A fan of Star Wars has never had a better time.

There’s been a lot of Star Wars projects and no shortage of criticism alongside it. Here’s why fans should still be grateful for the Disney era.

• More than ever amounts of Star Wars stuff
• examining many eras to provide material for all fan types
• Over the years, Lucasfilm has greatly increased its diversity.

Just over ten years have passed since Disney acquired Lucasfilm from George Lucas, ushering in a new phase of the Star Wars saga that began with the production of Episode VII. Since then, Star Wars projects have appeared in more forms of media than ever before during the Disney era. In proportion to the number of projects, there has also been a lot of criticism, particularly about the sequel trilogy.

Star Wars has left a lasting impression on culture, and debates about the prequels or the Expanded Universe have always been sparked by the franchise’s enormous fan base. Star Wars has always featured vocal fans, and it will continue to do so, but thanks to social media, their voices have never been louder. Although Disney in charge, some would say that Star Wars is still a failure. Fans should instead take a step back and realize that there has never been a finer time to be a Star Wars fan.

The number of Star Wars projects is more than ever.

The fate of Star Wars was up in the air when George Lucas wrapped up his chapter of the Skywalker Saga with Revenge of the Sith in 2005. As it was commonly known that Lucas planned to create a live-action Star Wars series, he turned his attention to television, giving the appearance that live-action movies had no future. Lucas was sadly unable to execute it at the time on a fair budget due to technological limitations. Nonetheless, Lucas launched The Clone Wars animated series, which, despite being canceled early, has since grown to be a beloved element of the franchise. The point is that once Revenge of the Sith entered theaters, there wasn’t much more Star Wars to look forward to, and the series felt all but dead between 2005 and 2012. On October 30, 2012, Disney gained control, and everything changed.

To begin with, there have been more Star Wars ideas created in the past ten years than there ever were under Lucas. In addition to the Skywalker Saga’s primary installments, Lucasfilm also created stand-alone movies that delve into unresolved plot holes and adored characters. Not every effort has been well received by fans, but according to Rotten Tomatoes, just one of the six live-action Disney productions has received a terrible rating from critics, with The Rise of Skywalker receiving the least positive feedback. For a franchise with such high expectations, five out of six is really respectable. A billion dollars would also be made by each of the five out of the six movies throughout their theatrical runs.

With the help of the cultural phenomenon The Mandalorian, the franchise was also able to finally explore the unexplored live-action TV medium that Lucas had wanted to take on for years. TV has not only made it possible to tell more stories, but it has also made non-conventional, mature series like Andor possible. Because there are so many products produced, the series can avoid becoming old by telling distinct storylines, and Lucasfilm keeps pushing the edge. Before Disney took over, there was only one kind of Star Wars story: the serialized action-adventure movie. Due to numerous ventures, Star Wars has grown and developed into something new.

There have always been a ton of Star Wars books and comics with memorable characters and plots that fans identified with. With the expansion into new media, devoted followers now have more time to travel to a galaxy far, far away. There was a period when it appeared Lucas would also pass away from Star Wars. There will always be projects that have been done previously, but the fact that new ones are being released is just the icing on the cake. In Star Wars, the possibilities have always been limitless, but now anything is possible because there are no restrictions; Luke’s presence in The Mandalorian is evidence of this.

For each fan, Lucasfilm is telling stories in several Star Wars eras.

Early in the Disney era, the original trilogy received a lot of attention in order to reacquaint audiences with its protagonists before they made a second appearance in The Force Awakens. Other franchises could never compare to the pleasant experience that spanned generations. The franchise’s incredible generational appeal allows for the continuation of that sensation.

To appease fans of the prequel trilogy who missed out on the sequels, Lucasfilm has brought back additional well-known actors including Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen. Ahsoka Tano, Cade Bane, and other characters who first appeared in the franchise through animation have also been honored by appearing in live-action movies. Even literary figures, like Grand Admiral Thrawn, are now fully realized across a variety of media. Regardless of generation, there is definitely something in the Star Wars universe for everyone, and this trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

The idea of exploring different time periods served as the inspiration for the film’s plot, which included three distinct time periods—the New Republic, the years following The Rise of Skywalker, and 25,000 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. Under Lucas, the period of time between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope was off-limits, but it has since been enormously fleshed up. More original and intriguing tales are also pioneered by new eras like The High Republic in the expansive cosmos.

A Broader Range Galaxy of Star Wars

In addition to selecting a diverse cast for The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams established the tone for the future of Star Wars in many other ways. Although Star Wars was a product of its time and featured few characters of color, it was always in the film’s DNA to show more by placing a strong female character like Princess Leia at the center of the action. As the first film with a female lead and John Boyega playing a significant part as a Black guy, The Force Awakens explored that further.

With the Star Wars productions that came after, diversity has increased both in front of and behind the camera, with female directors having a chance to helm TV shows and movies. Not only was it long overdue, but it also made the series more accessible than ever. Additionally, the diversity has produced innovative works like Star Wars: Visions and characters like Cassian Andor. Star Wars should be enjoyed by people from all walks of life, and Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm has increased the series’ accessibility. Due to the fact that a broader audience is now being reached, it’s a major factor in Disney’s success.

Star Wars is a never-ending series that will soon celebrate its 50th birthday. There have been periods during its zeitgeist when excitement for new films has never been higher and periods when there hasn’t been anything to appreciate outside novels and comics. Star Wars enthusiasts now have the luxury of immersing themselves in an infinite stream of captivating tales. Fans can still be critical of the quality of the content even though there is a limitless supply of it; in fact, there should never be contentment in mediocrity.

Under Kathleen Kenney’s leadership at Lucasfilm, who has gone to great pains to maintain the integrity of Star Wars, the drive for quality hasn’t been something that has been taken lightly either. Fans must also consider what the series is accomplishing for other people in order to realize that not only will there be more Star Wars to look forward to, but that it also doesn’t take away from its unique background. Fans should be grateful that Star Wars continues to have a significant influence on our culture and will last for a very long time rather than longing for what may have been.