Glossary of Terms

Canon Star Wars films and television shows

Original trilogy

Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Dir. George Lucas, USA: Lucasfilm (original title Star Wars).

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Dir. Irvin Kershner, USA: Lucasfilm.

Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), Dir. Richard Marquand, USA: Lucasfilm.

Prequels

Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Dir. George Lucas, USA: Lucasfilm.

Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), Dir. George Lucas, USA: Lucasfilm.

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), Dir. George Lucas, USA: Lucasfilm.

Sequels

Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Dir. J. J. Abrams, USA: Lucasfilm/Disney.

Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), Dir. Rian Johnson, USA: Lucasfilm/Disney.

Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Dir. J. J. Abrams, USA: Lucasfilm/Disney.

Spin-offs

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Dir. Gareth Edwards, USA: Lucasfilm/Disney.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Dir. Ron Howard, USA: Lucasfilm/Disney.

TV shows

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003–5; 2008–14, 2020), Cartoon Network.

Star Wars: Rebels (2014–18), Disney XD.

Star Wars: Forces of Destiny (2017–18), YouTube.

Star Wars: Resistance (2018–), Disney Channel.

The Mandalorian (2019–), Disney +.

Notable companies

Lucasfilm

An independent production company established by George Lucas in 1971. It is responsible for producing Star Wars screen media, as well as other blockbuster films. Since 2012, Lucasfilm has been owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Industrial Light and Magic (ILM)

A division of Lucasfilm founded in 1975. It is responsible for the visual effects seen in Star Wars and many other screen media.

Twentieth Century-Fox

The Hollywood film studio responsible for distributing the original trilogy Star Wars films.

In-universe terms

AT-AT (aka Walkers)	A large, heavily armoured attack vehicle that looks like a tank on stilt-like legs. They are used by the Empire in a battle against the Rebels on Hoth.
Empire	Led by the Emperor, the Empire and its Imperial troops seek to colonize and dominate the galaxy. The Empire’s political imperatives remain uncertain.
Force	A metaphysical energy that binds the universe together. It has both Light (positive) and Dark (negative) sides that can be manipulated by Force-sensitive beings.
Jedi	An order of Force-sensitive knights that aims to bring balance to the galaxy by championing the Light Side. Luke Skywalker, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi are Jedi.
Millennium Falcon	The ship owned by Han Solo. It is known for its speed and for breaking down at inopportune moments. The ship serves the Rebel Alliance.
Rebel Alliance	A group of human and alien beings, as well as droids, from across the galaxy who are affiliated in their desire to overcome the Empire and restore peace.
Sith	An opposing order of Force users (such as Darth Vader), whose goal is to serve the Empire and rule the galaxy by the power of the Dark Side.
Stormtroopers	The usually white-armoured clone-like army of the Empire.
X-wing	A small, single-person aircraft usually associated with the Rebel Alliance.

Cast of characters

Artoo Detoo	A small droid who serves Luke and communicates with beeps and whistles.
Boba Fett	A bounty hunter who forms an alliance with Darth Vader to kidnap Han.
Chewbacca	A fearless, shaggy-haired ally of Han Solo who serves the Rebel Alliance.
Darth Vader	The black-clad, Force-sensitive Sith lord who brings fear to the galaxy.
The Emperor	The mysterious, hooded figure who rules the Empire.
Exogorth	A giant worm-like animal that the Rebels mistake for a cave inside an asteroid.
Han Solo	A mercenary drawn to the Rebels for financial gain and his love for Leia.
Lando Calrissian	The bold Baron Administrator of Cloud City, a mining colony on Bespin.
Leia Organa	A senator and princess who is a courageous leader in the Rebel Alliance.
Luke Skywalker	An inexperienced farm boy who becomes a Rebel leader and Jedi knight.
Mynocks	The bat-like animals that inhabit the exogorth’s cave-like mouth.
Obi-Wan Kenobi	A Jedi knight, he died at the hand of Vader and appears as a Force ghost.
See Threepio	A human-like, gold-plated protocol droid who serves the Rebels.
Tauntaun	The lizard-like animals that the Rebels use like camels on Hoth.
Wampa	A yeti-like creature that attacks Luke on Hoth.
Yoda	The wise old Jedi master who teaches Luke the ways of the Force on Dagobah.