Journey to Star Wars
Canonical publishing initiative bridging sequel films to earlier Star Wars stories.
Journey to Star Wars is a Disney/Lucasfilm publishing program linking the sequel trilogy to earlier Star Wars films. It covers campaigns for The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Every title released under this initiative is considered canonical within the Star Wars universe.
Quick Facts
- First announced
- March 2015
- First novels published
- September 2015
- Related film
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Facts from the source article.
History
Before Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, a lot of officially licensed novels and comics existed in what was called the expanded universe. In April 2014, while The Force Awakens was being made, Disney renamed that collection Star Wars Legends and said it was no longer official canon. Then, in March 2015, the company announced the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens program, which included at least twenty novels and comic books from different publishers. Every title in this program is considered canonical and links the earlier films to The Force Awakens and its sequels. The first books, such as Aftermath by Chuck Wendig and Lost Stars by Claudia Gray, came out in September 2015, before the movie’s release in December 2015. At the New York Comic Con panel in October 2015, additional works were revealed for release between November 2015 and summer 2017. For the next sequel, The Last Jedi, three novels and a comic miniseries were announced at Star Wars Celebration in April 2017, with more publications added at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017. On May 4, 2019, Lucasfilm shared the roadmap for Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which covers events during the one-year period between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens campaign included Star Wars: Aftermath (September 2015) by Chuck Wendig, set shortly after Return of the Jedi and dealing with the consequences of the deaths of Palpatine and Darth Vader and the power vacuum in the Empire. It was followed by Aftermath: Life Debt (July 2016) and Aftermath: Empire's End (February 2017), bridging the timeline between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Star Wars: Lost Stars (September 2015) by Claudia Gray is set during the original film trilogy. Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure (September 2015) by Greg Rucka takes place between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure (September 2015) by Jason Fry, also set between those films, has C-3PO tell Resistance pilot Jessica Pava about Luke's adventure after the first Death Star's destruction. Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure (September 2015) by Cecil Castellucci and Jason Fry, set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, features an older Leia recounting a past mission and introduces the droid PZ-4CO. Star Wars: Before the Awakening (December 2015) by Greg Rucka is an anthology about Poe, Rey, and Finn before The Force Awakens. Star Wars: Bloodline (May 2016) by Claudia Gray is set several years before The Force Awakens with Leia as protagonist. The short story The Perfect Weapon (November 2015) by Delilah S. Dawson centers on bounty hunter Bazine Netal. Additional short stories by Landry Q. Walker include All Creatures Great and Small, High Noon on Jakku, The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku, The Face of Evil (all November 2015), A Recipe for Death, and True Love (both April 2016).
The Last Jedi
The Last Jedi campaign included Star Wars: Leia, Princess of Alderaan (September 2017) by Claudia Gray, exploring Leia's early years. Star Wars: Phasma (September 2017) by Delilah S. Dawson chronicles Captain Phasma's backstory. The Legends of Luke Skywalker (October 2017) by Ken Liu was also released. Children's books included A Leader Named Leia (September 2017) by Jennifer Heddle, The Power of the Force (September 2017) by Brian Rood, and Big Golden Books: Tales of the Force (September 2017). Canto Bight (December 2017) is a short story collection by John Jackson Miller, Saladin Ahmed, Rae Carson, and Mira Grant. The four-issue Marvel miniseries Star Wars: Captain Phasma (September 2017) by Kelly Thompson and Marco Checchetto follows the character between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Star Wars Adventures (IDW Publishing, September 2017) is an ongoing anthology series for young readers. Reference works included Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need To Know, Updated and Expanded (October 2017), Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor (October 2017), The Last Jedi Incredible Cross-Sections, The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary, and The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The Rise of Skywalker
The Rise of Skywalker campaign included Star Wars: Resistance Reborn (November 2019) by Rebecca Roanhorse, covering the difficulties General Leia Organa, Poe Dameron, Finn, and Rey face rebuilding the Resistance after the defeat on D'Qar and the Battle of Crait. Star Wars: Force Collector (November 2019) by Kevin Shinick follows a teenager before The Force Awakens who scavenges relics to understand his Force abilities. Children's books included Little Golden Book: We are the Resistance (October 2019) by Elizabeth Schaefer, World of Reading: Resistance Heroes and First Order Villains (both October 2019) by Michael Siglain, Choose Your Destiny: A Finn & Poe Adventure (October 2019) by Cavan Scott, and Star Wars: Spark of the Resistance (October 2019) by Justina Ireland, where Rey, Poe, and Rose Tico respond to a distress call on Minfar. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - The Galaxy Needs You (December 2019) by Caitlin Kennedy follows Rey's journey. IDW's Star Wars Adventures #27-29 (October–December 2019) features Wookiees defending Kashyyyk and droids on a spy mission. Ultimate Star Wars: New Edition (October 2019) by Adam Bray, Cole Horton, Tricia Barr, and Ryder Windham includes a foreword by Anthony Daniels.
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