animals, while his younger sister Cindel (Aubree Miller), embodying the film's target audience, on the contrary, immediately takes a liking to the adorable teddy bears. They, in turn, decide to help the children find their parents. So their squad—several adult Ewoks, a forester, a healer, a teenage Ewok, and Mace with Cindel—sets off on a hike into the Dark Lands, from where no one has ever returned alive.

It's hard to sensibly evaluate a children's film that actually has only two tasks: to maintain the popularity of the Ewoks (and, accordingly, sales of their plush representatives) and to teach young viewers to be kind, brave, and tolerant of those who are different from them (the theme of friendship between humans and Ewoks). There are quite a few borrowings from Tolkien's books here. The Ewok Wicket defeats a spider like Sam defeats Shelob. The healer with a staff fights a giant monster in the dungeon. In general, Ewoks are quite obviously similar to dwarves, especially when wielding an axe.

This is not too original, but touching spectacle: if you are a little more than six, you can watch it to meditate, for example.

Ivan Kilyakov

3 ABY — Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985)

The family of Cindel and Mace, the children from the first part, is about to leave Endor when an attack is made on the Ewok village. Almost all the Ewoks die, as do Mace and their and Cindel's parents. The girl, the Ewok Wicket (Warwick Davis), and several of their comrades in misfortune escape from captivity, end up in the dwelling of a wizard (Guy Boyd), and begin a struggle against dark forces. On the side of the dark forces, in particular, a Dathomirian witch (on Endor!) and an evil sorcerer, so aesthetically it all resembles "Conan the Barbarian" for the poor.

The opening scene (the massacre in the village) and the overall mood of eighties adventure fantasy are borrowed from the cult film with Schwarzenegger. The second part is darker, stranger, and larger in scale than the first. The concept of "Ewoks vs. sorcerers" is quite great, although such an epithet is hardly applicable to the project. This is a standard television film from the eighties, slightly more insane than usual, but it's Star Wars after all.

3.5 ABY — Ewoks (1985-1987, 2 seasons, 26 episodes)

A two-season children's television series, "Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears" for smokers (though released a bit earlier).

Ewoks survive on the forest planet Endor. They oppose a hostile tribe. They repel attacks from sorcerers. Periodically embark on symbolic bad trips. The Ewok Wicket, the constant hero of the day, constantly gets into scrapes with the chief's daughter and simultaneously tries to become a warrior. Somewhere in the second season, it turns out that the weather on Endor is controlled using a magical scepter. At a certain point, it even begins to seem that all this is a figment of the viewer's imagination and such a series does not actually exist. Well, it does exist. You can check.

Is it worth checking? Hardly. For cheerful bears, you can watch the wonderful "Gummi Bears." If you like a specific bear, there is, for example, "Paddington." And there is even an old series about him. Although in one respect, "Ewoks" is still quite interesting. It shows how cramped Star Wars is within the science fiction genre. It is a space opera, a dashing fantasy, where holograms and grandiose starships always coexist with sorcerers and magical artifacts. If you want to be convinced of this once again, then in the second season, the episodes are 11 minutes each—the pain will be quick.

In the first season, episodes 1, 2, 3, and 9 were combined into the animated film "Ewoks: The Haunted Village," and episodes 4, 5, 10, and 13 of the same season were included in the feature-length film "Ewoks: Tales of the Endor Forests"—they can be found online in Russian. The rest of the series is only available in English.

We would like to express special gratitude for the cover and illustrations for each block to Varvara Ulianenok!