Time Skips in the Original Star Wars Trilogy: A New Hope to Return of the Jedi

The original Star Wars trilogy, comprising A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, is beloved by fans for its epic storyline and memorable characters. However, the exact time skips between these films have often been a subject of debate and curiosity. This article aims to clarify the time periods between the films based on both the old Expanded Universe (EU) and the new Disney canon.

The Timeline of the Original Trilogy

According to the original timeline as established in the Expanded Universe, the time skips between the films are as follows:

Between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back

The time skip between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back spans approximately three years. This period sees the Rebel Alliance on the run from the Empire, facing numerous challenges and developing their ranks. The Rebel Alliance has been in stealth mode, gathering forces and plotting their ultimate confrontation with the Empire. These events take place from 0 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) to 3 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin).

Between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi

The next time skip sees a shorter period, with about one to a few months passing between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. During this time, the Rebel Alliance manages to reorganize their forces, while Luke Skywalker is hard at work constructing his new lightsaber. This period brings the timeline from 3 ABY to 4 ABY, culminating in the climax of the original trilogy.

The Time Jumps in Detail

For further context, let's break down the time jumps in more detail:

Time Jumps:

Between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back: Approximately three years (0 BBY to 3 ABY) Between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi: 1 to a few months (3 ABY to 4 ABY) Other Time Jumps in the Canon: Between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones: 10 years (19 BBY to 10 BBY) Between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith: 3 years (10 BBY to 7 BBY) Between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope: 19 years (7 BBY to 0 BBY)

Making Sense of the Canon Changes

The introduction of the Disney canon has brought about some changes to the established timeline. For instance, the time skip between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones has been clarified to be 10 years, and the time between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith has been set to 3 years. However, for the original trilogy, the Disney canon doesn't provide a definitive time skip; it leaves it largely open to interpretation, similar to theExpanded Universe.

Given the current canon, we can infer that the events in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi span a relatively short time frame, allowing for the necessary reorganization and development of the characters to occur. This period is crucial in preparing the Rebellion for its final confrontation with the Empire.

For fans of the original trilogy, understanding these time skips adds depth to the narrative and helps to visualize the significant transformations that the characters undergo during this period. The time jumps highlight the pivotal moments in the journey of the Rebel Alliance and the construction of the Rebel fleet, as well as the personal growth of Luke Skywalker and his apprenticeship under Yoda.

Conclusion

The time skips in the original Star Wars trilogy, particularly between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back (three years), and between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (1 to a few months), are critical elements that shape the story's arc and the development of the characters. Whether you prefer the Expanded Universe or the Disney canon, these time jumps help to understand the full scope of the original trilogy and its place in the larger Star Wars galaxy.