The recently opened Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim contains some intriguing hints as to the future of the franchise. Its setting of the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu has already featured in multiple Star Wars media, for one, and some of the much anticipated treats in the theme park suggest that it could be a key part of the ongoing saga.
For those not aware, Batuu has been included in existing novel Thrawn: Alliances, while the Output was mentioned in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Future appearances, meanwhile, are set to range from a Marvel series to young adult novels. There are also many connections to the rest of Star Wars mythology through character Dok-Ondar, who runs an antiquities shop, and his relationship to Jabba the Hutt. In addition, visitors to the park get the chance to see and interact with characters such as spy Vi Moradi.
The motivation behind using this setting for the park seems to be to create an immersive experience packed with easter eggs for fans of the whole franchise. Visitors will also be able to take a ride on the Millennium Falcon, and build their own lightsabers. Like Mos Eisley Cantina, the Black Spire Outpost gives its creators freedom to mix together different characters.
Scott Trowbridge, responsible for the Star Wars experiences at the theme park, remarks as so:
“We intend to make this land part of Star Wars storytelling now and well into the future. By design, Black Spire Outpost is a place for adventures to begin — a stepping-off point.”
Making Batuu a key part of the Star Wars universe gives the creators a space to experiment as they prepare for the next stage of the series after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and story editor Margaret Kerrison had this to say about it:
“It has representation from across Star Wars storytelling. From the prequels to the animated shows, the original trilogy, books, comics, there’s something for every fan.”
We’re certainly keen to check out Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which won’t require reservations to visit after June 23rd, later this year, as many of the early visitor photos, including Brie Larson showing off her lightsaber chops, have us excited to see what the park has in store. And what other hints it might hold towards the franchise’s future.
