Jedi: Survivor comes out today! With the growing development of the once minuscule Star Wars universe, it can be challenging to keep everything in perspective. 

In this article, we’ll put Jedi: Survivor in perspective to the cinematic canon which has brought us exciting developments and lore. Fans have experienced the success of The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian, Andor, and more.

First things first, when considering the timeline you’ll most likely encounter three letters. BBY. What is BBY? BBY relates to Before the Battle of Yavin. 

If you recall long ago in a decade not so far away, the Battle of Yavin was the culmination spectacle in the final act of A New Hope where Luke’s crack-shot pilot skills destroy the first death star. This marked the turning point in the rebellion’s efforts to overthrow the Empire. It also became the standard measuring system – at least in fandom.

Prequel Era – 32 BBY to 19 BBY

The majesty of the Republic, the shining spires of the city planet of Coruscant, and the political intrigue of the time make the prequels a fan favorite. The events of The Phantom Menace – or Episode 1 – took place in the year 32 BBY. Padmé Amidala is elected Queen of Naboo, saved, and escorted by some of our favorite Jedi – Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. They accompany her on her perilous voyage before returning to Coruscant with the ‘Chosen One’ Anakin Skywalker, born into slavery and now set onto the path of restoring the balance of the force as was foretold. In Star Wars Tales of the Jedi, we see the duel as Jedi Master Yaddle duels now-fallen Dooku. The latter begins his decline as a Sith and Separatist leader, harkening to the beginning of the Clone Wars. 

Wars don’t develop in a day. After ten years, Attack of the Clones – or Episode 2 – begins in 22 BBY.  After becoming Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine ushers in a new era with the Grand Army of The Republic (GAR), ushering in the first phase of his devilish plan by deploying the clones ordered by the masters of cloning, the Kaminoans. Political intrigue, assassination attempts, massive strategic battles, and a wallop of character development mark this era. If you have not watched The Clone Wars series, it is highly recommended – especially in preparation for the new Ashoka show. That single series has enough lore material to fill an entirely separate article.

Only three years later, in 19 BBY, we see the beginning of the end for the Republic as we know it. Revenge of the Sith sets the tone going forwardThe galaxy is now overwhelmed by betrayal, the rise of fascism, and stifling oppression as the supposed force for good – the Jedi Order – is nearly snuffed out by their own soldiers once the kill order 66 was issued. A tragic story for the ages, the incredible rise of one of the film’s most recognizable villains, and the bridging film to build into the original trilogy, the third iteration of the prequels lead exactly onto the purpose we came here today.

Order 66, The Fall of the Jedi, and Post Republic – 19 BBY to 9 BBY

The universe looks very different now with the Jedi dead or on the run. Obi-Wan Kenobi has fled to Tatooine in exile to secretly watch over Luke. The Bad Bath return to Kamino to be debriefed at the ‘end of the war’ despite witnessing some sketchy Jedi murder and the escape of padawan Caleb Dume – later known as Kanan Jarrus in Rebels. Finally, young Cal Kestis runs to Bracca in hiding to become a scrapper.

Setting the timeline in place requires some detective work. In Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal and his scrapper friend find a Jedi fighter, reminiscing that it’s been five years since Cal had seen such a starship. Based on these events, we place our story’s beginning sometime around 14 BBY. Since Order 66 in 19 BBY, the empire has lost no time hunting down the remainder of the Jedi. 

With a now-established Inquisitor force compiled of tortured young Jedi minds turned to the dark side, Cal is hounded by the Second Sister in his quest to learn more about the foundations of the Jedi Order and hopefully begin the process of reconstruction. After his connection is severed from the force due to traumatic events during Order 66, Cal’s quest is as much a journey of self-rediscovery as it is a restoration of the light side of the force.

Another important detail is that the stormtroopers are no longer clone troopers. Largely, the lack of identical voices would also serve to place the Defense Recruitment Bill introduced to the Galactic Senate in The Bad Batch. This means that clone troopers were quickly phased out within five years, or at least had begun to be eliminated from ranks.

The Rebellion 9 BBY – 1 ABY

By the time the Kenobi show picks up, we see a much older Luke. He seems to be around nine or ten in accordance with the time skip between 19 BBY and 9 BBY, being born the same day as Order 66. Ten years have passed, Obi-Wan is growing older in preparation for his white-haired appearance in Rebels and A New Hope, and the rebellion is stirring in the galaxy through the chapters of Star Wars Rebels. But what can we expect from Cal?

Jedi: Survivor supposedly takes place another five years after Order 66, placing us at precisely 9 BBY. The final decade before the Battle of Yavin is busy. Ghost crew’s adventure in Star Wars Rebels officially begins in 5 BBY, but so does Andor season one. The four-year gap between the beginnings of Kenobi and Andor, Star Wars Rebel, and Jedi: Survivor may be explained in comics, but so far there’s been no evidence from any cinematic media of specific evidence. 

Still, in real-world examples, rebellions aren’t built in a day. By the time the battle of Scarif begins and the Death Star plans are sent to Leia just as Rogue One ends, and A New Hope begins, it’s clear the rebellion is just now reaching its strongest point of momentum. 

Certain elements we’ve seen returning through all three eras include the presence of Saw Guerrera, a revolutionary from the time of the Clone Wars, through Jedi: Fallen Order, and through his end in Rogue One. Could we encounter him again in Jedi: Survivor?
Before Ghost crew met Ezra Bridger, they were part of the rebellion – could we encounter them in Jedi: Survivor? 

Predictions for the new installation of the Cal Kestis storyline are unclear, but there’s so much lore built up in the world around the story that anything is possible.
Jedi: Survivor releases on April 28th, 2023. Play it on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Series S.

All Star Wars properties are owned by Lucasfilm and The Disney Corporation. Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor were developed by Respawn and published by Electronic Arts (EA).