Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023: Young Jedi Adventures
Announced last year at Celebration Anaheim and set to release on Disney+ on May 4, Young Jedi Adventures is a new animated series set in the High Republic era of Star Wars storytelling. At Celebration Europe 2023, the series was showcased in a panel featuring a discussion with key creatives and a screening of two episodes. Krystina Arielle, host of the High Republic Show for starwars.com, moderated the conversation with Lucasfilm executive James Waugh, series creator and showrunner Michael Olson, and voice actor Dee Bradley Baker, who performs the adorable blue Pooba named Nubs. Even though the series has yet to air, Arielle claimed the mantle of champion for Nubs Nation.
Young Jedi Adventures features three apprentice protagonists: Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs. Along with other younglings they train under various Jedi Masters, including Yoda. Their pilot, Nash Durango, is not Force-sensitive, which provides an opportunity inherent in the structure of the show for her character to ask questions that the kids in the audience would have, such as who Yoda is or how the Force works. Olson noted that the design for Kai originated for his nephew, who has Norwegian and Haitian heritage, and Olson wanted him to see someone who looked like him as a hero in the Star Wars galaxy.
In the panel, Olson talked at length about his inspirations and objectives for Young Jedi Adventures. Like many Star Wars fans who are parents, Olson wished he had age-appropriate Star Wars television (not just books or toys) to share with his children before they were ready to watch The Clone Wars or the movies. Young Jedi Adventures fills that void, and is specifically designed for preschoolers and early elementary school aged children. At the same time, the series makes sure to highlight the key elements of Star Wars, such as the Jedi and the Force, heroism and bravery, and compassion and helping others. The High Republic era also provides the perfect fit for hopeful and aspirational Star Wars stories, without a major war or looming menace to impose a grimmer tone on the galaxy. From the two episodes screened at Celebration, Young Jedi Adventures definitely looks primed to live up to these goals. Even if you’re an older Star Wars fan, though, the episodes are still a lot of fun to watch, with a great mix of adventure, humor, and classic Star Wars mayhem.
Watch the Official Trailer for Young Jedi Adventures:
B.J. has served as editor of FANgirl Blog from its inception, as well as contributing reviews and posts on a range of topics. He edited Tricia’s novel Wynde, and is collaborating with her on several future projects set in that original universe.
Currently a tenured law professor in Florida, B.J. has been a practicing lawyer in Washington, D.C., a law clerk to a federal appeals court judge, and a law journal editor-in-chief. He is also a proud geek dad whose son who is a big fan of Star Wars and The Clone Wars.
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