Across almost fifty years, the Star Wars franchise has covered a great deal of lore and backstory. The early days were simple, but as things expanded, fans developed questions and theories about every little detail. Over the years, the timeline of the galaxy far far away has become more complicated. Luckily, the franchise developed an in-universe way to divide the timeline into two major eras; BBY and ABY.
In the real world, history is divided by a major event. Common Era (CE) and Before Common Era (BCE) divide time by the supposed birth of Jesus. These terms offer a secular replacement for the old Before Christ (BC) and Anno Domini (AD) even though they denote the same periods. The Star Wars calendar is similarly divided, but its big event is a bit different.
BBY Stands For Before the Battle of Yavin
The dividing line in the Galactic Standard Calendar that is used in and out of the Star Wars universe is the Battle of Yavin. Before the Battle of Yavin covers the hundreds of thousands of years that occurred prior to that important military exchange, while After the Battle of Yavin covers the limited time since. Unlike BCE, the switch occurs during the year 0 BBY, which is simultaneously 0 ABY. The real-world calendars change hands with 1 BCE, never reaching a year zero. The two eras aren't exactly equal in representation.
Though there have been a lot of Star Wars stories over the years, there have only been about 60 years of its history on the big screen. The Phantom Menace begins at 32 BBY and The Rise of Skywalker ends at 35 ABY. The Battle of Yavin is depicted in the climax of the original 1977 Star Wars, now known as A New Hope. Everything before the climax of that film and everything that occurs before it takes place in the BBY era. The upcoming project The Acolyte is set to dig into an earlier period in the franchise's history, finally depicting a bit of the High Republic era. Other than that, the events of Star Wars have been mostly seeded throughout a handful of years. To divide eras, this battle must be a pretty significant historical event.
What Happened During the Battle of Yavin?
The Battle of Yavin is the battle that resulted in the destruction of the Death Star. It's an aerial engagement that took place in the Yavin star system. After the brave and valiant sacrifice of Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, as depicted in Rogue One, Rebels gained access to the plans for the Empire's new planet-bursting weapon. Taking advantage of its intentional weakness, the Rebellion scrambled X-Wing pilots on an extremely dangerous bombing run. With the help of the Force, Luke Skywalker fired the torpedo that ended the Death Star. It's a gripping battle that turned the tide of history.
The Battle of Yavin is the first big win for the Rebel Alliance against the iron-fisted rule of the Galactic Empire. Before that combat engagement, the Rebels had been limited to suicide missions and heavy losses. The Battle of Yavin was the spark that eventually led to the downfall of the Empire. Its significance is both practical and sentimental. The Death Star posed a justifiable threat to all life in the universe, so taking it down was essential to the Rebel cause. In addition, successfully blowing up the Death Star convinced millions of citizens that the seemingly all-powerful fascist dictatorship could actually be defeated. Though it wasn't the end of the war, it was the moment that ensured it could be won.
What Happened After the Battle of Yavin?
The events of Star Wars episodes V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX take place during the ABY era. The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett also occupy that timeline. The ABY era saw the downfall of the Empire, thanks to the growing strength of the Rebel Alliance after the victory in Yavin. It then saw the establishment of the New Republic, which reintroduced democracy to the galaxy. Unfortunately, the fascist military junta known as the First Order sought to reinstate authoritarian rule. Currently, fans only know the ABY era as far as it has been depicted in the sequel trilogy. The controversial reception to those films has made Disney a bit afraid of expanding.
Both the BBY and ABY eras have tons of unexplored stories that could make for fascinating new projects in the beloved Star Wars universe. There's something quaint about defining this massive franchise's timeline by the most important moment in the film that started it all. As the franchise continues to grow, fans will hopefully see more of its early era and its future. The Battle of Yavin is the line that divides the Star Wars calendar. It's the moment that heralds in a new era of fighting for freedom. It's good to start a new era with a bang.