The New Episode VII Fixing Sequel Trilogy Mistakes

It’s been 10 years since the Star Wars sequel trilogy began with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the franchise is finally fixing its mistake through The Mandalorian. The Star Wars sequel trilogy ended with The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. While some upcoming Star Wars movies are set to move Rey’s story forward, like the upcoming New Jedi Order movie, Disney and Lucasfilm are more focused on another era of the galaxy far, far away.

The next Star Wars movie to hit theaters will be The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is set to be released on May 22, 2026. After that, Star Wars: Starfighter is scheduled for 2027, and new and returning shows like Ahsoka and Maul: Shadow Lord are on the horizon. These upcoming projects all point to one conclusion: Star Wars is trying to fix the mistakes it made with the sequel trilogy.

The Mandoverse Has Given Star Wars A New Episode VII

One thing has become abundantly clear since The Rise of Skywalker‘s lackluster reception: Star Wars is turning to the Mandoverse as the future of the franchise instead of the sequel trilogy. Since 2019, there have been four live-action Star Wars shows set in or around the early days of the New Republic: The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew. In contrast, only Star Wars: Resistance takes place during the rise of the First Order.

The near future of Star Wars is also dominated by the Mandoverse. As previously mentioned, the next movie set to release is The Mandalorian and Grogu, while Starfighter is also set to take place at about the same point in the Star Wars timeline. This huge focus on the Mandoverse confirms that The Mandalorian has usurped The Force Awakens as the unofficial “Episode VII” of Star Wars.

As a whole, the Mandoverse works as a much better sequel to Return of the Jedi than the sequel trilogy does. It’s set in the immediate aftermath of the Galactic Civil War, it deals directly with the fallout of things like Ahsoka’s departure from the Jedi Order, what happened to the Empire after the Battle of Jakku, and more. The Mandoverse is what fans wanted from the sequel trilogy, from Admiral Thrawn’s return to Anakin’s Force ghost.

Star Wars’ Post-ROTJ Shows Are Exploring The Galaxy’s Politics Better Than The Movies

Part of the reason the Mandoverse works so much better as a sequel to Return of the Jedi than the sequel trilogy did is because of its huge focus on the galaxy’s political landscape. The sequel trilogy essentially brushed most of its political story under the rug. It wasn’t until publishing efforts like Bloodlines and The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire that we even got an in-depth look the politics of the First Order, for example.

The sequel trilogy had a chance to tell a wildly compelling story about neo-fascism and the failings of the New Republic to stamp out Imperial sentiments, but it didn’t take it. There are elements of that story in the movies, but they’re hardly the main focus. Instead of achieving the swooping political storytelling of either the original or prequel trilogies, the sequel trilogy opted for an underbaked replacement for the Empire.

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On the other hand, the Mandoverse tackled the galaxy’s politics head on. The various shows have given us a first-hand look into the New Republic’s deadlocked political landscape and demilitarization, the way the Galactic Empire persisted after Jakku, the inner workings of the Imperial Remnants, and even pro-Empire sentiments stewing in the people of the galaxy. The Mandoverse features the kind of political storytelling the sequel trilogy should have doubled down on.

The Force Awakens’ Biggest Mistake Was Going Back To The Original Trilogy’s Status Quo

The Mandoverse’s political storytelling also exposes the main error of the sequel trilogy: it went back to the original trilogy’s status quo. Many fans have noted that The Force Awakens is essentially the same story as A New Hope. So many elements of the sequel trilogy are just remixes of things from the original trilogy. Rey is Luke, Kylo Ren is Darth Vader, Han Solo is Obi-Wan, Luke is Yoda, and the list goes on from there.

The Force Awakens basically kneecapped the sequel trilogy by forcing it to rehash the original trilogy all over again. Episode VII was too similar to A New Hope, Episode VIII was too different from The Force Awakens, and Episode IX was stuck in the middle where it could satisfy no one. The entire sequel trilogy was held hostage by the original trilogy; staying too close to the source wasn’t original enough, but straying too far, like The Last Jedi did, proved wildly controversial.

The Mandoverse’s approach to the original trilogy is what the sequel trilogy should have done in the first place. The Mandoverse is intrinsically tied to the original trilogy — it focuses on the direct aftermath of Return of the Jedi — but it’s not just the same story retold. It pushes Star Wars forward and introduces new ideas, new villains, new heroes, and new areas of the galaxy.

The best example of how differently the Mandoverse and the sequel trilogy handle the original trilogy’s legacy is their villains. The sequel trilogy had the First Order and Kylo Ren, ostensibly new villains that felt like carbon copies of the Empire and Darth Vader. The Mandoverse has the Imperial Remnants and (arguably) Moff Gideon and Admiral Thrawn, literal holdovers and members of the original trilogy’s antagonists who feel completely separate from them.

How Far Can Star Wars’ Mandalorian Universe Go?

So, the Mandoverse is essentially Star Wars‘ new saga of storytelling and replaces the sequel trilogy, but one question remains: can it last? Much of the answer depends on The Mandalorian and Grogu. If the Mandoverse’s first foray onto the big screen is a big hit, the entire New Republic era could become the main focus of Disney and Lucasfilm’s movie and television efforts.

Luckily for the Mandoverse, it has plenty of space to operate in. Even with just the shows we’ve seen so far, there’s plenty of room for future stories. The Mandalorian provides an exciting, action-adventure take on the galaxy. Ahsoka dives deeper into politics and the Force. Skeleton Crew proved that the Mandoverse can move into unexpected areas both in the galaxy and thematically, with its focus on pirates and its tone that appeals to younger audiences.

Really, the Mandoverse could go on for as long as it’s successful. It has all the pieces to be a franchise in its own right. Gideon and Thrawn are perfect villains with enough reach to threaten the entire galaxy. The New Republic is an interesting enough playpen for all sorts of political stories. The Mandoverse feels like an unlimited source of potential stories in a way the sequel trilogy simply doesn’t (yet).

That being said, there is still a way for the Mandoverse to fail. The mini-franchise has already had its share of missteps. The Mandalorian season 3 and The Book of Boba Fett are notable ones, and they prove that the Mandoverse’s unlimited stories still have to be told well. If The Mandalorian and Grogu isn’t a hit, Disney and Lucasfilm may take it as a sign that the Mandoverse isn’t the best bet for an enduring franchise.

Other upcoming Star Wars movies can also usurp the Mandoverse. If Rey’s New Jedi Order movie proves to be a bigger hit, Star Wars may decide to return its attention to the post-First Order galaxy. There’s also the High Republic and Old Republic eras to explore, and even the Dawn of the Jedi part of the timeline. Star Wars itself is unlimited, so if The Mandalorian can’t continue being the success it has so far, the franchise may well move to a new subject.

Release Date

2019 – 2023-00-00

Network

Disney+

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  Din Djarin / The Mandalorian

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  Katee Sackhoff

  Bo-Katan Kryze

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