'Star Wars' Latest Installment Is a Worthy Anthology With 91% on RT Every Fan Must See

In recent years, Star Wars has revealed that the galaxy far, far away is surprisingly small. As soon as a hero lands on a planet, the silhouette of a character last seen forty years ago appears on the horizon.

The animated miniseries Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi elegantly solves this problem. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, the project offers a fresh perspective on the Star Wars universe.

What Is 'Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi' About?

In the distant future, the Jedi Order has nearly disappeared, and the Galactic Republic has fragmented into many independent states. Young Kara, daughter of the kidnapped lightsaber master Lah Zhima, continues her training with the mysterious Margrave Juro.

Together with a small group of new Jedi, she embarks on a mission to find her father. En route, they encounter former Knights of the Order, Jedi hunters, and General Navaam's army.

Kara's story gradually unfolds into a larger plot about reviving the Jedi teachings and understanding what a new order should look like in a world where the traditional division between light and darkness has long ceased to be clear.

'The Ninth Jedi' Offers a Fresh Take on the 'Star Wars' Canon

The creators of The Ninth Jedi made several almost heretical decisions: for example, former Jedi Dunbai consciously put aside his lightsaber and chose to protect people in the fields of trade and politics.

A man who discovered the Force but chose an administrative career is a slap in the face to Luke Skywalker. Such unexpected details give rise to the series' central question: if the old Order disappeared, why restore it in its former form?

General Navaam is a villain who doesn't encourage anyone to join the dark side, rather, he questions the binary of good and evil that forms the foundation of Star Wars.

The idea of gray morality is expressed through the franchise's most iconic objects: lightsabers. Kyber crystals, specially treated by Lah Zima, change color depending on the wielder's state – thus, the blade becomes part of the drama rather than just an accessory.

'The Ninth Jedi' Is an Action-Packed Adventure That 'Star Wars' Has Been Missing

The artists at Production I.G. are skilled at creating exceptionally beautiful fight scenes: lightsabers once again look dangerous, the fighters move with varying weight and temperament, and the duels reveal the characters' personalities.

After several years of live-action Disney+ series with high production values that were often only evident in marketing campaigns, it's refreshing to see that Star Wars battles can still look grand.

The time jump to the distant future allowed Kamiyama to imagine new nations, religions, and political regimes without risking accidental canon breaking.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi'?

• Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi has 91% from critics and 82% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 6.9/10.

Where to Watch 'Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi'?

Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.