Star Wars

Star Wars is an epic space opera franchise created by George Lucas, debuting with the 1977 film originally titled Star Wars, later retitled Episode IV: A New Hope. It centers on a galaxy-spanning conflict between the Jedi, guardians of peace wielding the light side of the Force, and the Sith, who harness the dark side for power. Core themes include good versus evil, redemption, destiny, family, and the corrupting influence of power, explored through lightsaber duels, interstellar wars, and mystical elements like the Force[1][2]. The franchise expanded with the original trilogy (Episodes IV-VI, 1977-1983), prequel trilogy (Episodes I-III, 1999-2005), and sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX, 2015-2019), alongside Disney-era series like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka following Lucasfilm's 2012 sale to Disney[2][3]. Star Wars has profoundly shaped global pop culture, pioneering visual effects, blockbuster filmmaking, and merchandising empires. It introduced iconic characters like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Yoda, inspiring legions of fans, conventions, and theme park attractions. The timeline uses BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin from A New Hope) and ABY (After), dividing history into eras from ancient Jedi origins to modern Resistance struggles against resurgent dark forces[1][4]. Canon content, declared post-2014, excludes much pre-Disney Expanded Universe material now labeled Legends[1].