The Star Wars sequel trilogy left a gap of 30 years unexplored onscreen, with many key events unseen in the lives of Han Solo, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and especially Luke Skywalker. The sequels focus on the aftermath of Ben Solo’s fall to the dark side, with the First Order serving to threaten the entire galaxy. This bleak time period – which even lef to the deaths of the main original trilogy heroes – followed a period of relative peace where these heroes lived happy lives.
Although the New Republic didn’t exactly last a thousand years, it had a longer reign than the Empire that preceded it. There were presumably military engagements early on involving Grand Admiral Thrawn, but this was generally a period with limited military engagements. Most of these events took place in either books or comics, though, meaning viewers are largely unaware of events during this time period. Here’s everything known about the heroes’ lost years of Star Wars canon, which still desperately need fleshing out.
Senator Leia Organa Helped Lead The New Republic & More
After the events of the Star Wars original trilogy, Princess Leia immediately became a key senator in the New Republic, the new government that eventually grew to govern most of the galaxy. She formally represented the Alderaan sector in the New Republic’s Senate, and – according to Ahsoka – chaired the New Republic Defense Council. Leia became one of the most important politicians of the New Republic Era.
The blossoming relationship between Han Solo and Leia Organa led to a swift marriage, as seen in Beth Revis’ The Princess & the Scoundrel. They had a Force-sensitive son named Ben Solo in 5ABY, who was eventually sent on Jedi training with his uncle Luke. Ben was off pursuing Jedi training with his uncle Luke when Leia was ousted publicly for being the daughter of Darth Vader in 28ABY, which ended her political career and ushered in her formation of the Resistance.
Luke Skywalker Established His Jedi Temple And Academy
After the defeat of the Emperor and the death of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker immediately began traveling the galaxy in search of Jedi artifacts and information. This eventually led to Luke starting his own Jedi temple on Ossus, where he trained the next generation of Jedi Knights. Ossus is a planet from Star Wars Legends, with lots of Jedi history as it was home to an ancient Jedi library. This remains true in canon, as it’s where Luke finds one of the sacred Jedi texts featured in the sequel trilogy.
Luke served the New Republic during this era in a more detached way, while still going on missions – such as the one depicted in Adam Christopher’s Shadow of the Sith. This novel features Luke and Lando on the trail of Exegol while trying to save Rey’s parents from the Sith assassin Ochi. Before Ben’s turn to the dark side, Luke was a renowned and powerful Jedi master with many students.
Han Solo Ran A Racing Team And Taught Young Pilots
Han Solo struggled after the original trilogy, finding it difficult to adjust to peacetime. He found it difficult being a new father, given he didn’t have any examples of fatherhood in his own life. Han balanced his time as a husband and father by becoming a racing pilot, putting his skills to good use, and even assembling his own team of young pilots. Han would often race for charity and sponsor races of his own. The former smuggler even operated his own shipping company during the New Republic era, and was apparently a very responsible business owner.
Han was often on the road, and he had a busy wife, meaning the relationship became a long-distance one in which they communicated daily through holograms; he often took Ben with him. Still, Han made the effort to see Leia as much as he could. The relationship between Han and Leia was permanently damaged after Ben fell to the dark side, and they separated shortly after, though they never lost their feelings for one another – as seen in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Lando Calrissian’s Romance & Daughter
Lando wasn’t one of the main trio of characters in the original trilogy, but he had just as much of an impact on the Star Wars galaxy. After the war, Lando took over a droid manufacturing company, naming it ‘Calrissian Enterprises’, and stayed in service of the New Republic when needed. Lando eventually went on a fateful mission with Han Solo to stop an impending droid apocalypse, where he fell in love with an old flame named Kaasha Bateen, with whom he presumably fathered a daughter named Kadara.
Unfortunately, Lando’s daughter was kidnapped at a very young age by the secret First Order’s infant recruitment program. Lando then separated from Kaasha, searched for Rey’s parents with Luke, and found a home among the Aki-Aki on Pasaana as a hermit. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker revealed he remained there throughout the First Order’s rise.
Chewbacca’s Return To His Family On Kashyyyk
The often-forgotten yet always-present Chewbacca had a very peaceful life following the Star Wars original trilogy. Han and Chewbacca freed the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk in Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy, and Chewbacca eventually retired to Kashyyyk to be with his family – though he stayed in contact with Han. When Han once again became a smuggler after Ben’s fall and his separation from Leia, Chewbacca returned to his friend’s side – explaining why he’s there once again in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.