Star Wars

An overview of the Star Wars universe, its films, and core themes.

Star Wars is a science fantasy media franchise created by George Lucas. It began with the 1977 film Star Wars (later subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope) and has expanded into one of the most recognizable franchises in the world.

The saga

The core saga is divided into three trilogies, each focused on a generation of the Skywalker family.

Original trilogy

Episodes IV–VI (1977–1983). Luke Skywalker joins the Rebel Alliance to defeat the Galactic Empire.

Prequel trilogy

Episodes I–III (1999–2005). Anakin Skywalker’s fall from Jedi Knight to Darth Vader.

Sequel trilogy

Episodes VII–IX (2015–2019). A new generation confronts the remnants of the Empire.

The Force

The Force is an energy field that binds the galaxy together. Its practitioners fall into two main traditions:

• Jedi — guardians of peace who follow the light side of the Force.
• Sith — adversaries who draw power from the dark side, fueled by passion and aggression.

Key factions

Faction	Era	Role
Galactic Republic	Prequels	Democratic government of the galaxy
Jedi Order	Prequels	Peacekeepers and Force users
Galactic Empire	Original trilogy	Authoritarian regime led by Emperor Palpatine
Rebel Alliance	Original trilogy	Resistance fighting to restore the Republic
First Order	Sequel trilogy	Successor to the Empire
Resistance	Sequel trilogy	Opposition to the First Order

Beyond the films

The franchise extends into television series (The Mandalorian, Andor, Ahsoka), animated shows (The Clone Wars, Rebels), novels, comics, and video games — collectively forming a vast continuity often referred to as the Star Wars universe.