Star Wars 101: Beginner’s Guide
Let’s start with some of the basics.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Lightsabers, “Luke, I am your father,” Baby Yoda, and May the 4th be with you. If you’re new to the galactic universe, then that’s probably the extent of your knowledge. Don’t worry, we’re only slightly judging. But lucky for you, we’re here to answer some commonly asked questions and guide you to the light side. Or the dark side, whatever you’re into!
Characters
Now for someone who doesn't know anything, there are a ton of different characters and names thrown around throughout the series. So who are the important characters and who’s good and bad? Let’s dive in.
Luke Skywalker - One with the force and one of the greatest Jedis of all time
Home: Raised in Tatooine to be hidden from Emperor Palpatine and his father
Parents: Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and Padmé Amidala, adopted by Owen and Beru Lars
Good or Bad: Good (Jedi)
Weapon: Green lightsaber, but originally had his father’s blue lightsaber before losing it on Cloud City. It was later picked up by Rey who took it back to Luke in The Last Jedi
Siblings: Twin Sister — Princess Leia (but they did not know at first because she was adopted by Bail Organa)
Trained by: Yoda and Obi-Wan
Movie Appearances: Revenge of the Sith (briefly shown as an infant), A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, The Force Awakens (a brief cameo), The Last Jedi
Dead or Alive: Dead
Han Solo - Smuggler, Pilot of the Millennium Falcon, and General in the Rebel Alliance
Home: Corellia
Parents: Jonash Solo and Jaina Solo
Love Interest: Married Princess Leia
Children: 4 kids, but notably Ben Solo (Kylo Ren)
Good or Bad: Good, but also a smuggler and worked under crime lord Jabba the Hutt
Weapon: Blaster pistol
Movie Appearances: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, Solo, The Rise of Skywalker
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Ben Solo (Kylo Ren)
Princess Leia Skywalker Organa Solo - a rebellious “princess” with the OG space buns
Home: Polis Massa and Alderaan
Parents: Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and Padmé Amidala, adopted by Bail and Breha Organa
Siblings: Luke Skywalker — Twin brother
Good or Bad: Good, but rebellious
Weapon: Blaster pistol
Love Interest: Married Han Solo
Children: 4 kids, but notably Ben Solo (Kylo Ren)
Movie Appearances: Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
Dead or Alive: Dead, she used the Force to reach out to Kylo and subsequently passed away (this was also due to actress Carrie Fisher’s death)
Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker - A Jedi Knight turned Sith with some of the highest Force sensitivity to ever be detected. Can be recognized with the black helmet and heavy breathing
Home: Tatooine
Parents: Shmi Skywalker, no father
Good or Bad: Anakin started Good (Jedi), but turned to the dark side (Sith)
Weapon: Anakin had a blue lightsaber that was later used by his son Luke. When he turned to the dark side, he lost the blue lightsaber during the Clone Wars and chose a red blade as a replacement.
Love Interest: Padmé Amidala
Children: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia
Trained by: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Sidious
Trained: Ahsoka
Movie Appearances: Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Palpatine
R2-D2 - A loyal and quirky droid and C-3PO’s counterpart. Can be identified as the blue and white robot-looking droid that screams
Home: Naboo
Owners: Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker
Job: StarSpeeder 3000 navigator and C-3PO’s counterpart
Abilities: Fighting, flying, has more personality and the ability to think unlike other droids
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Clone Wars, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
C-3PO - A cowardly, loyal protocol droid built by young Anakin Skywalker, programmed with over 30 secondary functions to help his mother. Eventually, his memory is wiped and becomes friends with R2-D2 and helps Luke Skywalker. Recognized as the gold human-looking droid
Home: Originated from Tatooine
Abilities: Multilingual, Master Pilot
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Clone Wars, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One (cameo)
Chewbacca (Chewie) - A freed Wookiee who became Han Solo’s best friend and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon. Basically looks like Bigfoot
Home: Kashyyyk
Good or Bad: Good, but worked alongside Han Solo under crime lord Jabba the Hutt
Weapon: Bowcaster, but also has Wookiee-strength and a short temper
Movie Appearances: Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, Solo
Dead or Alive: Alive, continued on as co-pilot with Rey after Han’s death
Yoda - A wise, old Jedi Master who is considered one of the most powerful Force-users, even though his species and background are completely unknown. Recognized as small, green, and alien-looking
Home: Dagobah and formerly Coruscant
Good or Bad: Good (Jedi Master)
Weapon: Green lightsaber and the ability to use the Force
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens (voice), The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker (voice)
Dead or Alive: Dead (of old age)
Jabba the Hutt - Crime lord and gangster known for piracy, slavery, and trafficking illegal goods. Can be recognized as the large, slug-looking creature
Home: Tatooine
Good or Bad: Bad, known crime lord with a cocky attitude
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, The Clone Wars, A New Hope, Return of the Jedi
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Princess Leia
Lando Calrissian - Former captain of the Millennium Falcon and best friend of Han Solo
Home: Bespin and formerly Socorro
Weapon: Blaster pistol
Good or Bad: This one can be debated. He was a con-man and smuggler. He had good intentions for some decisions, but was put in hard circumstances and made the choice to betray Han Solo.
Movie Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, Solo
Dead or Alive: Alive
Qui-Gon Jinn - A Jedi Master known to have discovered Anakin Skywalker
Home: Coruscant
Good or Bad: Good (Jedi Master)
Weapon: Green lightsaber
Trained by: Count Dooku
Trained: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, The Rise of Skywalker (voice)
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Darth Maul
Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus - Former Jedi Master, turned Sith Lord and one of the main “villains”
Home: Serenno
Good or Bad: Started Good but turned real Bad
Trained by: Jedi Master Yoda, Darth Sideous (Palpatine)
Trained: Qui-Gon Jinn
Weapon: Jedi - Blue lightsaber, Sith - Red lightsaber
Movie Appearances: Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Anakin
Obi-Wan Kenobi - Jedi Master who was extremely experienced in using the Force, but made reckless mistakes
Home: Tatooine, formerly Coruscant, born on Stewjon
Good or Bad: Good (Jedi Master)
Weapon: Blue lightsabers (he had a total of three from losing them in battles)
Trained by: Qui-Gon Jinn
Trained: Anakin Skywalker
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Clone Wars, The Force Awakens (voice), The Rise of Skywalker (voice)
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Darth Vader (he sacrificed himself to protect Luke and Leia)
Darth Maul / Maul - The first apprentice and personal assassin of Sheev Palpatine and master of lightsaber combat
Home: Malachor, formerly Mandalore, born on Dathomir
Good or Bad: Bad (Sith)
Weapon: Double-bladed red lightsaber
Trained by: Palpatine
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Solo
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Obi-Wan
Sheev Palpatine / Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious - A Dark Lord of the Sith, elected as Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and orchestrated the Clone Wars
Home: Exegol, formerly Coruscant, born on Naboo
Good or Bad: Bad (Sith)
Trained by: Darth Plagueis (the Dark Lord of the Sith)
Trained: Darth Maul, Darth Tyranus (known for luring Anakin to the dark side)
Dead or Alive: Dead (was killed many times but kept resurrecting). Killed by Han Solo, killed by Anakin to save his son (Luke), most recently defeated by Rey who used the spirits of all the past Jedi to help.
General Grievous - Cyborg leader of the Droid Army and Count Dooku’s Lieutenant
Home: Kaleesh
Good or Bad: Bad, worked under Sith
Weapon: Multiple lightsabers (blue and green), blasters, trained to fight
Movie Appearances: Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Obi-Wan
Padmé Amidala - Served two terms as Queen of Naboo, became Senator of Naboo and Chommell, and was Anakin’s secret wife
Home: Naboo
Good or Bad: Good
Love Interest: Married Anakin Skywalker
Children: Luke Skywalker, Leia Skywalker Organa Solo
Movie Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars
Dead or Alive: Dead, couldn’t bear the fact that Anakin fell to the dark side and died after childbirth
Kylo Ren / Ben Solo - Serves as Supreme Leader of the First Order, but comes back to the light side to fight alongside Rey
Home: Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Temple, born on Chandrila
Parents: Han Solo and Princess Leia
Love Interest: Rey (it’s complicated)
Good or Bad: Good, turned Bad, turned Good (kind of)
Weapon: Crossguard red lightsaber
Movie Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by Rey (but also kind of sacrificed himself)
General Hux - Kylo Ren’s rival (even though they’re on the same side) and the general for the First Order when fighting the Resistance
Home: Arkanis
Good or Bad: Bad — First Order, but at the end served as a double agent to give the Resistance information
Movie Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
Dead or Alive: Dead, killed by General Pryde (another general for the First Order who Kylo favored) for treason
Rey / Rey Skywalker (self-proclaimed) - A scavenger who seeks out Luke Skywalker to teach her the ways of the Force
Home: Jakku
Parents: A clone of Palpatine and an unnamed mother (making her Palpatine’s granddaughter)
Love Interest: Ben Solo (Kylo Ren)
Good or Bad: Good - Jedi and part of the Resistance
Weapon: Yellow lightsaber
Movie Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
Dead or Alive: Alive, self-proclaimed Skywalker to honor their legacy, keep the name going and to redo her own heritage as a descendant of Palpatine
Movies
Let’s start at the beginning, well kind of. Technically speaking, the movies came out in this order: 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9. Confusing right? Let’s break it down.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Original Trilogy
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) - Luke Skywalker leaves his home planet of Tatooine to learn the ways of the Force and defeat the evil Empire as part of the Rebel Alliance to restore freedom and justice to the galaxy. Luke and Han Solo work together alongside two droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, and Obi-Wan Kenobi to rescue Princess Leia who is being held under Imperial Forces ruled by Darth Vader.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Darth Vader is after Luke Skywalker and his Rebel Alliance. Luke, Han, Leia, and their Wookiee friend, Chewbacca (Chewie), are attacked on the ice planet Hoth by the Imperial Forces. Luckily, Han and Leia escape on the Millennium Falcon. Luke seeks Yoda on the planet Dagobah because he needs the Jedi Master’s help to be able to survive the battle with Darth Vader.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) - Han Solo has been captured and is being held by Jabba the Hutt. Luke Skywalker must lead a rescue mission and face Darth Vader one final time. Han and Princess Leia rekindle their love and join forces with Chewie, Lando Calrissian, the Ewoks, and the iconic droid duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO, to defeat the evil emperor.
Prequel Trilogy
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) - A young Anakin Skywalker is discovered to be strong with the Force on the planet of Tatooine where he lives as a slave and partakes in pod racing. Qui-Gon Jinn takes him under his wing as a Jedi apprentice knight. On the other side of the galaxy, the evil Sith are plotting their revenge against the Jedi. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are tasked with settling the feud when the Trade Federation cuts off all the routes to the planet of Naboo.
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002) - Anakin Skywalker, now 10 years older, is faced with the decision to choose between his forbidden love and his duties as a Jedi. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan discovers an evil plan targeting the galaxy that eventually leads to the Galactic Civil War (the Clone Wars) and the beginning of the end of the Republic.
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker set out to rescue Chancellor Palpatine from the commander of the droid armies, cyborg General Grievous. Grievous escapes and the Jedi Council questions Palpatine’s intentions. Between the bitterness toward the Jedi Council and being under the assumption that he killed his secret wife, Padmé Amidala, Anakin embraced the dark side in hopes to have the power to resurrect Padmé.
Current Trilogy
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) - It’s been 30 years since the Empire was defeated and Luke Skywalker vanished, and The First Order is the new threat in the galaxy. Han Solo and his allies of the Resistance must face Kylo Ren and the First Order.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) - As the First Order, led by Kylo Ren and General Hux, is out against the Resistance and Princess Leia, Rey finds Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi. As Rey shows strong signs of the Force and an interest to learn, Luke must make the decision to teach her after years of hiding.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - The rebels learn that Emperor Palpatine did not die at the hands of Darth Vader. Meanwhile, the First Order is plotting to form a new Empire. And the Resistance, led by Poe (a pilot) and Finn (a reformed stormtrooper), must put a stop to it. While still part of the Resistance, Rey prepares herself for her fated encounter with Kylo Ren.
Star Wars Stories
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) - Jyn teams up with a former spy and various other Resistance fighters to steal the plans for the Rebel Alliance, knowing her father, Galen Erso, holds the key to the destruction of the most powerful weapon, the Death Star. When Jyn was a little girl, evil Orson Krennic took Galen away from his family to be the Empire’s lead engineer for the Death Star.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) - A look into a young Han Solo’s life and how he became the pilot of the infamous Millennium Falcon. Han teams up with a gang of smugglers and Chewbacca to steal a batch of valuable coaxium from the planet of Kessel to pay back the galactic gangster, Dryden Vos. Han meets Lando Calrissian, the original owner of the Millennium Falcon, just in time when he’s in need of a fast vessel.
Relevant Series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020) - This series is set between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and focuses on the Republic’s clone army struggling to maintain order against Count Dooku’s (leader of the Separatists) dark side forces. The Clone army, led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, fight against the forces of the dark side while Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan learner, Ashoka Tano, head into battle with Jabba the Hutt.
Star Wars Rebels (2014-2017) - This series takes place between The Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and focuses on the era when the Galactic Empire is spreading amongst the galaxy and the Rebellion is beginning to form.
Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020) - This series happens before Star Wars: The Force Awakens and follows the young Resistance pilot, Kazuda Xiono, and his mission to spy on the First Order.
The Mandalorian (2019-Present) - This series focuses on a lone bounty hunter after the fall of the Empire and before the rise of the First Order. On the outer reaches of the galaxy and far from the New Republic, Mando faces many challenges and is introduced to Grogu, The Child (Baby Yoda).
The Book of Boba Fett (2021-Present) - This brand new series tells the story of the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand as they return to the planet of Tatooine to claim the land once owned by Jabba the Hutt.
Terms
While there are enough terms to write an entire Star Wars dictionary (check out the Wookiepedia), here are a few must-knows.
Jedi: a Force-sensitive member of the Jedi Order whose purpose is to bring peace to the galaxy.
The Force: the mysterious power/energy used by certain-capable individuals in the Star Wars galaxy. It gives the user the ability to perform inhuman abilities.
Sith: the main antagonists and enemies of the Jedi (the dark side).