When Does 'The Mandalorian And Grogu' Take Place? The Star Wars Timeline, Explained
The Mandalorian and Grogu will release in theaters on May 22nd. Although most of the plot is still under wraps, Din Djarin and Grogu will be working with the New Republic on a case that may be tied to the Empire.
With the New Republic active in the film, it raises the question of when The Mandalorian and Grogu exists in the Star Wars timeline. Thankfully, we have worked out a relative idea of when the film is set and what that means for the galaxy at that time and in the future.
‘The Mandalorian And Grogu’s Place In The Star Wars Timeline
Before Disney+ released The Mandalorian (2019), the Star Wars universe spent most of its time during the original trilogy’s Galactic Civil War. If not there, audiences also saw content from the prequel trilogy during the Clone Wars or the sequel trilogy.
In contrast, The Mandalorian takes place in a time of relative peace in the galaxy. It was the first live-action Star Wars series to exist after the original trilogy and before the sequel trilogy, making it an era of great growth and tension. The Empire isn’t fully gone, and it feels lawless in some parts of the galaxy, like where The Mandalorian is mainly set.
On the opposite side of things is the New Republic. In The Mandalorian, audiences see how quickly those who fought to defeat the Empire shift back into bureaucracy. So much so that it lays the foundation for what would become the rise of the First Order. This starts with Season 1, which is set in 9 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin) and has most recently been seen in Season 3, set in 11 ABY.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is set almost immediately after Season 3 of The Mandalorian, which places it roughly at 12 ABY. This alone sets the momentum of the film at a higher level and makes, at least, Season 3 required viewing for people who love the story.
‘The Mandalorian And Grogu’ Can Set Up A Lot For Star Wars
Considering that The Mandalorian and Grogu predates the events of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), there are a lot of opportunities to set up a larger narrative. For starters, the film could help establish the cloning plotline introduced in The Mandalorian to finally explain how Palpatine somehow returned.
However, with the remnants of the Empire still making moves in the galaxy, The Mandalorian and Grogu could also shine a brighter light on whether or not this could help establish the rise of the First Order. There’s also the addition of Ahsoka (2023) and Thrawn’s inevitable return to his home galaxy, which could play a role in whatever the remnant Empire is up to already.
The era of the New Republic, set before The Force Awakens, is a time that has yet to be fully explored in the films. It has been heavily centered in the television shows set in that time, and there’s tension that can be felt in the galaxy. But with The Mandalorian and Grogu, this setting gains an even stronger footing.
