In lockdown, we have time! Let’s take the opportunity to travel to a galaxy far, far away … Since the license buyout by Disney, the Star Wars saga has been enriched with new episodes, animated series, two spin-offs and it’s far from over ! Our team has taken the time to take stock and offers you a little guide to visit this universe in the best conditions to know in which order to watch Star Wars?
We took the decision to follow the chronological order of the saga at the risk of spoiling the revelation at the end of “The Empire Strikes Back” if some readers had lived in a cave for the last 30 years!
1 – Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Originally, George Lucas felt that the Star Wars saga should tell the life of Anakin Skywalker. So it is with the latter’s childhood that the saga begins. Two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi discover the young slave Anakin on the planet Tatouine. They set out to free him and bring him back to the Jedi Temple to begin his training. All this against a backdrop of war and power struggles across the galaxy.
For fans, the worst of the saga is mainly due to the presence of a character more irritating than comical, Jar-Jar Binks.
2 – Episode II : The attack of the clones
The plot takes place 10 years after “The Phantom Menace”. Anakin has grown up and become Obi-Wan’s apprentice. He’s very bright but impetuous. He has difficulty controlling his emotions, a quality the Jedi need. Anakin will fall in love with Padmé, a senator from Naboo, whom he met in the previous episode.
On the other hand, things are getting complicated in the senate, as the Republic gradually loses its influence while the separatist forces led by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious gain strength.
Chancellor Palpatine is raising doubts among the Jedi as to his motives. Especially as the Order discovers the creation of an army of clones created for the Republic.
3 – The Clone Wars
It’s an animated series, released in 3 stages, whose action takes place between episodes II and III. The plot tells in detail the war between the Republic’s army of clones and the separatists’ droid troops.
In the opinion of all fans, the anime is very successful, which makes its success over time. The plot is worked out and new characters, such as Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice Ahsoka Tano, make their appearance. Characters that will remain an exclusive of the anime series and will be absent from the films.
4 – Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Anakin married Padmé in great secrecy and they are expecting a child. He’s become very close to Chancellor Palpatine, who has become his confidant. Now more than ever, he’s gripped by doubts and fear of losing his wife.
War is raging throughout the galaxy. Palpatine is using it to increase his influence in the senate. He’s using his position to manipulate the senators’ opinion and increase defiance of the Jedi order. Eventually he will be named Emperor, revealing that he is in fact the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious.
Palpatine also manipulates Anakin and swings him to the dark side of the Force. As the Emperor’s apprentice, Anakin becomes Darth Vader.
5 – Solo: A Star Wars Story
Disney had planned to release several spin-offs when it bought the license, it’s done!
Solo tells us about the youth of Han Solo. As the empire grows, young Han deserts to become a smuggler. He proves to be very gifted for this job.
The screenplay is an original work that has little to do with the main plot of the saga.
The main interest of the film lies in the meeting between Chewbacca the Wookie and Han Solo, without forgetting the latter’s acquisition of the mythical Millennium Falcon.
6 – Star Wars Rebels
It’s another 75-episode animated series. It’s a few years before episode IV.
The empire is well in place and the rebellion is organized. We follow the story of a teenager with exceptional abilities within a rebel group, including a former padawan who survived the purge of order.
7 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The first spin-off released in cinema by Disney studios, Rogue One is a real success. The story takes place just a few days before Episode IV. Fans have always wondered how the rebellion got hold of the Death Star plans, they have the answer!
Jyn Erso is recruited by the rebels to go in search of his father, the designer of the Death Star. A simple but effective scenario and a breathtaking final scene!
8 – Episode IV: A New Hope
This is the first part directed by Spielberg. Absolutely no one expected such a planetary phenomenon!
“A New Hope tells the story of young Luke Skywalker, raised on Tatouine by his aunt and uncle. After purchasing two Droids, he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight, who begins to introduce him to the Jedi arts. The two leave Tatouine on the ship of a smuggler named Han Solo and his co-pilot Chewbacca to answer Princess Leia’s call. Luke will soon be immersed in a galaxywide quest that will lead him to join the resistance and fight the empire. He will eventually destroy the dreaded “Death Star” in an epic finale.
Read also: STAR TREK: The saga returns to the big screen
9 – Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
If you listen to the fans, by far the best movie of the series.
The resistance is still trying to find a way to bring down the empire. Luke, meanwhile, travels to the planet Dagobah to train with Master Yoda, the most powerful Jedi in history. The movie ends with the capture of Han Solo and a lightsaber battle between Luke and Darth Vader, during which one of the biggest revelations in the history of cinema will be made!
10 – Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi
This film closes the saga in Lucas’ version. The last trilogy was made during the Disney era. The empire began building a new “Death Star”. Luke will finish his Jedi training with Yoda and learns that he has a twin sister. The resistance will launch a final offensive against the empire to destroy the new weapon while Luke on his side will try to bring Darth Vader back to the light and confront the emperor.
George Lucas will show us the extent of his talent for creating secondary characters with strong marketing potential!
11 – The Mandalorian
All new series released this year, notably to promote the launch of the Disney+ platform. We’ve only seen a few promising episodes. The hero is a mandolorian bounty hunter who has been given the mission to recover an individual who turns out to be a cute Yoda baby. We don’t know much more at the moment except that the events take place between “Return of the Jedi” and “Awakening of the Force”.
12 – Star Wars Resistance
This animated series is also in the same period as “The Mandalorian”.
Star Wars Resistance tells the story of a young pilot recruited by the resistance to spy on the First Order, a new threat following the fall of the empire.
Another pilot, Poe Dameron, who will appear in the next trilogy, appears in the series.
13 – Episode VII : The Awakening of the Force
The first film in the Disney trilogy. 30 years after the fall of the empire, the First Order has taken power, led by a new generation of Sith, the Supreme Leader Snoke and his apprentice Kylo Ren. The resistance is now fighting against the First Order and is led by General Leïa Organa.
Luke Skywalker tried to reform the Jedi Order but disappeared after his nephew Ben, son of Leia and Han Solo and none other than Kylo Ren, was betrayed.
The young Rey, an orphan with a predisposition to mastery of the force, will join the resistance to help them destroy the Starkiller base.
14 – Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Rey found Luke who is reluctant to train her but will guide her anyway.
Kylo Ren and Rey realize that they are connected and can communicate through thought, leading Rey to believe that she can bring Kylo back to the Force.
The two protagonists will face each other in a sword duel in the presence of Supreme Leader Snoke.
For his part, the rebel fleet is on the verge of being decimated and only Luke’s intervention can save it.
15 – Episode IX: Skywalker’s Ascension
This episode closes for the moment the Star Wars saga.
Disney has pulled off an extraordinary marketing coup with a trailer that multiplies the false leads and gives free rein to the interpretation of the spectators.
To leave the suspense to those who haven’t seen it yet, we won’t give you the summary but just tell you that the show is here, with a breathtaking final space combat scene !
So much for the chronology of this saga. You just have to spend a few hours watching the whole thing…
May the Force be with you!
Find our selection of films and series
