With the new Star Wars era ‘Star Wars: The High Republic” due to be released in less than a year, fans are champing at the bit to see what it has in store for them.
What is The High Republic?
Originally named ‘Project Luminous’, the concept was developed in 2018 in collaboration between a number of Star Wars authors. Then, in 2019, Lucasfilm teased fans about the project and announced it would include novels and comics. It was then renamed and scheduled to go live in January 2021.
What’s in store?
Much of the details of the era are being kept under wraps for now, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating and gathering hints. The High Republic is set 200 years before the events of the Skywalker saga, and 800 years after the Old Republic fell. There will be no overlap with previous sagas and that means no Darth Vader, no Stormtroopers, and of course, no Luke Skywalker!
But one thing that has caught fans eyes is the description for a new Star Wars book called, ‘Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection’. Released on Simon and Schuster’s website, it makes a clear reference to a new type of never-seen-before lightsabre that will appear in The High Republic.
The book, described as a “comprehensive visual guide exploring the iconic and legendary lightsabers found within the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy”, will include examples from all of the favorites. But one particular paragraph whipped readers up into a frenzy:
“Featuring photo-realistic renders of lightsabers from ‘Star Wars’ animation and comics, including Ezra Bridger’s blaster-saber hybrid, the Grand Inquisitor’s spinning blades, and a new lightsaber from The High Republic…”
There are currently more than ten different kinds of lightsaber including the standard, double-bladed, curved hilt, shoto, and lightwhip. Other varieties that have appeared throughout the franchise include the protosaber and darksaber. These items in themselves have amassed huge popularity and sparked interest from collectors and hard-core fans.
Other iconic items from the Star Wars Galaxy
Of course, the lightsaber is one of the most recognizable Star Wars items but let us not forget the other iconic objects that have solidified themselves in pop-culture history. Darth Vader’s black helmet is one of the most well-known – a firm favorite will collectors and children alike. Likewise, Princess Leia’s golden plated bikini has become truly iconic with older fans.
In terms of weapons, Han Solo’s blaster- a somewhat old-fashioned relic when compared to the lightsaber, was actually based on the German Mauser C96 pistol.
Other ways to enjoy Star Wars
While there has been no mention of a ‘The High Republic’ film any time soon, there is a myriad of other ways to enjoy the Star Wars galaxy. As previously mentioned, The High Republic will take the form of books and comics for now, similar to other sagas before it.
Star Wars video games have always been popular and there have been over 140 released to date. These are available on mobile, PlayStation, PC and Mac, Nintendo, Game Boy, and everything else in between. Some of the most favored and top-selling include Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2, and Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast.
For those that enjoyed the video games, there is also a Star Wars slot game that has gained popularity on both desktop and mobile device. Fans can play for money as well as enjoy free spins and other in-game offers.
There have even been a few Star Wars musicals, aptly called ‘A Musical About Star Wars’, and ‘Ani’. Both off-Broadway hits, the shows both take a humorous approach to the storyline and characters of the original films.
Of course, there are quite literally hundreds, if not thousands of official and non-official Star Wars comics, novellas, books, and non-fiction guides. These give intrepid fans the opportunity to engage with the galaxy in countless different ways while waiting for The High Republic to drop.
It seems like we will have to wait a few more months to set eyes on the new lightsaber in The High Republic saga but, until then, there are plenty of ways for you to get up speed on everything that has happened in a galaxy far, far away.
