Summary

• The Star Wars Legends timeline, which was the official canon before its rebranding, set many important stories in the year directly following the events of Return of the Jedi.
• The Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire briefly forces in the novel The Truce at Bakura to combat an invading force of the Ssi-ruuk species.
• The Galactic Empire fractures into warlord factions, the Rebel Alliance becomes the Alliance of Free Planets, and the Sith Order is revived by Palpatine's successor, Lumiya, who defeats Luke Skywalker.

The year after the Star Wars movies themselves, with various comic books and novels telling original stories shortly after the release of A New Hope (originally known simply as Star Wars). The Expanded Universe was the official Star Wars canon until its Legends rebranding in 2014, which rendered it an alternate continuity, though it would often be used to inspire elements of the current canon.

Many important Legends-era stories take place in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi, making the year particularly noteworthy. Since there are only six Skywalker saga movies in the Star Wars Legends timeline, Return of the Jedi is particularly important, as it serves as the saga’s ending. Darth Vader becomes Anakin Skywalker once more, Luke Skywalker completes his journey to Jedi Knighthood, and the sinister reign of Emperor Palpatine ends with his demise. Many of the Star Wars Legends timeline’s most beloved stories are set after Return of the Jedi, especially in the years 4 and 5 ABY.

10 The Rebel Alliance & Galactic Empire Briefly Forces

The Truce at Bakura

The 1993 novel The Truce at Bakura by Kathy Tyers is an epilogue to Return of the Jedi. In the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Endor, Wilek Nereus, the Imperial Governor of Bakura, sent a distress message to The Emperor himself, requesting assistance in repelling an invading force of the Ssi-ruuk, a species from the Unknown Regions. Princess Leia and Governor Nereus form a truce and combine their forces to combat the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium. Although the Rebel and Imperial forces managed to defeat the Ssi-ruuk, the Imperial forces broke the truce once their common enemy was defeated. The Rebellion prevailed, however, and Bakura soon ed the Alliance.

9 The Rebellion Becomes The Alliance Of Free Planets

Star Wars (1977 Comic Series)

As shown in Marvel’s classic Star Wars comics, the Rebel Alliance began the process of restoring the New Republic shortly after the Battle of Endor, renaming itself the Alliance of Free Planets. This transitional government was formed mere days after the events of Return of the Jedi using the Forest Moon of Endor as its capital and holding the First Conference of Free Peoples on the moon, with the Alliance’s member worlds collaborated to restore democracy while avoiding the pitfalls of the Galactic Republic. While short-lived, the Alliance of Free Planets was an invaluable step toward building the New Republic.

8 The Galactic Empire Fractions Into Warlord Factions

Star Wars Legends

As shown in various Legends-era Star Wars properties, the Galactic Empire was not destroyed by the Rebel Alliance’s victory at the Battle of Endor. Instead, the totalitarian regime fractured, with various Imperial Military leaders and politicians forming their own splinter factions and becoming warlords. The Imperial warlords fought amongst themselves almost as much as they fought against the Rebellion’s successor factions. Among the most notable Imperial warlord factions were Zsinj's Empire, the Pentastar Alignment, and Ysanne Isard’s faction (typically referred to as the Galactic Empire).

7 Palpatine’s Sith Successor Revives The Sith Order & Defeats Luke Skywalker

Star Wars (1977 Comic Series)

Shira Brie, once an Imperial spy, was trained as an unofficial Sith by Darth Vader himself during the Galactic Civil War. After the Battle of Endor, Lumiya not only became a genuine Dark Lady of the Sith, but she also formed the next iteration of the Sith Order after Darth Bane’s post-Ruusan dynasty. Marvel’s classic Star Wars comics depict her as one of the galaxy’s deadliest threats after Emperor Palpatine, with Lumiya notably dueling and defeating Luke Skywalker himself in their first bout on Kinooine, despite Luke having bested Darth Vader aboard the Second Death Star.

6 The Alliance Heroes Go To War With Extragalactic Invaders

Star Wars (1977 Comic Series)

In addition to contending with Imperial splinter factions and Lumiya’s new iteration of the Sith, the fledgling Alliance of Free Planets also dealt with extragalactic invaders. The Nagai and Tof species, who come from the neighboring galaxy known as Firefist, invaded the main Star Wars galaxy, with the Nagai initially siding with Lumiya’s Sith and Imperial faction before siding with the Alliance. The Tof were ultimately defeated and Lumiya was presumed dead, though the Sith Lady – in truth – went into hiding, refining her power in the dark side and plotting her revenge.

5 The Alliance Of Free Planets Evolves Into The New Republic

Star Wars Legends

Following the Nagai-Tof War, the Alliance of Free Planets finalized its transition into the New Republic, achieving the ultimate goal of the Rebel Alliance by restoring the Republic’s democracy. While not directly depicted in a Legends-era Star Wars story, the declaration of the New Republic nevertheless is one of the most important galactic events following Return of the Jedi. As shown throughout the Legends timeline, however, the New Republic would continue to wage war with the various successors to the Galactic Empire for 15 years after the Battle of Endor.

4 Luke Skywalker Meets Palpatine’s Son (& Grandson)

Jedi Prince

The six-book Jedi Prince junior novel series by Paul and Hollace Davids continues the fledgling New Republic’s conflict with the Empire’s warlord factions, but it also introduces the descendants of Emperor Palpatine himself. The human-Umbaran hybrid known as Triclops is the Emperor’s son, though his weak connection to the Force and unsuccessful dark side training led Palpatine to condemn him to enslavement in the Spice Mines of Kessel. On Kessel, Triclops would fall in love with the former Jedi Kendalina and have a son, Ken, who had a strong connection to the Force like his mother and grandfather, though he would go on to the New Republic.

3 Boba Fett Escapes The Sarlacc (Twice) & Hunts Down His Impersonator

Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction

The iconic Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett would escape the sarlacc pit twice in Legends. The first instance was short-lived, as shown in Marvel’s Star Wars comics, but after his second (and successful) escape, Fett would learn that another bounty hunter, Jodo Kast, was impersonating him, despite lacking Fett’s skill and not being a true Mandalorian like Fett. As shown in Andy Mangels and John Nadeau’s comic Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction, Boba Fett methodically hunted down, humiliated, and executed Kast, though he would not reveal his second escape from the sarlacc to Han Solo until 10 ABY.

2 Luke Skywalker Resigns From The New Republic Military

Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor

As shown in Matthew Stover’s novel Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor, Luke Skywalker clashed with the Prophet of the Dark Side known as Cronal, or Blackhole, who was once the Director of Imperial Intelligence. While formidable, Cronal’s forces were defeated by the combined might of the New Republic and their Mandalorian allies, though the battle was extremely costly. Luke Skywalker was sickened by the cost of life and subsequently resigned from the New Republic Military to focus on Jedi Knighthood, though he would continue to serve the New Republic informally and was allowed to keep his X-Wing, AA-589.

1 Kyle Katarn Defeats Jerec In The Valley of the Jedi

Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II

A millennium before the Star Wars Skywalker saga, the Sith were seemingly destroyed at the end of the Ruusan Campaign, though in truth, the sole Sith survivor, Darth Bane, would go on to found a new iteration of the Sith Order who follow the infamous Rule of Two. The dead Jedi and Sith on Ruusan, however, would remain trapped in what became known as the Valley of the Jedi. The former Imperial Inquisitor Jerec, aided by six other dark side-s and a contingent of the Pentastar Alignment’s military, would attempt to absorb the power of the fallen Jedi and Sith.

The former Rebel spy, Kyle Katarn, would not only save the galaxy from Jerec’s machinations but also become a Jedi himself. Receiving tutelage from the Force ghost of the Clone Wars-era Jedi Master Qu Rahn, Kyle gradually honed his abilities, traveled to Ruusan, and battled Jerec’s forces. Eventually defeating Jerec himself, Kyle Katarn also freed the trapped Force ghosts, bringing them long-overdue closure in the year following Return of the Jedi.