Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is an American animated series created for the streaming service Disney+ and the television network Disney Junior. It is part of the Star Wars franchise and follows a group of younglings as they learn to become Jedi Knights during the High Republic era, centuries before the main Star Wars films. The series is produced by Lucasfilm Animation and Wild Canary Animation, with Michael Olson as showrunner and Elliot Bour as supervising director. It is the first full-length animated Star Wars series targeted at young audiences.

Star Wars:
Young Jedi Adventures
Genre
Based onStar Wars
by George Lucas
Directed byElliot Bour (supervising)
Voices of
ComposerMatthew Margeson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producers
  • James Waugh
  • Jacqui Lopez
  • Josh Rimes
  • Michael Olson
Production companies
Release
Original network
Original releaseMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04) –
present (present)

The series stars Jamaal Avery Jr., Emma Berman, Juliet Donenfeld, Dee Bradley Baker, Jonathan Lipow, and Piotr Michael. It was announced in May 2022, with Olson and Bour already attached to the project. Casting was revealed in February 2023. Six shorts were released on YouTube ahead of the series premiere, before also becoming available on Disney+.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures premiered on May 4, 2023.

Premise

Set during the High Republic era, centuries before the events of the main Star Wars films, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures follows a group of younglings as they learn the ways of the Force, including compassion, self-discipline, teamwork and patience, to become Jedi Knights.[1]

Cast and characters
  • Jamaal Avery Jr. as Kai Brightstar: a Jedi youngling who hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jedi Master Yoda and become a Jedi Knight[2]
  • Emma Berman as Nash Durango: a pilot who is friends with Kai and the other younglings, and teams up with them to go on adventures[2][3]
  • Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, a Pantoran Jedi youngling who is Kai's best friend[3]
  • Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, a Pooba Jedi youngling who is Kai's other best friend[3]
  • Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, a droid friend of the younglings[3]
  • Piotr Michael as Yoda, a Jedi master[3]
  • Trey Diaz Murphy as Taborr Val Dorn, a pirate

Episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
Shorts6March 27, 2023 (2023-03-27)April 24, 2023 (2023-04-24)YouTube
125[4]May 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)TBADisney+
Disney Junior

Shorts (2023)
No.TitleOriginal release date
1"Meet the Young Jedi"March 27, 2023 (2023-03-27)
Kai, Lys, and Nubs work together to battle a training droid at the Jedi Temple on Tenoo.
2"Lys' Creature Caper"March 27, 2023 (2023-03-27)
Lys follows the clues to retrieve an adorable creature running amok through the Jedi Temple.
3"Kai's Daring Droid Rescue"March 27, 2023 (2023-03-27)
Nash calls Kai when her droid RJ-83 is in trouble.
4"Nubs and the Flower Fiasco"April 3, 2023 (2023-04-03)
While on a mission to get a special flower, nature-lover Nubs uses some high-flying heroics to avoid a creature who also wants it.
5"Nash's Firehawk Frenzy"April 17, 2023 (2023-04-17)
The Young Jedi are aboard Nash's starship, The Crimson Firehawk, they must evade Taborr's ship.
6"Taborr's Pirate Showdown"April 24, 2023 (2023-04-24)
When Taborr and his band of pirates pillage the Kublop Springs marketplace, Kai, Lys, and Nubs spring into action to stop them.

Season 1 (2023)
No.Title [5]Directed byWritten byDisney+ release date [5]Disney Junior air date [5]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"The Young Jedi"Anthony BellMichael OlsonMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)May 4, 20230.133[6]
"Yoda's Mission"Casey LoweMichael Olson & Lamont Magee

Master Yoda sends several younglings led by Master Zia to continue their training at an outpost Jedi temple on Tenoo. Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay and Nubs catch a ride with Nash Durango and her droid RJ-83. Upon arriving on Tenoo, they stop Taborr Val Dorn and his pirate gang associates Pord and EB-3 from robbing a local cafe.

After settling into their new home, Yoda sends Brightstar and his friends on a mission to retrieve seeds for the Kublop Spring festival. Val Dorn and his gang steal the seeds but the Jedi retrieve them. During the retrieval mission, Brightstar chooses to lose his lightsaber in order to save his friend Nubs. Following the festival, Yoda gifts Brightstar his green training lightsaber.
2"Nash's Race Day"Anthony BellJulius HarperMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)May 4, 20230.107[6]
"The Lost Jedi Ship"Shellie Kvilvang-O'BrienKatie Kaniewski

Brightstar, Solay and Nubs join Nash Durango in a skiff race in the rivers of Kublop Spring. Master Zia allows the younglings to participate on the condition that they do not use their Force powers to cheat. Durango aspires to beat her wealthy rival Raena Zess, who has won the previous races for years. During the race, Zess cheats and gains the lead. Working together, Durango's Team Crimson Bolt are able to catch up with her, coming second place. After their ships get stuck in muddy banks during the race, the two teams are forced to put aside their differences to free their skiffs. Team Crimson Bolt ultimately wins the race. Zess accepts defeat and promises not to cheat.

While visiting the Tenoo Jedi Temple's library, Brightstar and his friends discover a starship tracker linked to a lost Old Republic starship called the Star Seeker. With Master Zia's permission, the younglings enlist Durango and RJ-83 on a quest to find the lost ship. After navigating an asteroid field, they land on an uncharted planet and find the lost ship and its pilot OG-LC. Despite his track record as a brave explorer, OG-LC has developed a fear of asteroids. With the encouragement of the Jedi younglings and Durango, OG-LC manages to fly his ship out of the asteroid field and continue his mission to Tenoo. His confidence restored, OG-LC continues his mission to explore worlds.
3"Get Well Nubs"Casey LoweBrian HallMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)May 12, 20230.134[7]
"The Junk Giant"Anthony BellMia Resella

After Nubs falls sick prior to an upcoming school trip to the Kublop Geyser, Brightstar and Solay embark on a mission to acquire Yara tree leaves, which have healing properties. During the quest, the two navigate a nearby river which leads to a giant Tenoo tree, where the Yara tree grows at its top. Working together, the two younglings climb the giant tree and confront a territorial gangul beast. Following their successful mission, the younglings join their classmates and Master Yia in watching the Kublop Geyser erupt.

Brightstar, Solay, Nubs, Durango and RJ-83 help the Chadra-Fan junk dealer Marlaa Jinara investigate a series of thefts at her junk yard. The five discover that Taborr Val Dorn, EB-3 and Podd have stolen parts to build a Junk Giant to impress the other pirates. The pirates use the Junk Giant in an attempt to steal a statue of Kublop Springs' founder, Kaliah Kublop. After the Junk Giant damages his left hand, the pirates abandon him but the Jedi and Durango are able to convince him of his inherent value as a droid. The Junk Giant is adopted by Jinara, who names him JG-1 and finds him work at her junkyard.
4"Lys and the Snowy Mountain Rescue"Shellie Kvilvang-O'BrienKatie KaniewskiMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)May 19, 2023TBD
"Attack of the Training Droids"Casey LoweBrian Hall

At Varna's invitation, Master Zia sends Brightstar, Solay and Nubs to help Gumar and Jam herd wellagrins on the snowy planet of Andraven. The children accompany seal-like Wellagrins on their migration through the mountains. During the mission, the group are scattered by an avalanche but work together to find the herd and Jam. After being caught in a second avalanxhe, they ride their Wellagrin steeds to safety. They reunite with Durango and their host Varna at a village kn the other side of the mountains.

Brightstar, Solay and Nubs fail to retrieve a beacon from a training droid. To spend more time training, Brightstar reprograms the three training droids to stack objects in the training field. However, the droids begin stacking other objects at the Tenoo Jedi Temple including trays, clothes, and books. With the help of Durango and RJ-83, the younglings are able to power down the droids. The children apologize to Masters Yoda and Zia and clean up the mess. Having learnt anout the folly of using shortcuts, Yoda invites Brightstar and his friends to train with him. They succeed in retrieving a beacon.
5"The Jellyfruit Pursuit"Shellie Kvilvang-O'BrienJulius HarperMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)May 26, 2023TBD
"Creature Safari"Casey LoweMia Resella
6"Squadron"Anthony BellKatie KaniewskiMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)TBATBD
"Forest Defenders"Shellie Kvilvang-O'BrienBrian Hall
7"The Jedi and the Thief"Anthony BellJulius HarperMay 4, 2023 (2023-05-04)TBATBD
"The Missing Kibbin"Shellie Kvilvang-O'BrienMia Resella

Production

Development

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, the first full-length animated Star Wars series targeted at young audiences and their families, was announced at Star Wars Celebration in May 2022. It is set during the High Republic era, centuries before the events of the main Star Wars films, which was already being explored through a series of books and comics at the time. The series was announced by executive producer James Waugh, executive producer and showrunner Michael Olson, supervising director Elliot Bour, and consulting producer Lamont Magee.[1][8] Lucasfilm's Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes are also executive producers.[2] Waugh said the creative team were aware that the series could be the first introduction to Star Wars for some children. Though they wanted the "characters, tone, and the life lessons" in each episode to be aimed at the younger audience, they also wanted to stay true to the expectations of people familiar with Star Wars.[3]

Casting

At the D23 Expo in September 2022, Jamaal Avery Jr. and Emma Berman were announced as cast in the series' lead roles of Kai Brightstar and Nash Durango, respectively.[2] In February 2023, it was announced that Juliet Donenfeld was cast as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, and Piotr Michael as Yoda.[3]

Music

Matthew Margeson was hired to compose the score for the series by late July 2022.[9]

Release

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures premiered on the streaming service Disney+ and the television network Disney Junior on May 4, 2023, Star Wars Day.[3] The first two episodes premiered at Star Wars Celebration Europe on April 8, 2023.[10] Three animated shorts introducing the characters of the series premiered on the Disney Junior YouTube channel on March 27, 2023,[11] with an additional three releasing by April 24,[12] before all six were released on Disney+ on April 26.[11]

Reception

Arezou Amin of Collider gave the series an "A" rating, stating that it "captured the Star Wars spirit for younglings of all ages". She described the main cast members as being relatable to children and praised the series for relying on a character-focused approach, which explored new characters as opposed to depending on long-established characters to advance the story.[13] Brett White at Decider gave the series a positive review, describing it as a "fun show and a fine introduction to Star Wars" for the preschooler demographic. While noting its low stakes plots, White praised the series for emphasizing life lessons and described the action sequences as "feeling like Star Wars" rather than a "preschool approximation" of the franchise.[14]

References
  1. Rosario, Alexandra Del (May 28, 2022). "Disney+ Bolsters 'Star Wars' Lineup With Younglings Series 'Young Jedi Adventures', Animated Anthology 'Tales Of The Jedi'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  2. Petski, Denise (September 10, 2022). "'Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures': Jamaal Avery Jr & Emma Berman Cast In Disney Preschool Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  3. Leite, Marcelo (March 19, 2023). "Disney Bumps Up Star Wars Animated Series Release Date". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  4. Spry, Jeff (May 4, 2023). "'Young Jedi Adventures' Delivers a Colorful 'Star Wars' Series for Preschoolers". Animation Magazine. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  5. "Shows A-Z - star wars: young jedi adventures on disney plus". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  6. Metcalf, Mitch (May 5, 2023). "Thursday 5.4.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  7. Metcalf, Mitch (May 13, 2023). "Friday 5.12.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  8. "SWCA 2022: Gather Your Younglings for the Young Jedi Adventures Series". StarWars.com. May 27, 2022. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  9. "Matthew Margeson to Score Disney Junior's 'Young Jedi Adventures'". Film Music Reporter. July 20, 2022. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  10. "Plan Ahead with the Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 Panel Schedule". StarWars.com. March 7, 2023. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  11. McCall, Kevin (March 27, 2023). "First Three 'Young Jedi Adventures' Shorts Arrive on YouTube". Collider. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  12. Star Wars [@starwars] (April 24, 2023). "Incoming transmission! A new Young Jedi Adventures short is available now. Watch Taborr's Pirate Showdown and all six shorts on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023 – via Twitter.
  13. Amin, Arezou (May 4, 2023). "Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures' Review: Slice-of-life stories for Younglings (and Younglings at Heart)". Collider. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  14. White, Brett (May 4, 2023). "Stream It or Skip It: "Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures" on Disney+ gives preschoolers their own Grogu in Nubs". Decider. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
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