How ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ Could Link To Old Republic ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy

“Star Wars: Episode IX” may see the end of Luke Skywalker’s saga, but that doesn’t mean the franchise will leave “Star Wars” fans empty-handed. In the next couple of years, fans will see the dawn of a new “Star Wars” trilogy to be helmed by “Game Of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and rumor has it that it will be set during the Old Republic.

In the “Star Wars” timeline, this era took place long before Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. It also took place before the events in “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” when the Emperor turned the Republic into the Empire. Assuming Benioff and Weiss decide to move away from the current timeline and head back to thousands of years before Luke Skywalker’s saga to focus on the Old Republic era, then the next “Star Wars” trilogy will be a breath of fresh air for “Star Wars” fans.

Avid fans of “Star Wars” know that the Old Republic is set in a galaxy far, far away. If the trilogy focuses on what transpired during this era, then the next set of “Star Wars” movies will be a throwback, medieval-style trilogy that offers a “Game Of Thrones” vibe — no Luke Skywalker, no Empire.

Given that the Old Republic is a side of the galaxy that none of the previous “Star Wars” movies has ever mined, it is interesting to know how “Star Wars: Episode IX” will connect to the trilogy. There are speculations that Kylo Ren and the enigmatic Knights of Ren could link the upcoming film to the trilogy since “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” implied that the Knights of Ren are a thousands-old order of Dark Side antiheroes — even older than the Sith.

Interestingly, in “Star Wars: Rebels,” one scene showed Ezra Bridger unearthing an ancient lightsaber that resembled the crossguard style saber of Kylo Ren. So if Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren are from an era way before Darth Vader, then “Star Wars: Episode IX” might set the stage for a “Star Wars” trilogy that sheds light on their origin story, which is set in the Old Republic.

As of now, details about “Star Wars: Episode IX” are still mostly under wraps and Benioff and Weiss’ “Star Wars” trilogy is still in its early stage of development, so fans can only speculate so much. Until new details about these projects are confirmed, fans should take all rumors and speculations with a grain of salt.