New Star Wars Release Set Between Episodes 8 & 9 Makes Leia Rey’s Jedi Master

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At the Lucasfilm Publishing panel at this year’s New York Comic Con, it was announced that the book Star Wars: Legacy will be released on July 28, 2026. Written by author Madeleine Roux, the story picks up shortly after the events of The Last Jedi, following Rey and Leia as they embark on a mission together to repair the broken Skywalker family lightsaber. The novel will also dive into the complicated feelings Rey and Leia have about Kylo Ren, who further embraced the dark side during the Battle of Crait. Check out a snippet of the official synopsis below, courtesy the official Star Wars website:

“After barely escaping the First Order on Crait, Rey and the Resistance are struggling to rebuild. Her friends need the last Jedi more than ever, but Rey feels alone and overwhelmed. Jedi tradition is built on masters and apprentices, and Rey’s teacher is gone. Leia Organa tries her best to train Rey in the ways of the Force as Luke did for her so many years ago, but Leia’s knowledge is limited, Rey’s lightsaber is broken, and the specter of Kylo Ren and regrets from the past haunt them both. How can Leia pass the torch when she herself is unsure of the way?”

Image Courtesy of Lucasfilm

Star Wars: Legacy Has a Connection to The Mandalorian

The main action in Star Wars: Legacy will take place on the planet Tython, which is home to a Jedi temple “that might hold the key to repairing Rey’s saber.” Star Wars fans might recall that planet was previously featured in The Mandalorian Season 2; it’s where Din Djarin and Grogu go to attempt to make contact with any remaining Jedi across the galaxy (which is what makes Luke Skywalker seek them out). Years after Grogu meditated on the temple’s seeing stone, Rey and Leia explore more of the temple and are forced to complete “arcane trials” to unlock it secrets. Additionally, they come across a group of refugees on the run from the First Order.

Tython is obviously a planet with a very strong connection to the Force, making it the perfect setting for a story like Legacy. As Rey and Leia work together to learn more about the Force, the Tython temple should contain plenty of information that enhances their understanding of the Force, making their connection to it and each other stronger. It’ll be interesting to see what brings the First Order to Tython. Legacy “delves into the interior lives of General Leia, Rey, and Kylo Ren,” so perhaps Kylo has taken an interest in the temple, believing the secrets within could hold the key to the First Order’s victory.

The Star Wars books aren’t required reading for people to follow the on-screen projects, but Star Wars: Legacy has the potential to be a worthwhile addition to canon. It’s going to fill in some crucial sequel trilogy gaps. Rey got to spend entire movies alongside Han and Luke, but The Rise of Skywalker didn’t have much opportunity to fully examine her relationship with Leia. The film made use of archived footage of the late Fisher to give Leia a role and wrote scenes around material that was shot for The Force Awakens. Legacy can add a lot of depth in a way the movie couldn’t, hopefully enhancing one’s enjoyment of Rey’s interactions with Leia in The Rise of Skywalker.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the book should be Leia’s evolution as a teacher. The Rise of Skywalker reveals she had some Jedi training, but she abandoned it early on. Now, she’s thrust into a situation where the galaxy’s new hope is looking to her for answers that she doesn’t have. Throughout the Star Wars saga, Leia was always a fearless and determined leader, but she wasn’t a Jedi Master like her brother. She could find herself a bit out of her element in Legacy, and it should be interesting to see how she overcomes any obstacles in her path.

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