Here are the differences between the High Republic and the Old Republic in Star Wars canon.
The new trailer for Lucasfilms’ upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte has many excited to see The High Republic era explored on screen—one of the few places on the Star Wars timeline outside the Skywalker Saga.
Another significant era is the Old Republic, made famous by the popular game series Knights of the Old Republic.
The Differences Between The High Republic and The Old Republic
Their Place on the Star Wars Timeline and in Its Canon
The first significant difference between the High Republic and the Old Republic is where they fit on the Star Wars timeline and how long they lasted.
The Old Republic took place roughly 25,000 years BBY (before the battle of Yavin) until 1,000 BBY—the longest single era in Star Wars canon. The High Republic lasted only 400 years, from 500 BBY to 100 BBY.
Needless to say, a lot happened during those 24,000 years in the Old Republic. Interestingly enough, however, nearly all of the specifics of that era are not considered canon, as those story points were created before Disney's new initiative.
In contrast, every detail of the High Republic, a fairly recent era created for a new wave of Star Wars books beginning in 2021, is part of the canon.
Fans are hoping The Acolyte, with its spotlight on the Sith, can establish more Old Republic lore as canon.
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Peace Vs. War in the Star Wars Galaxy
The High Republic is known for being the absolute high point of the Republic, maintaining a long stretch of uninterrupted peace.
There were some exceptions, such as the threat of the Nihil, which is explored in the High Republic novels.
However, for the most part, the galaxy is at peace. Many Jedi in the High Republic have never seen combat themselves.
It is the extreme opposite for the Old Republic, which has a long list of conflicts across the galaxy—namely that of the Galactic Republic (and Jedi Order) vs. the Sith Empire.
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The Endlessly Evil Sith
Then comes the biggest difference between the two eras, The Sith.
In the Old Republic, thousands were active at a time, all of which were part of the grand Sith Empire. As one would expect, that faction waged a long and destructive war against the Jedi and the Republic.
When it comes to the High Republic, the Sith have not been seen for hundreds of years. Before The Phantom Menace, there hadn't been a recorded siting of a Sith for nearly a thousand years.
The Acolyte will explore the hidden truth that they were active during that long stretch of peace. However, the faction stayed in the shadows and was beholden to the infamous Rule of Two—keeping their numbers at bay.
Since the lore does need to hold to the canon established in The Phantom Menace, the odds of survival do not look great for any Jedi who sees a red lightsaber at any point in The Acolyte.
The Acolyte premieres on June 4 on Disney+ with two episodes.
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