UPDATED:When does the newStar Warslive-action seriesThe Mandaloriantake place exactly? You might be surprised by the answer. You see,The Mandaloriantakes place during an interesting moment within the overall Skywalker saga story that Lucasfilm began telling back in 1977 withStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. If you watch the first episode ofThe Mandalorianclosely, you might be able to figure out when this series is taking place.
If the Stormtrooper heads on pikes and the severe lack of Darth Vader didn’t clue you in,The Mandaloriantakes place right after the events ofStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. The 1983 film ends with the Rebels, blowing up the Empire’s Death Star, Darth Vader dying and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) burning his body on a funeral pyre on Endor, and later Luke, Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) being fêted by the rest of the Rebel Alliance.
The Mandalorianpicks up five years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi, which means the Empire has fallen and Luke, Leia, and Han Solo are still alive elsewhere in the galaxy. Additionally, this means that Rey and Finn have not been born yet and Kylo Ren (still known as Ben Solo as this point) is just a little kid. Pretty trippy, right? SinceThe Mandaloriantakes place on the Outer Rim, however, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see any of the main characters from the Skywalker saga pop up, although the chances are good they could be referenced, considering the events ofReturn of the Jediare part of this show’s recent memory.
UPDATE:As of the Season 2 finale ofThe Mandalorian, we have not only seen the immediate aftereffects of life following the official fall of the Empire, but also seen the remnants of Imperial rule surviving in the corners of the galaxy. Key moments from the Skywalker Saga, including the Battle of Endor, have played out from the perspective of theMandalorianensemble in flashback (and there have been some notable cameos from characters established elsewhere in this universe).
Now that you know whenThe Mandaloriantakes place, it’ll be much easier to place it within the chronological order ofStar Warsmovies and TV shows. If you’re interested in watching those movies and TV shows in the Skywalker saga, theStar WarsTwitter account has you covered. (As does our own extensiveStar WarsTimeline.) Earlier this weekend, they tweeted out a fun infographic to help you find the right viewing order onDisney+for all your binge-watching needs. Check it out:
The Mandalorianis currently available to stream on Disney+, with new episodes releasing every Friday (for the most part) through the end of December. For more, check out our roundup of thebest TV shows on Disney+.
