New Timeline Idea
Here’s my theory for how Disney could create a new Star Wars sequel saga WITHOUT hard-retconning Episodes 7/8/9 and actually make the Kathleen Kennedy trilogy MORE important instead of less important.
Ahsoka Season 2 sets up the deeper Mortis/World Between Worlds mythology, but the actual branch happens in a new theatrical Episode VII so casual audiences don’t need to watch every Disney+ show to understand it.
At the beginning of the new Episode VII, Ben Solo’s Force ghost from Episode 9 awakens within the World Between Worlds after sacrificing himself for Rey. Because of the dyad, Ben didn’t fully become one with the Force normally. The dyad was actually a once-in-history convergence capable of altering destiny itself, which is why Palpatine feared it so much. Through the WBW and guidance from Anakin, Ben realizes Palpatine’s survival through Exegol, Snoke, and cloning corrupted the future itself and poisoned the Skywalker bloodline across generations.
The sequel trilogy still completely happened. Han still dies. Luke still dies. Leia still dies. Rey still mattered. Ben’s redemption still mattered. In fact, watching 7/8/9 becomes MORE important because those movies become the tragic future Ben sacrifices himself to prevent. Instead of deleting the sequels, they become the emotional foundation for the new saga.
Ben then makes the ultimate sacrifice. He enters the World Between Worlds one final time and goes back during the Thrawn/Mando era to stop Palpatine’s resurrection plan before Exegol fully succeeds. This creates a branched timeline instead of a reboot. Ben as we knew him ceases to exist after changing destiny, but his younger self still exists because Leia and Han still have him in the new timeline. Now he grows up in a galaxy where Luke’s Jedi Academy survives and Palpatine never returns.
Rey could still exist somewhere because her parents survive and Ochi never kills them, but she never becomes tied to Palpatine’s resurrection plan or abandoned on Jakku. She simply lives a different life in the healthier timeline.
This opens up a completely fresh but still connected sequel saga:
Sebastian Stan as Luke Skywalker in his 40s
Mara Jade introduced naturally
Recast Han and Leia
Young Ben Solo at Luke’s Jedi Academy
Grogu training with the new Jedi
Jacen Syndulla becoming Force sensitive
Ezra Bridger and Ahsoka involved in the larger mythology
A recast Thrawn as the main political/military villain instead of another Sith Emperor
A functioning New Republic and Jedi Order instead of another instant collapse
It also fixes a lot of underdeveloped sequel concepts retroactively:
the dyad finally has real mythological importance
Ben’s redemption arc becomes the completion of the Skywalker saga
Anakin’s role as the Chosen One matters again
the World Between Worlds becomes sacred Force architecture instead of random time travel
the sequel trilogy becomes a tragic “fallen future” instead of meaningless canon baggage
The best part is that Ben unknowingly creates a NEW problem when he heals the timeline. By fracturing/collapsing the World Between Worlds and disrupting the ancient Force balance tied to Mortis, he weakens the containment holding back Abeloth. So Episodes VII–IX become the grounded Thrawn/Jedi Academy saga, while Episodes X–XII slowly escalate into full cosmic Force mythology involving Mortis, the Whills, and Abeloth as the ultimate consequence of tampering with destiny itself.
It feels mythological, generational, hopeful, and emotionally connected to ALL the movies instead of just trying to erase the past.