The Old Republic is a period in the Star Wars timeline that is about to get even more important. Newcomers to the franchise won't be familiar with this era, as not as much focus has been placed on it as it should. But as the galaxy far, far away continues to expand, it's going to be vital to get familiar with the characters and events of the Old Republic.
Thus, all the starter questions need to be answered about what the Old Republic is, where it is in the timeline and why it's so important to know. Fans can already dive into this period, but its canon status is still up in the air as Disney frames how it views the period. This breakdown gives a general overview for newcomers without getting dragged down by the nitty-gritty.
9 When The Old Republic Debuted
The Old Republic made its first fully fleshed-out appearance in 2003. It's now been a mainstay of the Star Wars universe for quite some time. And it all began in Knights of the Old Republic, a groundbreaking choice-based RPG from Aspyr, BioWare and Electronic Arts.
Knights of the Old Republic may seem a little dated, but the Lucasfilm title immediately defined the lore of the Old Republic, alongside its visual style and key narrative arcs. The game and its sequel are key to the success of this era, with all successive spinoff materials using these as a starting base.
8 When The Old Republic Is Set
Events in the Star Wars galaxy are often measured by the battle of Yavin, and, in theory, the Old Republic is set around 4000 years before that. To give context, it's one of the earliest periods on the Star Wars timeline so far. It takes place before the prequel trilogy and the High Republic era.
It, therefore, doesn't include any of the powerful Star Wars characters that appear in more modern projects. It takes place so long ago that, in many ways, there are plenty of unrecognizable elements attributed only to this period. However, there is one key event that happens before the Old Republic -- the foundation of the Jedi.
7 What Defines The Old Republic
The Old Republic can be defined by its imagery and visual design. While the conflicts of the era will be touched upon further, from a visual perspective, there is a steampunk quality to the aesthetic. Essentially, technology in the Old Republic is far less advanced than in modern Star Wars worlds.
Some of the Old Republic's planets are the same, but they are less built up. The droids are more primitive, the understanding of the Force is less functional, and the design of the ships is less powerful. Without hyperspace, it's difficult to travel, but new discoveries are being made every day in the Old Republic to make the future brighter. There is still a Jedi Council, but this is not yet the height of the Order.
6 How The Old Republic Is Different From The High Republic
The Old Republic and the High Republic might confuse newcomers who aren't aware of the differences. The High Republic takes place after the Old Republic and leads into The Phantom Menace, which begins the fall of the Jedi. The High Republic is the height of the Order itself.
The High Republic is the dawn of a huge upheaval in Hyperspace travel and plenty of technological evolution. It's largely a period of peace until the Nihil attack, and there are seemingly no Sith left. The Sith are prevalent throughout the Old Republic, though, ushering in a period of war.
5 Who The Leading Characters Are
There are a few leading characters within the Old Republic era that are worth noting. Bastila Shan and Satele Shan are two defining members of the same family line, both of whom have been pillars of the Jedi Order. While the former would fall in love with a dark side wielder, the latter would stand against the Sith.
Darth Malgus and Darth Revan are two of the leading members of the Sith from the era, with the latter falling in love with Bastila. The Knights of the Old Republic games follow that narrative, while The Old Republic MMORPG tracks Satele and Malgus. Other figures like Bane and Malak are linked to the dark side of the era.
4 The Sith And Jedi War
The Old Republic is hugely defined by a war between the Light and the Dark Side. In a way, this poetically parallels the period of the mainline Star Wars films. However, the era begins with the Republic as the regime that the Sith wants to topple, with the dark side strengthened compared to later narratives.
The rule of two was developed by Darth Bane during the Old Republic, but the structure of an apprentice and master hadn't fully depleted the Sith's numbers. Thus, this was a period where there were more Sith warriors than ever, with huge armies of Jedi and dark siders battling alongside bounty hunters and Republic soldiers. It was a moment of significant turbulence.
3 Where The Old Republic Can Be Seen
The Old Republic first debuted in Knights of the Old Republic and has since appeared in its sequel game and MMORPG spinoff, The Old Republic. All of these games are still available to play, with the online version currently being supported.
While the main Star Wars projects haven't fully acknowledged the Old Republic besides a brief feature in The Clone Wars animated show, the Legends expanded universe is full of additional material. There are spinoff comics and books likePath of Destruction, Revan, and Deceived that are well worth checking out. There are full lists of Old Republic books and comics in timeline order on Youtini.
2 Is The Old Republic Canon?
The canon fate of the Old Republic is currently up in the air. While structures like Jedi Temples and figures like Darth Bane have left their mark on the current Star Wars universe, there hasn't been much of a confirmation of what parts of the era are Legends and which are canon.
It's presumed that all the games are Legends and out of continuity. However, Lucasfilm recently revealed that the Old Republic would be fully returning to the timeline, but it's unclear which materials will be included within that. Ultimately, it's safe to presume everything is Legends but that the general concept of the Old Republic is canon.
1 Upcoming Old Republic Projects
The Old Republic projects coming up are pretty thin on the ground at the minute. However, there is one game that could change the fate of the canon status of this era. The Knights of the Old Republic reboot is a video game title looking to remake the original outing.
KOTOR should bring the game in line with continuity and will likely be the base point to jump off from. This seems to be why Lucasfilm confirmed that the Old Republic is now a part of the canon landscape, with the upcoming game cementing its lore. While it's in developmental turmoil right now with multiple delays, eventually, its return will spark a new age for Disney canon.