StarWars.com’s writers dive into the year’s biggest announcements, releases, and fan-favorite moments from 2022. Here are some of our favourites from the year….
Obi-Wan Kenobi reunited Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen.
Fans of the Star Wars prequels rejoiced as Ewan McGregor returned to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi and said the phrase we were all waiting to hear: “Hello there.” Set at the midpoint between the rise of the Empire with Order 66 in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the duel on the Death Star in Star Wars: A New Hope, the Disney+ limited series gave us a glimpse at a time in Ben Kenobi’s life previously unexplored in live action. Here was a man cut off from the Force and his old ways, hidden away in a cave keeping watch on young Luke Skywalker. The only thing that could spur him to leave his post? Little Leia Organa in trouble! The series was filled with memorable moments between Ben Kenobi and the last princess of Alderaan, the introduction of Moses Ingram as the fearsome Third Sister, Reva, and the dreaded Fortress Inquisitorius, and gave us not one but two new lightsaber battles between Obi-Wan and his former pupil, Darth Vader. In just six episodes, the limited series expanded what we thought we knew about Kenobi’s relationship with not only Luke and Leia but also their father, the man once known as Anakin Skywalker. – Kristin Baver
Andor took us by surprise in the best way.
From the first moments of the Disney+ series, it was clear Andor was going to be a new interpretation of Star Wars: messier and more grounded than we’d ever seen before, with nuanced characters and storytelling that felt fresh and modern. The militaristic bombast and dark side fanaticism of the Empire wasn’t the focus here; instead, it was the oppression of surveillance, unjust laws, and everyday cruelty from a tyrannical leader, power-drunk bureaucrats, and ambitious supervisors, which turned out to be frightening in a completely real-world way. Cassian Andor, at the center of it all, floated along for himself until he saw it was worth picking a side, and all of our principal heroes — Cassian, Luthen Rael, and Mon Mothma — did questionable things in the name of good. On the flipside, Dedra Meero and Syril Karn were decidedly human…until they weren’t. It was challenging and complex stuff, nerve-wracking and thrilling all at once. In the end, Andor was a memorable Star Wars experience — the prison escape alone being something of a masterclass in action. If you slept on Andor, take the leap and join the rest of us before Season 2. You won’t regret it. – Dan Brooks
Tales of the Jedi took us deeper into the lives of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku.
Tales of the Jedi, the six-episode anthology series on Disney+, gave us the chance to delve into the psyches of two of the most famous Jedi that left the Order, Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku, as well as other intriguing characters like Qui-Gon Jinn, Yaddle, and Ahsoka’s parents, Pav-ti and Nak-il. From its electric announcement and the premiere of its first episode at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim to its final moments with Ahsoka in support of the Rebel Alliance, the series was a treat for fans of the prequels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Jedi…or just incredible Star Wars storytelling. Packed with action and drama, from the birth of Ahsoka on the planet Shili to the funeral of Padmé Amidala on Naboo, creator and executive producer Dave Filoni expertly penned this love letter to the saga’s past, present, and future. Where else could we see Padawan Qui-Gon on a mission with his master, learn how Yaddle truly talks, and finally see what really happened to those Kamino files in the Jedi Archives? Heartbreaking, fascinating, and uplifting, often at the same time, Tales of the Jedi was Star Wars at its best. – Brandon Wainerdi
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser set sail.
This year, travelers took to the stars aboard the Halcyon and experienced lightsaber training, sampled cuisines from all over the galaxy, played Sabacc on an exclusive holo-Sabacc table, and so much more. This immersive, two-night, one-of-a-kind adventure at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida starts with you boarding a launch pod and meeting guests on the magnificent vessel known as the Halcyon. You get to interact with Star Warscharacters as you choose if you want to align with the Resistance, the First Order, or learn the ways of the Force with the legendary Jedi, or maybe just act like a scoundrel for a change. You control your destiny and story, and no two voyages are alike! Plus, each cabin — because you sleep aboard the ship, too! — features a unique view of space unlike anything you’ve ever seen. There is truly nothing like the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser anywhere in this galaxy! – Dan Zehr
Gamers hit the bricks with LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga landed this spring, a massive re-imagining of the brick-busting games from a galaxy far, far away that delivered a built-from-the-ground-up epic that retained the franchise’s signature charm, humor, and accessible gameplay, while evolving these elements in a number of thrilling new ways. And fans can now explore memorable moments and locations from all nine saga films, from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, on their own unique journey through the galaxy. Of course, one of the great aspects of a LEGO game is its hundreds-strong character roster, and The Skywalker Saga more than delivered, packing in enough fan-favorites to overflow the Death Star’s trash compactor. With more than 400 characters and ships, you’ll never run out of new ways to solve puzzles and tackle missions! This staggering line-up culminated in the recently released Galactic Edition of the game, which introduced over two dozen more — including favorites from Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and even the LEGO Star Wars: Summer Vacation special. If you weren’t already convinced The Skywalker Saga was one of 2022’s absolute best ways to celebrate your Star Wars fandom, then minifig Emperor Palpatine in a beach-ready swimsuit should seal the deal. – Matt Cabral
John Williams turned 90!
It’s virtually impossible to divorce the emotions (and nostalgia) we collectively feel when watching any of the Star Wars films from the soundtrack. The opening crawl makes your pulse race because of the “Main Title’s” fanfare. Darth Vader’s menacing presence is heightened by “The Imperial March.” The music from a galaxy far, far away perfectly accents and elevates every corresponding image on the screen. And the man behind much of the music, the maestro John Williams, turned 90 this year. In 2016, when Williams received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, the maker himself George Lucas credited Williams with raising Star Wars to “a level of popular art that would stand the test of time.” Williams first worked with Lucas on the original Star Wars film in 1977; he would take home the 1978 Oscar for Best Original Score for his work on the film and went on to score all of the Skywalker saga films, write “The Adventures of Han” — the hero’s theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story. And earlier this year, 45 years after his first Star Wars gig, Williams composed the main theme for Obi-Wan Kenobi, completing the hero’s themes for every major character in the Skywalker saga. William’s contributions to Star Wars — and to pop culture itself — are beautifully summed up by frequent Lucas collaborator, Steven Spielberg, when he said that without Williams “there is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.” And Williams is currently at work on the score to the next film in that other beloved Lucasfilm franchise: Indiana Jones. So happy 90th birthday maestro – we are grateful for you and your work and can’t wait to experience what you do next! – Carlos Miranda
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