One of Disney’s best Star Wars spinoff shows, Star Wars: Visions, is a 10/10 series that you need to check out. Disney has made plenty of Star Wars shows over the years, but the franchise is moving away from television. Instead, most of the upcoming Star Wars projects are movies like The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter. Even as Star Wars shows begin winding down, however, one of them is only getting better.

That show is Star Wars: Visions, which just released its third season in October, and Visions season 4 is already in development. In fact, Visions isn’t just one of the best Star Wars shows out there, it’s one of the best science fiction shows on Disney+. If you haven’t seen it yet, now is the best time to start watching Star Wars: Visions.

What Is Star Wars: Visions About?

Unlike the other Star Wars shows, Star Wars: Visions is an anthology series. That means Visions has no overarching story, and that each episode tells an entirely new, unconnected story. Individual episodes of Visions can range from the High Republic era all the way to the aftermath of the Battle of Exegol in The Rise of Skywalker. They also range from telling stories of the Empire and Sith to following a band that plays for Jabba the Hutt.

There are only a few loose connections between episodes of Visions. Every episode of Visions is created by a different Japanese animation studio, which lends the show distinct but familiar visual styles between episodes. Additionally, while each episode follows new characters in new situations, many of them have thematic similarities like a focus on young people accepting responsibility and found family tropes.

How Visions Ties Into The Star Wars Canon

One of the most interesting parts of Star Wars: Visions is its relationship to Star Wars canon as a whole. Visions is strictly non-canon, but it’s also not part of the old Extended Universe or Star Wars Legends. Some episodes of Visions have an entirely separate version of the galaxy far, far away, while others introduce new, non-canon characters and events to familiar moments, like the Battle of Exegol.

Each episode of Visions is a self-contained, non-canon story that doesn’t affect Star Wars as a whole, but it still integrates the larger franchise in some compelling ways. Visions, for example, has moved further forward in the Star Wars timeline than the canon movies have. Some episodes also offer new and unique perspectives on favorite moments and characters, like an episode following Wedge Antilles after the fall of the Empire.

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Star Wars: Visions also has a deep understanding of the overarching themes and concepts Star Wars is built upon. Some episodes take a deep dive into the inner workings of the Force, some give a glimpse into the average people of the galaxy, and most of them play with Star Wars‘ long-held themes in brilliant and exciting ways. From found families to the power of hope, Visions understands Star Wars more than some canon Star Wars shows do.

Each Episode Of Visions Delivers A Unique Journey

One of the best parts of Star Wars: Visions is the simple fact that it’s an anthology. Other Star Wars shows can often be limited by their subject matter and placement in the timeline. Andor, for example, never delved deep into the Force by virtue of centering around the Empire and the Rebellion, while The Clone Wars was only able to depict the Jedi Order as a crumbling, corrupt organization.

Visions has none of those drawbacks. It’s a completely unlimited show; one episode can be a somber and introspective look at how people interact with the Force, while another can tell a harrowing and action-packed story of an Imperial stormtrooper having PTSD visions of the Battle of Endor. Visions‘ lack of an overarching story means that every episode is a truly unique Star Wars journey.

The sheer variety Star Wars: Visions offers also makes it perfect for any fan of science fiction in general. Again, each episode of Visions ranges so much in everything from tone, theme, style, and pace. If you like slower, more introspective sci-fi that interrogates the technology and politics of Star Wars, Visions has an episode for you. If you just like seeing high-octane lightsaber duels that could never happen in canon, Visions has an episode for you.

Star Wars Needs More Non-Canonical Stories

The success of Star Wars: Visions also highlights something Star Wars could do better with on the whole: tell non-canon stories. Before Disney purchased Star Wars, the Extended Universe was a treasure trove of interesting stories that didn’t necessarily try to fit into the main movies and shows. Since Disney created Legends, Star Wars has almost exclusively been focused on expanding canon and making everything work as one cohesive epic.

The focus on canon is great in many regards, but it also limits Star Wars. There’s not as much room for experimentation or wacky side characters and adventures when each new story has to worry about not contradicting previously established canon. Visions has already shown what can be done outside the bounds of canon: literally anything. The easiest way to make Star Wars feel unique is by telling stories that don’t connect to canon.

It’s no secret that Star Wars has been faltering of late. The Rise of Skywalker was a critical failure, and recent shows like The Acolyte have only divided the fanbase even more. The best way to revitalize Star Wars is to do something new and unexpected, and the best way to do that is to tell a non-canon story. Since the Legends continuity is essentially over, Star Wars: Visions is the franchise’s best hope.

Release Date

September 22, 2021

Network

Disney+

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  Michael Sinterniklaas

  Tuskan Raider

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