Despite only having said goodbye to it a couple of months ago, Star Wars' most underrated series has already been announced for a 2026 return. Nothing is ever truly gone in the galaxy far, far away. Long-thought-dead characters are shockingly revived, hanging narrative threads are tugged upon, and various movie/TV projects can come back at a moment's notice. However, when it came to The High Republic (at least in its initial literary form), fans thought that particular initiative from the star-faring sci-fi franchise was over.
That does not appear to be the case, as Star Wars has announced the surprise return of The High Republic, scheduled for release later next year. As a part of its Lucasfilm Publishing panel at New York Comic-Con (NYCC), it was revealed that a new entry in the long-running High Republic series is on the way, despite the brand dubbing this past summer's Trials of the Jedi novel the end of that particular narrative push.
Dubbed Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures–Pathfinders, the new comic miniseries from Dark Horse Comics will take fans back into the much-celebrated era of Star Wars.
These new books, written by George Mann, follow a new adventure set 20 years after Phase Two of The High Republic, following a new team of Jedi Pathfinders sent on a mission to investigate a mysterious Jedi Master.
This marks the first major High Republic release since the Lucasfilm High Republic experiment came to an end this past June, perhaps hinting at an unexpected future for the lauded Star Wars series.
Despite June's Trials of the Jedi being branded as the end of the High Republic era (at least in this form), fans have speculated about whether the initiative will continue in some capacity.
High Republic author Michael Siglain told StarWars.com back in June that Trials was "the end of this particular story," but not "the end of the era." He went on to say that while they are not planning a Phase Four of the narrative push, fans can consider this next era of the High Republic story as a "Phase More:"
"No, it is absolutely not the last time you'll see the High Republic era. It's the end of this particular story, but it's definitely not the end of the era. And we absolutely have plans for other stories. I wouldn't say it's Phase IV, but you could say it's sort of Phase More."
The first issue of the six-part Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures–Pathfinders story debuts in stores on March 11, 2026. It is unclear what the future of The High Republic holds beyond this new comic miniseries.
Why The High Republic Is Star Wars' Most Underrated Series
A Star Wars Epic Fans May Never Experience
Star Wars' High Republic series is easily the brand's most underrated.
The narrative initiative, which began with the release of Charles Soule's Light of the Jedi in 2021, has evolved into a sweeping Star Wars epic comprising 139 comic book issues (excluding Pathfinders), 25 novels, 22 short stories, six original manga, and five audio originals (check out the complete High Republic chronological reading order here).
Each of these titles contributed to the same ever-growing story, much like a literary MCU or the Skywalker Saga, all set hundreds of years before the events of the mainline Star Wars films.
It was released into three distinct storytelling phases, with the entire narrative culminating in an epic conclusion this year in Trials of the Jedi. It was a multimedia undertaking unlike anything seen before in the franchise. Yet, many Star Wars fans will never experience it, simply because it is a literary experience, rather than the next big-budget movie or TV show.
For fans who have been craving that next Skywalker Saga-esque story set within the galaxy far, far away, this is it. It follows a consistent continuity, with various characters coming and going over 120 years, each Phase featuring a time jump between them.
While it shares little connection narratively to the Skywalker Saga proper, it does set the stage for the rise of the Sith (as seen in the Prequel Trilogy), as well as paint a picture of what the Republic was like at the height of its powers, long before characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker ever came into the picture.
Near Limitless Storytelling Potential
One of the best parts of The High Republic, both in and out of materials already released within the era, is its near-limitless storytelling potential.
The High Republic era encompasses over 400 years of galactic history, spanning from approximately 500 BBY to 100 BBY. For comparison, the entire Skywalker Saga, as we know it, takes place over roughly 60 years. That is just a drop in the bucket when put up against The High Republic.
That means that, yes, even though dozens of stories have already been told within the High Republic era, there is potential for hundreds more if Lucasfilm wanted to explore the era further.
Thus far, The High Republic has primarily been a literary endeavor, with its story unfolding across books, short stories, audio dramas, and manga. The only two on-screen projects that have dipped their toes into the High Republic waters are Young Jedi Adventures and The Acolyte.
If Lucasfilm is passionate about this 'Phase More' approach, it would be smart to explore a whole slate of potential High Republic projects across TV, movies, books, and games.
The High Republic feels like this untapped resource that the Star Wars brand as a whole is sleeping on. While, for the most part, the franchise has opted to explore the same 67-year window within the Skywalker Saga, there are literally hundreds of years on either side of that that are ripe for exploration.
So, hopefully, this new Pathfinders series is just the beginning of a new era for The High Republic, one that will see not only fans give it a chance more thoroughly, but those at Lucasfilm as well.
